Kiawah

It was a warm, sunny July morning when I arrived at Kiawah Island. Kiawah is only 35 minutes from Charleston S.C. if you're a normal person driving an average car. But I, the intrepid demon of velocity, completed the trek in 17.8 flat on a Suzuki GSXR 750 (i.e. The Instrument of Death and Destruction) (fig. A).
Kiawah Island is residential for the most part, so the beach is usually void of tourist types that would seize the ambiance one would experience on any given weekday (fig. B). Hurricane Bertha had encroached the east coast days before my advent to the island.
This coastal disturbance allowed many aquatic organisms to wash onto the beach (fig. C, D, and E). Let's begin with (C1), Ovalipes stephensoni, almost identical to the Gulf Lady Crab, this crab is found buried in sand in shallow water; it is about 3 in. long and is one of the swimming crabs which is designated by the last pair of legs that are flat and paddle shaped. Not shown is the Common Blue Crab, Callenictes species. This is another swimming crab that also was in abundance on many of the South Carolina beaches. The Blue Crab is trapped locally and served in many restaurants. (C2) and (C4), could possibly be common spider crabs Libinia emarginata, they are about 4 in. long, spiny, brown with white tips at the ends of their fingers. This type of crab has a hairy upper surface and walking legs. This was definitely the spookiest crab on the beach, it looked like something from the movie "The Thing". (C3), Hepatus epheliticus, this crab is called the Gulf Calico Crab but is often seen on the east coast. It is about 2 in. long, tan or gray with bright red spots covering the carapace. This crab is just down right purty, make an effort to see one after the next tropical storm near you. (C5), Two of the more common clams that were washed onto the shore. The one on the left is called a Rough File Shell, Lima scabra . At first glance they looked like little hairy turds or something, but later I discovered that these fuzzy structures were once a living filter feeder. (C6), If you were to walk up to this thing you might think it was a snake or something a dog had just puked; however, unbeknown to most beach walkers, this is a knobbed Whelk egg case, designated by the flat edges. This egg case came from the most sought after shell on the beach, the Lightning Whelk (not shown). Upon close examination of the egg case one can see the tiny Whelks that fill each compartment. (C7), This is a tube from a tube worm, it is woven with shells and ocean debris. These remnants of tube worms can be found on most any South Carolina beach.
Check this out! (fig. D), this is the carapace of a Horseshoe Crab Limulus polyphemus . This animal is the only one of its kind in American waters. From head to tail they may reach 24 in. in length and 12 in. in width across the carapace. I'm not sure what this one measured, but it would have been close to a world record. This crab feeds on clams, worms, and other invertebrates and could possibly rip off a mans foot if given the chance (well, maybe on a good day).
Moving right along now to the marine algae (fig. E). The Red Algae, Phycodrys species (E1), was really cool. I didn't know that red algae was so red until it washed up on the shore of Kiawah Island. (E2), The green algae, more specifically known as Codium fragile was common on the beach and had a jelly like surface. It felt almost like nutrient agar, what's up with that?

No Fear! (fig.F). The sign read, "DANGER keep off" but as you can see I, the fearless one, would pay no attention to such trifling cautionary advice. As the ocean crawled beneath my feet I raised my arms as to signify the conclusion of my mission. The waters of the Atlantic, a deep dark abyss in its daunting way, seemed to coax me into the water " Jump Mark, Jump in" I could hear in a whispered voice. A tall dark stranger stands beside the dunes wearing a long black trench coat. Further down the beach I see another, just like before, but with an earphone. I felt as if I were being watched, like a chick hatching just beneath a hawks nest. Shortly I stumbled upon a lady lying alone on the beach, she was writing something in a diary and seemed to be content in her solitude. Closer and closer I walked toward her as my feelings of being watched persisted. All at once I had a premonition, then I could hear the steps of the strange men by the dunes as they converged on to me. As I began to run toward the lady I realized whom I had stumbled upon on that desolate strand of beach. This was no ordinary lady, Dude! It was the First Lady!.........Yes way, Hillary Clinton herself. So quickly I reached for my camera, pointed and hit the shutter as I tumbled to the sand after being tackled by seven or eight secret service men in long black trench coats (fig.G). As I was being transported away from the beach I informed the security dudes who they were dealing with and showed them my faculty/staff I.D. from Western Kentucky University. Later, they released me and I was allowed to return home with nothing more than the memories of my excursion.

Last Modified July 31, 1996
email: Mark.Clauson@wku.edu