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| Sports For Fun! |
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ome people come to the Carolinas for the fishing. Others come for the year-round
golf, while still others visit the mountains to hike, raft or just enjoy nature.
The sad thing is, those who limit themselves to just one part of the region can
miss out on so much. Sportfishing for everything from marlin to mackerel is a
passion along the coast, but just look to the mountains for some of the best trout
fishing in the south. Insist on camping in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains and
you'll miss the natural wonders of the Lowcountry and Outer Banks.
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nd if you
only golf along the coastal resorts, you'll miss out on the challenging, beautiful
courses that dot the sandhills and foothills of the Carolinas. In other words,
if you think of recreational sports around here in terms of just one region, think
again. There may only be two Carolinas, but there are dozens of ways to enjoy
them.
Possibilities for birding, hiking and camping seem endless. Several national wildlife
refuges, parks and one national seashore (Cape Lookout) provide intriguing adventures.
Escape civilization at one of South Carolinas barrier islands or North Carolina's
Outer Banks. Those interested in visiting one of two barrier islands in the Cape
Romain National Wildlife Refuge can call (843) 928-3264.
The Outer Banks offer fishing, bird-watching, kayaking, hiking, hang-gliding and
windsurfing. Theres also a hiking trail running along Cape Hatteras through marine
forests and along the shoreline. Call the Outer Banks Visitor's Bureau at (800)
446-6262.
In South Carolina, try an eco-adventure in the Ashepoo-Edisto-Combahee (ACE) Basin,
deemed one of the "40 last great places on earth" by the National Audubon Society.
The Audubon group also named several top birding areas in South Carolina - Cape
Romain, an aviary on Hilton Head Island, a portion of a wildlife management area
in Hampton County, Table Rock State Park and a site in Aiken County.
Birders also flock to Pea Island Wildlife Refuge near the Outer Banks town of
Rodanthe. More than 265 species of birds regularly visit, and observation towers
allow visitors access to nesting areas. Call (252) 987-2394 for information.
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Hiking, camping and backpacking opportunities abound in both states. The Carolinas
share the Foothills Trail, wending more than 80 miles between Caesars Head and
Whitewater Falls. South Carolina's 300-mile Palmetto Trail spans the state from
the northwest mountains to the seacoast village of McClellanville, north of Charleston.
North Carolina's mountains provide day hikes and extended backpacking treks. The
Appalachian Trail follows ridges through the western North Carolina mountains
and connects with the Foothills and Palmetto trails.
The Foothills Trail connects Caesars Head with the Chattooga River; and the emphasis
is on foot, as in walking or hiking, not mountain biking or dirt biking.
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Paddling blackwater, whitewater
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A paddling trip through tidal creeks and historic rice fields full of birds and
alligators can be arranged by calling Black River Outdoor Center in Georgetown
(843) 546-4840 or The Kayak Farm (843) 838-2008 in Beaufort.
In North Carolina, the Professional Paddlesport Association keeps up with rafting
in the Blue Ridge Mountains and canoeing/kayaking in the piedmont and on the coast.
See "Recommended Reading" on this page.
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From brown trout in upland lakes, chasing the big striper in South Carolina's
biggest impoundments, charter-boat fishing on the coast, and pond fishing for
panfish everywhere, the Carolinas cannot be topped in fishing. In 1999, a world-record
yellow-mouth grouper was landed out of Murrells Inlet. In between have been world
records for hybrid bass, black crappie and even a 55-pound freshwater striped
bass caught by a former race car driver. Carolina lakes yield good catches of
largemouth bass, white bass, striped bass, crappie, bream and catfish (a 109-pounder
was caught in Santee Cooper).
Rivers are hot spots for shellcrackers, redbreast bream, spot-tail trout, shad
and smallmouth bass. Mountain streams offer rainbow, brook and brown trout, and
the mountain lakes of Jocassee and Lure grow trout big and sassy. Coastal creeks
and rivers yield summer trout, red drum, sheepshead, flounder and black fish.
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Stock car racing used to be the domain of mechanics and young men aspiring to
be the next Richard Petty or Cale Yarborough. Not anymore. Many after-hours lawyers,
blue-collar and white-collar types, even mayors, get out on short ovals on weekends
to satisfy their alter egos. Some of them are women who have their own division.
Another weekend racing activity involves cycling. Time trials, distance races
and just day-tripping are promoted by cycling clubs. If you prefer riding horses,
the national and state forests of both states offer opportunities. The Anne Close
Greenway between Fort Mill and Charlotte offers a network of horse trails that
attracts many riders. There also are many riding trails in the Sumter and Francis
Marion national forests.
A heightened awareness of the need to protect the environment is leaving an indelible
impression on those who use the varied resources of the Carolinas. Whether mountain
biking in the Sumter National Forest, sea kayaking in the Outer Banks, hiking
the Palmetto Trail, bird-watching at the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge or
helping protect loggerhead turtle nests in the beach dunes, Carolinians honor
the environment.
A desire to experience the Carolinas, a good guidebook and a visit to an outdoors
shop is all it takes to see what it's all about. It's called doing it yourself.
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Written by Gene Able & Chick Jacobs
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