Givhans Ferry State Park. Part III. A final look around the Park.

Click here for the first post in this series.

Up early this Monday morning at Givhans Ferry State Park. The weekend campers are gone, and only six or seven of the campsites remain occupied. It’s quiet throughout, though quite warm and muggy. Late yesterday afternoon we had a sudden thunder shower. It lasted only a few minutes. Plenty of rain, wind, and even some lightning in the distance.

Let’s have another look around the Park this morning. Beginning with the limestone sinkhole display seen on the left side of the road driving in. Long-time readers may recall similar geological features at Santee State Park.

These two fenced-off depressions look quite small. But given the makeup of the soil in this part of South Carolina there must be others on the Park.

Here’s a photo of the sign beside the fence. Click for a larger view to read the text more easily. An excellent explanation of this unusual geological phenomenon.

Here’s the CCC-built Park Office and Community Building. From the front it looks quite modest.

And here’s another view of this historic building from the side. Showing two levels of back porch overlooking the Edisto River. Accessible from the Community Room that takes up most of the building.

The Overlook Shelter in another section of the Park might give an opportunity to see the River while enjoying a picnic.

But the view from the Shelter is a bit overgrown now. It could be impressive after some trimming of foliage.

This sign might explain why the foliage blocking the view hasn’t been trimmed. Click the photo above to read about limestone bluffs in this area, and the rare plant life that their alkaline soil supports. The rarity of that plant life may not have been appreciated when the CCC crews built and named this shelter in the 1930s.

The main feature of Givhans Ferry State Park, though, is the Edisto River. Click below for a short video taken early in the morning before the arrival of folks to wade and swim.

It wasn’t long after I took the video until the water just below the Park Office was crowded with another wave of waders and swimmers. Even on a Monday morning!

So there you have it. Givhans Ferry State Park. A convenient place for Dorchester and Colleton County folks to enjoy a day wading and swimming in the Edisto River.

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