South-Carolina

One-tank Trip: A paddle on the Edisto River and a night in a treehouse

Published

2 years ago

May 31, 2024

One-tank Trip: A paddle on the Edisto River and a night in a treehouse

Josephine Johnson
| For the Savannah Morning News

Maybe you’ve seen it scrolling social media. That sponsored ad popping up with canoes, blue skies, stands of bald cypress, and rustic treehouses to pitch a one-of-a kind overnight paddling odyssey on the Edisto River. Deftly delivering the ultimate outdoor adventure fantasy, the algorithms know me well. Though I’ve canoed and kayaked on the West Coast and across the Southeast, I’ve never done so and then slept in a treehouse.

Under the spell of savvy marketing, I was soon on the phone inquiring about booking.

Headquartered in St. George, South Carolina, about 90 miles north of Savannah off I-95, Carolina Heritage Outfitters offers this unique river opportunity for individuals, small groups, and families. You can make reservations online, but since I wanted to go solo, chatting with someone about safety and other precautions seemed most reasonable.

Owner Chris Burbulak promptly answered. He confirmed that recently a few women had done the two-day trip alone without issue. But emphasized that since canoes are a bit unwieldy for solo paddling, he’d set me up in a kayak and deliver my supplies to the treehouse. The three treehouses, he went on, had propane stoves for cooking but lacked running water and electricity, so I’d need to bring drinking water, a headlamp, and be prepared to use the outhouse. Chris also stressed insect repellant and rain gear as necessities.

Since no one else had yet booked on my dates, and likely wouldn’t, he figured I’d probably be alone on the 300-acre property. The final itinerary, he revealed, would entail paddling 13 miles on the Edisto, staying overnight in the treehouse, and paddling 10 more miles the next day to the pick-up point where he’d meet me after having collected my gear. With all things in tow, we’d then return to headquarters.

It sounded perfect, amazing in fact, especially that detail about getting to spend the night alone on the densely forested treehouse property. I would just need to be patient for a few more days until it all unfurled.

On adventure day, though, a massive storm system was wreaking havoc across the Southeast, and Chris and I agreed it would be safest for me to paddle the first day and stay in the treehouse, but on the next morning he’d come get me in advance of the storm. He offered to let me return and paddle another time to make up for what I’d miss.

And with that, on a drizzling gray Monday morning, I launched a little before 10 a.m. in a fire red kayak, with lifejacket, snacks, water, rain gear, and bug spray ready to roll on the Edisto.

From its forked headwaters in the sandhills of Saluda and Edgefield counties, the Edisto River runs unobstructed about 310-miles before greeting the Atlantic Ocean at Edisto Beach. It is the longest free-flowing blackwater river in the United States, and its watershed is home to old-growth tupelo and bald cypress, anadromous striped bass, shortnose and Atlantic sturgeon. Tracts of adjacent forest serve as lush breeding grounds for migratory birds like summer tanagers, yellow-billed cuckoos, and Mississippi kites. The endangered red cockaded woodpecker also lives within the old growth riverine system.

In my kayak, the rain-swollen blackwater moved unexpectedly fast, and at intervals, I noted large trees having recently succumbed to the current. Tussles of green waved above the surface from sunken branches, and great upended roots exposed masses of knots and runners no longer able to anchor the trees within the saturated bank. Maneuvering was more technical than I’d anticipated, and for the first two hours, alertness was key. The current combined with one too-slow turn of the boat could result in disaster, potentially capsizing the kayak and pinning me beneath a fallen giant.

Eventually, the river widened, slowed, and I relaxed. Life carried on loudly around me. The birds had been riotous from the start, but here in the calm, their calls were magnified, making it easier to hear the three-dimensionality of songs overlapping with notes nearby, mid-distance, and farther away. Cheering wrens, chortling tanagers, cacophonous cardinals, robins, eastern flycatchers, swallow-tail kites, questioning barred owls (yes, calling at mid-day!), Mississippi kites, night herons, hermit thrushes, and pileated woodpeckers all raucously united in a halleluiah chorus of avian delight.

At the peak of spring migration, I was blessed to be alone on the Edisto River, experiencing the force of nature that is the diversity of birds flitting and shifting in flight, sustained in fervent song. This is how and where magic begins, I mused. The clarion melodies of springtime rising and falling around cypress, tupelo, wild blueberries, water lilies to awaken them once again to the glories of photosynthesis and reproduction—this is it. Birdsong, a rarefied magic sparking all urges necessary and primordial.

I continued down the Edisto a few more hours before landing at the treehouse very much ready to get out of damp clothes and cook a hot meal. As promised, Chris had delivered my food, sleeping bag, and backpack near the stove beneath the house. After unpacking, I made a meal of mushroom and cheese ravioli with fresh red peppers, olives, and parmesan, and though I brought blueberries for dessert, I ate most of them while chopping veggies for the pasta.

After dinner, I went back out on the river to explore a cut I’d noticed. Paddling upstream was formidable, but once off the main channel, the effort was much easier. In the calm blackwater, cathedrals of tupelo and bald cypress cradled nests of cackling black-crowned night herons. I maneuvered slowly so as not to startle them and lingered in the shallows as the watery forest grew darker. I paddled to the river, and with the swift current behind me, was back at the treehouse in under 20 minutes.

Around 7 p.m. the barred owls began calling, and by 7:30 p.m. I was tucked in my sleeping bag and didn’t wake until 7:30 a.m. when Chris texted to let me know he’d be there in an hour. The big thunderstorm was anticipated to hit the area around 10 a.m.

I was packed and ready when he arrived, but nothing in me wanted to leave. Experiencing the birds and great trees of this stretch of the Edisto made an indelible impression that I hope to be part of again later this summer. Sleeping in the treehouse beside the constant push of the river with the sounds of owls and whip-poor-wills lulling me to sleep was a gift of some of the best rest I’d had in months.

If such an adventure appeals to you, and this summer you’ve the time and means, I recommend booking it. The experience won’t fit everyone’s budget. Going into it, I didn’t reveal I was a writer and purposely paid the full $200 because I wanted to see what the experience would be like as a solo, paying woman, and not as someone paid or invited to review it. And to that end, a young family now owns the property and business after having painstakingly purchased it six years ago. Adventuring with Carolina Heritage Outfitters not only gets you a unique and supported experience on the free-flowing Edisto but also directly sustains a South Carolina-local family—making it a win on many, many levels.

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South-Carolina

A Stronger Rail Network Is a Win for South Carolina’s Economy – FITSNews

Published

11 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

A Stronger Rail Network Is a Win for South Carolina’s Economy – FITSNews

“The combined rail system would offer the reliability our business community has been asking for…”

by NATHAN BALLENTINE

***

For as long as I’ve served in the South Carolina House, I’ve believed that strong infrastructure is the backbone of a strong economy. Whether talking about roads, bridges, broadband, or freight mobility, our ability to efficiently move people and goods determines how competitive our state will be in the decades ahead. South Carolina continues to grow at one of the fastest rates in the country, and with that growth comes a responsibility to ensure our logistics network can meet the demands of modern commerce.

That is why the proposed merger between Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS) deserves thoughtful consideration, not just at the national level, but here at home. South Carolina’s economic success is directly tied to reliable freight transportation. From advanced manufacturing in the Upstate, to the distribution and warehousing centers in the Midlands, to the countless businesses that depend on steady supply chains, every region of our state relies on a freight system that works smoothly and predictably.

When freight rail is fragmented across multiple networks, bottlenecks and delays become far more common. Businesses, especially those operating with tight production schedules and narrow delivery windows, feel the impacts immediately. A delayed railcar can throw off inventory planning, disrupt operations, and create ripple effects that stretch across an entire supply chain. These unpredictable slowdowns can be enormously costly for the companies that keep South Carolina’s economy moving.

***

The Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger aims to address many of these longstanding challenges. By creating a unified network connecting more than 50,000 miles of track and linking 43 states with over 100 ports nationwide, the combined rail system would offer something our business community has been asking for: reliability. Studies indicate the merger could generate approximately $1 billion in annual cost savings and improve freight-car velocity by around 10 percent. These aren’t abstract figures, they reflect tangible improvements that would strengthen operations for employers, distributors, retailers, and consumers alike.

***

“Economic development teams would also have an even stronger pitch when attracting new employers to South Carolina…”

***

A more dependable rail network means companies can plan with greater precision, suppliers can manage logistics with fewer surprises, and transportation partners can commit to schedules with increased confidence. Economic development teams would also have an even stronger pitch when attracting new employers to South Carolina: not just a skilled workforce and business-friendly climate, but a transportation network capable of supporting long-term growth.

Improved rail performance also benefits South Carolina’s infrastructure more broadly. Rail is one of the most efficient ways to move goods long distances. Every shipment that travels by rail instead of truck reduces congestion on our highways, lowers fuel costs, and decreases wear and tear on roads that taxpayers ultimately fund. Better rail capacity complements, rather than replaces, our ongoing efforts to invest in roads and bridges across the state. It allows us to stretch transportation dollars further and focus on the improvements most needed in fast-growing communities.

Another important factor is competitiveness. States across the Southeast are aggressively investing in logistics infrastructure to position themselves as national leaders in manufacturing and distribution. If South Carolina wants to stay ahead, and continue attracting companies that create stable, high-quality jobs, we must support improvements that strengthen the reliability and efficiency of our freight network. The Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger presents an opportunity to do just that.

***

RELATED | SOURCES: S.C. LAWMAKERS THREATEN SUPREME COURT

***

As someone who has spent nearly two decades advocating for responsible, forward-looking growth in our state, I believe that modernizing our freight system is not just a transportation issue, it is an economic necessity. Ensuring that goods can move quickly, safely, and predictably is fundamental to the success of our businesses and the financial well-being of South Carolina families.

Federal regulators will ultimately determine the path forward, and their review should be thorough and transparent. But from where I sit, the potential benefits to our state are clear. A more integrated, efficient rail system will help South Carolina businesses compete, help consumers by keeping costs lower, and help our state maintain the strong economic momentum we’ve built over the past decade.

A stronger rail network means a stronger South Carolina, and that is a future we should fully support.

***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Nathan Ballentine represents the citizens of House District 71 in the S.C. General Assembly.

***

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South-Carolina

LIVE: SC AG Alan Wilson, state, national leaders hold press conference on statewide drug busts

Published

23 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

LIVE: SC AG Alan Wilson, state, national leaders hold press conference on statewide drug busts

Statehouse Reporter Mary Green will have more on this tonight.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – South Carolina Attorney General and other officials will be holding a press conference Friday at 9:30 a.m. to talk about statewide drug busts.

Wilson is set to be joined by South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel, representatives from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security, as well as several local sheriffs and other law enforcement partners.

Watch the full press conference in the video above.

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.

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South-Carolina

2026 Football Schedule Unveiled

Published

1 day ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

The University of South Carolina’s 2026 football schedule has been unveiled, it was announced tonight on the SEC Network.

The Gamecocks’ 2026 schedule features nine regular-season SEC contests, with five games at home and four on the road. The schedule also includes non-conference games versus Kent State and Towson as part of the seven-game home slate, and a non-conference road contest at Clemson.

After opening the season with three-consecutive home games for the first time since 2014, the Gamecocks will alternate home and road contests throughout the remainder of the schedule. The 2026 schedule features just one open date which will come on week 7 (October 17).

As announced on Monday, the Gamecocks will open the season on Sept. 5 by hosting Kent State. Carolina drubbed the Golden Flashes in its only previous encounter, a 77-14 decision in 1995. Kent State finished the 2025 season with a 5-7 mark overall and a 4-4 record in the Mid-American Conference.

Week 2 will see the Towson Tigers make their first trip to Williams-Brice Stadium. The Tigers compete in the FCS Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) and posted a 6-6 record in 2025 under head coach Pete Shinnick.

The Gamecocks begin their nine-game SEC gauntlet on Sept. 19 when Mississippi State visits Columbia. Carolina has won eight of the last nine meeting with the Bulldogs including a 37-30 win in 2023, the only contest played between the two schools since 2016. The Gamecocks lead the all-time series by a 10-7 margin. Mississippi State is one of seven teams on Carolina’s 2026 schedule that is playing in a post-season game this year.

The Gamecocks first road trip of the 2026 season takes them to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 26 for a date with the Alabama Crimson Tide, one of four teams on South Carolina’s 2026 slate that will appear in this year’s College Football Playoffs. It will mark the third-consecutive season that Carolina and Alabama have squared off, with the Tide narrowly winning the previous two – 27-25 in Tuscaloosa in 2024 and 29-22 in Columbia in 2025.

The Gamecocks and Kentucky Wildcats will meet in Columbia on Oct. 3. The teams met in Williams-Brice Stadium on Sept. 27, 2025, with Carolina prevailing by a 35-13 score, its fourth-straight win in a series they lead 22-14-1.

Carolina wraps up the first half of the season at Florida on Oct. 10. The Gamecocks and Gators met every year on the gridiron from 1992-2023 but have not played in either of the last two seasons. Florida holds a commanding 31-10-3 lead in the all-time series including a 17-2 advantage when playing in The Swamp. Carolina’s last win in Gainesville came in overtime the 2014 season.

After an open date on Oct. 17, the Gamecocks will return to action at home on Oct. 24 against the Tennessee Volunteers. Like Florida, the Gamecocks and Vols met every year from 1992-2023 but have not played in either of the last two seasons. Tennessee leads the all-time series by a 29-13-2 count including a narrow 10-8-2 advantage when the game has been played in Columbia.

The Gamecocks will spend Halloween in Norman playing the Oklahoma Sooners. The teams had never met prior to OU joining the SEC but have played each of the past two seasons with each team winning on the others’ home field.

The Bonham Trophy will be at stake on Nov. 7 when Texas A&M visits Williams-Brice Stadium. The Gamecocks and Aggies have met every year since A&M joined the SEC in 2014. The Aggies hold a 10-2 advantage in the all-time series, but the Gamecocks have won each of the last two meetings in Columbia.

The Gamecocks will travel to Fayetteville, Ark. for just the second time since 2013 when they tangle with the Arkansas Razorbacks on Nov. 14. South Carolina has won three of the last four games with the Hogs, but Arkansas clings to a 14-10 advantage in the all-time series.

The second-longest running series in school history behind only Carolina-Clemson, the Carolina-Georgia rivalry gets renewed on Nov. 21 when the Bulldogs make their way to Columbia from Athens. Georgia has won 55 of the previous 76 meetings between the flagship schools from neighboring states, with the Gamecocks last win coming in 2019.

The 2026 regular season comes to an end on Nov. 28 when the Gamecocks and Clemson Tigers meet in the annual Palmetto Bowl. The 2026 meeting will take place in the Upstate, where the Gamecocks have won each of their last two visits.

SEASON TICKETS
Whether you’ve been attending games for years or want to experience the magic for the first time, it’s not too early to secure your season tickets for the 2026 season. Season tickets are available for as low as $65 per game with a 10-month payment plan option available. Fans interested in purchasing season tickets for the first time, can place a season ticket deposit today for only $50 plus fees or fill out our season ticket interest form to receive more information. Current season ticket holders will receive information soon on how to renew their tickets for the 2026 season and can contact their Gamecock Club Account Representative today to enroll in the 10-month payment plan. For more information on ticket options for the 2026 season, visit 2026 Football Hub.

2026 SOUTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 5                  vs Kent State
Sept. 12 vs Towson
Sept. 19 vs Mississippi State*
Sept. 26 at Alabama*
Oct. 3 vs Kentucky*
Oct. 10 at Florida*
Oct. 17 OPEN DATE
Oct. 24                 vs Tennessee*
Oct. 31 at Oklahoma*
Nov. 7 vs Texas A&M*
Nov. 14                 at Arkansas*
Nov. 21                 vs Georgia*
Nov. 28 at Clemson

*-SEC game

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