ACE Basin

We in Charleston and surrounding areas of the Lowcountry of South Carolina are blessed to be within one hour’s drive of one of the most pristine and beautiful estuarine wonderlands along the Southeast coast. In fact, there is no place like it, or as large. It consists of many thousands of acres of marsh, upland maritime forest, and former rice fields, now protected in the magnificent ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge.

This is a peaceful place, my favorite refuge from the city. I have written about it before. It has an astonishing variety of birds and wildlife. Soaring hawks, eagles, egrets, herons. Alligators, even. And some very large ones I’ve seen at close range. Incredible.

I can see myself now driving down the dirt road that leads into the heart of the preserve. You leave the madness of Highway 17 far behind, with its trucks bearing down on your rear fender and everyone in a hurry to be somewhere else. In the ACE (which stand for the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto rivers, which merge and meet the sea here along this part of the South Carolina coast), I can feel my spirits soar. I am usually alone, but happy here. Like no place else. It is truly a sanctuary, and we are very fortunate that it is protected.

The URL for a Web site that explores the ACE in great detail is listed below. There are a lot of photos and maps, so it takes a while to download. It is a rich repository of information about coastal South Carolina.

ACE Basin:

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/otter/htmls/data/refdocs/acebasin.htm

What a beautiful place;truly God’s country! Love,

a fellow low-country person! how cool! i love it here! never been to the place you describe, but i will make a BIG effort to visit it soon. missm (sorry nsi)

This is sure a special place! I learn a lot abt SC from your entries. It’s very interesting. I will visit the site later

I will be sure to make use of this tomorrow, Oswego. I just took another virtual tour the other day of the Great Smokey Mountain Park. It soothed my heart. I do love N.O. but at times, it gets to me. Thanks for the

And what is it you need, my friend ? As always your writings bring me a quiet peace.

Sounds like you need to spend some time there. You seem to be sad these days…….

Bramble

July 27, 2000

Thanks for the url, I am eager to look at it.

It must be very peaceful there. I think the tidal marshes would be my favorite place, if you can get to it. There’s a place like that here that I like to go to. It’s so peaceful and quiet.

it is really a beautiful place…got to go there last year…smiles and hugs…

let me correct myself…i’ve never been to the Ace Basin, but i have been in the area…nice country…smiles and hugs…

Generally I don’t consider leaving my beloved Pacific Northwest, but this sounds compelling. You make it sound magical.

That looks like a lovely place. I, too, crave the quiet. I’m not one to need noise all the time as it seems some people do.

It looks like a place where one could sit and rejuvinate. The pictures were fantastic.

I’m still waiting on YOUR pictures of the ACE Basin. I know there must be some.

Thanks for the web site. Sounds wonderful!

Willy & Wilma

August 4, 2000

Thanks for the web site, but as usual, Netscape Mindspring never heard of it.

Edelweis

April 1, 2002

Tonight I was looking again at the site! It is interesting to learn about all the Fauna & Flora. So many plants and birds we don’t see here in real!!! You are indeed fortunate that this place is so close to you!