Welcome to the
2008 Southeastern Friends of the Pleistocene
(SEFOP) Website
This years focus is on:
Coastal and Floodplain Geomorphology of
South Carolina
Fieldtrip: October 24-26, 2008
This year's host is Ray Torres and the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of South Carolina. My colleagues and I planned a floodplain-coastal zone fieldtrip for y'all, all in South Carolina. Below is a brief itinerary. There are not costs associated with this trip other than your overnight accommodations.
Friday, October 24, 1:00 PM
Lets meet in the parking lot of the Congaree National Park, about 45 minutes south of Columbia, SC at 1:00 PM. Professors Art Cohen and Alicia Wilson, and Dr. Jim Landmeyer of the USGS and NPS personnel will lead walking tours and discuss field site observations in stratigraphy, near-surface hydrology, and ecology. Directions to the park are on the NPS website, but in general from US 77 take the Bluff Road exit (Hiway 48) south, away from Columbia, for about 10 miles when you will see signs to park.
After the Congaree fieldtrip all FOPers are invited to an evening of fun and science on the farm of Professor Bob Gardner and Ms. Jennifer Gardner near St. Matthews, SC, about 40 minutes from the park (directions to Gardner's). The USC Geology Department will provide dinner for all of our guests. Also, we will have a couple of scientific presentations under the stars; bring your camping gear. One presentation will be by Ms. Kimberly Meitzen grad student of the USC Geography Department, and one by Professor John Grego of the USC Statistics Department.
Saturday, October 25, 8:00 AM
South Carolina Sandy Coast
All FOPers are required to leave the Gardner's farm by 8:00AM because the coastal part of the trip is tide-sensitive and it requires that we arrive at the coast before 10:00AM. Professor Miles O. Hayes will guide a coastal processes, geomorphology, and land use fieldtrip on and around Kiawah Island. Field guides for this leg of the trip will be on sale Friday and Saturday.
In the afternoon we will depart for Georgetown, SC where we will spend the night. Upon our arrival we will have an overview presentation of intertidal wetland geomorphology and processes, with refreshments. Presentations will be give by Professor Jim Morris, Bob Gardner, and Ray Torres. Afterwards you are on your own for dinner. There are lots of pretty good restaurants in Georgetown and in Pawley's Island, or you can cook if you are staying in the dorms.
The focal area for this leg of the trip is in the North Inlet salt marsh of the Baruch Institute, part of the NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve system. Camping is not allowed at the reserve. There are options for spending the night in the area, and none are free. The Reserve has dormitories with rooms that have two or six beds each, at $15pp (includes showers, AC, full kitchen etc). We can accommodate the first 46 people on a first come first served basis. The other option is to camp at Huntington State Beach, about 8 miles north on Hiway 17. Go to http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/ to reserve a site. Of course there are many hotels in the area as well, mostly in Georgetown. See what you can find online.
Sunday, October 26, 8:00 AM
South Carolina Muddy Coast
Since many of you have a long way to go to get home we planned a half day tour of the salt marsh landscape at the North Inlet salt marsh of the Baruch Institute, part of the NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve system. Professors Jim Morris of the USC Biology Department and Direct of the Baruch Marine Laboratory, and Bob Gardner, Ray Torres and others will lead tours giving an overview of salt marsh ecogeomorphology (the new buzz word), processes controlling the transition from terrestrial forest to salt marsh, and salt marsh creek geomorphology. We expect to wrap this leg up by 1:00 PM.
As you might guess I need an accurate head count of participants so please send a confirmation that you will attend as soon as possible. If you are bringing a class please have each student send his or her name, and let me know if you would like to be added to the dorm list. Send the confirmation and dorm request to SEFOP2008@geol.sc.edu.