Bull’s Island: A Southern Dream

Guest Writer:  Catherine McColgan

When nearly every day brings another bleak story on climate change, signs of hope are rare. However, on stumbling across Bulls Island on a family holiday, my family and I felt optimistic, forgetting the doom and gloom of the headlines back home in London.

In a last-minute change of plans, we took a trip to South Carolina instead of NYC. Lacking impressive skyscrapers and without a widespread gimmicky slogan – who doesn’t know that ‘everything’s bigger in Texas?’ – we didn’t know exactly what to expect from South Carolina, but looked forward to some southern hospitality.

A chance encounter with a villa-rental brochure brought Bulls Island to our attention. Although my city-loving mum pointed out “the island sounds more like something for you and Dad,” the chance to see alligators up close was too good to miss so we booked our tickets and journeyed to the ferry port the next day.

Travelling along the island’s incredible still, black salt marshes, our guides taught us about its diverse ecosystem and inhabitants – turtles, dolphins, snakes and more. Protection from the Department of the Interior, together with wildlife refuge status, make it an animal lover’s dream.

Even dreamier, we learnt that we would explore the island solo, unrestricted by the set routes or strict time schedule of a guided tour and somewhat assured by information on alligator feeding patterns – we were in no danger of being their next meal. Raring to go, we put on our David Attenborough hats and set off, adrenaline pumping, in search of all the wildlife we could find – alligators, vultures and snakes, oh my!

In search of an up-close alligator experience, the Island’s main draw, we trod carefully along palm tree-lined walkways and through Magnolia-filled forests, wondering if an alligator was around the next bend. ‘Am I the only one feeling like I’ve stumbled into Jurassic Park?’ I thought.

Despite this excitement, in the island’s beautiful, green surroundings and fresh air, untouched by city pollutants and away from phone pings, we felt zoned out and soothed. Even the less adventurous of our party (ahem, mum) felt surprisingly relaxed, in awe of and content in the breath- taking environment.

Then, in the distance, through an opening in the low-hanging Magnolia trees, we saw a green walkway with three long and magnificent alligators at its end – maybe everything isn’t bigger in Texas! Hearts pumping, we walked the grassy path, surrounded by alligator-filled swamps.

Approaching the walkway’s end, our chatter grew quiet and jaws dropped as the alligators’ gargantuan size became clear. With quickening step, we trod lightly past the ‘gators, some taking photos, others too afraid to look, before leaving them to sunbathe – turns out we have something in common with these reptiles!

In today’s climate (pardon the pun,) this oasis exemplifies how humans can protect and live in harmony with nature. Indeed, the existence of Bulls Island makes it unsurprising that alligators are no longer endangered.

This desire to protect nature hits me back in London. About to drive five minutes up the road, I jump out and walk. My trip has given me hope that such small changes will make home a little greener too.

To read more of Catherine McColgan’s writing, visit her website.