Active Pursuits

Canoeing & Kayaking -- Black River expeditions can be arranged at Kensington Gardens, U.S. 701, 3 miles north of Georgetown (tel. 843/546-4840; www.blackriveroutdoors.com), open Monday to Saturday 9am to 5:30pm. Half-day canoe rentals cost $35 a day, with kayaks going for $50.

Golf -- One of the popular Georgetown championship courses, Wedgefield Plantation [S], just north of Georgetown (tel. 843/546-8587 or 448-2124), is on the site of a former Black River plantation and has wildlife in abundance. It was designed by Porter Gibson, and Golf Week's "America's Best" honored it as one of the top 50 golf courses in South Carolina in 1994. Greens fees are $52 to $89, including cart. The signature hole is the par-4 14th, with both tee and approach shots over water.

River Cruises -- The Carolina Rover and the Jolly Rover (tel. 843/546-8822) set sail from Georgetown Harbor. The Carolina Rover, a 40-foot pontoon boat, offers a 3-hour trip including a docked stop on North Island. The 45-minute excursion to this rather remote island includes a nature walk and beach shelling. Trips leave at 9am, 1pm, and 5pm Monday to Saturday. It costs $25 for adults and $15 for children 11 and under. The Jolly Rover, an 80-foot topsail schooner, offers a 2-hour tour of Winyah Bay. On board is a storyteller in a pirate's costume, who relates tales about pirates and ghosts who have prowled the Carolina coast. Trips depart Monday to Saturday at 10am, 1pm, and 6pm. The 10am and 1pm tours are pirate adventures. The cost is $26 for adults and $14 for children 10 and under. Reservations are strongly recommended.