A Day at Cumberland Island, 9/28/2018

Finally, we made it to Cumberland Island National Seashore. As I mentioned previously, when we visited two years ago, it was closed due to hurricane damage to the docks and facilities on the island. After reviewing the ferry schedule (the only way to reach the island is by National Park Service ferry or a private boat), we made our reservations online (www.cumberlandislandferry.com).

You must check in at the Visitor Center (St. Marys, GA) about 45 minutes before departure time. They verify the reservation ($26/per) and provide a ticket to board. Parking for the day (no fee) is about a block from the Visitor Center, and the dock is about three blocks north of it. A Park Ranger provides a short orientation about the ferry including safety instructions. Campers were permitted to load their gear onto the boat before general boarding. Lots of people also bring their bicycles (although bikes can also be rented on the island for $16/day). No dogs are permitted on the island.

The dock is on St. Marys River and it takes about 45 minutes to get to Cumberland Island. We chose to ride upstairs to enjoy the views, but there is an enclosed area below where a few snacks, water, and soft drinks can be purchased. A cormorant was sitting atop a buoy and we saw many birds in the marshy areas while en route.

Although I did not get a good picture of them, dolphins were swimming alongside the ferry once we were close to the island. And we saw a bald eagle (not a very good photo) on a tree, too!

You must bring (and pack out) everything you will need for the day. There are no trash cans on the island (but there is potable water at the Sea Camp Ranger Station). 

With map in hand, we headed out on the River Trail toward the Dungeness Ruins. 

The trail affords views of Cumberland Sound. We came to the Captain’s House (c 1900) that is now a Ranger Station, but it is a lovely spot enjoy the views 

The Ice House Museum has displays about the inhabitants of the island, from Native Americans to the Carnegie estates. The building (c 1885) was used to store 300 pound ice blocks cut from frozen lakes in the north and delivered by schooner to the island. Once ice could be generated (1901), the Ice House was used for storage.

Information about the First African Baptist Church located on the northern part of the Island in the The Settlement (originally home to freed slaves) is also on display. John F. Kennedy, Jr., and Caroline Bissette were married in the tiny church in a very private ceremony in 1996. 

We continued on the road toward the Dungeness Ruins when we first saw some of the horses that live here. They are the only herd of feral horses (estimated at 150) on the Atlantic coasts that are not managed (no food, water, veterinary care, or population control provided). They live up to about 10 years, and are related to Tennessee Walkers, American Quarter Horses, Arabians and Paso Fino. It is believed that the first horses came to the island when Spanish missions were established in the late 1500s. Others were brought here by the military in the 1700s, and landowners in the 1800 and 1900s. By the time Cumberland Island became a national seashore (1972) the horses were feral. 

Revolutionary War hero, General Nathanael Greene, was granted land on the island in 1783. His widow, Catherine, built a 4-story house that she named Dungeness on it. In 1884, Thomas Carnegie, and his wife Lucy, began building their winter home on Dungeness’s foundation. Thomas died shortly after the house was completed, but Lucy and their nine children spent more and more time on the Island. When Lucy died in 1916, the house was 35,000 square feet. The house was destroyed by fire in 1959 and only the brick and stone walls remain. 

Extensive landscaping and formal gardens surrounded the estate. I found the pergola to be so lovely, especially with the white horse in view. 

 

We wandered around the property and ate our picnic lunch on the lawn. Many horses were grazing in this area (stay 50’ away). 

What an amazing house it must have been! 

We returned to the Sea Camp Ranger Station along the road. We saw others on bicycles and some hikers, too, but mostly we were alone. 

We did not hike down to the beach, although it is a popular destination for visiting families. At 4:00 pm, an informational program (about armadillos) was provided as we awaited the arrival of the ferry. We enjoyed the views of the island and the relaxing return trip to St. Marys. 

The Land and Sea Tour ($45/per) is the only way to see the entire island in one day (www.cumberlandislandferry.com/lands-legacies-tours). Plum Orchard (a restored Carnegie mansion ) and the First African Baptist Church are part of the tour. The van for the tour and the park service vehicles are the only ones allowed on the island.

This is the 6th (of the 10) National Seashores we have visited. And like the National Parks, each one is unique with interesting cultural history and natural beauty. If your are in the area, I highly recommend a visit! For additional information about Cumberland Island, go to www.nps.gov/cuis. 

Beaches!, 9/15 and 9/26/2018

Because we needed to drop off our Kirby vacuum cleaner (yes, we brought it with us when we sold the house) at a repair shop in Jacksonville, FL, we decided to go to a beach for a couple of hours. Spending time on the beach is always fun for the three of us. Of course, the challenge is finding beaches on the east coast that are dog-friendly.

We were happy to learn that dogs are permitted on Atlantic Beach, but not Neptune Beach (just south of Atlantic Beach). We drove around looking for a place to park on the street, but ended up in a parking lot ($3/hour). We walked a few blocks to reach Atlantic Beach.

It was a beautiful day, although there were strong rip tides (hence the red flag) due to Hurricane Florence (that was hitting NC/SC). Still, there were people swimming in the ocean and lots of surf fishermen (check out the tattoo on this guy!)

We walked for several miles on the beach (one of our favorite things to do), and then made the hour-long drive back to St. Marys, GA, where we are staying.

The following week, we went to Amelia Island (about 30 miles from St. Marys). All of the beaches on the island, except for the Amelia Island State Recreation Area, allow leashed dogs. It is part of the Sea Islands chain of barrier islands with beautiful sandy beaches. This time we brought our gear so we could hang out on the beach for a few hours. We found a free parking place on the street and it was just a short walk to the beach. 

Our Sadie even got to play some frisbee. Good catch!

It was a bright, sunny afternoon. We went on a walk, took Sadie swimming, had a picnic lunch, and generally enjoyed the sights and sounds of the beach. 

There were a couple of helicopters that flew over and an ultra light buzzing around. A couple surf fishing near us caught whiting fish, one after the other (and sometimes two at time!) They had a family of 7 so needed a lot of the small fish to make a good meal. Apparently schools of larger fish were pushing them close to the shore. 

When John and I went for a swim (which we do not do that often anymore), a large wave crashed over us and caused John to lose his glasses. We tried to find them, but no luck. Rats! Oh well, I think it was time for John to have an eye exam anyway. We last purchased glasses in Los Algodones, Mexico, when we were in Yuma, AZ. (You can find great prices for high quality glasses in the border town.) 

Shortly thereafter, we packed up and headed home. Despite the glasses incident, it was a lovely and relaxing day. 

Tabby Ruins, What’s That?, 9/15/018

Okay, I understand the ruins part, but what is tabby? Not one for suspense, here’s the answer: It is a building material used from the late 1500s to the mid-1800s in the southeastern US coastal area. Made from equal parts of lime, water, sand, oyster shells and ash, it was poured into wooden forms to harden. (I always associated the term, tabby, with a kitty cat with mottled fur!)

We visited the McIntosh Sugar Mill tabby ruins when we were first here in 2016 (www.windsofdestiny-rvlife.blogspot.com/search?q=Tabby+ruins), and stopped by again today. 

A short trail (from the parking lot and restrooms) through the forest lead to the ruins. A dog-friendly space, our Sadie, had fun exploring the area. 

Built in 1832, the thick tabby walls provided the warmth needed to process sugar cane (boiling, grinding, and curing). Below is an up-close view of the walls.

During the Civil War, the plant was modified to produce arrowroot (a starch) and sold to the Confederate Army. 

Sadie really fun chasing lizards, walking on the walls, and peering through openings in the ruins. 

Not sure what she saw, but her eyes say it all. 

The ruins can also be accessed from a small parking area on Charlie Smith Sr. Highway (St. Marys, GA) with a picnic area. The ruins are only a short walk away. 

This is an interesting historic site in a serene, secluded setting. The durability of the tabby building material is pretty amazing. And it proved to an excellent use of natural resources in the area.