Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Cumberland Island to Jekyll Island - Offshore tomorrow!

We started the day out by going ashore to investigate the Cumberland Island National Seashore park just at the Florida/Georgia border.  The only way to get to the park is by ferry or private boat.  We anchored near the dock and just took our dinghy to shore.

After paying our entry fee ($7 each) at the honor station, we started walking the trail to the Carnegie family house ruins from the late 1800's - called the Dungeness.   Since it was early in the morning, the "herds" of people on the ferry boats had not arrived.  We had the park completely to ourselves for hours.

Great shady walk - about a mile to the ruins.  Lovely live oaks with Spanish moss hanging.






Getting close to the mansion ruins.  Live oaks border the path.


The house ruins.  It was abandoned mostly by the Carnegie's after the depression.  It burned in 1959, hence the ruined state.


 Pretty though....the family donated the land to the Park Service in 1972.  The horses appear to be abandoned also and free-roaming.  (The house had gates barring entry, so no interior photos!)


In the previous photos, you can see the "pergola"....apparently the ladies strolled here in the late 1800's when vines and flowers were abundant.



Here are a couple of photos I found on the internet of the house in all it's glory.





This was the "duck pond"....a pretty reflecting pool, even now.


 More of the free-roaming horses.



There were a few left-over items that showed some "ostentatiousness".  Several fountains.



And a strange statue of Mercury.....


The ruins of what we think was probably a greenhouse.  No placards helped us....



This was part of their view from the edges of the property at low tide.



Walking up from the "garden" area towards the ruins.  The gardens were important because they were a self-sufficient community with about 300 people working to keep up the house/grounds.


A different view of the ruins.



Enjoyed that walkabout!   We then walked to the other side of the island to the ocean.



Pretty sand dunes.




And more horses!!  Note that two are laying in the sun behind the standing horse.



Back towards the boat thru a pretty trail.



Back to the boat - time to head north for one more day "in the ditch".



Weird Navy or Coast Guard apparatus .....


It was called "DeGausing system" on the navigation chart.  Apparently, they use this to "demagnetize" the ships.



More Navy/Coast Guard ships....not sure which.



And a pretty little lighthouse tucked away in the dunes as we approached Jekyll Island.


We fueled up again at Jekyll Island, just to make sure we have enough diesel if we have to have the motors running the entire way home.   We'll be heading off in the morning out the St. Simons inlet - destination - Beaufort, NC!!  It will be about 3 days - so you won't hear from us for a while!

Planned route. It's about 340 miles to the Beaufort Inlet. 


 The weather looks OK - looks like the worst should be about 4' seas.  Hope the forecast is correct!  

Georgia sunset!  




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