Cumberland Island
Trip Start
Dec 01, 2007
1
24
35
Trip End
May 31, 2008
Cumberland island, Georgia
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Our passage north was an easy one. We traveled 3-5 miles offshore. We set the autopilot and watch for ships. Our trip north was only made "exciting" when we see a tug and barge zig zagging toward us and not responsive on the radio. We prepared to make our own evasive action, but the barge had other ideas and moved away from us. No issue. So by 5pm, we enter the St Mary's inlet.
We have a fond feeling for the St Mary's inlet. On our initial cruise on First Forty we come into this inlet at 8pm after a fierce thunderstorm turned us in from the ocean. We had an instructional captain with us at that time as it was our first week on a boat like this. Our offshore trip from Palm Beach was supposed to go up to Hilton Head when a "doomsday" thunderstorm came up. It was un-nerving when the seas hit 6'+. We found shelter in St Mary's and was happy it was an easy inlet to get into.
Today it was easy....we like easy.
So we head north a few miles and take a beautiful anchorage just of Cumberland Island in Georgia.
I lived in Georgia more than any other state. When I lived in Atlanta in the 70s and 80s going to Cumberland Island always looked interesting, but at that time there was a reservation system. In fact, reservations had to be made over 6 months ahead because the number of people allowed on the island was very limited. So it never happened. I never got there. Now things are easier and more people are let onto the island each day. Plus we are coming on our own vessel.
Cumberland Island is a 15 mile long barrier island off the coast of Georgia. It's a national seashore park and very nearly a real virgin island. Its home to wild horses and beautiful dunes all of which are untouched by developers. So this is a place, Sue and I had decided would be a priority for a stop by the mighty First Forty.
The next morning we drop the dinghy and head into shore via the nearby ranger dock. The island is simply beautify and has a terrific feeling that only comes when you are in a place where man's influence is nearly impossible to see. There was a small ranger station, a dock and a well concealed campground.
We walk the short half mile over to the ocean beach and find he dunes untouched and the seashore pristine. We see only a few humans and a dozen or so wild horses. The govt lets the horses alone. They are not fed or cared for but have multiplied over the years since they were introduced here by early settlers. It was a great sight.
There was a time when the island was occupied. In the golden age of the industrial revolution, the Carnegie family built a mansion here. Its in ruins now as it was burned by hateful poaches in the 50s. Its easy to see why the super rich would want to be here. But now its just history. We move the dink over to another part of the island in the afternoon and get a walking tour by one of the rangers.
Seeing the wild horses with the territorial stallions was really interesting. By the end of the day, we were back on First Forty enjoying a BBQ at a terrific anchorage. It was a great day.
