We left Hidden Harbor Marina in a heavy fog this morning.  By mid-afternoon the sun came out and the skies cleared.  We went through an area known as "Hell Gate" which is shallow and roiling and the boat was rockin' and rollin' for several miles. 

We traveled north 11 hours and 75 miles to Possom Creek, GA which is about 50 miles south of Savannah. It was a very long day.  Here are a few photos:

 

Early morning fog leaving Hidden Harbor

Shrimp boat

Mid-afternoon the skies cleared

Anchoring in Possom Creek, GA

Relaxing on the fly bridge

Tonight's back yard

 

Monday, April 29, 2013

 

We filled both fuel tanks and left Ocean Petroleum at 9:00 AM.   We traveled 13-1/2 miles to Hidden Harbor Marina. Brunswick, GA where we met up with Mickey.  Today called for gathering clouds and rain in the afternoon. We had lunch at Fox's Pizza which was delicious and the Captain got a Thanksgiving Dinner Sub that he loved.  I got their special white pizza with red onions and sun dried tomatoes.  Mickey goes there a lot and got his "usual"  sub and I'm not sure what it was but it looked great.
 

After lunch Mickey dropped me at the post office then took us on a driving tour of Jekyll Island where he is the Chief Maintenance Engineer of the Day's Inn.  Jekyll Island is lovely but we didn't walk around because it rained intermittently. 

We then went to St. Simons Island and Mickey showed us the island, including his church. We left the island and went to Winn Dixie and I was able to pick up a few groceries -- bread, produce, etc.  We had dinner at a wings place that was really good and we shared a huge dessert.  I have no foodie pictures because I left my camera in the car.

 

By the time we got back to the marina, they were closed and the gate was closed and Ralph and Mickey had to hold the gate apart so Ralph and I could squeeze through.   We said good-bye to Mickey and thanked him for his gracious hospitality. We really had a lot of fun with him.  It's funny that Mickey and Ralph picked right back up on their lives after not seeing each other for 30 years -- what a wonderful friendship they have.  Here are a few photos:

 

We met Mickey's boss and the crew. This is a beautiful facility.

Driving through Jekyll Island, GA

Driftwood Beach -- at low tide the beach is covered with driftwood

Jekyll Island Turtle Hospital

Welcome to Jekyll Island

Shopping district, St.Simons Island

Lighthouse St. Simons Island

Very exclusive hotel, St. Simons Island, GA

 

 

 

Today we traveled 21-1/2 miles to Brunswick, GA to catch up with Ralph's cousin, Mickey, who he hasn't seen in thirty years.  We are tied up to the Ocean Petroleum fuel dock for the night which offers water and electricity for boaters purchasing fuel which we are going to do tomorrow morning.  They aren't open Saturday and Sunday.

We got permission to leave our dinghy at Brunswick Landing Marina and Mickey picked us up and took us to his house where I did the laundry and we had a lot of fun talking about the numerous mission trips Mickey has taken to parts of Africa and the islands.  Mickey lives in Brunswick on a beautiful piece of property on which he built a log home.  He's a horticulturist and has gorgeous plants everywhere.  He told us he is a manager for a hotel on Jekyll Island and won the award of Manager of the Year throughout the State of Georgia.

This evening Mickey took us to Zachry's Seafood Restaurant and we enjoyed a delicious scallop dinner together.  Here are a few of today's photos:

Brickhill River near Brunswick, GA

This area reminds us of the NJ meadows

Hey -- is that a dolphin??

Jekyll Island Bridge

Entering Brunswick, GA

Brunswick, GA

Brunswick, GA

Ocean Petroleum Dock where we are tied up for the night

Mickey feeding the ducks

Mickey and Ralph catch up on the last 30 years

Striper was a hit with Mickey and vice versa

Mickey built this beautiful log home

This pond is 20' deep and stocked with fish

Mickey has a lovely home nestled in the GA woods

The grounds are really beautiful

The huge plant is a staghorn fern -- I've never seen one this large

Mickey is a horticulturist and has many unusual plants and flowers

Many varieties of cacti and succulents

Tonight's back yard

Saturday, April 27, 2013

 

We traveled only 19 miles today to the northern tip of Cumberland Island, GA and are anchored in a little spot off the Brickhill River.  It's a remote site and on this particular section of Cumberland Island is a little church built in the 1880s by the workers on the Carnegie Estate.  Interestingly, John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his wife Carolyn Besset were married in this little church.

 

We sat on the fly bridge yesterday afternoon and watched two wild horses and a colt eating along the banks of the island.  So peaceful and beautiful here.

 

Here are a few photos:

 

We passed some sort of Naval support installation

Entrance to Brickhill River

Relaxing on the fly bridge

The mother and colt (behind the mother) are on the left, the father is on the far right

Far left is the colt, then the mother, father (we think) is far right

Wild horses on Cumberland Island, GA

Tonight's back yard

 

We spent this afternoon touring beautiful Cumberland Island, GA.  We walked about five miles through the woods to view the ruins of Dungeness, two magnificent mansions built by Thomas and Lucy Carnegie in the late 1880s.  Wild horses inhabit the island and we saw two very young foals lying on the grass in the sunshine.  

To our surprise on our way back to the Seacamp we were chatting with another couple who were biking and lo and behold, an armadillo came out of the underbrush and surprised us. Striper was quite intrigued, as was I.  I've never seen an armadillo in the wild.  This little guy just sort of went his own way doing what armadillos do.

This is a "must stop" for travelers whether by boat or car.  There is also a ferry that travels between Cumberland Island and the historic town of St. Marys twice each day. 

Here are a few of today's photos:

Welcome to Cumberland Island

Coleman Avenue lined with oaks covered in Spanish moss

Wild horses inhabit the island

Ruins of one of the Carnegie mansions

Wild horses and one very young foal sleeping in the sunshine

The back of one of the Carnegie mansion ruins

The second Carnegie mansion ruins -- both burned down

A most magnificent tree

Beyond those dunes lies a private beach

A huge magnolia tree

A beautiful magnolia

The pergola next to the Tabby House -- the smallest and oldest home on the island part of the Greene-Miller-Shaw Estate

The Tabby House made of tabby masonry, a mixture of sand, stubble and oyster and other shells

When Striper flops down -- she's bored.

An unexpected visitor crossed our path today

Striper was most intrigued by the armadillo

Striper can hardly contain herself...and the little armadillo just moves along

Enough already, Striper!!

About 5 miles later we arrive back at the Seacamp

Walking the Dungeness Trail on Cumberland Island, GA

This foal is about 6 weeks old and very protected by the horses

Striper attracts a lot of dog lovers and receives lots of pats.