Coastal Georgia - Sea Islands & Savannah

[giradman]

Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center which opened nearly 10 years ago is dedicated to the education, treatment, and rehabilitation of a variety of sea turtles (five species in Georgia - see quote below). Road signs like the one below caution motorists to look for turtles and about 200 or so are killed annually just on the Jekyll Island causeway.

The center is a fun visit and consists of a gift shop, exhibit area, treatment room (visible through a glass partition), and a rehabilitation building w/ multiple tanks - the turtles are mainly there for treatment and rehabilitation and are first given numbers and then names - log books can be viewed to look at the 'patient's' history. The Center is located in the historic district near the museum and is highly recommended if visiting the island - pics below pretty self-explanatory (some w/ labels). Dave

Jekyll Island has had an active sea turtle monitoring program since 1972, but because facilities to care for injured or sick turtles were generally far away, there was often little that could be done to save them. That changed in 2007 when the modern facility opened with the capability of providing state of the art care for turtles that otherwise might not have survived.

There are five species of sea turtles in Georgia and all five are protected by state and federal law. Diminishing habitat and injuries from boat propellers, fishing nets and other sources has caused the number of turtles to decline dramatically. As a result, creatures that have long been part of the state's unique cultural and natural heritage are not far removed from oblivion (Source).

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[giradman]

Dolphin Boat Tour from the Wharf

One afternoon, we took the 1:30 PM boat tour from the wharf shown previously - there were two local guides on the boat, one mainly driving and the other narrating - this was advertised as a 'dolphin sightseeing tour' and all the passengers were not disappointed. The first image below shows the boat we used w/ the dock at low tide, with high tide the dock is level to the adjacent one from where I took the picture. The next two pics show an aerial view of the southern portion of Jekyll Island and a satellite view of the island - on the latter, I've added some labels and the course of the tour.

From the wharf, the boat headed toward the bridge from the causeway to the island - the 'old bridge' (see arrow on next image) was left except for the center portion and converted into two fishing piers which was quite clever - there were at least 5 or 6 different types of birds sitting on the supports; just after the bridge, the Jekyll Island marina was passed, and plenty of boats were docked. The beaches along the west marsh side of the island had many beautiful 'dead' trees (killed by salt water w/ the changing tides - see the two pics); the beach continues to the southern end of the island.

This portion of the beach had many sea birds - in one pic a mast pokes up from the sand and actually is from a buried shrimp boat that ran aground and was eventually covered w/ sand - these barrier islands are constantly changing, i.e. enlarging or getting smaller. We did see dozens of dolphins of all sizes - the pic below is not mine but is from the same waters - I've taken dozens of boat rides, many looking for these sea mammals and taking pictures of these animals is not easy, so sorry did not even try this time! Also, this portion of the beach is known as 'Glory Beach' because some scenes from the movie Glory were filmed on that very beach (own the blu-ray disc of the film); one of our guides claimed to have been an 'extra' in the movie and got to know several of the main actors. Dave
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[suenc]

Jekyll Island - Historic District & Club Hotel - Introduction!

Jekyll Island is not large, about 7+ miles in length & 1.5+ miles across - the east side is along the Atlantic Ocean, while much of the other side is tidal marshland w/ miles of beaches in both locations. The first map below (turned about 90 degrees) shows the location of lodgings, restaurants, walking/bike trails, and other attractions - I've labeled the location of the Westin Hotel and also circled several areas of future interest - the most important being the historic district shown by the second map (next post).

Within the historic district is the Jekyll Island Club Hotel which consists of an older section w/ the turret, plus additions and also some other buildings on the premises that can also be rented. This hotel was a consideration for us, but we choose the more modern and much smaller Westin property, which offers free shuttles to any location on the island. At the Jekyll Island Museum (small but a good introduction), tram tours and/or horse carriage rides tour the historic area w/ a well done narration.

The historic wharf is shown in some of the last images - several restaurants are located there and dolphin boat tours can be taken (a future post) - since this coastal area is tidal marsh land, considerable rises & fall in tide occur which average about 8 ft - my pics below show the wharf in low tide - I was able to also snap an image of a blue heron. Next post will be about the historic district - Dave
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The Club Hotel took us back over100 years. We almost expected to meet JP Morgan (though he probably would have considered us riff-raff and asked us to leave) The white-clad croquet players look the same as their 1886 counterparts.

 

[suenc]

Georgia & Jekyll Island - Establishment and Early History

In the latter 17th & early 18th centuries, the English in the Carolina colonies, the Spanish in St. Augustine, Florida, and the French in Louisiana were all interested in the coastal area between South Carolina and northern Florida. The English wanted to establish a 'buffer colony' to prevent the Spanish from invading up the eastern coast, and thus Georgia was founded as the 13th colony. The first English settlement was short-lived and was a small fort (King George - an upcoming post) on the Darien River built in 1721. However, James Oglethorpe succeeded w/ the finding of Savannah in 1732, along w/ other towns & forts further south.

Oglethorpe also named Jekyll Island after his friend, Joseph Jekyll. The first English settler on the island was Major William Horton (see quote below) - he was one of Oglethorpe's top military officers and built the tabby structure which is now a historic site - Horton ran a plantation producing crops and Georgia's first beer, primarily to help supply Frederica/Fort Frederica (also another upcoming post) on St. Simon's Island. The DuBignon family, which owned Jekyll from 1790-1886 and occupied the house as their home from 1790 until sometime in the mid-1800s - their small cemetery is across the street from the house.

Pics below are a mix of my own and ones from the web - most are self explanatory, including views of the house and a number of historic plaques - tabby was (and is still used for a historic look) a common 'construction concrete' of the time, made from sand, lime, water, and burned oyster shells (described on one of the signs) - the final image is my pic near the DuBignon cemetery showing the marshland w/ the Sidney Lanier bridge in the background and a shrimp boat (circled) in the right upper corner - Georgia shrimp have a wonderful texture and taste - a MUST try when in the area. Dave


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I wondered how Jekyll Island got its name. I thought it was somehow related to “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” The island was more historic than I thought it would be.

 

[suenc]

Susan & I just returned from a 6-night trip to the Georgia Coast - 4 nights on Jekyll Island and the last 2 nights in Savannah - see the initial maps below - pretty much a straight north-south route and about a 6-hr drive (little over 400 miles) vs. a 5-hr drive back from Savannah. The Georgia coast is just 100 miles or so in length w/ Brunswick being the historic mainland town. The main sea islands (also known as the Golden Isles) are St. Simons, Little St. Simons, Sea Island, and Jekyll Island - there are only 4 barrier islands in Georgia that have causeway access, i.e. three of the four just mentioned (Little St. Simons by boat only) and Tybee Island near Savannah - several more pics of the islands including a satellite view.

Jekyll Island is the southern most of the Sea Islands and along w/ St. Simons Island has a long history, some of which I'll cover and illustrate in future posts - quoted below the introduction from the link above (much more in the Wiki article). We stayed at the new Westin Hotel (just celebrated its first year anniversary) - loved the architecture and the decor (part of the lobby shown below). We opted for an oceanfront room and were on the 4th floor - a couple of my pics from the room's balcony; the landscaping is beautiful w/ plenty of varied flora, including a number of different types of palm trees; the shallow dunes line the long pristine beaches; well paved pathways (for bikes & pedestrians) pretty much encircle the entire island.

More to follow - Dave


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I’m glad we chose the ****Westin. By forgoing maid service we earned an extra 5000 poinra on our rewards card and $10 food/beverage credit. (I love discounts; we also got the AARP rate) The bar was small and noisy, but I did drink several “summer mojitos” that included crushed strawberries. “Historic” hotels often have outdated, small rooms. When it comes to overnight accommodations I prefer modern with an ocean view. There are also some chain hotels and condos on the island, also nice-looking.

 

[scifan57]

Dolphin Boat Tour from the Wharf

One afternoon, we took the 1:30 PM boat tour from the wharf shown previously - there were two local guides on the boat, one mainly driving and the other narrating - this was advertised as a 'dolphin sightseeing tour' and all the passengers were not disappointed. The first image below shows the boat we used w/ the dock at low tide, with high tide the dock is level to the adjacent one from where I took the picture. The next two pics show an aerial view of the southern portion of Jekyll Island and a satellite view of the island - on the latter, I've added some labels and the course of the tour.

From the wharf, the boat headed toward the bridge from the causeway to the island - the 'old bridge' (see arrow on next image) was left except for the center portion and converted into two fishing piers which was quite clever - there were at least 5 or 6 different types of birds sitting on the supports; just after the bridge, the Jekyll Island marina was passed, and plenty of boats were docked. The beaches along the west marsh side of the island had many beautiful 'dead' trees (killed by salt water w/ the changing tides - see the two pics); the beach continues to the southern end of the island.

This portion of the beach had many sea birds - in one pic a mast pokes up from the sand and actually is from a buried shrimp boat that ran aground and was eventually covered w/ sand - these barrier islands are constantly changing, i.e. enlarging or getting smaller. We did see dozens of dolphins of all sizes - the pic below is not mine but is from the same waters - I've taken dozens of boat rides, many looking for these sea mammals and taking pictures of these animals is not easy, so sorry did not even try this time! Also, this portion of the beach is known as 'Glory Beach' because some scenes from the movie Glory were filmed on that very beach (own the blu-ray disc of the film); one of our guides claimed to have been an 'extra' in the movie and got to know several of the main actors. Dave
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Thanks for another interesting travel post. It's been quite interesting learning about an area I previously knew nothing about.

 

[giradman]

St. Simons Island - Introduction, Pier Village, & Trolley Tour

On our second day, we drove off Jekyll Island and over the Sidney Lanier bridge and were soon on St. Simons Island and our first stop was Pier Village. St. Simons Island is the largest of the Georgia Golden Isles, the most developed, and the most populous; plus, since our last visit, the island has become rather congested w/ traffic and the summer season has not even arrived! The island has a long history starting w/ Native Americans and followed by attempts between controlling the area by the British, Spanish, and French - there are two National Monuments on St. Simons remembering the Battle of Bloody Marsh & the short-lived town and fort at Frederica (both upcoming posts) - several quotes below of this history from the link given above.

Pier Village is located at the southern tip of the island and has shops & restaurants - also located there is the long pier which has views of Jekyll Island and the Sidney Lanier bridge - see the first images below w/ a map, initial views of the pier area, and B & Bs along the shore; close to the town is a fabulous 4* resort that we visited - just beautiful inside and a possible future stay for us. We took a 90-minute trolley tour w/ a wonderful guide named Rod (two pics shown) who narrates and shows all you need to know about the island, including restaurant recommendations; we ate lunch at Iguanas - shared a dozen James River oysters and had their wonderful Georgia shrimp salad.

The views from the peer are panoramic - islands, bridge, shore, St. Simons Lighthouse, and even a sedate pelican sitting at the end of the pier - artists are painting and many are fishing. After lunch, we visited the resort shown previously and ended the afternoon w/ a tour of Frederica/Fort Frederica - a must recommendation along w/ the trolley tour. Dave

Originally inhabited by tribes of the Creek Nation, the area of South Georgia that includes St. Simons Island was contested by the Spaniards, English and French.[5] After securing the Georgia colony, the English cultivated the land for rice and cottonplantations worked by large numbers of African slaves, who created the unique Gullah culture that survives to this day.[6]

During the plantation era, Saint Simons became a center of cotton production known for its long fiber Sea Island Cotton. Nearly the entire island was cleared of trees to make way for several large cotton plantations. These were worked by African slaves and their descendants. The plantations of this and other Sea Islands were large, and often the owners stayed on the mainland in Darien and other towns, especially during the summers. This season was considered bad for diseases of the lowlands. A concentration of Africans on these islands led to the development of the Gullah people, preserving more remnants of West African ethnic groups than in areas of the Upper South, where African-American slaves were held in smaller groups and interacted more with whites. The Gullah language and culture has survived into the 21st century, although much disrupted through the 20th.

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[giradman]

Battle of Bloody Marsh - July 7, 1742

St. Simons Island has two National Monuments, i.e. one dedicating the Battle of Bloody Marsh and Fort Frederica (next post). The British & Spanish were in constant conflict at the time over the control of the Georgia coast - in 1740, Oglethorpe raided a number of Spanish forts and attempted a failed siege on St. Augustine. In retaliation, the Spanish wanted to capture Frederica/Fort Frederica and landed and took the small poorly manned Fort St. Simons near the present day Pier Village - their larger force moved along the 'Military Road' and encountered the British leading to the battle described in the quote. Obviously, this was not a major fight but virtually ended any further attempts by the Spanish to control the lower Carolina/Georgia lands.

Shown below are several maps indicating the location of 'Bloody Marsh' on the island along w/ the Spanish invasion plan (note that South is at the top); additional pics summarizing the battle, along w/ some current views of the area w/ a small monument (plaque shown) and an explanatory exhibit - Rod our guide was quite animated & thorough in describing this small & brief battle. Dave

The Battle of Bloody Marsh took place on July 7, 1742 between Spanish and British forces on St. Simons Island, part of the Province of Georgia, resulting in a victory for the British. Part of a much larger conflict known as the War of Jenkins' Ear, the battle was for the British fortifications of Fort Frederica and Fort St. Simons, with the strategic goal the sea routes and inland waters they controlled. With the victory, the Province of Georgia established undisputed claim to the island. It is now part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The British also won the Battle of Gully Hole Creek, which took place on the island the same day.

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[scifan57]

Battle of Bloody Marsh - July 7, 1742

St. Simons Island has two National Monuments, i.e. one dedicating the Battle of Bloody Marsh and Fort Frederica (next post). The British & Spanish were in constant conflict at the time over the control of the Georgia coast - in 1740, Oglethorpe raided a number of Spanish forts and attempted a failed siege on St. Augustine. In retaliation, the Spanish wanted to capture Frederica/Fort Frederica and landed and took the small poorly manned Fort St. Simons near the present day Pier Village - their larger force moved along the 'Military Road' and encountered the British leading to the battle described in the quote. Obviously, this was not a major fight but virtually ended any further attempts by the Spanish to control the lower Carolina/Georgia lands.

Shown below are several maps indicating the location of 'Bloody Marsh' on the island along w/ the Spanish invasion plan (note that South is at the top); additional pics summarizing the battle, along w/ some current views of the area w/ a small monument (plaque shown) and an explanatory exhibit - Rod our guide was quite animated & thorough in describing this small & brief battle. Dave


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There's an incredible amount of history almost everywhere if you look for it.

 

[giradman]

There's an incredible amount of history almost everywhere if you look for it.

Yep - coastal Virginia, the Carolinas, & Georgia has just SO much history - and about to put a post together on Frederica - Dave

 

[suenc]

Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center which opened nearly 10 years ago is dedicated to the education, treatment, and rehabilitation of a variety of sea turtles (five species in Georgia - see quote below). Road signs like the one below caution motorists to look for turtles and about 200 or so are killed annually just on the Jekyll Island causeway.

The center is a fun visit and consists of a gift shop, exhibit area, treatment room (visible through a glass partition), and a rehabilitation building w/ multiple tanks - the turtles are mainly there for treatment and rehabilitation and are first given numbers and then names - log books can be viewed to look at the 'patient's' history. The Center is located in the historic district near the museum and is highly recommended if visiting the island - pics below pretty self-explanatory (some w/ labels). Dave


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I knew this was a rehab center but was somewhat surprised that the staff referred to the turtles as “patients.” When we looked through the glass of the treatment room I was amused that there was a big sign Radiology. I didn’t think that turtles need the same care as humans.

 

[suenc]

St. Simons Island - Introduction, Pier Village, & Trolley Tour

On our second day, we drove off Jekyll Island and over the Sidney Lanier bridge and were soon on St. Simons Island and our first stop was Pier Village. St. Simons Island is the largest of the Georgia Golden Isles, the most developed, and the most populous; plus, since our last visit, the island has become rather congested w/ traffic and the summer season has not even arrived! The island has a long history starting w/ Native Americans and followed by attempts between controlling the area by the British, Spanish, and French - there are two National Monuments on St. Simons remembering the Battle of Bloody Marsh & the short-lived town and fort at Frederica (both upcoming posts) - several quotes below of this history from the link given above.

Pier Village is located at the southern tip of the island and has shops & restaurants - also located there is the long pier which has views of Jekyll Island and the Sidney Lanier bridge - see the first images below w/ a map, initial views of the pier area, and B & Bs along the shore; close to the town is a fabulous 4* resort that we visited - just beautiful inside and a possible future stay for us. We took a 90-minute trolley tour w/ a wonderful guide named Rod (two pics shown) who narrates and shows all you need to know about the island, including restaurant recommendations; we ate lunch at Iguanas - shared a dozen James River oysters and had their wonderful Georgia shrimp salad.

The views from the peer are panoramic - islands, bridge, shore, St. Simons Lighthouse, and even a sedate pelican sitting at the end of the pier - artists are painting and many are fishing. After lunch, we visited the resort shown previously and ended the afternoon w/ a tour of Frederica/Fort Frederica - a must recommendation along w/ the trolley tour. Dave


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I expected St. Simons to be similar to Jekyll, but it was much more populated, built up and commercial. The history of the island was extensive.

 

[giradman]

Fort Frederica National Monument

Fort Frederica National Monument consists of the remains of the Fort and the Town - at its peak over a thousand soldiers and colonial citizens lived there - founded by James Oglethorpe in 1736 as the second town in Georgia and his preferred place to live vs. Savannah. The town was short-lived, especially after the Spanish threat was removed and peace declared - beginning Wiki article quoted below (link above).

Today, there is a nice visitor center w/ a 23 minute film and exhibits about the fort & town when alive and active - the grounds show the expanse of the town w/ the street names posted - Broad was the main street, splitting the town in half. There are many foundation ruins w/ plaques explaining the people who lived in the buildings; remains of the fort and soldier's barracks are also present. Magnificent live oaks w/ much Spanish moss adorn the property - orange trees are even present, planted by the colonists for their fragrance. The first images below show the location of the fort & town on St. Simons Island along w/ the entrance & visitor center; most of the remaining pics are my own and self-explanatory (w/ some labels added). This must have been an interesting place to visit back around 1740 or so - highly recommended, if in the area. Dave

Fort Frederica National Monument, on St. Simons Island, Georgia, preserves the archaeological remnants of a fort and town built by James Oglethorpe between 1736 and 1748 to protect the southern boundary of the British colony of Georgia from Spanish raids.[4] About 630 British troops were stationed at the fort. A town of up to 500 colonial residents had grown up outside the fort; it was laid out following principles of the Oglethorpe Plan for towns in the Georgia Colony. The town was named Frederica, after Frederick, Prince of Wales, son of King George II. The monument was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.

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[scifan57]

Fort Frederica National Monument

Fort Frederica National Monument consists of the remains of the Fort and the Town - at its peak over a thousand soldiers and colonial citizens lived there - founded by James Oglethorpe in 1736 as the second town in Georgia and his preferred place to live vs. Savannah. The town was short-lived, especially after the Spanish threat was removed and peace declared - beginning Wiki article quoted below (link above).

Today, there is a nice visitor center w/ a 23 minute film and exhibits about the fort & town when alive and active - the grounds show the expanse of the town w/ the street names posted - Broad was the main street, splitting the town in half. There are many foundation ruins w/ plaques explaining the people who lived in the buildings; remains of the fort and soldier's barracks are also present. Magnificent live oaks w/ much Spanish moss adorn the property - orange trees are even present, planted by the colonists for their fragrance. The first images below show the location of the fort & town on St. Simons Island along w/ the entrance & visitor center; most of the remaining pics are my own and self-explanatory (w/ some labels added). This must have been an interesting place to visit back around 1740 or so - highly recommended, if in the area. Dave


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I'm surprised that so little remains of the fort and town. We're the remains salvaged for building material?

 

[giradman]

I'm surprised that so little remains of the fort and town. We're the remains salvaged for building material?

The military was disbanded about a half dozen years after the Battle of Bloody Marsh, and the town was in decline when a fire destroyed most of the buildings in the late 1750s - quote below from HERE.

Near Wilmington, NC on the opposite bank of the Cape Fear River is a similar historic site called Old Brunswick Town - second quote below from the link - touring the current site is similar to walking through the remains of Frederica.

NOW, you may have heard of Brunswick Stew (see third quote) - classically should include 'critter meats', such as squirrel and rabbit, but usually only made w/ chicken now - BUT, the origin of the name is still unknown - there is a Brunswick County in Virginia and of course Brunswick, GA, however, North Carolinians might claim Old Brunswick Town? Dave

The British regiment disbanded in May 1749. With its departure, many of Frederica's townspeople relocated. Nine years later, in April 1758, a great fire swept Frederica, reducing much of it to ashes. Today the Fort Frederica National Monument ruins stand as a silent reminder of colonial military struggles.

A major pre-Revolutionary port on North Carolina's Cape Fear River, Brunswick was razed by British troops in 1776 and never rebuilt. During the Civil War, Fort Anderson was constructed atop the old village site, and served as part of the Cape Fear River defenses below Wilmington before the fall of the Confederacy. Colonial foundations dot the present-day tour trail, which crosses the earthworks of the Confederate fort.

Brunswick stew is a traditional dish, popular in the American South, associated with squirrel meat. The origin of the dish is uncertain, but it is believed to have been invented in the early 19th century by a plantation cook named Danny Mears. Two states compete for originating it, in addition to claims of a German origin.