One of the more interesting areas we visited was Cumberland Island. We anchored off the Sea Camp Dock on the east side both on the way south and again on the way north. The island, one of Georgia's barrier islands, is over 17 miles long, with an area of 36,415 acres, including marsh mudflats and tidal creeks. Most of Cumberland Island is part of the National Seashore. The National Park Service limits how many people can be on the island at any one time. The island has three major ecosystem regions. Along the western edge of the island are large areas of saltwater marshes. Live oak trees covered with Spanish moss and palmetto plants live at the edge of Cumberland's dense maritime forest. Cumberland Island's most famous ecosystem is its beach, which stretches from Long Point on the north to the southern tip. Along this long stretch of white sand, one may see wild horses, birds, and other wildlife. This area is also a nesting area for loggerhead sea turtles.
We anchored on the west side of the island near Sea Camp Dock, one of the two docks where ferry boats tie up twice daily and cruisers can tie up their dinghies while exploring the National Seashore. We joined a guided tour led by Rene a lively and entertaining National Park Service ranger who met the ferry boat and took the group of us on a tour of
the southern part of the island. Along the way, we found a number of small fossilized sharks teeth. The little fellow on the left upstaged Rene at one point of her narration and the group got up to get a closer look at him/her. Until today, Sarah who is from Texas and real armadillo country had never seen one of these little armored creatures alive and in its natural habitat. Apparently there are lots of has-been armadillos to be found in Texas along the side of the highways there.
Afterwards we took off on our own to explore the island. From the
Sea Camp Dock we walked south to the ruins of an old mansion that once belonged to the wealthy owners of the island. Then over a boardwalk from the live oak forests to the dunes and beach of the east side of the island facing the Atlantic.
We turned north again along the beach to head back for the path
through the dunes and live oak forest to Sea Camp Dock where we started. Along the beach we saw birds and a small herd of wild horses. According to the latest census this month there are about 124 wild horses on Cumberland Island and we saw small herds as we
came up the river, as we were walking along the beach and south of Sea Camp Dock while we
were back on
Windreka at anchor. We found the pole marking the boardwalk from the beach to Sea Camp Dock and headed back west past the campgrounds and toward the Sea Camp Dock and our anchorage. We met several interesting people as we walked along the island. We ended up resting on the porch of the Sea Camp cabin with some fellow
cruisers, Frank and Terry. After a short rest, we climbed back into our dinghy and returned to our boat to get ready for the next leg of our cruise.
One of the more interesting areas we visited was Cumberland Island. We anchored off the Sea Camp Dock on the east side both on the way south and again on the way north. The island, one of Georgia's barrier islands, is over 17 miles long, with an area of 36,415 acres, including marsh mudflats and tidal creeks. Most of Cumberland Island is part of the National Seashore. The National Park Service limits how many people can be on the island at any one time. The island has three major ecosystem regions. Along the western edge of the island are large areas of saltwater marshes. Live oak trees covered with Spanish moss and palmetto plants live at the edge of Cumberland's dense maritime forest. Cumberland Island's most famous ecosystem is its beach, which stretches from Long Point on the north to the southern tip. Along this long stretch of white sand, one may see wild horses, birds, and other wildlife. This area is also a nesting area for loggerhead sea turtles.
We anchored on the west side of the island near Sea Camp Dock, one of the two docks where ferry boats tie up twice daily and cruisers can tie up their dinghies while exploring the National Seashore. We joined a guided tour led by Rene a lively and entertaining National Park Service ranger who met the ferry boat and took the group of us on a tour of 
the southern part of the island. Along the way, we found a number of small fossilized sharks teeth. The little fellow on the left upstaged Rene at one point of her narration and the group got up to get a closer look at him/her. Until today, Sarah who is from Texas and real armadillo country had never seen one of these little armored creatures alive and in its natural habitat. Apparently there are lots of has-been armadillos to be found in Texas along the side of the highways there.
Afterwards we took off on our own to explore the island. From the
Sea Camp Dock we walked south to the ruins of an old mansion that once belonged to the wealthy owners of the island. Then over a boardwalk from the live oak forests to the dunes and beach of the east side of the island facing the Atlantic. 
We turned north again along the beach to head back for the path 
through the dunes and live oak forest to Sea Camp Dock where we started. Along the beach we saw birds and a small herd of wild horses. According to the latest census this month there are about 124 wild horses on Cumberland Island and we saw small herds as we 
came up the river, as we were walking along the beach and south of Sea Camp Dock while we 
were back on Windreka at anchor. We found the pole marking the boardwalk from the beach to Sea Camp Dock and headed back west past the campgrounds and toward the Sea Camp Dock and our anchorage. We met several interesting people as we walked along the island. We ended up resting on the porch of the Sea Camp cabin with some fellow 
cruisers, Frank and Terry. After a short rest, we climbed back into our dinghy and returned to our boat to get ready for the next leg of our cruise.
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