The 'cottage' was built for George Carnegie and his wife Margaret Thaw in 1898 and then expanded over several years to now have 30 rooms, 11 bathrooms, an indoor heated swimming pool (9.5' deep), indoor squash court, etc. and etc. The land and the mansion are now owned and maintained by the National Park Service.
The grounds have obviously been let go but this must have been quite the place in it's heyday. Apparently there was a golf course, badminton and croquet fields, a landing strip, docks for the yachts and anything else they could think of.
There are about 150 wild horses that roam the island, also feral pigs, wild turkeys, and deer. Huge oak trees mixed in with palms and other vegetation. Before the Carnegies arrived, much of the island was a cotton plantation.
At one point the Carnegie's owned almost the entire island and had several houses and estates. On the north end of the island is the First African Baptist Church where JFK, Jr. married Caroline Bessett. The roads are all dirt and we decided it was too hot and late in the day to take our bikes on an 8 mile trip to see the church or the Dungeness mansion ruins to the south. Maybe next time.
The next day started off nice but the northeast wind licked up as we got into St. Andrews sound and had a rough crossing to Jekyll Island; gusts up to 25 knots. This picture doesn't do it justice.
We read about a small town about 7 miles off the ICW, Darien, GA, actually quite near the I-95, with a free floating 48-hour dock. There is a sub-tropical depression off the Georgia/Carolina coast that seems to be just hanging out there. So a nice secure dock seems like a good option.
Arrived there about mid-afternoon and had a little trouble docking because the current is pretty fierce. Another boat, "Meander", a 34' Mainship Trawler (Susan and Neil) arrived a bit later and we helped them get tied up.
Darien is a very busy shrimping town now, but it was also an important port for rice and cotton, and then yellow Pine logs and lumber. It was established in 1736 as a military outpost by Scottish Highlanders making it the second oldest planned town in Georgia.
Here's a shrimper going under the fixed bridge with his booms out so he can fit under the bridge.
The next day we unloaded the bikes and all four of went to see the historic Fort King George site that General James Oglethorpe later commanded. He was a busy boy because his name pops up associated with all kinds of forts and battles.
The fort was first built in 1721 and of the 140 soldiers and officers who died there not one was from a battle wound but from disease, malnutrition and the heat. The original fort burned down in 1723; the fort and buildings have been recreated and they are quite something.
This is what they called a "wattle & daub" house. You build a framework, lace it with vines and sticks and then smear it with a type of mud.
Quite a nice spot, now.
Then back into town for a quick lunch with Susan and Neil.
Toured the local stores, bought some shrimp (fresh off the local boats), picked up some fly-swatters for the damn horseflies, and had a nice evening. Although we both worried about getting off the docks - the current is just wicked.
Got off the docks with no trouble at all about 7:30, supposedly slack tide but the river is still pouring past us.
We went though several sounds in rough and uncomfortable conditions and pulled into Cattle Pen Creek for lunch and assess our situation. It is not nice weather. "Meander" passed us and decide to try crossing the next big sound, St. Catherines. About an hour later they radioed back that it was not bad at all so we decided to keep plugging away. Bad idea.
By the time we got there the wind had increased to gusts of 37 mph and the current had switched causing short steep waves. Lovely. We closed everything up and bashed our way into it. We had spray going over the top of the upper steering enclosure, and that's about 15' high. Once we got through the sound we had pretty much had and started searching for a hidey-hole for the night. "Meander" radioed us and they had turned back from the next open area (Florida Straits) and we both ended up anchoring up a small creek off the ICW. Even though the protection seemed iffy it was fine and we got a good rain to clean off the salt. So much for nice May weather (that was the 7th.)
Up early the next morning and had an uneventful run Thunderbolt, just to the south of Savannah which is about 8 miles up the Savannah River. We passed Thunderbolt Marine where we have stayed before; they seem to specialize in mega-yachts - here's one up on the hard - how do they lift that monster?
And a sailboat with a mast so tall I can't get it in the picture.
Got a slip at the Morning Star Bahia Blue marina fairly early in the day. Hot showers, groceries, laundry, bike ride to the Bi-Lo for groceries, Walgreens and wash down the boat.
Off the next morning at 7:30. We were the third boat inside the long slip so Neil and Susan helped guide us past their boat and off we go to cross the Savannah River. Went through the cut and into South Carolina. As we looked back we saw a large container ship going up the river. Glad I didn't meet him at the crossing!
And that's enough of Georgia. Now if the weather would cooperate and the tropical depression/storm called Ana would get out of here we'd be all set!
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