Pt. 2-Amelia River Cruise to Cumberland Island

Time to board the Ryan K for our Amelia Island River Cruise to Cumberland Island.

Some of the shrimp boats docked on the island...

Fernandina Beach is Amelia Island's historic downtown area. It is also the location of this operating paper mill.

This house is situated in Amelia Island's Old Town Historic District which dates back to the early 19th century.

Fort Clinch is now protected as a Georgia State Park.

As we approached Cumberland Island, we spotted some of the wild horses the National Seashore is famous for. Here a mother and two male horses stand guard until a newborn learns to stand and walk.

We have come quite a distance.

Views of Cumberland Island National Seashore...

The National Seashore is accessible by ferry or private boat. The island also features The Greystone Inn, a bed and breakfast run by descendants of the Carnegie family who owned the island from about 1880-1970.

They call him Flipper...Flipper...

One of many snowbirds who come to this area of the country in their boats for the winter, much like rvers.

A boathouse on Cumberland Island...

Look what we found...

He saw us and took a dive.

One of the vacation homes of the rich and famous...

Heading back to Amelia Island for the Shrimp Festival...

For more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/may/amelia-island/ pictures 18-134.

To be continued...

Amelia Island, Florida Pt. 1

Today we journeyed back to Florida-just barely-to visit Amelia Island and its historic Fernandina Beach area.

On our way, we found gas for $1.22 a gallon...or so it seemed. Apparently this gas station has been closed awhile. This station is just one of what we would guess have been hundreds of abandoned gas stations we have seen thus far while traveling.

Welcome to the final day of The Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival. Pirates welcome one and all.

There's that friendly gecko from Geico.

Even at 10 am the streets are jumping with shrimp lovers everywhere.

The Palace Saloon opened in 1903, but was severely damaged by fire in 1999. Billed as the oldest continually-operated saloon in Florida up to then, The Palace is now back in business serving up its famous "Pirate's Punch".

The Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival features over 250 exhibits of fine arts and crafts.

Among them is Austrian-born, Miami Beach artist Herbert Hofer. Simply put, his paintings are fun. His art deco style often includes cats in exotic locations. Check out his work at http://www.herberthofer.com/ .

His wife, Randie, visited with us briefly before our river cruise. She was really interesting and had a wealth of knowledge about international politics.

For more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/may/amelia-island/ pictures 1-17.

To be continued...

Jekyll Island, Georgia Finale

On our final drive around Jekyll Island, we found a couple items that might be fun to rent while visiting.

First-for those wanting exercise, these rental bicycles-surreys-are becoming more and more common. At $16.50 per hour, it would be a reasonably priced activity.

On the other hand, the RedBug-which is actually a GEM Car-can be rented for $50 for 2 hours with a maximum 25 miles driven. This price is not too much more than the surrey above and is great for those unable or unwilling to provide their own power.

In 1888, Jekyll Island became the home of a segregated private club for the very rich when The Jekyll Island Club officially opened its doors.

The exclusive membership limited to 100, included Morgans, Rockefellers and Vanderbilts, among others. Many of the "vacation homes" of the members are beautifully restored in the Historic District.

The Club is credited by many as being the location of the origin of The Federal Reserve System. Filmmaker G. Edward Griffin documents this historic event in his 1993 movie and 1994 book "The Creature from Jekyll Island".

The Moss Cottage, named for the Spanish Moss trees surrounding the property, was built in 1896 and originally owned by Philadelphia businessman William Strothers.

The Jekyll Island Club thrived until The Great Depression, but continued to survive until 1942 when World War II caused The Club to close its doors. In 1947, the State of Georgia condemned the island and purchased it for $675,000 with plans to make the island a state park.

This is the Indian Mound Cottage. Formerly owned by Standard Oil executive William Rockefeller, this would become the site of the island's first museum.

Oh, to be able to own such a "cottage"...

Leaving Jekyll Island, we found a sign not seen too often. Beware of Terrapin Turtles crossing this road from May to July.

For more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/may/jekyll-island/ pictures 167-180.

To be continued...

Nest Fest and Turtle Crawl, Jekyll Island, Georgia

We returned to the beach for the Nest Fest and Turtle Crawl held by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

This is an ordinary box turtle.

Marlon thought he heard "Big Mac."

This is a terrapin turtle...often seen crossing the road in this area.

Doug poses with one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles dressed as the Georgia Sea Turtle Center mascot.

The Jekyll Island beach is very clean and sparsely populated even on a Saturday.

Younger members of the crowd get ready to try the Turtle Crawl.

A few jellyfish lay here and there along the beach...disgusting!

The crowd prepares for the main event of the day. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center will be releasing three rescued and rehabed sea turtles into the ocean.

First up we have Tweety, a Kemp's Ridley turtle. Tweety was found stranded in Brewster, Massachusetts on November 10, 2007. He was cold-stunned with lesions on his front flippers.

Tweety will be released with Kermit, a Green turtle. He was found stranded in Dennis, Massachusetts on November 11, 2007. He was also cold-stunned with lesions on his flippers.

Both turtles were transferred to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center in the middle of December. After being in the care of the GSTC for nearly five months, they were ready to return to their home...the Atlantic Ocean.

Divers from the GSTC carried Tweety and Kermit out into the ocean for their release.

Our final releasee will have to find her own way home...and find it she will.

Meet Spitfire...a loggerhead sea turtle...she was found stranded in Volusia County, Florida on October 1, 2007 and arrived at the GSTC on December 3. She was having trouble submerging herself...she was floating...and she had a tilt.

She was found to have had a tear in her lung which had healed, but had resulted in a gas buildup in her body cavity which caused her to float and severely limited her ability to submerge herself in the ocean. The staff at the GSTC was able to perform a procedure which released 4 liters of air from her body cavity!

Spitfire is still a juvenile...growing from 102 pounds to 122 pounds in the five months at the GSTC.

Carrying a satellite transmitter on her back, watch Spitfire take her stroll down the beach bidding farewell to her friends at the GSTC. You HAVE to watch this video! Good luck, Spitfire!

For more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/may/jekyll-island/ pictures 111-166.

To be continued...

Jekyll Island Campground and Civil War Encampment

After watching some of the triathletes finish the race, we drove around the island for awhile and found the Jekyll Island Campground.

No satellite dishes here.

Probably aren't going to be any satellite dishes up ahead either at the Civil War Encampment.

No, these guys don't look interested in no satellites. They are going to demonstrate cannon shooting instead.

The Encampment took place on the grounds of the Horton House Ruins. The house was built by Major William Horton in the late 1730's. In 1743, he became commander of the English military forces of the Colony of Georgia until his death in 1748.

The ladies of the encampment demonstrate the latest in quilting and sewing.

Marlon wanted to trade in the motorhome for the comforts of this Civil War tent but I was able to make him reconsider.

The troops give some formation demonstrations.

The cook prepares a stew for dinner over hot coals.

Marlon and I did not know what these were. Do you?

Apparently they are oyster shells. Piles of oyster shells are a very common sight in this area.

For a video of the Civil War Encampment, click below.

For more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/may/jekyll-island/ pictures 77-110.

To be continued...