Cumberland Island

It was 30 miles from Sister Creek to Cumberland Island. We left the dock at 7:30 am on a rising tide. Our day started early, in the hopes of getting to our destination in time to go ashore and explore. There was a lot to see along the way.

Lazy morning at Red 42

Pelicans in formation

High bridge, train bridge, fishing boat

Marsh Egret

Cormorant watching The Lorax unfold

ICW Fort

Follow the leader

So many derelict boats on the ICW

Research Platform

It was hot and humid but very quiet on the waterway. At noon, we crossed over the Georgia line and left Florida behind after spending a total of 26 months in the sunshine state. We were excited to see new territory.

We arrived at Cumberland Island around 2:00. We could see wild horses grazing on the shoreline and sailboat Delphinea from Honolulu anchored across from the ferry docks. We greeted them as we passed by and anchored just up stream of them. After settling into the anchorage, we inflated our "dink" and prepared to launch.

View of horses from the river

Horses grazing

Safety in numbers

Ice house dock

Ferry DNR dock

The weather declined quickly with 14-21 mph wind gusts, and storm clouds moved in. Instead of going ashore, we watched the storm blow over, hoping for it to pass quickly. Waves hit us on our port side pinning us between wind and current. At times like this Mystic can begin to spin on the anchor, causing the anchor line to catch on our rudder. We have to be ready to adjust the tiller and/or the anchor to relieve the tension. These conditions are not fun!

We decided to sit for the night and delay a day so we could go ashore and explore this beautiful National Seashore. We didn't want to miss this opportunity. In addition, the delay would allow us more time to navigate through the shallows, tides and currents that we faced ahead. Each day, the high tide is an hour later. Staying an extra day would enable us to depart in daylight instead of at dawn.

In the morning, we took our dinghy ashore and begin a magical tour of the island. There was so much to see and do. We only had one day so we chose a 4+ mile hike that would show us the highlights of Cumberland Island. Our trail lead us through a lush forest jungle that smelled damp from the rain but fresh and clean. It was filled with live oaks, flowering magnolia trees, pines and palmettos. We saw a pair of armadillo that walked right up to us without a care.

Lush Forest

Hiking Trail

We visited the Ice House Museum and the Dungenous Estate ruins. This mansion must have been something before it burned to the ground. As we explored the grounds, a small deer walked within five feet of us. Two wild horses grazed on the lawn, oblivious to the visitors milling about. One was old and frail. These horses are left on their own, with no assistance nor vet care. They thrive on the island in a herd of approximately 150.

Ice House Museum

Dungeness Gate

Dungeness Mansion Ruins

Panoramic view of the Dungeness Mansion

Garden Trellis

Back side view of the ruins

Water wheel for hydrating gardens

Island roadway under canopy of live oaks

Cautious but not afraid of us

Heartbreaking but she lived free

We saw a manatee meandering in the shallows of the shoreline while raccoons foraged in the marsh. Wild turkeys fed on vegetation right next to a wild horse grazing. There were hundreds of fiddler crabs on our path. They scurried away in unison like a flock of birds, all moving in the same direction while in formation.

We found the Carnegie cemetery on our way to the boardwalk that leads to the seashore. This is a lovely place to rest in peace. It was a gorgeous day. Visitors were setting up their special picnic spot on the beach. Several horseshoe crabs, casualties of the last high tide, littered the beach.

Cumberland Island is beautiful; a vibrant ecosystem full of wildlife. We are so glad we stopped to enjoy this Georgia gem and one of our top highlights on the Great Loop! As the sun set, we enjoyed a solar shower in Mystic's cockpit before settling in for the night.