May 10, 2008

May 10, 2008

From Tifton, GA we drove till we hit the Atlantic Ocean and “Georgia’s Jewel”, Jekyll Island. We got the recommendation to come here from an RV couple that had been following us from one attraction to another on Wednesday. They told us Jekyll Island is where they spend the winter.

After paying the toll to get on this barrier island we park at the beach and take a walk along the ocean, one of Aimee’s favorite things to do. Relaxed, we park near the Historical District and stroll, shop, and chill out. Jekyll Island was the winter playground of America’s northern industrialists at the turn of the century. Their mansions and clubhouse are now hotels. The stables and smaller buildings are artsy shops. The historic area is very pretty, with moss-covered plantation oaks, palm trees, and beautiful flowers. The super rich have new playgrounds. Now owned by the state of Georgia, Jekyll Island is a favorite destination for southerners of more modest non-billionaire means.

Jekyll Island has four golf courses. We decide to play the 100+ year-old historic 9-hole course called the “Dunes”. Ancient courses have their challenge; the postage stamp-size greens are impossible to hit in regulation. After the personal lesson I gave Aimee, she is hitting the ball well and almost beats me. It takes a lucky chip-in birdie to put her away. She has a big advantage here. The air here is so thick and heavy, it is taking a good 30-40 yards off my drives. By the time we finish, we are drenched. This Deep South humidity is a killer.

We spend the night at a large, but almost full campground on Jekyll Island with the AC turned on high.