October 12, 2021

October 12, 2021

We had a nice leisurely morning today. This is not our normal modus operandi. From our Riverview Hotel in St Marys, GA, we walked across the street to board the 10:45 ferry to Cumberland Island National Seashore. Our first stop is the Dungeness Estate ruins. Dungeness has a long illustrious history. The first Dungeness was a hunting lodge of Georgia founder, James Oglethorpe. The second was the home of the Revolutionary hero, Nathaniel Greene, who planned to harvest the island for Live Oak to use building an American navy. His friend, Light Horse Harry Lee (father of Robert E Lee) died and was buried here on a visit. Thomas Carnegie, brother and partner of steel baron Andrew Carnegie owned the last Dungeness. His widow expanded it to its present mega-size. Unfortunately it burned down in 1959. We eat our sack lunch on the estate grounds in the shade of a tree.

We then hiked east across extensive sand dunes to the beach. We had to step carefully as wild horses have left their droppings everywhere. On the shore we beach comb again for shark teeth but come up empty. We must be doing something wrong. Our Amelia Island friend from last night had many dozens from her daily beach walks.

After a mile and a half we cut back across the island through a unique jungle of moss-covered Live Oaks sitting in a sea of Saw Palmettos. Aimee spies a couple armadillos on the trail. Back at our starting point we sit on rocking chairs enjoying the cool breeze while we wait for the return ferry to arrive.

In St Marys we have a delicious dinner at our 105 year-old hotel. We OD-ed on seafood with a scallop appetizer, crab bisque soup, and flounder entree. We bought extra drinks and drank them on the hotel veranda while writing this entry.