Jekyll Island adventures

Saturday, Nov 13, 2021

We’ve got a few cushy days in a hotel, which seems decadent at this stage of the trip. A pool, hot tub, poolside restaurant and happy hour band - it will be tough to move to our next campsite!

Turns out Jekyll Island has one of the best bike paths we’ve come across during our trip so far. With a nicely paved path around most of the island, and a few sandy connector trails to keep it exciting, we are off to explore. Wow, we’re impressed. First thing Saturday morning, and we practically have the trail to ourselves. After cruising along the beach and dunes, with the calmest seas ever (the Atlantic is always super calm, right?😉), we then entered the marsh. On the lookout for crazy migrating birds, binoculars across shoulders, we sighted one our favorites so far, the wood stork.

The Island has lots of crazy oaks with Spanish moss - but watch for chiggers that live in the moss! Fall colors are not usually a thought down south, but we found yellow fall leaves (probably poison ivy😜). The island sports a historic town where the rich went to “get away”. A lot of the old buildings have been re-used for such things as the “pottery club” or, our personal favorite, the Georgia sea turtle center. Americore kids do a talk and all the work at the rescue center. It was cool to see huge loggerheads up close, and hear how Margoi might soon be sent back to the seas, after they bondo’d her shell back together.

The last part of the island bike loop took us to the very southern tip, where on Nov 28, 1858, the last slave ship landed. The Wanderer pleasure yacht, was retro fitted for human cargo, and evaded authorities.

It landed on Jekyll island and did its dastardly dealings, but the owners ended up apprehended by the law, and relatively soon after the Civil war had begun. Back to the hotel to wash off some ugly history, and head out for a fun cover band @ Tortuga Jack’s, complete with a lovely sunset. Come out to Jekyll island for some serious quiet coastline, great biking (and I heard there’s golf😛)