-->
 |
| Hello Drone! |
Previous Jake-and-Stone travel blogs have all been pretty much
day-by-day descriptions of their vacations. But a day-by-day blog logging 28
days (January 1-28) is clearly TMI. A blog is meant to be
informal and conversational. In short, no
blog should become a bog. Hence the new format for this report on their 28-day
vacation to Jekyll Island and St. Simons, Georgia, complete with helpful (hopefully) segment headings:
- Overview
- Home Sweet Condo
- Golf
- Birding (by Stone)
- Biking and Walking
- Food and Drinks
- Six Degrees of Separation
- The Drone
- Historical Visits
 |
| The Wharf restaurant on the Jekyll River |
Overview
The wind-aided flight into Jacksonville was only three hours
from Denver. The Jacksonville airport was a dream to negotiate, as was the car
rental process. They stopped at a Chili's for lunch, then got on I-95
north for a quick trip north to Jekyll Island. Since their last visit to Jekyll two
years ago, the island had been sideswiped by two hurricanes and battered by a
tropical storm. It was actually tropical storm Irma that did most of the
damage. It did not take long to view Irma’s effects.
 |
Not ALL of Tropical Storm Irma's Affects
Have Been Fixed on Jekyll Island |
On this trip our duo was joined for the first four days by Sweetness!
– their daughter. After checking into their 3 BR place at
Villas by the Sea, all
three rushed out to the nearest wooden stairway for a look at the Atlantic
Ocean and perhaps take a quick walk near the lapping waves if the tide was low.
But Irma had rendered the previous immediate beach access impossible. All
the Villas property’s stairways leading down from the dunes to the ocean had
been destroyed. On top of that, as a barrier against future devastating storms,
an eight-foot wall of large rocks laterally dissected the beach. But when
Sweetness! smiled broadly and slightly gasped at the view of the seemingly infinite
ocean, blessings were counted.
In general, Jekyll was much the same, and there was evidence
of continued commercial growth. The new luxurious
Jekyll Ocean Club was finished
and seemed to be prospering. Yet another new building, Home2 Suites by Hilton, was
in mid-construction. The shopping area,
Beach Village, had added some new flower
plantings, and several previously unoccupied retail spaces were now filled. A new
restaurant, The Wharf, had replaced the storm ravished Latitude 31 and Rah Bar overlooking
the Jekyll River. Only eight of the new and very upscale
“The Cottages” remained
unsold. And finally, the new housing development down southward on the island –
Ocean Oaks – was reportedly selling briskly as well.
Over their 28-day stay, the island seemed more crowded
(relatively) on the weekends than in the past. And there were certainly more island events –
from a marathon race, to a
blue grass festival, to a tai chi retreat – than in previous
years. But the general relaxed tone of Jekyll, and its offerings of beaches,
forest walks, extensive biking, affordable golf, and amateur birding remained in
place.
Home Sweet Condo
When they first came to Jekyll years ago, Jake and Stone had
started out renting a cheap 2BR unit in a duplex. As their stays in Jekyll lengthened,
they moved up to 3BR houses, but on their last trip – Jan 2017 – they rented a 3BR, baclonies condo at Villas by Sea, and this time did the same, but this time for a full month. For the price, this has
proved to be unbeatable.
 |
| Master Bedroom Balcony |
 |
| From the Condo Parking Lot |
Such a rental also includes weekly maid service, which was a
welcomed treat. The Internet service (not secure) was fast and always reliable,
each BR and the LR had a TV, and the lack of neighbors (slow season) was
enjoyable. The Villas are at the north end of the island, which provides an especially
tranquil setting, but it is a 4-mile bike ride to food/drink/shopping. Often as
not, our couple drove into “town.”
Golf
Jekyll offers 65 holes of
golf. There are three 18-holers
and on one 9-holer. All three 18-hole layouts are reasonably priced, “user-friendly,”
but feature few memorable holes. Still, the major golf facility does a brisk
business, and, as Jake’s Aussie mother might have said, “is lousy with
Canadians,” which is hardly a bad thing, Canadians being generally among the
best people on earth.
 |
Early Morning on Pine Lakes
Golf Course in Jekyll Island, GA |
 |
| Stone Shows Jake How on Great Dunes Golf Course |
 |
| Stone Beneath Favorite Tree on Great Dunes |
The true draw of these three courses is their setting. All
three are carved out of Jekyll’s native maritime forest, so there is not a car, house, condo, highway, or railroad anywhere in view. Only waterfowl, an
occasional gator (on a very warm day), and towering pine trees ever come into
view or threaten one’s attempt to find an errant golf ball.
When Jake recently graduated from “Senior” (55+) thru "Medicare Eligible" (65+) “Old”
(70 and hoping for +), he graduated from the grueling 18-hole outing to the more
sensible 9-hole, two hours of golf. Luckily for him, Jekyll’s best (and most challenging)
9 holes are at the historic (19
th century roots)
Great Dunes course. GD is some distance from the major golf vicinity and within sight (as at
hole #5) of the ocean. GD has the added advantage of being lightly attended,
especially early in the day, and lets one play for under $20, handcart included.
Note: the women’s league plays every Tuesday morning starting at 9 AM.
 |
| A Beautiful View Doesn't Guarantee a Beautiful Golf Shot |
Of the nine or ten times Jake played GD this trip, his best round was on
an especially cool morning when accompanied by a non-playing Stone. (On
previous trips to Jekyll, Stone also played this course, but now that our duo
must fly from Denver, bringing one set of clubs along is trouble enough, thank you very much.)
Playing with Stone along always enhances Jake’s game, and this outing proved to
be his best. Stone did some putting on her own – slyly showing Jake how to read
the green – and they both enjoyed the varied walk, and were kept busy by looking out for
new birds to add the Stone’s “Little List of Birds.”
Birding (by Stone)
Jekyll Island is a destination for serious birders, but the
less serious find enjoyment here as well. One of their constant pleasures over Jake
and Stone’s previous visits has been to keep a look out for birds not likely
seen in Jersey (previously) or Colorado (currently). On this trip Stone bought the
handbook, “Birds of Georgia,” by Stan Tekiela, and started keeping an actual list
of birds she saw (often aided by a handy spyglass) while exploring the island.
It is presented, with her notes, below:
Western Sandpiper -- cute,
numerous, fun to watch
Anhinga -- aka, the Snake
Bird (weird “song”)
Great Egret – majestic as always
Great Blue Heron – always beautifully graceful
American Bald Eagle – as usual, down by
the river
a hawk of some sort – too far away, brownish
Brown Pelican – love that bird!
White Ibis -- never
saw before, now see here & there
Boat-tailed Grackle – also new
Cardinal – miss seeing this out in Colorado
Chick-a-Dee – seems to be everywhere
Downey Woodpecker – smaller than at home?
Kestrel -- never saw before, rather rare I was told, raptor
Hooded Merganser – like on our pond in Littleton
Little Blue Heron -- non-breeding, perhaps?
Belted Kingfisher – on a telephone wire!, never
saw before
Black-bellied Plover – maybe seen 2 yrs ago?
Biking and Walking
Jake, Stone and Sweetness! all rented their bikes from at
Jekyll Wheels, a new bike shop run by the Jekyll Hotel. This shop is a wonderful addition the island. Lots of bikes, of different types, nicely stored and efficiently
serviced. Our trio all rented the 7-speed model. It is expensive to rent here,
and there are other rental options on the island (including at the Villas), but
if you are going to bike a lot it is likely worthwhile to go with Jekyll Wheels.
A good bike trail map is included.
 |
| Over 20 Miles of Paved Bike Paths |
The more than 20 miles of paved bike paths is a major draw
for Jake and Stone. Biking anywhere on Jekyll is good, and lots of people of
all biking experience enjoy it. Two favorite trails:
1. Starting at the Villas, and going north along Beachview Drive, then into the Clam Creek Picnic Area. The marsh area here just about always has birds to see and glimpses of Driftwood Beach are on the right. Down Riverview Drive, stop to visit the
Horton House. Then back southward on Riverview‘s curving trail through what Jake and Stone call the Live-Oak Cathedral, festooned by Spanish Moss. Continuing down Riverview past the tiny airport (elevation 12 feet, says the sign), and the island’s three little churches, the rider ends up in the
Jekyll Historic District with its famous hotel and millionaire “cottages.” In fact, biking through the District’s grounds is a great way to see a lot of what is there.
 |
| Well Maintained Wooden Bridges with Views |
2. From the Villas south on Beachview Drive, with its variety
of residential private homes. The bike path turns toward the ocean, and for the next
2 miles the sea is always on one’s left. Stopping at the Beach Village for food
and/or drinks is always a good idea. Early-rising bikers can enjoy breakfast at
the new
Sunrise Grille, where Stone had a nice Avocado Toast and
Fruit breakfast one morning. There is a Dairy Queen as well beyond the little traffic
circle.
Over the years Jake and Stone have biked wherever the spirit
took them and have never been disappointed. With one exception. Once they biked
too far southward and found themselves heading home into a unrelating wind. They
have since learned to start any bike trip into the wind so the trip back is
wind-aided.
Walking on Jekyll is bountiful as well. Across the street
from the Villas is a little side road that leads to Horton Pond. Its gazebo is
a good place to look for birds and the occasional alligators and turtles that
sun themselves on the pond’s little wooden “island.” Just discovered this year
is the
Tupelo Trail, which starts on the side of Horton Pond. This less than-a-mile
loop provided Jake and Stone with a feeling of adventure as it wound through
the palmettos and the other more looming trees of this bit of maritime forest. Do walk
it.
 |
| Gators and Turtles in Horton Pond seen from the Tupelo Trail |
Sweetness! had a terrific solo walk on the famously photogenic Driftwood Beach one morning. That morning was the warmest of the month (the high that day was in the 70s), and Sweetness! enjoyed walking barefoot in the lapping waves and listening to her latest play list. She spotted what she thought might be dolphins. Running parallel to dolphins, she steadily stalked them down the beach, finally getting a photo or two. Such sightings are not common, which only enhances the thrill for anyone lucky enough to see them frolicking in the Atlantic.
 |
| Dolphins Enjoying the Ocean Near Driftwood Beach. |
 |
Or do the dolphins, like most tourists, come to see the scenery?
|
 |
| Driftwood Beach |
Jake and Stone -- or even more often, Stone by herself --
took more than a few long beach walks. The photogenic Driftwood Beach is always
a good choice. More than once or twice over the years our couple has come
across happy newlyweds posing for pictures. On this trip, most of our couple’s
beach walking took place at Glory Beach, which always seems to stretch for
miles with hardly anyone else around.
 |
| Along Glory Beach, with Cumberland Island in Distance |
Glory Beach is so named because it provided the beach scenes
for the dramatic conclusion of the 1989 movie “Glory,” with Denzel Washington
and Matthew Broderick. Indeed, when the movie was on TV on Martin Luther King
day, Jake and Stone watched it and marveled at how familiar the beach looked. It
was quite exciting.
Glory Beach also provides good shell hunting. Though this
year’s crop of findings didn't include anything like the large Whelks found previously,
Stone and Jake (but mostly Stone) still amassed a beautiful collection of
various shells that Stone curated and kept by the condo’s sink.
 |
| Stone Selects Sea Shells by the Sea Shore |
Glory Beach was also the scene for the one sad event of
their vacation. On this day they noticed a group of people and a what seemed
like a truck, a good distance down the beach. The activity centered around a
dwarf sperm whale that had been washed up on the beach. The environmental
officials said that this type of whale is normally 60-70 miles out at sea, so
hopes of saving it were virtually nil. They euthanized the little whale (about
the size of a dolphin) and then took him away for an autopsy.
 |
The dwarf sperm whale is taken away
in hopes of finding what went wrong. |
Food and Drink
Breakfast – The Waffle
House in Brunswick provided Jake and Stone with its usual southern charm, and
damn good pecan waffles. However, it was in Savannah (90 mins north on I-95)
that they enjoyed their two most memorable meals.
When the forecast is for rain in Jekyll, Jake and Stone
often head into Savannah. January 4 was rainy and the last day of vacation for
Sweetness!, so it worked perfectly as a day to show her this captivating
southern town.
 |
| Sweetness, Jake and Stone enjoying a rainy Savannah, Georgia. |
Perhaps because of the rain, they were able to get a table right
away, just before one o’clock, at the
Collins Quarter, a much-awarded, fairly new
(2014) restaurant on Bull Street in the heart of Savannah’s historic district.
Brunch here was one of the best meals of their entire trip. The service was
friendly, informative and efficient. Each dish – Shortrib Hash for Stone,
Biscuits-and-Gravy Brunch for Sweetness!, and Eggs Benedict Brunch for Jake –
was seemingly perfect. The Champagne Cocktail(s!), Mimosa Drunken Berry, and Espresso
Mint Julep were delightful. This is a place not to be missed.
 |
Coming back from Savannah, our trio was treated to a
post-rain spectacular sunset, captured here while at 65 MPH on I-95 south. |
The following weekend Jake and Stone headed back to
Savannah. The wait for your food at the
Maple Street Biscuit Company can be
along one, but then, they are making the biscuits right before your eyes as you
wait. The unorthodox nature of Savannah’s cultural vibe was evident at this
busy breakfast café with its heterogenous crowd, window seating, and upstairs balcony.
At Maple Street, one is asked to give not your name for
pick-up, but the name of someone you would like to have breakfast with. So as
one waits, the cashier calls out “Beyoncé,” “Tom Hanks,” “Pablo Picasso,” “Michelle
Obama” and the like. Rather entertaining. Pressed to come up with a name for
their order pickup, our couple was momentarily flummoxed, but Jake’s
Jekyll-vacation books included a bio on one of his heroes. Jake was somewhat
disappointed that not one raised even a single eyebrow arose when it was announced that Winston Churchill’s meal was ready.
Stone claimed her dish The Iron Goat: “Flaky biscuit, goat
cheese and sautéed spinach,” was maybe the best 636 calories she ever ate.
Jake’s “House-made vanilla waffle with asiago cheese and pecanwood smoked bacon
baked in, topped with honey butter & Bissell Family Farms real maple syrup,”
was easily worthy of its elaborate description, as well as the resultant 816
calories. Maple Street is a Savannah must-do.
 |
The Yellow Deli in Brunswick, Georgia,
where communal living makes for a fine restaurant. |
The other breakfast of note was in Brunswick at the
Yellow Deli.
The food here was very good, and the setting --
sort of 1960s-Hippy, cozy, lots of wood, art on the walls -- most unique. Turns
out there is a number of these “Yellow Delis” throughout the US. They are all
operated by a religious communal group usually called the Twelve Tribes which
emerged from the Jesus Movement of the early 1970s. (There is, of course, a
Yellow Deli in Boulder (CO), Jake’s hometown, a famous Hippy enclave in the 1960s.)
Bottom line: good food, earnest people, and exposure to a different view on how
to live. All at breakfast.
Lunch
Generally, Jake and Stone are not big on eating lunch out,
but when they went grocery shopping at
Harris Teeter on St. Simons, scheduling lunch
worked out well both times.
Last year
Southern Living magazine rated Southern Soul BBQ as the best BBQ in the South.
Wow. Though hardly BBQ experts, Jake and Stone saw no reason to disagree after
having sampled three sandwiches: BBQ Cuban, Southern Soul Pork, and Burnt Tips.
Jake was happily surprised to see Coors Banquet among the many available cans
of both obscure and well-known breweries. (Craft beers having taken over the
beer world, this delightful old-time brew is not easy to find at home, in
Littleton, CO – but 25 minutes from the brewery in Golden!)
 |
| Southern Soul BBQ on St. Simons Island, George |
Besides
the food, the atmosphere at Southern Soul is remarkable. This place is a true
BBQ joint. Housed in an old gas station, it features ancient wooden tables and
chairs, grab-yourself silverware in a beer glass, “napkins” from a roll of brown paper
towels, and advertising signs from long-gone companies. One half expects to see
the Dukes of Hazard’s car in the parking lot. Everyone seems friendly and
downhome, and it is not unusual to overhear whispers of golf pro Davis Love
(who lives on SSI) getting sandwiches to-go last week. But then he is one of
the owners. Another don’t-miss place.
Dinner
St. Simons
Island provided the best dinner surprise of the trip. Before going to see “The
Upside” at Island Cinemas, Jake and Stone had dinner at Certified Burgers andBeverage in the same mall as the movie theater. As the place was nearly empty
at 5:30, they sat at the bar and looked around. “When what to their wondering
eyes should appear,” not tiny reindeer, but a big bottle of Chopin Vodka. A
post-Christmas miracle.
Two
martinis, a bottle of Stella Artois (for Jake), and two burgers: For Stone --
The ‘Burgh: (beef patty, mayo, chipped ham, provolone, cole slaw, fries) and for
Jake -- The American: (beef patty, “certified” sauce, lettuce tomato, pickle).
Maybe it’s because they do their own butchery in-house, but whatever, both
burgers were superior. The Yelpers love this place – 142 reviews and 4 ½ stars
– and so did our twosome.
Also
off-island, this time in Savannah, the Green Truck Pub, about a 10 minute Lyft ride from
downtown, provided Jake with another good burger. The “Hot Rod” was described
as a burger “pimped out with cheese and bacon.” Stone and Sweetness! both
enjoyed their Green Greeks salads. Neither was pimped out but were still
delicious
An
unassuming building houses this unassuming pub with its emphasis on brews,
wines, burgers, salads, and soups done with local twists. The menu mentions
that their fries come “with house-made ketchup. That’s like twice the
homemade-ness!” while the chicken breast is “Humane-Certified,” whatever that
means. You get the idea. This is pub run by people, not a company. They don’t
do reservations, which seems only proper. Do go, for the flavor – of both the
food and the ambiance.
Back on
Jekyll: The storms over the last two years so damaged the restaurant called
Latitude 31and Rah Bar that the owners sold what was left to the Jekyll Island Club Resort (aka: the old, historic hotel). The hotel took advantage of the
site’s location, with its great views of the Jekyll River and Sidney Lanier
Bridge, and opened a new establishment – The Wharf. It sits on the wharf that
used to service the millionaires – Goodyear, Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, and their
kith and kin – when they came to their private island retreat over 100 years
ago.
Jake and
Stone tried it out for dinner. Winner, winner, seafood dinner! The drinks
(Rusty Nail and Manhattan) were well mixed, the Crab Chowder, Seafood Gumbo,
and Fish & Chips were tasty. (All the seafood dishes they had down in
Jekyll and its environs -- fish, shrimp,
crab, etc. – were always perfectly prepared.) Sitting right on the river and looking
west, the sunset views are terrific. With an expansive outside deck, our couple
could only imagine how crowded the Wharf would be in the summer. A sure winner.
TheDriftwood Bistro sits on the grounds of Villas by the Sea, but it’s not only
its convenience that has Jake and Stone eating there at least twice every year.
It’s the Shrimp and Grits. And the Crab Bisque. And the friendly service. And
most certainly, the fact that a bottle of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is only
$17 (it was $18 on sale! this week at Harris Teeter on St. Simons Island). And
customers can take the not-empty bottle home in a paper bag. “The Bistro” is a
longtime Jekyll tradition of many longtime island visitors.
Sitting at
the bar at the Westin Hotel's Harry's Lounge also proved to be a good spot for food. One of the
best meals Jake and Stone had was all appetizers: Lobster Bisque, Fried
Calamari, Grilled Romaine, a side of Shrimp, and one House Salad.
For their
anniversary meal Jake and Stone went to St. Simons again, this time to the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort. The name pretty much says it all. It dates
from 1935 (the spacious lobby is very 1930s) and was noted for dancing to the
era’s big bands. In the years since, it has been renovated and expanded. It now
sports a Historic Hotels of America plaque at its entrance, and is still
redolent of the luxurious side of America’s 1930s and ‘40s.
Sitting at the bar – a good way to have a waiter always handy – our celebrating
duo had the day’s “Coastal Catch,” which featured something called a Wreckfish,
and a Grouper Sandwich. A Chopin Martini and couple glasses of Kendall Jackson
Chardonnay rounded out and good dinner in a hotel that encourages tête-à-têtes.
Drinks
Taking advantage of the increased number of watering holes
on this bit of land surrounded by water, and as a public service to the handful
of people who get this far in this blog, Jake and Stone did some bar hoping.
Best bars: The Westin Hotel, the Wharf and Certified
Burgers, in that order. Certified had Chopin vodka and a good lineup of beers.
The Wharf is without not only Chopin, but any member of the potato vodka
family. But it has a good selection of wines, good bartenders, and a killer view.
The Westin not only has Chopin, a long bar that is big enough without being too
big, and a nice sitting area, but great service as well. When Jake and Stone
decided one night to split a Martini, the mixologist split the drink into two
glasses. Our duo developed a “bar friendship” with their favorite
bartender Bryan.
 |
| Bryan (on the right) at Harry's Lounge at the Westin Hotel |
Disappointments: The Jekyll Ocean Club. A wonderfully
stylish bar and restaurant area, but the drinks were below average, and the bar
stools strangely uncomfortable. The Hampton Inn had neither Johnny Walker Black
or Red. “After all,” said the barkeep, “we’re pretty much a beach bar.”
Six Degrees of Separation
Part of the fun of such a long vacation is meeting people from
here and there, and then often sometimes discovering startling connections and
coincidences.
During the first few days, when Sweetness! made our
adventurers a threesome, they had dinner at
Tortuga Jacks on Beachview Drive, which
features Mexican food and an outdoor tiki bar with a wide ocean view. It was a
cool evening with less than 15 customers, but one of the fellows at the (inside)
bar disclosed that he graduated from East Brunswick (NJ) High School, four
years later than Sweetness! (He did not, however, take Italian classes.)
At the bar at the Jekyll Hotel, the convivial bar conversation
soon revealed that one of the other four bar patrons went to high school in the
same Brooklyn neighborhood as Stone, and lived in “the next town over,” in
Queens.
 |
| Jake, Stone and their "Honeymoon Baby" |
Having pre-dinner drinks one twilight at the Wharf, our duo
met a young woman whose birthday was the same as our duo’s anniversary date.
Oh, wait. She was actually born on the
day Jake and Stone were married. She would be 39 in two days, on January
26. She jokingly termed herself “the honeymoon baby,” and they had the bartender
take a picture.
The Drone
The somewhat curious word “drone” derives from the bumble
bee. Specifically, the drone bumble bee, which unlike the “worker” bee is
deemed to have a sort of mindless existence. Drones don’t defend the hive in
times of trouble, nor do they help with the hive’s maintenance. Their sole
purpose is to impregnate the queen, a task which apparently lacks the fun presumed
to be enjoyed by other insects, and certainly by most nearly all humans. Earlier termed “a remotely
controlled vehicle,” today’s drone is viewed as a sort of slave, with no will
of its own. No doubt, its buzzing flight was another reason the “drone” label
has stuck.
Seen in action, the drone is indeed like some high-flying super bumble bee. When Jake and Stone first spotted one in the sky
they weren’t sure what it was. Turning a corner in the bike path adjacent to
the Jekyll River, all was explained when they saw three men standing on the
wooden bike path bridge, each staring at an electronic device.
 |
| The Operator of the Drone. |
To watch the drone in action and witness all its capabilities – especially its photographic power – was striking to witness. The GDNR guys were good enough to have the drone take a picture of everyone (which they later emailed to our couple), and Jake and Stone enjoyed finding out about their interesting, and vital, environmental work.
 |
| Drone's Eye View of Work to be Done |
They were all from the Georgia Department of Natural
Resources. They were using the drone to monitor the removal of a tugboat that
had run aground on a sand bar in the river. Besides the two guys flying the drone, another
one was constantly checking a tablet computer to monitor other aircraft in the
area. (Jekyll has its own little airport, and there is a bigger, busier one on
St. Simons.)
To watch the drone in action and witness all its capabilities
– especially its photographic power – was striking to witness. The GDNR guys
were good enough to have the drone take a picture of everyone (which they later
emailed to our couple), and Jake and Stone enjoyed finding out about their interesting,
and vital, environmental work.
Two days later, when Jake and Stone biked the same path, all
the cranes, barges and other equipment was gone. Everything on the river and beyond
looked beautiful once again.
Historical Visits
One of the best reasons to travel is visit historical places.
History puts our lives in perspective. Not the least of which is that soon we
will all be history ourselves. All the more reason to get out and travel!
It’s about a 30-minute drive from
Jekyll to the historic Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation in Brunswick (GA) via Route
17, sometimes called the Coastal Highway. Which BTW, provides an interesting road trip up the coast from Florida to Virginia, if one is so inclined.
Hofwyl-Broadfield is an old rice
plantation that is a Georgia Historical site and worth a visit. Jake and Stone
especially liked the spacious grounds with some truly old Live Oaks – we’re
talking maybe 400-800 years old! – and the antebellum Low
Country house. The house is filled with original antique furniture and one of
the largest collections in America of the striking “blue white” Cantonese china.
The house was lived in until 1973, so
the house itself, and the surrounding grounds and buildings, have an interesting,
eclectic collection of “stuff,” dating from 18th century furniture,
to Civil War memorabilia, to the 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme (the last car
owned by Ophelia Dent, who willed the site to Georgia when died) that sits in
wooden garage.
Throughout the 17
th century, and into the 18
th,
the land around the Altamaha River near Darien (GA) was coveted by both the colonizing
British and Spanish.
Fort King George was built in 1721 as part of the English
plan to dominate the area.
The original fort is long gone, but drawings and plans (found
in London) for the fort have allowed for an authentic reproduction that is
quite interesting to explore. The fortress is a triangular affair with moats,
palisades, barracks, and a blockhouse.
 |
| The Blockhouse at Fort George near Darien, Georgia |
The three-story blockhouse includes stairs that are properly
rickety, slots for muskets, openings for cannon fire, and gives one a feel of what
it must have like hundreds of years ago. It is a heavenly place for young boys
(and girls, now, perhaps?) to run around in. The museum and gift shop even
sports wooden rifles that young visitors can use to enhance their re-enactments.
 |
| From Inside the Blockhouse. |
There is also a nice, short nature trail through the woods
that passes an old pond-side cottage, some lovely marsh views, and a graveyard
for the many soldiers who died there, not from combat but the ravishes of 18
th
century diseases.
January 29, 2019
A month’s vacation seems a long vacation. But many folks Jake and Stone met in Jekyll were there for several months, and had been doing so for years. So maybe this trip was more of a "long getaway" rather than a vacation. As has been said -- "Whatever." It was terrific.
Next year will be number 40 for our married
couple, and they hope to do something celebratory back East – likely in Manhattan
– to mark the event in January. This will likely impact the usual Jekyll getaway. Aren’t
they lucky to have such problems?
