 |
| at the Ranger Station by the ferry dock |
Cumberland Island is only accessible by ferry boat run by the National Park Service from St Mary’s, Georgia.. The public property on the island is run by National Park Service, there is still some privately owned property on the island.
 |
| the island's road is rustic |
You can be a day tripper or a camper when you visit. There is nothing available on the island, if you want something be sure to bring it with you. If you bring something with you make sure you take it when you leave. Even potable water is limited.
 |
| one of the wild horses |
The most interesting wildlife that visitors might see are the wild horses. It’s important to remember that the horses are indeed wild. Loggerhead sea turtles nest on the beaches. There are feral hogs on the island which can be pretty destructive.
 |
| deer |
When I was planning this MUSAP adventure I decided to sign up for the Land & Legacies Tour. The tour is done in a 15 passenger van that is driven on a dirt one lane road. Like the rest of the island it is rustic! The tour lasts all day so there is no time to explore other parts of the island that aren’t included in the tour route, including the beaches. It was okay for me on this trip because it was cloudy and cold all day.
 |
| Roy was happy to pose with MUSAP after our tour |
The tour took us to the northern end of the island - about a 15 mile drive. Roy, our guide, provided information all the way about the history, the geography, and the wildlife of the island. We stopped at the little (and I mean little) church where JFK, Jr got married to Carolyn Bessette in 1996.
 |
| site of JFK, Jr's secret wedding |
We had lunch at Plum Orchard, the Carnegie daughter’s home in the early 1900’s. Normally we would have eaten on the lawn behind the house near the river or on the spacious porches that wrap around the house. However on this day it was chilly so 3 of us made the decision to eat in the van and I think the others wish they had stayed with us. After we ate Roy led us in a tour of the mansion.
 |
| Plum Orchard |
The most famous building, actually now ruins due to a fire in 1959, is Dungeness. This was the 59 room home of Thomas Carnegie, brother of Andrew Carnegie the steel magnate. Dungeness isn’t part of the tour, but Roy took us there for a quick look and walk around before we went back to the ferry dock.
 |
| the Dungeness ruins |
No comments:
Post a Comment