Crew Log for April 8th – April 11th, 2023
Trip Summary:
• Cumberland Island – Jekyll Island
• Trip Distance of 26.9 NM, Total Distance To-Date of 3,636.7 NM
Happy Birthday to Allison Rae, our favorite daughter!
It was overcast, breezy and incredibly humid. I am not entirely sure how a person could tolerate the humidity here once it got really hot. We did notice most of the boats down here have air conditioners on them, which might explain it. Being from the “north”, we have a heater, but our capacity to cool the boat is limited to a couple of fans.
There was a storm front rolling in over the next few days and we found ourselves once again running for cover. We had a great afternoon at Cumberland and the anchorage was very restful, which was good thing since things went downhill quickly.
One of the biggest misconceptions we had regarding the ICW was, despite as the name suggests, it being an “in land” waterway, the conditions at certain sections can get downright nasty. Because it is so protected, we tend to get up and go, and relax our daily obsession over weather. Our route today for example, was a long meandering trip, sheltered behind Cumberland Island, before crossing St. Andrews Sound, and continuing behind Jekyll Island.
The trip was fairly relaxing for the most part and we were glad we decided to leave a day earlier than planned given things were already starting to pipe up. Unfortunately, the wind was blowing from the northeast into St. Andrews Sound, which meant we had to beat straight into the wind and waves for 5-6 miles behind Little Cumberland Island. Our route then took us well out into the sound, before making a sharp turn back towards Jekyll Island.
Our memory of “bad days” tends to fade over time, but the trip across St. Andrews Sound has to be one of the worst, if not the worst. For well over an hour, Elizabeth M was thrown up one wave before she came crashing down into the next one. Water covered the decks and washed over the dodger. Our forward progress was painfully slow and times we wondered if we were going forward or backwards. When we finally did make the turn, the waves were hitting the boat on the beam, rolling us violently from side to side.
A side note on Elizabeth M. She is a relatively light cruising boat at 11,000 pounds. Perfectly fine for most conditions that we would ever want to venture out into. However, when things get really rough, we get tossed around like a cork. She is also only 33 feet long. We have lived in this tiny space quite comfortably since August of last year. But, when conditions get sporty, she hobby horses badly. All that aside, as any sailor will know, the boat is capable of taking far more weather than her crew.
Knowing that the conditions were forecasted to deteriorate throughout the day, we purposely left Cumberland early, before daylight. We expected difficult conditions, but nothing like this. The only good news for us was, in a few hours, this passage would be dangerous and likely impassable. So much for the boring ICW! As so often is the case, as soon as we made our way behind Jekyll Island, it was like someone turned a switch off and the conditions improved dramatically.
The approaching storm was predicted to have gale force winds, in excess of 40 miles per hour in the gusts over several days. Our weather forecaster was recommending we shelter and plan to stay put, which is how we ended up at Jekyll. Since it was going to last for several days, we decided to shelter in a marina where we could get off the boat easily.
Let me begin by saying, we really loved Jekyll Island. We were completely unaware of it’s history and it was a wonderful place to explore. BUT!
It has taken us this long to understand that when coming into a marina, or any place else for that matter, as Captains of our boat, we are in charge. That includes overriding the dock hands, who might think they are experts, but they don't know us and they don't know our boat..
Our approach to Jekyll started harmless enough. Dock hand, “Head past the marina to the north end and circle around to the finger docks on the east side. Port side tie”. Me, “Roger that”. Judy got busy getting fenders and lines arranged for a port side tie. Dock hand, “WAIT! You are a sailboat, I thought y’all were a powerboat, go down to the south end, circle around. Still a port side tie”.
Now the thing you have to appreciate here is, we had just spent hours in some of the worst conditions we have ever been in. There was also a 3.5 knot current ripping through the middle of the marina. There is a long transient face dock, which was full, and tying up to a slip means we will be side on to the current. Did I mention it was flowing at 3.5 knots! It is also very shallow here. Wander even the slightest and you’ll find yourself aground.
Judy does a fantastic job on organizing lines and fenders and experience has taught her that the first line we throw, is a mid ship line. Once that is secure, we can fuss with bow and spring lines, but the midship line is key. As we rounded the corner, we realized it wasn’t a port side tie, it was a starboard tie. Judy efficiently reset everything to the other side, and we made our approach again. Judy had the midship line in her hand, but the dockhand insisted she get him the bow line first. You can guess what happened.
We threw him the bow line, he reefs it tight to the dock, and now the stern is unsecured with a 3.5 knot current pushing it sideways. The end result wasn’t good, but I have gotten used to saying, “it’s all repairable”. On the bright side, once properly secured to the dock, we were completely sheltered from the weather and, as we would soon find out, we were in a beautiful spot to wait out a gale.
In 1886, Jekyll Island was purchased by the Jekyll Island Club, who established a turn-of-the century vacation resort patronized by the nation’s leading families. Club Members included such figures as J.P. Morgan, Joseph Pulitzer, William K. Vanderbilt, Marshall Field, and William Rockefeller. In 1904, Munsey’s Magazine called the Jekyll Island Club “the richest, the most exclusive, the most inaccessible club in the world.”
The Island included a resort complex, pools, indoor tennis courts, hunting grounds and golf courses. As things developed, several luxury "cottages" and staff quarters were built adjacent to the originally clubhouse complex. There was a ferry connecting the island to the mainland and a small airport.
It was the site of the first condominium complex, the origins of the modern-day central banking system and the “cottages” and lodges were magnificently beautiful. Like Cumberland Island, there is also a natural beauty that is spectacular. Live oaks are everywhere, including the eerily beautiful driftwood beach. It seems like a oxymoron to talk about dead, live oaks, but the beach is covered in them. The Club Era eventually came to an end as a result of World War II.
In 1947, the island was sold to the State of Georgia for $675,000 and it became part of the State Park system, offering opportunities for recreation and pleasure along the Georgia Coast to everyone. Today, the Jekyll Island Authority manages the island for the State of Georgia, including the island’s amenities and Historic District, for the enjoyment of its citizens, while preserving its historical past. The Authority also operates municipal services for residential communities, several hotels, rental cottages, and businesses on Jekyll Island. It is an extraordinary history and amazingly successful example of public administration for the benefit of the citizens. We were also told it was a financial success for the State.
A bridge to the mainland replaced the ferry, and there are roads all around the island. However, the easiest way to explore Jekyll is either by golf cart or bike, both of which were free to use from the marina. There are bike trails and boardwalks everywhere.
While I am firmly in the camp of “golf is walk ruined”, there are several golf courses on the island, including a family oriented course. The closest we got to golfing was to ride around in a golf cart to take a quick tour of Jekyll Island to get a lay of the land. Despite the blustery weather, lots of people were out and about. There was even a wedding party down on driftwood beach.
We woke the next morning to cool, damp temperatures. As proof that I am not being overly dramatic talking about the weather, according to one of our VIP followers, the temperature in Ottawa was higher than the temperature in Jekyll Island, Georgia. I reluctantly dug around for socks, shoes and a down vest and even resorted to turning the diesel heater on. The wind really start to pick up in the afternoon, and we again reflected on our wise decision to find a nice sheltered spot to wait out this front.
It was Easter Weekend and we found ourselves missing family and friends back home, even more than usual. However, we are grateful for the ability to video chat with everyone, especially our 6 grandkids, who we sometimes worry will be teenagers before we see them again!
The marina offered the use of single speed bikes to tour around the island. Given their condition and the clientele on Jekyll, we were assured by marina staff that locking them wasn’t necessary. All the bikes were color coded for the marina and various hotels so there was no risk of taking the wrong ride home.
Some of the former “cottages” in the historic district are used as hotel space and a couple of others are opened to the public as museums. We took in an art display at the Goodyear Cottage, featuring a series of artists’ work from Maine and had lunch at the former Jekyll Island Club ferry terminal, which was now a restaurant.
The former Power Plant Building for the Jekyll Island Club is now the site of Georgia’s only Sea Turtle Rescue Center. Established over 15 years ago, the Center features interactive exhibits and patient viewing areas. In addition to caring for sick and injured turtles, the Center has an educational mission, and presents daily programs, field trips, guided tours and beach walks.
Our tour of Jekyll concluded with a trip to the market that literally sold everything from pool noodles and lego to fresh seafood and wine. We picked up some fresh, wild caught Georgia shrimp and I made shrimp and grits, closely following Heather and Dennis' recipe, for supper.
The wind has finally calmed down and so we were anxious to get moving again. Our plan was to weave our way through the Georgia ICW and stop and explore Savannah, which we missed on the way through in the fall.
But more about that, next time.
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