Georgia On My Mind

Georgia, Georgia,
The whole day through
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind

Sunday, December 13^th , we left Hilton Head, South Carolina, and turned south towards the state of Georgia.  With a low pressure weather system parked over us, we had warm weather and light breezes forecast.  And so, we headed towards the Savannah River.  Georgia remains the forgotten region along the Inter-coastal Waterway, and for good reason.  Because it meanders, across a marsh grass horizon, Georgia’s 100 mile coastline translates into about 140 miles of slow methodical work against massive tides.  Many boaters choose to go offshore at Charleston rather than suffer the currents and switchbacks of Georgia’s Inter-coastal Waterway.

 Our plan however was to spend four days working our way through the state.  We planned one night at anchor and two nights at marinas.  During the days we looked forward to viewing one of the most pristine and beautiful coastal areas in this country.

Boat traffic headed south along this stretch was very light.  The snowbirds were about 30 days ahead of us, and it was rare to see other boats transiting the waterway. Birds, porpoise, and marshland, however, were not rare.  Daytime temperatures were in the mid 70s with sunshine.  This weather allowed perfect viewing of the vast vistas that open up around the many sounds, marshes, and rivers that we transited.  In its entirety, the days were almost dreamlike in their perfection.
There are not many cities along the Georgia coast, but the waterway does transit many sea islands.  These large unspoiled islands protect behind them low lying marshlands.  We measured progress south by passing the sea islands of Tybee, Wassaw, Ossabaw, St Catherines, Blackbeard, Sapelo, Wolf, St Simons, Jekyll, and finally Cumberland Islands.  Between the islands, open sounds emerge.  Many of these open to the Atlantic.  Traveling behind a protected island tends to be calm waters.  The sounds then give way to open choppy seas, often with much greater winds.  It is a progression.

Our two marina stops were at Delegal Creek Marina on Skidaway Island and Jekyll Harbor Marina on Jekyll Island.  The two locations highlighted significant differences between a contemporary upper class  sea island “private golf community” and an historic winter playground for the countries ultra rich.  Jekyll Island was used as a winter getaway between the 1890’s and 1940’s for America’s industrial tycoons.  It came to its demise during the Second World War when Nazi submarine activity off the coast forced the Government to close the island and purchase the property.  The island was ultimately deeded to the state of Georgia who has opened an historic settlement.  A bike ride across the island truly impressed us on the quality of architecture and wealth that defined the island at its height.  But, with the Holidays ahead, and schedules to be maintained we are pushing south to Florida.  Not giving either of these locations the time we wish we could give them.

 

We next push onward to Florida and the “Sunshine State” of mind.