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Eric Bruce,
The Suburban Sportsman
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One of the most scenic and historic islands in the country is just off our southeastern coast. Cumberland Island is full of rich history and its scenic beauty is comparable to other island paradises.
I have visited Cumberland on three occasions and each trip was different and enriching. My first visit was in 1993 when I was in Kingsland for a conference. I took a day trip over to the island that I had heard so much about.
Even the trip over on the ferry was special because we watched a U.S. Navy nuclear submarine cruise by on its way to the St. Mary’s naval base. That spring afternoon I toured the Dungeness ruins and imaged the mansion filled with the bustling Carnegie family and surrounding activities. Mere stone pillars and ivy-covered walls remain from a once thriving homestead of one hundred years ago.
The beach shoreline on the eastern side of the island affronts the Atlantic Ocean. Though visited daily, is somewhat remote and pristine. Some portions of Cumberland’s beach is how it was generations ago with plenteous scattered seashells of all kinds. Looking back toward land, the visitor sees only trees, sand dunes, and sawgrass. The hotels, piers, and shops are nonexistent here.
In 2002 I decided to visit Cumberland again, but under much different circumstances. I had read the book by Charles Seabrook, Wild Horses, Strong Women which chronicles the history of Cumberland and was intrigued by its past. This time I took my daughter, who was ten at the time, along with another man and his son. Instead of the ferry, we were going to sea kayak to the island.
After renting two long tandem kayaks in St. Marys, we shuttled them up to Crooked Creek State Park and launched with all our camping gear. Our research told us that it was important to time your paddling to go with the tide. Going against the strong Georgia tide would make our forward movement much more difficult, like paddling upstream.
The sea touring kayaks had foot pedals for the rear paddler to move the rudder. This was a great help in steering the long boat. Other than that, all propulsion was by manual paddling, mainly by me. We stuffed our gear into the portholes in the kayak and cruised through salt marshes as we headed for the northernmost campsite, Brickhill Bluff, about ten miles away over the water.
The so-called campground, which only has a well pump and a camping “area”, is 10.5 miles over ground from the ferry stop so typically only other kayakers or hearty hikers make this far. It is within a short hike to “The Settlement” and the First African Baptist Church.
The church is a very modest one-room building and is hardly worth more than a passing look-over. That is unless you consider its history. The island workers of past generations gathered there to worship and more recently, John F. Kennedy, Jr. got married there in a private ceremony unnoticed until it was over. No remnants of the wedding remain, but it was surreal imagining the historical significance.
Brickhill Bluff faces west and spectacular sunsets can be watched over the water. We took some dayhikes from our base camp and saw the wild horses and more of the island’s beauty. Century-old live oak trees with sprawling arms draped with Spanish moss stand sentry over the island. Palmetto trees dot the landscape and spread their pointed fingers in all directions. Squirrels, armadillos, song birds, and snakes all play around the inner island’s forests while crabs and seagulls frolic on the beaches.
The return trip involved a visit to the Plum Orchard mansion in the center west portion of the island. The all white mansion is ornate and sprawling and evokes the classic image of a southern plantation with its pillars and porches. One could only fanaticize living the life of an affluent family in their private island mansion.
My third trip to Cumberland was in April 2008. Two coworkers, two sons, and a third friend made up our sextet of hikers. A three-day two-night visit was planned to include backpacking and camping in the interior campsites.
Taking two nine-year old boys, plus a coworker who complains a lot, the flat terrain and mild temperatures were ideal for this type of trip. With relatively light packs, we strolled through the palmetto stands on our way to Yankee Paradise campground. The campground contained laughing jovial buddies in a scenic environment. Fried cheese and bacon quesadillas and bratwurst made for a tasty enjoyable evening.
Night two was at Stafford Beach which is next to the ocean. We spent much of the day on the wide white sand beach looking for seashells and walking the beach. The two boys played in the surf but the adults, myself included, were not about to get in that chilly water. While waiting for the ferry to head back to the mainland, we watched a large group of college kids from Vermont unloading boxes of gear to camp out for their spring break.
If you’ve never been to Cumberland Island, you should experience with Georgia jewel at least once. Whether a day trip, kayaking, or an extended backpacking journey, it’s a place worth seeing. The history and scenic natural beauty are features every Georgian should be proud of and take the time to enjoy. Reservations are necessary, and take lots of bug spray if you go in the summer. [www.nps.gov/cuis]
