The Cumberland Island Experience
From WWR
by BlueRidge
We didn’t get much or any sleep the night/morning of our trip. I always wait till the last minute to pack for a backpacking trip, which if filmed in timed lapse photography could be played to a waltz and would appear to be a dance. It is certainly an art form that comes with experience. Those who do it often know of what I speak. But packing for a trip to Cumberland Island allows one to add a bit more of the conveniences of modern life enabling the experience of the visit to be what you remember most. So at 1 a.m. in the morning I am scouring about the cabin packing coolers full of food, bottled water, and canned drinks probably more than was needed for the couple of days but I always over pack.
At three in the morning the Xterra was loaded and we were headed south to St. Mary’s, GA. Cumberland Island is located along the Coast of GA almost into Florida. Our phoned ahead reservation, which is highly recommended, was for the 11:45 ferry over to the Island. The National Park Service Ferry, there are two – the Cumberland Queen and Cumberland Lady, is the method of access to the island. We arrive in plenty of time for the check-in and orientation. Although I had phoned ahead for reservations, there was no record of our name, but luckily there was availability. Along with the sun, good fortune begins to shine.
The groups of visitors making the trip over that morning were gathered together for a brief orientation and we boarded the ferry with gear that appeared to be enough for an army although there were only a handful of overnight visitors along with a couple of day travelers. The groups, including us, were as colorful as we were anticipatory of where we were headed. A couple of groups of college kids were on a trip before school started back, and what appeared to be a family of adults - mom, dad, twin daughters and their partners. There were also a couple of day visitors making the trip over. One of the college kids was wearing a t-shirt claiming to be “Satan’s Goddess” and boxer shorts with bright green pot leaves. She claimed they were “Japanese Maples”. You could almost feel a collective energy as we rode along the inter-coastal waterway accompanied by dolphins occasionally surfacing along side the boat, almost in a way greeting us.
Gathering around the porch of the Ranger Station directions on where to proceed and what to do depending on the extent of ones visit were given. The overnight visitors gathered into a room for camper orientation and individual site selection. This consisted of a little of what one will experience on the island, precautions, site amenities (fresh water from artesian well, cold showers, restrooms, trash regulations, etc) and the customary do’s and don’ts. The Ranger also told of the wild life on the island that included armadillos, snakes, alligators, wild horses, sea turtles, wild boar, deer, wild turkey, and insects and spiders – to numerous in variety to mention. This almost made some of the visitors return to the docked ferry. But one cannot expect to visit a place such as this without encountering the wild. I would think it less of an experience if it didn’t occur.
Due to the reservation blunder, we were the last to choose a site. The ranger suggested a site close to the dunes and beach that was typically one of the more quickly chosen sites. “Site #13” I am not a superstitious person and on arrival at the site it was apparent that such a thought should not exist. As we wheeled the cart along the trail, the wild life of the island, now including us, began to make itself apparent. Several armadillos scurried about, burrowing their snouts into the ground for insects and rustling in the maritime forest floor of yucca bushes, startling us at times. Broods of wild turkeys strutted and the large spiders overhead in the canopy of trees, with massive webs, were awaiting their pray. Our search for adventure and solitude has begun.
Upon arrival at camp we settled in our gear, putting up the tent, hanging bags on hooks, nails, and strings left by other campers, and grabbing a much desired ice cold beer. We began planning our time given the two days we had to take in the island and relax. Bicycles were available for rental at the ranger station and having visited the island on a couple of previous occasions I knew this would be the best method of travel for our visit to the 17 mile long island. Having the bikes at camp and everything in place we headed for the beach. Life truly is a beach.
At Dungenness we encountered more of the islands wildlife. “Wild” horses grazed in the lawn of the mansion under the massive hundred-year-old oak trees while wild turkey foraged close by for their afternoon lunch. The horses are a special attraction to the island. Brought over by early settlers and at one time left to run open range on the island. I am sure there are several hundred on the island as we saw numerous at different occasions during our trip. “Wild” might not be a correct term for these horses, as one might think. Based on our encounters with them, “Semi-wild” might be more appropriate.
Returning to camp we began dinner preparation. The first night out of every backpacking and camping trip I like to have steak and fresh vegetables, and this one was no exception. I typically hard freeze the steak and then wrap in several layers of aluminum foil with fresh vegetables, place in a zip loc, ready for travel, and for the evening fire. The availability of coolers made this process much easier along with the charcoal we brought for the fire pit with grill provided at the campsite made for a well prepared meal of steak, potatoes, grilled corn on the cob and an ice cold beverage. One doesn’t have to settle for less than what is available for them.
As the sun began to set for the day, the evening seemed to more quickly come under the canopy of the trees hanging with Spanish Moss and Tarzan size vines. We finished our meal and headed once again to the beach for an evening stroll. The tide was low and the distance to the shoreline left a wide and smooth beach. Small beach birds scurried about the surf ahead of our path, stopping in groups to search in the sand as the tide rolled in and out. Sea Gulls would congregate along the way and would fly off as we approached. At one point, we talked about how that the birds largely outnumbered us and the movie “The Birds” found its way into our conversation. You know the creepy feeling that comes to mind.
The night was hot and humid. The temperatures hung into the lower 80’s and 90’s till late in the evening and early morning. Getting restful sleep when first lying down was difficult. There was very little nighttime breeze under the canopy of the trees and although our tent has lots of ventilation it did not cool down until the early morning hours. We did however drift off into the night to be occasionally wakened by those first night forest sounds; those you cant identify but have to get use to. Every place has it’s own.
The morning light woke us late due to the cover of the trees. We quickly lit the stove for hot water and much needed coffee. As the sound of the stove jetted the water to boil our plans for breakfast began. The “Zip-Loc Omelet” - Eggs we brought with us were cracked and placed in Ziploc bags along with diced fresh tomatoes and cheese, mixed and scrambled together in the bags, the bags were placed in the boiling water to cook. Once these were done we heated up some pre-cooked bacon then opened the bags and removed a very delicious omelet. With a hot cup of coffee, this breakfast was a pleasure that one might not expect to enjoy in a place such as this.
This day also brought an encounter with a baby alligator; about 3’ long, that was crossing the trail, while campers dropped off by the ferry were making their way to camp. I can imagine the excitement this must have brought to them during their first hour on the island. It was for us too. It quickly crawled off into the undergrowth but minutes later coming back across the same trail there it was again, this time holding two day visitor bicyclist, I’ll call “city slickers”, at bay. We walked up on them and they told us that they had been there for five minutes or more and were afraid to move and didn’t know what to do. I snapped a couple more pictures of the almost prehistoric looking creature, at which time the gator decided his fun was over and crawled off into the bush to better places I am sure. The couple thanked us for helping them. We walked to back to camp, chuckling. Later in the afternoon as we walked along the beach the couple passed us bicycling next to the surf. It appeared that they had found their peace in this place.
The night once again was hot and steamy and sleep was hard at first to achieve, but we were determined to wake and catch the morning sunrise. Anticipation of the event awakened us in plenty of time to make it out to the beach well before the 6:45 sunrise.
The cart was reloaded with gear and we trekked back across the island to the ranger station to await the loading of the ferry. As we sat in the rocking chairs on the wooden porch we began talking to our neighbor campers at the site that we would walk by and wave to often. Two brothers out for an adventurous journey, we shared stories of our visit, showed digital photos taken, and exchanged email addresses. The sadness of having to leave the island was shared by us all. The dolphins once again followed the ferry back to the main land as if to say goodbye and thanks for visiting.
