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Best Beach Spots
A Natural Beauty on the Georgia Coast A small crowd gathered on the boardwalk leading to the ocean and appeared to be pointing into the sandy dunes that lay stretched before them. As my eyes traced their gaze, I saw them. Three wild horses grazed on sparse clumps of grass that sprinkled the dunes. A man turned to me and joyfully remarked, “Looks like they are eating well. They were much skinnier 10 years ago.” He took a long, last look before slowly walking to the beach for some rest and relaxation. This picture-perfect moment is just one of many natural discoveries my mother and I made while traveling to Georgia’s largest and southernmost barrier island that today is protected as a national seashore. Here is an island that nature calls home, and humans are merely guests to its shores. Feral horses roam free and may even take a stroll along the ocean’s edge while you watch silently in amazement. Well known for its dune fields, maritime forests, and salt marshes, this secluded isle is home to a variety of wildlife including sea turtles, wild turkeys, bull alligators and my personal favorite — the timid armadillo, which was first seen on the island in 1974. The island is also a perfect retreat for those who like pristine, unspoiled beaches where the only twinkle of light you will see as night falls is the illumination of the stars that blanket the sky. So, for nature lovers, a visit to Cumberland Island will leave you both relaxed and invigorated. Leave Only Footprints Thousands of people have staked their claim on this tiny isle, but luckily most have left only footprints that washed away with the evening tide, from Native Americans, Spanish and English soldiers and missionaries to the Revolutionary War hero Nathanial Greene and the famed Carnegie family, who both built family retreats on the island.
The downside is that the ferry oftentimes sells out, so reservations should be made well in advance. The ferry ports on two docks on Cumberland. If you are a day-tripper, you may prefer to depart at the first stop to partake in a guided introduction to the island by a park ranger. Campers typically disembark at the second stop that unloads near the developed campground at Sea Camp Beach and the bike rental facility. The park ranger provides an informative introduction to the island’s history and surrounding wildlife, while also offering guided hikes to the Dungeness ruins. Dungeness was a home originally built by the widow of Greene. In 1884, Carnegie and his wife built a “Dungeness” mansion on the site of Greene’s original foundation, but it mysteriously burned in 1959, leaving ruins reminiscent of the beleaguered crumbled castles of old Ireland. The grounds of Dungeness can be toured on foot but the building itself remains closed to the public due to safety issues. As we toured, the ranger also explained the park’s “survival of the fittest” philosophy toward the feral horses that wander the isle. Rangers let them live naturally and with no human help nor hindrance. They do not provide veterinary care, but allow them to roam as they please. Rangers also discourage guests from approaching the horses, as they can be quite dangerous and even kick and bite. As she completed her warning, we spotted a horse grazing in the distance and the ranger informed us he once was a dominant male but lost a battle with another stallion and now feeds alone. It was clear then that the horses’ lives were challenging but from his proud stand, it appears they clearly still relish their freedom from the bridle. Exploring off the Beaten Path After our tour, we enjoyed our tree-covered walk to the Sea Camp dock, where we rented bikes to further discover what Cumberland has to offer. (Please note: daily bike rentals — $16 for adults, $10 for children, and $20 for overnight campers — are only available for rent when the boat docks at port, so plan your rental accordingly.) There are a variety of activities and sites to explore on the island, from kayaking, bird watching and hiking 50 miles of trails to touring a historic cemetery and the rustic First African Baptist Church, which was the wedding site of the late John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. But my mother and I are beach lovers, so we headed without delay through a thick maritime forest to the sea. Named “One of America’s Ten Best Beaches” by the Travel Channel in 2005, Cumberland’s seashore truly offers a unique experience immersed in nature’s beauty and wonders. A long, winding pathway and mountains of sugar-white sand dunes welcome visitors to its shores that offer a cornucopia of seashells and shark teeth. The sand by the dunes is soft and perfect for lounging, but as it stretches to the sea the sand becomes packed and flat, ideal for long bike rides near the tide. Ghost crabs and sandpipers play alongside children in the surf and even an occasional steed will gallop in the sand from time to time. This was truly a unique beach experience that harkens back to the untamed beauty of early America when explorers stepped foot into a new world. After I soaked up the sea’s charms and walked under a canopy of gnarled live oaks on my path from the beach, I heard something rustling in the underbrush. It sounded bigger than a squirrel, and on this wild island, it seemed any fanciful creature could pop out of the grass at a moments notice. As I slowly investigated the sound further, an armadillo emerged munching happily on his mid-morning snack. Alerted to my presence, he made a dash across my path and into the brush wagging his tail behind him. I had finally spotted my armadillo. While Texans may not even bat an eye for these creatures, this Atlanta girl certainly couldn’t help but smile as his tail waved goodbye to me from the bushes. PN For More Information
Ferry and camping reservations |
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Cumberland Island, Ga. 
Today, most visitors to Cumberland Island are day-trippers, campers or esteemed guests of the historic Greyfield Inn, a gift from Thomas and Lucy Carnegie to their daughter Margaret Ricketson at the turn of the century. Only accessible by water, guests to Cumberland Island may arrive by ferry, charter boats or personal watercrafts. The ferry service departs daily from Georgia’s sea town of Historic St. Marys at 9 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. and leaves the island at 10:15 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. (From March through September the ferry also departs Cumberland at 2:45 p.m.) Ferry reservations can be made up to six months in advance and they have a limited amount of space available. The upside is there are a small number of people on Cumberland Island each day, so you can truly immerse yourself in nature sans crowds. 
Cumberland Queen