Steve and Julie picked us up at 11:30am for a brunch at The Cracker Barrel. One of my favorite on-the-road restaurants. Shirleen, had one egg basted with biscuits, Julie, had eggs, sausage and biscuits; Steve, had eggs, which he still cuts into small pieces, I study peoples habits of fried egg cutting, so this observation comes after watching him 14 years ago; I, had scrambled eggs with fried catfish – UmmUmmGood (Sp). With these orders came biscuits and gravy and grits.
Off for the day after a filling breakfast. We are to pick up the boat at St. Marys for Cumberland Island National Seashore. We went on the stand-by list, and made it. The boat Cumberland Queen was standing by it is a 45 minute ride over and only a limited number of passengers and only one boat load back at 4:45pm. We landed at one of two docks. There is no transportation except in case of an emergency. We walked, along with a Park Ranger, Rene Nun. She has been there for 27 years. On the tour she had 4 or 5 stops along the way. Her explanation of who was here and what happened on the island was cute. She used visitors as people who lived there like George and Martha Washington, Robert E. Lee’s father and Nathaniel Greene. Her teaching method for adults was terrific. She was one of the best but a personal comment, there have been many of these presentations over the country, one of our government programs that works well.
As we walked through the island we saw a couple of the wild horses that populate the island. She mentioned there are about six breeds of horses, some of them have interbred and the lines are diminishing. Numbers of horses are falling. There is no feeding, no worming and no veterinary practices. In time there will be no horses. Why the wild horses? When the last of the Carnegie’s died her will said all horses are to be turned loose. The mansion was burned down by a couple of locals to get even with owners who were firing on them at night for poaching.
Cumberland Island is Georgia's largest and southernmost barrier island. Pristine maritime forests, undeveloped beaches and wide marshes. After the tour we meandered around the island, headed toward the other side of the island toward the beach. There were boardwalks and fine white sand beaches. We saw the water but never made the beach. When we were on the board walk we ate our lunch. As no food available Julie supplies came to the front: cheese, cracker and ham, fresh apple slices, raisins (more to come on these) and granola bars with water bottles.
After this we journeyed to the boat dock. With only one boat leaving we did not have any camping gear so we made sure we are ready.
The ride back had a couple of us standing. But time for more food; Steve found the raisins again. First we fed ourselves then he had the idea of feeding the seagulls some of the raisins. He would fling them skyward and the gulls would dive toward them. Their aim was right on few were missed. It looked to me that they would fly closer to the boat the more they were fed. Most people enjoyed the activity, one gal would not raise her head as she saw “The Birds – by Alfred Hitchcock” I suspect.
We decided to eat at St. John’s Seafood and Steaks restaurant in Kingsland. We ordered a couple of large drafts, and they were big. Now for appetizers, an order of onion rings for the girls and we had fried Calamari. Now time for the meal order: we all had what was called seniors, meaning smaller size. Julie, fried oysters and a green fried tomato; Shirleen, shrimp and sweet potato fries; Steve, a stuffed flounder with crab and shrimp with sweet potato fries, I, a trio of fried oysters, shrimp and clam strips with cheese grits. Thank goodness we took senior orders as there were mounds of food on the plate when it arrived. We then went to their home for a couple Bud’s and conversation. They took us back to the motel and off to a night of rain and thunder of which I heard and someone else didn’t. Jerry
Off for the day after a filling breakfast. We are to pick up the boat at St. Marys for Cumberland Island National Seashore. We went on the stand-by list, and made it. The boat Cumberland Queen was standing by it is a 45 minute ride over and only a limited number of passengers and only one boat load back at 4:45pm. We landed at one of two docks. There is no transportation except in case of an emergency. We walked, along with a Park Ranger, Rene Nun. She has been there for 27 years. On the tour she had 4 or 5 stops along the way. Her explanation of who was here and what happened on the island was cute. She used visitors as people who lived there like George and Martha Washington, Robert E. Lee’s father and Nathaniel Greene. Her teaching method for adults was terrific. She was one of the best but a personal comment, there have been many of these presentations over the country, one of our government programs that works well.
As we walked through the island we saw a couple of the wild horses that populate the island. She mentioned there are about six breeds of horses, some of them have interbred and the lines are diminishing. Numbers of horses are falling. There is no feeding, no worming and no veterinary practices. In time there will be no horses. Why the wild horses? When the last of the Carnegie’s died her will said all horses are to be turned loose. The mansion was burned down by a couple of locals to get even with owners who were firing on them at night for poaching.
Cumberland Island is Georgia's largest and southernmost barrier island. Pristine maritime forests, undeveloped beaches and wide marshes. After the tour we meandered around the island, headed toward the other side of the island toward the beach. There were boardwalks and fine white sand beaches. We saw the water but never made the beach. When we were on the board walk we ate our lunch. As no food available Julie supplies came to the front: cheese, cracker and ham, fresh apple slices, raisins (more to come on these) and granola bars with water bottles.
After this we journeyed to the boat dock. With only one boat leaving we did not have any camping gear so we made sure we are ready.
The ride back had a couple of us standing. But time for more food; Steve found the raisins again. First we fed ourselves then he had the idea of feeding the seagulls some of the raisins. He would fling them skyward and the gulls would dive toward them. Their aim was right on few were missed. It looked to me that they would fly closer to the boat the more they were fed. Most people enjoyed the activity, one gal would not raise her head as she saw “The Birds – by Alfred Hitchcock” I suspect.
We decided to eat at St. John’s Seafood and Steaks restaurant in Kingsland. We ordered a couple of large drafts, and they were big. Now for appetizers, an order of onion rings for the girls and we had fried Calamari. Now time for the meal order: we all had what was called seniors, meaning smaller size. Julie, fried oysters and a green fried tomato; Shirleen, shrimp and sweet potato fries; Steve, a stuffed flounder with crab and shrimp with sweet potato fries, I, a trio of fried oysters, shrimp and clam strips with cheese grits. Thank goodness we took senior orders as there were mounds of food on the plate when it arrived. We then went to their home for a couple Bud’s and conversation. They took us back to the motel and off to a night of rain and thunder of which I heard and someone else didn’t. Jerry
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