Randy and I lived on and off in Georgia for about 22 years. We talked about visiting Cumberland Island for about 22 years. We came close twice: 1) visiting neighboring islands, Jekyll, St. Simons, and Sea Island and 2) by boat we anchored off the island in such rough weather that we couldn’t dingy in. This trip, we finally made it! We were greeted by a manatee at the dingy dock and friendly volunteers and visitors at the welcome lodge. We met an outgoing and joyful lady by the name of C.J. who lives in Marietta. We wish her great health!
We hiked along the river path. It is a forest with huge rambling oaks, palms and palmettos. We visited a building that had once been an ice house that has been converted into a one-room museum, telling the tale of Thomas and Lucie Carnegie, who owned 90% of the island and built a mansion in about 1880 and employed 200 people to make their island retreat self-sufficient. After Lucie died no one lived in the house (unless there were squatters). The mansion burned in 1959 and only the brick and block ruins remain. The official brochure warns against climbing the ruins, stating that rattlesnakes live there now. Wild horses graze on the surrounding lawn. The Carnegies donated most of their land to make the Cumberland Island National Seashore. We cruised the Cumberland River and saw majestic empty beaches and sand bluffs in great contrast to all the human development on St. Simon’s Island.
