CUMBERLAND ISLAND – WANDERING WHYTES

We planned a five day backpack trip on Cumberland island with the Castors. No dogs allowed so Sammy stayed in the kennel and Blaze stayed home since this was going to be a quick down and back.

First day of the trip took us to Rock Springs, SC. We booked a room at the local Staybridge and went for a hike to stretch our legs. We hiked the River park Wetlands trail that was nice but smelled like sewage. We realized the water treatment plant was nearby, mystery solved.

CROOKED RIVER STATE PARK

These were a lot nicer than your usual state park cabins.

It was too early for bugs but this porch would be handy in another month or so.

I walked outside with my morning coffee to look around and saw 2 Pileated Woodpeckers.

The next day we basically hiked every trail in the park. Leann was about to get into some deep mud so she turned back.

Yellow-Bellied Sliders and Little Blue Heron.

There was a nice walk in camping area, we learned that you can also drive back. Blaze would look good here.

This sign was outside of the nature center and was a list of bird sightings. I saw the one and laughed out loud. Woodenpecker? No, I did not write that.

McIntosh built the sugar mill in the late 1820’s, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. We saw these ruins on the way to Crooked River and decided to go back and explore.

Tabby construction was very popular in this area: *Tabby* is a type of concrete made by burning oyster shells to create lime, then mixing it with water, sand, ash and broken oyster shells. It was originally used by early Spanish settlers in Florida and then by British colonists on the coast of South Carolina and Georgia.

You do not want to rub against this, the shells are sharp.

CUMBERLAND ISLAND

Cumberland Island was first inhabited approx. 4000 years ago by the Mocama. The Spanish arrived in the 1550’s and built a garrison and mission in 1603. Records show that in 1681 there were approximately 300 Mocama and several Spanish priests on the island. In 1683 Cumberland was attacked by French pirates driving the natives and the Spanish off the island. The English arrived in 1733 and built several forts , these were no longer needed after the English defeated the Spanish at the Battle of Bloody March. The island was mostly uninhabited when naturalist William Barton visited in 1774. 20 years later plantations started forming to grow Sea Island cotton. The Carnegie family visited and started buying land in the 1880’s for a winter retreat. They ended up owning most of the island. The Carnegie’s ultimately sold the land to the national park service so the island could be designated a national seashore.

Our ride to the island: the big boat, not the little boat. Name the movie where Fat Jack says *“I will be back with the little boat”*

We grabbed our packs after the 45 minute ferry ride and headed North to Stafford Beach CG where we would stay for 2 nights.

This was a pretty trail since we walked by Palmetto’s and under Live Oaks most of the way.

After setting up camp Leann and I did a day hike to Hickory Hill to check out the campground. Stafford was much nicer.

We checked out the beach after our afternoon hike. I love national seashores, no buildings: just water & sand.

Camp for the first 2 nights. It rained most of the first night but stopped before we had to get out of the tents. After the storm we had cold weather (lows in the 30’s) until the last day.

We did a long day hike using the old river trail to Plum Orchard, over to Yankee Paradise then back to camp. We planned on 11 miles but made a wrong turn and ended up at 12+.

It would be great to have a few Live Oaks in the backyard.

Leann noticed a mother hog and baby running by the trail, I saw them but did not have time to take a picture. I looked down the trail and hoped they would cross, the baby did.

Horses arrived on the island in 1742 and were managed as free ranging live stock until the 1960’s. The horses are now feral but seem fairly mellow.

Plum Orchard was built for George Carnegie, son of Thomas Carnegie (brother of Andrew). This was their primary winter residence and is now maintained by the national park service. Tours are available.

Sea Camp Campground

We headed back on the parallel trail from Stafford to Sea Camp.

Sea Camp: we spent 2 nights here. This was another great camp site.

Sea Camp is 1/2 mile from the dock where you can purchase firewood. We bought 3 packs and used one of the park wagons to haul it back. It was surprisingly easy.

Leann spent a lot of time here looking at shore birds.

We spent the next day hiking to the Dungeness Ruins and back via the beach.

Armadillo’s are everywhere. Apparently they swam across from the mainland and have made the island home. They don’t look like swimmers but can walk underwater for short distances, holding their breath for as long as six minutes. To cross larger bodies of water they increase buoyancy by swallowing air and holding it in their stomach and intestines. They are native to South America but made their way North when the Isthmus of Panama was formed in the early Pleistocene. There are 20 different species including the giant which can reach 120 pounds. The only species in the US is the nine-banded shown above. They always have 4 babies and all of the babies are either male or female.

In 1884, Thomas Carnegie and his wife, Lucy began building the Dungeness mansion. The mansion had 60 rooms, a golf course, and 40 other smaller buildings which required a staff of 200. Thomas died when he was 43 (pneumonia) and before the mansion was completed. His wife and nine children continued to live on the island. After the Stock Market Crash and the Great Depression, the Carnegie family left the island and the mansion sat empty. In 1959, Dungeness burned down. It is believed that the fire was intentionally set by a poacher who had been shot by a caretaker of the property some weeks before. The ruins still stand and are one of the main attractions on the island.

I am not use to seeing these prints on the beach. Apparently the horses like the sea grass

Sunrise on the Oaks, our last morning on the island.

Headed back to the mainland, I liked the colors in the ferry wake.

POP QUIZ: which one of these pictures is Georgia and which one is Ohio?

Tragedy Strikes!

It’s been called the end of an era.

My bright green crocs were one of the first pieces of gear I purchased when we started backpacking. They have been with me from Alaska to Australia and lots of places in between. Creek crossings, beach landings and hundreds of camp fires; they had seen it all and survived. What they couldn’t survive was the ferry ride from Cumberland Island to Saint Marys. I know there were 2 crocs on my pack when we boarded the ferry but did not notice one was gone until we got home. I wept!

Amazon delivered my new Crocs. I miss the bright green color. Interesting note: I spent less for these than the green ones and it is 20 years later.

Based on the comments, I decided to give my remaining green croc a place of honor in my office:

HAPPY TRAILS,

STEVE

6 replies on “CUMBERLAND ISLAND”

What a cool trip!!! It’s really neat to see the different types of wildlife. I was not expecting any of those animals. Especially the armadillo. The baby hog was adorable. And what rich history! (No pun intended. Carnegie’s were wealthy as heck)

P.S. RIP green croc
P.P.S. That wagon picture is hilarious 😂

Thanks for the feedback, I am still bummed about the green croc. Maybe it just wanted to stay where the sun actually shines.

You should frame the survivor or something. Or put it in acrylic and make it into a paper weight.

I can mount it over the fireplace

Is there a spot in Blaze for it?

I decided to give it a place of honor in my office but it would make a great hood ornament for Blaze.

6 replies on “CUMBERLAND ISLAND”

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