Exploring Jekyll Island, GA

Kelly and Carol on Driftwood Beach

We've been having a marvelous time exploring Jekyll Island.  Driftwood Beach is a magical experience.  I could post countless pictures of these majestic dead trees, but I picked just a couple to give you the idea.  Driftwood Beach is a quick bike ride from the campsite, and one of the first places we visited this trip.  Click the link for some exquisite sunset photos on the Golden Isles Georgia website.

Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island

 

Driftwood Beach

We were very fortunate to have a few days that were warm enough to be beach days.  There are 7 different Jekyll Island Beaches.  We visited four of those: Driftwood Beach, Glory Beach, St. Andrew's Beach and Oceanview Beach Park.  We did not visit Great Dunes Beach Park, South Dunes Beach Park, or Corsair Beach Park.  Something to look forward to next time.  I did go in the water once up to my knees, and something bit my toe, so I high tailed it back to the shore.  The water is very muddy and not very swim friendly anyway.

Oceanview Beach Park

At St. Andrew's Beach we saw several groups of people "seining".  Two people would each hold a pole with a net attached that looked very much like a volleyball net and walk through the water.  They walked parallel to the beach and then the person who was out further would swing in and they would bring the net up and lay it on the beach.  Then they would walk around the net and pick up the shrimp that were caught in the net to put in their bucket.  They repeated this over and over.  It was very interesting to watch.

Seining for shrimp at St. Andrew's Beach

St. Andrew's Beach

St. Andrew's Beach

In addition to beach visits, we took several bike rides.  Many of these were on paved bike paths, but this path to Horton Pond, which is behind Horton House, was a woodland dirt path.  There is a small viewing area on the edge of Horton Pond.  From the viewing area we could see several turtles sunning on a platform in the distance, and one was swimming close by.  

Biking into Horton Pond

Biking in to Horton Pond

Horton Pond

Softshell turtle in Horton Pond

A bonus feature of this spectacular island has been the chance to share it with our friends, Jerry and Sherry, and their cutie pie pooch, Pinky.  Jerry and Sherry were our neighbors at Tamiami Village RV Park in Florida last winter.  We had told them stories about how much we loved Jekyll Island after visiting last year, so they decided to book a campsite at Jekyll Island Campground this year too.  We've had a grand time sharing this fantastic location with them.  In fact, in no time Sherry became a local expert telling us about must see spots such as the Amphitheater Ruins.  We all love this place so much, we've already made our reservations for next year! 😀

Jerry, Sherry, Kelly, Carol and of course, Pinky 🐾 at the Jekyll Island Beach House 

In the center of Jekyll Island is the Historic District.  It was once an exclusive, secluded club for the uber wealthy known as the Jekyll Island Club.  Many prominent families had cottages on the island.  We biked past many of these magnificent cottages, but did not stop to take pictures.  A goal for another time, as they are lovely and would be worthy of a blog post all their own.  The Jekyll Island Club Resort is an operational resort offering high end accommodations on the island in grand Victorian mansions.

Jekyll Island Club Resort 

Crane Cottage, part of the Jekyll Island Club Resort

We did stop to photograph some unique and captivating butterflies and moths on a bush on the grounds of the Jekyll Island Club Resort.  Sherry told me about iNaturalist, which has an app and website to help with identification of all things found in nature: birds, butterflies, plants, flowers, bugs, animals, etc.  iNaturalist is a joint initiative of the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society. I downloaded the free app on my phone, uploaded these photos and it quickly identified all of these and provided a brief overview of information about each.  I LOVE this app.  Thanks Sherry!

Zebra Longwing Butterfly

Gulf Fritillary or Passion Butterfly

Polk-Dot Wasp Moth

There are four golf courses on the island.  Three are 18 hole public golf courses, and one is a 9 hole course.  Carol played the 9 hole Great Dunes course.  She loved the ocean views from some spots on the course.

Great Dunes Golf Course

I mentioned that Sherry got a tip about visiting the Amphitheater Ruins.  The ruins themselves were very cool, but they are on the way to a nesting area for Roseate Spoonbills.  These are a relatively rare wading bird from the ibis and spoonbill family.  The amphitheater and pond was a bit difficult to find.  There is a small parking area near the intersection of James and Stable Roads, just before the fire station.  Park to the right, and look for the frame indicating the beginning of the path to the amphitheater.  The distance to the amphitheater is only a few hundred yards.  Walk to the left around the back side of the amphitheater and the path will lead to the ruins.  Walk down the amphitheater steps towards the stage.  You can see the pond in the distance.  Walk left towards the pond.  As you approach the pond there will be spots along the edge of the pond where the vegetation is less dense and you can see across the pond to the nesting area.  

Beginning of the path to the Amphitheater Ruins

Looking down towards the amphitheater stage

Beautiful old railing at amphitheater ruins

Graffiti at the amphitheater

Funky stencil graffiti at the amphitheater

Roseate Spoonbills (taken by holding my phone up to the binocular lens)

Roseate Spoonbill in flight

Roseate Spoonbills nesting area on the pond behind the Amphitheater Ruins

We also visited the pond at the Tidelands Nature Center in hopes of seeing more wading birds.  We did see one perched in a tree that took me some time to identify.  Viewing through the binoculars I could see a 4-5" bill, a white tufted crown, framed in black, a gray neck and spectacular long spiky neck plumage on a black and white body.  I was baffled.  After some research I discovered that this is a great blue heron.

Kelly & Carol outside Tidelands Nature Center

Great Blue Heron in Live Oak, Tidelands Nature Center

Today we took a lovely bike ride.  We discovered this trail that goes from the Jekyll Island Campground, across the street and down the road to Clam Creek Picnic Area across a small bridge and through the marsh to Driftwood Beach.  The variety of places to explore by bicycle is one of our favorite things about this island, and there is so much to love about this island.  

Biking from Clam Creek Picnic Area to Driftwood Beach

Snowy Egret taking flight as we approach on our bikes

We ended the day with our friends watching the sunset.  We are truly grateful for each moment of this grand adventure - life!  As Thanksgiving approaches and we all focus on what we have to be thankful for,  I hope we will remember that Gratitude turns everyday into Thanksgiving.  It is not joy that makes us grateful, but gratitude that makes us joyful.  Wishing you and yours a joyful Thanksgiving.  😃🍁🦃💖

Kelly, Carol, Sherry, Jerry and Pinky watching sunset on St. Andrew's Beach

11/20/20 Sunset on St. Andrew's Beach, Jekyll Island, GA

Year 3 Underway

November 1st marks the beginning of our 3rd year living full-time in our tiny home; Stella Lance.  Year 1 we traveled for 6 months starting at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach.  We visited 12 states and stayed in 21 different campgrounds.  We bookended our trips with stays with my brother and sister-in-law, Scott and Karen, in Frederick, MD.  Every year they have been our first stop after leaving NY and our last stop before returning.  We're so blessed to count them as close friends as well as family.  The longest we stayed in one place that year was Tamiami Village RV Park in North Fort Myers, where we were for a month - technically.  We were back in NY for a good portion of that month when my dad was sick.  We also enjoyed the hospitality of staying with our dear friends Patti and Freddie in Fort Myers twice that first year.  After traveling to Texas and having 30 degree temps, we made an about face and returned to FL for a couple of weeks of sunshine and another dose of BFF time with Patti and Freddie.

Freddie, Patti, Kelly, Carol - Point Ybel Brewing Co.

That first year was a learning experience.  We learned that you need to start making reservations months to a year in advance.  Being spontaneous is great in theory but in reality, hordes of people want to be in the sunbelt in the winter and you gotta be prepared.  We also learned that we didn't like short stays of only 3-4 days.  It's a lot of work to set up camp only to break down again a few days later.  We decided we'd try for a week at a time in one location after all that moving around.  We also learned that if you are shooting for average temperatures of 77+, Florida is really the place to be.  

Sign made by Scott Wight

Our Tamiami Posse - Jane, Kelly, Carol, Pam, Rita, Chickie, Lori and Anne

 (The nice thing about being in one place for the season is that you have time to make friends.  We were so fortunate to meet several wonderful women that became close friends, who we now refer to as "The Posse".  We look forward to reuniting this crew when everyone returns for the winter. 😀) 

Year 2, we were able to get a seasonal site at Tamiami Village RV Park in North Fort Myers, and the only traveling we did was getting to Florida. Returning to NY in the spring was a different story because of COVID.  Many campgrounds were closed or had no services such as restrooms, showers, pools, etc open.  We made our way north quickly and landed at Saratoga RV Park the last week of April, where we stayed for a month.  This gave us a chance to spend time with my dad and see Maria and the kids and Carol's sister Kathy; who all live close by.

Biking with Alana and Gregory in Queensbury

A visit from Kathy and Bobo at Saratoga RV Park

Dad, Maria, Alana and Gregory

Dean, Dad, Alana, Gregory, Maria and Luci

Kelly, Ed, Carol

In May we headed "home" for the summer for our second season at Charlie's Inn Campground in Lake Clear, NY.  Being back for the summer means golf for Carol and book club (in person, outdoors) for me.  It means catching up with David, Peter and Jack, Carol's siblings and spouses Colleen and Dan and Chowder and Sue as well as lots of friends.  We kayaked, swam at Lake Clear beach, biked around Fish Creek and enjoyed a spectacular Adirondack summer.  We spent a lot of time watching the birds who came to our bird feeder.  We had a small family gathering to inter my mother's ashes, which meant an opportunity to have a "family camping" gathering at Charlie's Inn for a weekend in July.  I officiated a couple of weddings, which is such an honor and something I hope to do more in the future.

Our site at Charlie's Inn Campground

Socially Distant visit with the kids - David, Peter, Meg, Carol, Kelly, Jack

Baker Family Dinner - David, Peter, Kelly, Carol, Sue, Chowder, Colleen, Dan, Sam

Golf with Barb, Carol, Katie and Tammy

Lunch with "The Girls" - Kelly, Carol, Marilyn, Liz, KMunn, Kelly M, Kathy, Colleen

Taking a swim break while kayaking

Our kayaks 

Biking at Fish Creek 

Rollins Pond

Chillin' at Lake Clear Beach

Family camping crew at Hex and Hops Brewery

Officiating Haley and Eris' wedding

Officiating Ken and Kelly's wedding

Book Club at Nathalie's

Book Club at Charlie's Inn

September pulled us out of retirement briefly.  As Saranac Lake CSD was gearing up to return to in-person instruction for the first time since March, we agreed to help out by subbing every day to be an extra set of hands - Carol at the high school and me at the elementary school.  We both loved the chance to be back in familiar surroundings, with former colleagues and friends, being able to help in any little way to get the year off to a good start for the staff and students.  It was an honor to be asked and a pleasure to be a part of the hard work being done by administrators and faculty to redesign safe, socially distant public education. We knew we could only stay for a month before we had to move on to our fall spot at Saratoga RV Park.  

Nature walk with the grandkids at Hudson Pointe Nature Preserve 

Socially distant lunch with Kathy Baker

One last visit before getting on the road

On Nov. 6th we started our southern migration, stopping for a quick weekend with Scott and Karen.  We were fortunate to enjoy a spectacular dinner at Bryan Voltaggio's new restaurant Thatcher and Rye in Frederick, MD with them before continuing our southern adventures.  We got as far as Santee, SC where we took advantage of Cracker Barrel's generous free overnight accommodations for RVs.  On Nov. 9th we arrived at Jekyll Island Campground, GA where we will be for two weeks.  We stayed here for a week last year and loved it so much we wanted a longer stay this time.

Kelly, Carol, Karen, Scott - Thatcher and Rye, Frederick, MD

Scott, Carol, Kelly, Karen, Bryan

Parked for the night, Cracker Barrel, Santee, SC

We love the rustic nature of Jekyll Island Campground.  It's tree filled, and very picturesque.  The trees are all covered with Spanish Moss, giving the entire place a land before time kind of feel.  We discovered there is a bird sanctuary in the campground and we've already enjoyed some beautiful bird sightings. There are bike paths covering the entire island, so it's a great chance to get out an explore by bike.  

Our site at Jekyll Island Campground

Live Oak trees covered in Spanish Moss - they are everywhere here.

Jekyll Island Campground Bird Sanctuary

Jekyll Island has bike trails that cover the island.

Very unusual butterfly (moth?) seen on 11/11/2020

People ask if we still enjoy this, how we handle being in such a small space, if we plan to keep up this nomadic life.  Yes, we still enjoy this - both the simplicity and the travel.  The full-time life affords us great flexibility and an affordable way to snowbird.  Sure, we want to go out west, to see the National Parks, and Arizona and New Mexico and I believe we will someday.  Right now, we are content to be able to escape the cold and snow of northern NY winters.  For the first time, we are starting to think about something slightly bigger.  We may hit a few RV shows this winter, who knows... no harm in looking.  We will be the first to admit, this is not for everyone.  But it's a great fit for us. We're only getting started.  So many adventures await!