I am often asked what is my favorite natural area in Georgia, but I hesitate to answer. Georgia has so many beautiful wild places, each with its own special beauty and ecological importance, that it‘s tough to choose a No. 1.
Cumberland Island National Seashore, though, is definitely a hands down favorite. Not only is it one of Georgia’s crown jewels, it is a national treasure as well.
The 36,000-acre Cumberland, largest and southernmost of Georgia’s Golden Isles, is remarkable for its tranquility and serenity. Access is by boat only, and visitation is limited to 300 people daily. Its splendid maritime forest, shimmering freshwater lakes, wide sandy beach nearly devoid of people, and grand salt marsh stretching to the far horizon make a trip there an unforgettable experience.
Roaming the island are feral horses, a tourists' delight but a bone of contention for conservationists who fear that the animals ruin swaths of fragile vegetation.
I have visited Cumberland well over 50 times -- during all seasons of the year -- since I first went there in November 1972, a month after President Richard Nixon signed the bill to create the national seashore.
I was back on the island the other day and realized that it has changed little since my first visit 39 years ago. I find that reassuring because it means future generations also will be able to find the same serenity and solitude that we enjoy today on Cumberland.
Now, a new plan will help ensure even more the natural preservation of Cumberland. Superintendent Fred Boyles, with whom I hitched a ride during my recent visit, told me the plan would help move Cumberland toward its legislated mission of permanent preservation in its “primitive state.”
In essence, five original “retained estate” agreements on the island have expired, turning over 50 acres of land, seven houses and several smaller structures to the National Park Service. The agreements allowed former property owners to retain private use of their houses and property for 40 years in return for selling their properties to the park service during the 1970s to create the seashore. (Several other retained estates will expire at a later date.)
The proposed plan says that some of the houses will be torn down; some may be maintained for employee housing; some may be used for visitor services. The plan is open for public comment through Aug. 12. To view and comment on it, go to www.nps.gov/cuis/index.htm.
A public meeting also is scheduled at 6 p.m July 27 at the St. Marys Elementary School, 600 Osborne Street, St. Marys.
In the sky: The moon is full this weekend, said David Dundee, astronomer with Tellus Science Museum -- the "Ripe Corn Moon," as the Cherokee peoples called July's full moon. Mercury is low in the west at dusk. Mars is low in the east about three hours before sunrise. Jupiter rises out of the east after midnight. Saturn is high in the west at dark and sets in the west around midnight.
If you go
Cumberland Island National Seashore. Ferry runs twice daily: 9 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. Reservations are suggested and can be made six months in advance. Round-trip ferry rides: $20 per adult, $18 per senior 65 and older and $14 per child 12 and younger. There also is an island entry fee of $4 per person 17 and older. Directions: Take Georgia 40 east into St. Marys. Once you reach the historic district, turn right at the stop sign onto St. Marys Street. The National Park Service visitor center (a blue building) and the ferry dock are both located on the left. Visitor center hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Bring your own lunch and water. 912-882-4336, www.nps.gov/cuis.
About the Author
