A quick walk past an old Coast Guard station now a museum and down a boardwalk and we were on the beach of St. Simons. Obviously, the locals respect and love their beach. There was one, count it ONE, small piece of litter that we saw on our walk. It was a piece of paper or plastic caught in a nettle bush. I was most impressed.
The historic Coast Guard station opened in 1937. During WW-II a German submarine sank two United States merchant vessels off the coast of St. Simons. Along with the Coast Guard personnel local residents rescued the crew of the sunken ships. A new station was opened in nearby Brunswick in 1995 and this one was decommissioned.
Bayberry plant (and I thought bayberry came in round candles wrapped in cellophane). Its uses are many from the obvious candles, to medicinal qualities, to helping the Yellow-rumped Warbler be able to withstand the colder climates for longer periods by eating the energy rich berries which to most are indigestible.
I think this is Goldenrod. If I remember right we asked the tour guide what the stuff was that looked liked goldenrod and she gave us "a look" and said "it IS Goldenrod". For obvious reasons I have blocked that from my mind.
The beach is enjoyed by all no matter if it is bird watching, crab chasing (in the case of the dog that probably ran ten miles while we were there), sun bathing, or shell hunting.
The wind and tides make interesting
patterns in the sand.
But.....
This was a Road Scholar trip, one where you learn, and we were fortunate to have Georgia Graves, not only as our lecturer for the beach and marsh walk but all week as our tour director. She walked with us and explained what we found along the shore.
This little guy goes to an underground bunker to protect himself from the shorebirds. As you can tell by the prints he isn't fooling anyone.
Run little crabby, RUN!
He couldn't run from Georgia...although if I remember right (HAH!) this was an exoskeleton and not a live crab. But it gives you an idea of the size of them. Might take a few to make a Crab Louie.
This was a live one.
Another interesting guy on the beach was a horseshoe crab. Much bigger than his cousin the sand crab!
Unfortunately this guy has gone on his merry way to crab heaven, but lucky for us he left his shell behind for us to look at and learn everything from their locations to their sex lives. I will spare you that knowledge since this blog is G-Rated.
There are 4 species of horseshoe crab, 3 live in Asia and this variety along the eastern shore from Maine to Mexico.
They aren't known just for their good looks, they also have a role in science. Their blue blood contains a copper substance known as Limulus amebocyte lysate which coagulates with the merest of traces of bacterial toxins. This is used to test for sterility on surgical instruments and virtually all IV solutions.
It was soon time to leave the beach and head to the marsh. You see pretty stuff when you turn your back to water too.
on to the marsh we go.....
Although a very interesting and complex subject I will not try to tell you about the ecosystem of the marshlands along the barrier islands. Mainly because I can't remember enough to be sure of what I am telling you. (Retention is a problem, honesty isn't). Do know from the tiniest protozoa to the largest being the marshlands and the islands depend on each of them and how they support each other. I also know that the encroachment of man and machines has an impact (the horseshoe crabs, for instance, are decreasing in numbers partly due to being caught in intake valves of factories along the coastline.
Found this on the UVm.edu page. It is a salt plant and we each got to munch on one of the little "pellets" and they did have a very salty taste to them. I tried a photo of my own but was in back of the crowd so couldn't get close enough to really get a good one.
The marshlands are beautiful and full of surprises if you look (sorta like listening to the whispers along the back roads, ya know)
It could be a flock of egrets flying in to land in a small wetland just to the left of us.
Or a Periwinkle snail, the size of your little fingernail in front of us.
It could be a snowy egret way out in the marshland sitting on a barren tree (better to seen that way).
Or crabs scurrying around ready to raise their giant claws to frighten a threat.
Off to Mullet Bay for a delicious lunch (I chose a crab and lobster salad - YUM) and then on to the lighthouse and museum.
St. Simons Lighthouse was built by James Gould in 1810 from tabby from Ft. Frederica at a cost of $13, 775. He stayed as theeep of the light k for the next 27 years and built a home on the lighthouse grounds in 1830 for a cost of $1,700.
The lighthouse and keepers cottage were dynamited in 1862 by the Confederate Army so it would not aid the Union forces. The new lighthouse, finished in 1872, has its own history including an earthquake, a lightening strike, sickness - especially malaria, and even a murder which has produced a ghost whose footsteps can be heard in the tower to this day.
There are 129 steps to the widows walk at the top of the tower. You can see where I was...taking the picture at the base!!!
I don't think this guy needed the lighthouse for his sail
At the edge of the grounds...
Beautiful oak on the grounds of the lighthouse, and a heart someone put on one of the branches....
James Gould...remember him? He was the builder and keeper of the light of the first lighthouse. He was also the main character in Eugenia Price's book "Lighthouse", one of a trilogy. This typewriter is the one she used to write the book and is on display in the lighthouse museum. Eugenia is buried at Christ Church and we will pay our respects later in the week.
Right now it is time to get on the bus and head to Ft. Frederica.
Ft. Frederica was originally meant to defend the British forces from the Spanish located in what is now St. Augustine, Florida. It was fortified with earthen walls covered with sod and a wooden palisade constructed within the moat formed by the dirt removal for the walls. Differences in elevation within the walls further enhanced the defense strategy. Outside the walls more ditches and walls were built with the intent of confusing the enemy and wearing them down.
Now it is a beautiful area with hanging moss, sea views, and green lawns. Outlines of the buildings that were once a part of Ft. Frederica are scattered throughout and a bunker, made from tabby as most of the buildings were, with two cannons are at the sea side.
If I remember right (that retention problem again) this is the footprint of two quarters. Each side had a fireplace back to back with their neighbors.
After a full day packed with information of the history, ecosystems, conchology (my new big word meaning the study of shells), good food, good company, and feet screaming to be released from shoes, it was wine time followed by supper and a discussion on turtles (fabulous lecture I might add). The lecture was to prepare us for the next day when we headed to Jekyll Island and a visit to the turtle hospital.
Until I get that blog up....listen to the whispers and see what you hear.
Gone.
Found this on the UVm.edu page. It is a salt plant and we each got to munch on one of the little "pellets" and they did have a very salty taste to them. I tried a photo of my own but was in back of the crowd so couldn't get close enough to really get a good one.
The marshlands are beautiful and full of surprises if you look (sorta like listening to the whispers along the back roads, ya know)
It could be a flock of egrets flying in to land in a small wetland just to the left of us.
Or a Periwinkle snail, the size of your little fingernail in front of us.
It could be a snowy egret way out in the marshland sitting on a barren tree (better to seen that way).
Or crabs scurrying around ready to raise their giant claws to frighten a threat.
Off to Mullet Bay for a delicious lunch (I chose a crab and lobster salad - YUM) and then on to the lighthouse and museum.
St. Simons Lighthouse was built by James Gould in 1810 from tabby from Ft. Frederica at a cost of $13, 775. He stayed as theeep of the light k for the next 27 years and built a home on the lighthouse grounds in 1830 for a cost of $1,700.
The lighthouse and keepers cottage were dynamited in 1862 by the Confederate Army so it would not aid the Union forces. The new lighthouse, finished in 1872, has its own history including an earthquake, a lightening strike, sickness - especially malaria, and even a murder which has produced a ghost whose footsteps can be heard in the tower to this day.
There are 129 steps to the widows walk at the top of the tower. You can see where I was...taking the picture at the base!!!
I don't think this guy needed the lighthouse for his sail
At the edge of the grounds...
Beautiful oak on the grounds of the lighthouse, and a heart someone put on one of the branches....
James Gould...remember him? He was the builder and keeper of the light of the first lighthouse. He was also the main character in Eugenia Price's book "Lighthouse", one of a trilogy. This typewriter is the one she used to write the book and is on display in the lighthouse museum. Eugenia is buried at Christ Church and we will pay our respects later in the week.
Right now it is time to get on the bus and head to Ft. Frederica.
Ft. Frederica was originally meant to defend the British forces from the Spanish located in what is now St. Augustine, Florida. It was fortified with earthen walls covered with sod and a wooden palisade constructed within the moat formed by the dirt removal for the walls. Differences in elevation within the walls further enhanced the defense strategy. Outside the walls more ditches and walls were built with the intent of confusing the enemy and wearing them down.
Now it is a beautiful area with hanging moss, sea views, and green lawns. Outlines of the buildings that were once a part of Ft. Frederica are scattered throughout and a bunker, made from tabby as most of the buildings were, with two cannons are at the sea side.
If I remember right (that retention problem again) this is the footprint of two quarters. Each side had a fireplace back to back with their neighbors.
After a full day packed with information of the history, ecosystems, conchology (my new big word meaning the study of shells), good food, good company, and feet screaming to be released from shoes, it was wine time followed by supper and a discussion on turtles (fabulous lecture I might add). The lecture was to prepare us for the next day when we headed to Jekyll Island and a visit to the turtle hospital.
Until I get that blog up....listen to the whispers and see what you hear.
Gone.
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