Photo Gallery One - Jekyll Island, GA
On the way to Fernandina Beach at Christmas, we stayed a night on Jekyll Island and decided we needed to go back. The weather forecast for the dates we finally decided on was for rain and wind for 3 days, so we nearly cancelled...but didn't. We drove up on Monday and by the time we got checked into our hotel and walked on the beach a bit, there was little time to shoot and the conditions were drizzly and windy. Next morning, we did get some sunrise activity on Driftwood Beach. Love the sunbursts thru the driftwood pieces (1-2 and 2). There wasn't any sky to speak of but the marsh was so peaceful (1-3) and the reflections nearly perfect.
Our plan was to go to Saint Simon Island as the wind was supposed to be awful (and was) all day. The 61 degree weather at sunrise was the high of the day so it just got colder. We stopped at the Golden Isles VC and got the lowdown on a scavenger hunt for Tree Spirits, the first of which was in the parking lot of the VC (1-4). A fellow named Jenkins has been doing these with permission since 1982, using only a chisel and mallet. The mermaid is the largest of the 7 on public property. We found the next 2 up the street at a park (1-5 and 6). Had to hunt a little but they are really well done. It was a short hop to the Saint Simon Lighthouse (1-7). You can see there is no sky, all blown out and gray, darn it, but still lovely with well kept grounds. The VC guy, Bruce, told us about the WW II Home Front Museum in the old Coast Guard Station that has recently opened. We found it (1-8) but didn't go in. Just not enough time this day. We now have decided to go back to Saint Simon for a few days sometime!
On our way to the next Tree Spirit, we drove into the Sea Island Golf Club to see the Avenue of Oaks (1-9). It's a wide boulevard down the middle of the circle road with rows of glorious oaks with lovely moss. We started out to Fort Frederica but decided on lunch first. We did run across the next Tree Spirit in the parking lot of a retirement community (1-10). From there, we found the next Spirit in a shopping center (1-11) where we decided to eat lunch rather than go back downtown into the traffic. Good decision - Bubba Garcia's! Fort Frederica was really neat with a good video, but it was too windy to tour the grounds so we headed back; but not before stopping at Christ Church (1-12). It's an old Episcopal church in the middle of its cemetery: so peaceful and lovely. It wasn't open but we will go back next time.
The next Tree Spirit was listed as "...on a large tree in front of an art gallery." We did find it (1-13), but it has been damaged by bugs or weather. The art gallery was called Anderson Fine Art Gallery and is a wonderful gallery! Didn't buy anything, but really enjoyed what we saw. The last Spirit was a bit elusive, but we finally found it in the rain in Gascoigne Bluff Park, with the help of a very nice park employee. That afternoon we walked along St Andrew's Beach and found a ton of shells in the mist and wind. No sky, no sunset...again.
Next morning was a washout as well. It wasn't so windy, but foggy, gray and overcast. We wandered about some on some trails and boardwalks (1-15). Loved this scene with the bench and moss. Met a family from Germany along here and got them some family shots on their cameras. Love that stuff!
Next morning (last morning there) we did get some nice sky, though we missed the best by leaving too early. Good news: the sky was clear and the tide was not as high as it had been. Bad news: the bugs were awful. Lots of folks standing around swatting at their faces and legs. John did a little light painting on this tree (1-16) which looks arty along with the star in the background. Color faded to nothing so we left. As we drove off, we saw fiery pink and gold sky and cursed the bugs. On the way home, we pulled into the Coastal DNR Regional Headquarters to see if we could get a shot of the Sidney Lanier Bridge. Couldn't get behind the building, but the trees were full of cedar waxwings! John got out and shot them for awhile (1-17). They are so pretty. As we were leaving, we stopped on the little bridge over Fancy Bluff Creek to look at the bridge. Good look! (1-18) A little fog, a bit of blue, some reflections...how bad can it be!? So that is all until next time...
