Cumberland Island
It all begins with an idea.
Ferry passengers enjoying the sunset on their way back to St. Mary’s.
In 2014, Aryn Young, and I spent two days exploring Cumberland Island, a wild territory straddling the border of Georgia and the Northern Florida Coast. The island is accessible by boat only. If you’re so lucky to have access to a sail or motor boat, a 30 minute sail from St. Mary’s or Amelia Island will get you there. If not, there is ferry access from St. Mary’s, a quaint little Georgia town on the other side of the river.
Aryn Young joined me for our first day on the island. I had a great travel mate that day.
We took the ferry from St. Mary’s on our first and second day. The journey by ferry takes just an hour or so, and it can be quite enjoyable! We were blessed with a beautiful partially cloudy sky and a nice summer breeze. There was plenty of time to catch up, enjoy the scenery, and make a plan for our day on the island.
The ferry passage to Cumberland Island allows for plenty of time to relax and chat about life.
Once on the island, you are immediately impressed with how wild and remote it feels, despite the fact a number of homes are still present on the island, grandfathered in when the government took over custody of Cumberland.
Cumberland Island has some of the more impressive natural dunes you’ll find on the Florida East Coast. The occasional tire tracks interrupt the natural elements, reminding us that this is an inhabited island.
One of the most impressive things about Cumberland Island is how nature, past civilization, and current home owners intermingle, contributing to the unique character of the island. This is very much a “Cumberland thing,” and something you only often experience in National Parks across the United States.
There are numerous reminders of the pre-depression soirees often held on Cumberland Island, including Gatsby-esque statues like the one above.
A canopy of ancient live oak trees takes center stage in the middle passage of Cumberland Island. Here Aryn and T.J. Young walk lost in conversation.
If you can time it right and still make the ferry, the sunsets on Cumberland Island are magic. Well worth the stress of missing the ferry and possibly sleeping under the stars.