Return to Jekyll Island part II...

1 March 2022

Blythe Island Regional Park Campground, Blythe Island, Georgia

Marc- Today we had sunny skies and light winds out of the North. It was an excellent day for bicycle touring on Jekyll Island and its extensive bike paths. Entry to the Island is controlled by a toll booth collecting $8.00 per car. The booth is adjacent to the Georgia State Police Barracks on the causeway to the Jekyll Island bridge. Our first stop was the marina where we stayed twice during our 2020-2021 trip aboard Lucy III. The staff had been very helpful and I had seen two motorsailers there that interested me. The motorsailers were still there but they looked dated. I spoke with one owner whose boat needed repairs. It's not a model we're interested in. The other is one we have interest in, a Gulf Star, but this particular boat is too old There was some excitement at the docks as some staff were assisting an injured pelican. The trick was to throw a sweatshirt over his head and then hold his beak while they raised him with a hand under his belly.

We parked our truck over at the historic village and toured all of the shops. Sue made a picnic lunch so we set off on the bikes to explore the Western and Northern parts of the Island. The bike paths led us along the Intracoastal Waterway amid towering live oaks for most of the ride. We had lunch on a bench looking at the Intracoastal. We visited the Island's Campground. It was similar to the county campground we're in. Spacious sites and a lot of trees. I saw a horse rental business that takes people for rides on the beaches. There is a large fishing pier. Georgia has provided excellent facilities for the public here. At the pier we went off the main bike path taking a spur that led over a bridge and through a salt water marsh area. All was well until we had to pass through a bit of standing water and then some soft sand. The venture was well worth it since this spur brought us to a Northern Atlantic beach filled with live oaks that had once thrived there. The Atlantic Ocean is slowly reshaping this island by taking sand from the northern end of the island and moving it to the southern end. This beautiful beach also has a view of the Southern end of St. Simons Island and its lighthouse. The last spot we stopped at was Horton's Pond where large grass eating carp live with turtles and alligators.