RV Life: OMG Jekyll Island

Tuesday April 30th 2019

Day 18

OMG is all I got about Jekyll Island located on Georgia’s coastline. Second stop on our coastline drive down to the Everglades! It was almost a 2 hour ride from out shit Wal-Mart stay to this magnificent place.

For some reason my brain did not click this place to be a tourist destination which is exactly what it is. I was also unaware of the rich history attached to this tiny island. Did one know that this island was bought to be one of the most exclusive clubs that only names like Rockefeller and Vanderbilt could get in back in 1886, to the first transcontinental phone call being placed here.

What attracted us here was the driftwood beach! Keep reading you’ll see.

Coming over the bridge to access the island we see toll stations so we veered to the left for some visitor information. Turns out this island is jammed packed with things to do and places to see plus is so small you can just park and ride.

$10 for an RV pass and it was good till midnight the next night but there is no overnight parking allowed on Island and strictly enforced for great reason. “The Jekyll Island Club National Historic Landmark District, one of the largest preservation projects in the southeast.” Jekyll Island History

The roads are narrow so narrow at times you start to question whether you should be on them or not. We worked our way to Driftless Beach. This beach was jaw dropping! Hundreds of large driftwood trees lined the beach with such beautiful mystery. We enjoyed our time marveling at the wood and their each individual city of barnacles. It was such a steamy day and every step away from the beach breeze was hotter and hotter.

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At the visitor center we were informed of an upkept pond that you could try and catch a glimpse of gators in their wild habitat, Horton Pond. Just a couple minute drive from the beach. When pulling in it will seem like a walking path but just keep going there is a small parking area in there. Short walk brings you to the pond observation area where you can hopefully observe some animals on the pad placed in the middle.

We held a wonderful conversation with a very friendly older couple originally from Atlanta. They gave us all sort of recommendations for the area and on down to Florida. Convo was broke when Phoenix was the first to spot a young gator followed by lots of fish and turtles! Afterwards we walked the .7 mile trail that made ya feel like you entered a jungle with the heat, spiders and every sound seemed like an gator.

Next stop was heartbreaking and warming all at the same time, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center. $20 for all of us to enter. You get a pamphlet when paying that needs to be stamped at info stations around the room in the end you will see if your turtle survives the trip. Ours made it out to the ocean!! I learned a lot just from that little activity.

Phoenix loved watching a baby turtle be fed. They do it behind a dark curtain so they do not associate humans with food and learn to fend for themselves. Then came the rehabilitation center where large tubs held sick or wounded turtles and one so critically sick with a skin disease they did not give him a great survival rate.

Did you know it takes some species of turtles a decade to become fertile? Once fertile they will only lay eggs on the beach they were hatched. Think about how much coastline has developed in the past ten years and how devastating that will be to sea turtle numbers. These majestic animals need our help and even if you don’t live near the ocean you can still help by RECYCLING AND USING LESS PLASTICS. Hell plan a vacation around a beach clean up event and I guarantee you will feel wonderful for helping.

Fine soft spoken volunteers of the center shared stories of how their European friends were so shocked by the amount of plastic used in America, over there plastic bags are not a thing.

Where we parked was public so hopped on the bikes to enjoy a ride through the historic district and find some food. Most of the cute little shops were closing so we headed across the island to the Wharf, a upscale restaurant out over the water. Jason decided to leave the comfort zone and order something new and it came out looking incredible.