Cumberland Continued

We stopped to overlook the bluffs on the way to the chapel. The vegetation is very different on the north end of the island, mostly pine and very few live oak.

Hurricane-ravaged trees dot the coast.

The African slave chapel where JFK, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette were married.  You really got a sense of what it must have been like back then, and you also feel sad about the Kennedy tragedy. 

It was very tiny and primitive inside.  Maybe you could fit 40 people inside. 

After getting back from the north part of the island, there was more camping, hiking, and observing.  On the ferry ride back to the mainland, we spotted sandhill cranes beginning their migration north.  Soon they will be spotted by the hundreds flying over my house.  Fall is here!

Had a wonderful time, made some new friends, and plan to go back again in cooler weather.  We have now been to Jekyll Island, St. Simon's Island, and Cumberland Island.  The only island left on the list is Little St. Simon's, but that is a more luxurious trip, no camping, so maybe we'll just go back to Cumberland. 

Cumberland Continued

Today we are going on a tour with our ranger and six others to Plum Orchard on the northern part of the island.  Too hot and far to hike.  Spotted two wild horses on the way to the van.

This is our cute, tan and buff ranger, Andrew!

The egrets love to ride horseback.

Plum Orchard was the Carnegie mansion.

Entry hall

Beautiful stenciled ceiling.

Dining room with pretty wallpaper

The library with my favorite wallpaper

This is the library wallpaper up close.  In person, it looks as if it were hand painted.

A few antique wallpapers throughout the home.

The Carnegie crest on painted burlap wallpaper.

Andrew told us that the portions of the home where the slaves were allowed was always painted yellow because many of the slaves did not speak English.  The doorknobs were also square instead of round so that at night they would know by feel not to enter certain rooms of the house.  I found that very interesting and clever!

I really loved this Tiffany chandelier, could picture that in my home!

Up close

Couldn't stop looking at the Spanish moss in trees.

Not too up on palms, so don't know the name of this, but it was so bright green.

Time for our lunch break under the live oaks before heading farther north to see the chapel where JFK, Jr., and Carolyn Bessette were married.  To be continued . . .

Cumberland Continued

Had a rough time sleeping because of the heat and humidity, so I was awake at the crack of dawn and decided to walk down to the beach and see the sunrise while Bob got a few extra snores in.

The live oaks on the island are all around and magnificent!

 

 

This boardwalk leads to the beach from Seacamp

It was the end of the season for the loggerhead turtles, so there would not be much of a chance of seeing any babies hatch

Beautiful sunrise!

Walked along the beach and dunes and took photos

A somewhat defunct sand castle, little remains

Took the boardwalk back to Seacamp to see if Bob was up and ready to go

Another live oak

Beauty berry bushes grow wild here.  My fav is white, but did not see anything but purple here

Some little girls in a live oak tree

Now, these little girls know how to pose!

I believe this was their campsite not far from ours, very elaborate! The smell of coffee and bacon was in the air.  Some people really know how to camp!  All Bob and I had was instant coffee and a granola bar, bummer.  To be continued . . .