Jekyll Island

On an inspired whim we headed out to Jekyll Island. A part of me had wanted to see this place for a long time. It was well worth the price of admission (which was around $8) - even with these overcast skies. 

Lover's Oak

In search of a coffee house, we ended up in Brunswick, GA. There we also encountered this famous Southern live oak tree, the Lover's Oak, said to be over 900 years old. Later in the trip we encountered other notable live oaks and plenty of competing claims and contradictory information about how old they can get, so that it's hard to know what to believe. Where's a good dendrologist when you need one?

misc. Darien

The Canopy Restaurant, where we had our last lunch in Darien; the church across the street from The Canopy; a couple more street scenes to sum up the feel of Darien, GA. I suppose if they wanted to they could change the name of the town to "Oak Trees R Us".

the Ashantilly rental

Where P and S stayed on the outskirts of Darien, GA.

Sugar Marsh Cottage

Directly across the street from our Bed & Breakfast was the Sugar Marsh Cottage chocolate shop. We're talking artisanal confections sold in what looks more like a mansion that a cottage. Below, the view of our Bed & Breakfast from the shop.

Old Jail Art Center

Not only is Darien's old jail is now an art center, but part of the upstairs is also a historical museum. Good uses for an old structure such as this. I love maps like the one above; some of the states are fully formed while others are half baked.

Old Fort King George, part 3

 

Appreciating the layers of history here, we learned that it was also the site of an early Spanish mission. In addition there is a cemetery for those British soldiers who died serving at the fort. Since there wasn't  much clarity as to where Spanish Florida ended and British Georgia began, occasional skirmishes made the boundaries a little more pronounced. And while some soldiers may have died in combat, others were victim to the area's harsh, disease-laden environment. 

Old Fort King George, part 2

Wandering around the lovely grounds there were two more points of interest: the Highlander Cottage, and the ruins of an old mill. Who can argue with moss and fern covered ruins?

Old Fort King George

Not far from the center of Darien was Old Fort King George, the first English fort in Georgia, established in 1721. This is a reconstruction of the original fort, which burned down in 1727. The boundaries between Spanish, French and British America were fuzzy in those days and forts like this helped define those territories. Situated on a swamp by a river, it was probably a mosquito-infested hell, but for us in the 21st century it's a nice place to visit.

dangerous oaks

Not far from our lodging we noticed - and it was later confirmed - that one of these massive oak trees had collapsed onto a church. Evidently no wind or storm was the cause, but rather a combination of old age, gravity and Mother Nature. Everybody loves an oak tree until it collapses onto your roof - spontaneously or otherwise.

Skippers' Fish Camp

 

Skippers' Fish Camp is a very popular restaurant down by the river. We figured we would see what the shouting was all about. What can I say? The location was great, but the meal did not knock our gluten-free, pescatarian socks off.

Tabby Ruins

We encountered our first tabby ruins. Tabby concrete is a building material containing lots of shells, and it was widely used in the early days of the region - by which I mean the southeast United States (mostly Florida, Georgia and South Carolina).

Darien River

We strolled along the Darien River, which seems to be an offshoot of the larger Altamaha River. The Darien forms the waterfront which much of the town is perched along.

Open Gates Bed & Breakfast

Open Gates Bed & Breakfast is a wonderful old house oozing with charm. I especially liked this living room / library / game room / common area. The bedroom we stayed in was called The Bluebird Room,  although it could have been called The Beach Room with all its beachy decor. Considering our dietary complexity, the breakfasts were top notch. Unbeknownst to us they were hosting an outdoor bluegrass concert the night of our arrival, and the hosts were gracious enough to let us attend for free.