Allen, Meredith and I joined Capt. Wild Bill and Joyce aboard their 24-foot Jolly-Mon for a trip to Blackbeard Island on the Sunday morning of Memorial Day weekend. It was my first “official” tour with Capt. Wild Bill, though I’d booked numerous outings on everything from family eco tours and romantic sunset champagne cruises to serious tarpon fishing trips with seasoned fishermen. But our trip was designed for relaxing and enjoying the sights along the way as we toured the scenic backwaters between Yellow Bluff and St. Catherine’s and on to Blackbeard Island.
We left the Yellow Bluff dock around 7:30 A.M., and the water was like glass. We cruised from Ashley Creek to Cedar Creek to the IntraCoastal Waterway. From there we passed the “inside” (i.e. not the ocean side) of St. Catherine’s Island, a 10-mile long 14,000 acre island, owned and managed by the St. Catherine’s Island Foundation. As a Georgia barrier island, the “public” has access to the beaches but not to the interior of the island without an invitation. We saw boats and people at some of the beaches on St. Catherine’s. It was obvious that some folks had camped on the beach and were already enjoying the Memorial Day weekend.
Two things amazed me during the half-day adventure. Well, really several things.
First, the landscape of St. Catherine’s is so diverse: flat white ”beachy” areas mixed with high “rugged” bluffs. There were thick wooded areas with massive live oaks, ancient magnolia trees, and what I’d describe as funky, weather-beaten pines. “You can see why the barrier islands were a perfect place for pirates to congregate,” said Capt. Wild Bill. There were areas that looked right out of Jurassic Park. Spooky. And, of course, the favorites included idyllic spots for a perfect picnic on a white sandy beach or a calm stretch of water just right for children to swim.
Second, it was Memorial Day weekend and most of the time it seemed that our boat was alone in the expanse of water.
Third, the waterways and islands are a bird-watcher’s paradise, even for a novice.
Fourth, we arrived at Blackbeard Island around 10:30 after a morning of touring the waterways, and we were the only people on the beach. A few folks arrived later. But we had the beach to ourselves. Miles and miles of white sandy beach stretched before and behind us. We found tons of shells and even a live starfish that we sent back to sea.
Finally, we visited a shipwreck from the 1800′s on Sapelo Island. It was amazing to see that kind of history up close and personal. You had to wonder about the lives of the people who had been onboard and what happened to them. The ship was located on a desolate beach with no shells and barren twisted trees. We observed the ship as insects made eerie sounds in the background. — We had a little excitement when our anchored boat started to wash ashore. “I’m not kidding. I need everyone to hop out and push,” Capt. Wild Bill cried. We hustled and pushed it free to keep from being stuck there for hours. Whew.
It was an incredible day. Take a look at the photo journal:
Meredith gave us a thumbs up as we departed the Yellow Bluff dock.
Fresh morning air, smooth water, and a spectacular cloud display promised a good morning of touring the waterways.
Your thoughts could get lost in the clouds.
At peace with the world.
Allen and Capt. Wild Bill enjoy the salt air and tall tales.
Ancient magnolias, native palms, and live oaks dot the landscape of St. Catherine's Island.
Beautiful displays of driftwood are found on the north end of St. Catherine's.
Interesting tree shapes show "life after life" as plants find a home on dead trees.
Interesting trees stimulate the imagination.
The wispy gray Spanish Moss drapes the tree canopy.
... The wind, salt air, and passing of time take a toll on trees on St. Catherine's Island.
A surprise rainbow points the way to another beach on St. Catherine's.
Approaching one of many beaches on St. Catherine's.
Beach goers enjoy this stretch of beach on St. Catherine's.
The calm water makes it ideal for swimming and for camping on the beach at St. Catherines.
A beautiful day on the water.
Allen and Wild Bill enjoy the sights as we approach the St. Catherine's dock.
As a certified naturalist, storyteller & writer, Capt. Wild Bill "teaches" about the scenes before you in a way that captivates and leaves you wanting to know more.
Welcome to St. Catherine's!
Learning opportunities create bonds and lifelong memories.
Which way to Blackbeard?
Capt. Wild Bill had seen a huge gator in this area, but today we only saw his path through the marsh. Yay!
We made it to Blackbeard Island around 10:00 or 10:30 A.M. after a very pleasant tour of the waterways. But we were eager to play on the beach and picnic on Blackbeard Island. What we found was better than Blackbeard’s buried treasure. (More about Blackbeard Island).
Welcome to the National Wildlife Refuge.
Only birds enjoy this beach today.
Approaching our picnic destination on Blackbeard Island.
Tiny footprints in the sand lead the way to the beach.
The beach had more debris than usual and shells were everywhere.
I was excited to find a live starfish, and we helped it get back to the water.
After returning the starfish to the sea, we had a wonderful walk and picnic. Then we headed to another part of Blackbeard Island via boat to see an 1800 shipwreck. Incredible. Enjoy what we discovered:
We used a shortcut on the way home, but we still saw a lot of beautiful sights. We made it back to Yellow Bluff by 1:00 so that we could attend an afternoon funeral. It was a good reminder that when the day is done, precious memories are what you have left. Our first jaunt to Blackbeard Island as a family via the incredible waterways, past St. Catherine’s and a glimpse of Sapelo are certain to be some of our best memories. Thank you, Capt. Wild Bill and Joyce! We had an unbelievable day.
Enjoy the return trip sights:
Thank you, Capt. Wild Bill, for an unbelievable day!
When I look back on the day, I savor the time spent with family and friends as we explored the waterways near Yellow Bluff and our beautiful barrier islands. And I am still amazed that at 10:30 A.M. on Memorial Day weekend, we basically had the beach to ourselves:
Waves crashing, tons of shells just waiting to be found, and good times with family and friends on a beach to ourselves. Heaven.
