We got the 11:45 ferry from St Mary's. $18 each plus $4 each for entry to the National Park. The ferry takes about 45 minutes to get down the St Mary's River and over to the island. The first thing we did was join the warden guided tour of the area from the jetty to the ruin of the Dungeness Mansion. It was very interesting and we learned a lot about the early history of Cumberland Island as well as the later history of the Carnegie family and their role on the island. Cumberland almost became another Hilton Head Island. Thank goodness it didn't. It has been preserved in an almost completely natural state. If you Google dungeness cumberland images you will see many photos of what the mansion looked like. here is the National Park link to the Multimedia page.
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| The ferry ride out to the island |
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| There was a strong, cool wind blowing. |
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| Bye bye St Mary's |
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| Heading to the cistern (on the right) to meet the ranger. |
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| Lots of deer wandering around the island |
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| Horses too. |
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| These horses are feral. They will kick and bite. |
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| A foal. The horses are counted every year and the count averages between 140 and 180 |
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| Approaching the old gates of Dungeness. |
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| Approaching the ruins |
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| The stonework is all Tabby a mixture of oyster shells, lime, sand and water. |
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| Imagine the carriages and expensive cars carrying rich folk up to the mansion. |
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| Burned down by arsonists |
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| We brought a packed lunch and ate it on the expansive lawns facing the salt marsh. |
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| The echoes of long ago children playing in the grounds. |
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| Tabby gates |
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| What a grand place to live. |
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| Entrance to the lower part of the building. Kitchens? |
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| What it used to look like. |
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| Lots of wildlife in the salt marshes. |
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| Buzzards |
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| Boardwalk through the Maritime Forest |
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| Maritime Forest |
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| View from the board walk |
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| Armadillo foraging in the brush |
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| Oysters in the salt marsh |
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| Boardwalk over the Salt Marsh |
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| Low tide |
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| On Cumberland Beach |
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| Not many shells caught in the sand ripples. |
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| 1 1/4 mile walk from one end of the beach to where we have to go to get the ferry back. |
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| Beautiful live oaks in the campground |
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| Camp site. $4 a night per person. |
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| Deer in the campground |
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| Sun shining through the live oaks and the Spanish Moss |
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| Michael waiting for me in the camp ground |
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| An old man, a rocking chair and a sunny porch. Waiting for the ferry back to St Mary's |
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| Sign at the campground dock |
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| A beautiful end to a lovely day. |
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