Jekyll Harbour Marina, Jekyll Island, Georgia

The gold burgee flying proudly from Finally

We are in Georgia!! Seems like we have been in Florida for so long, but we left Florida just after we pulled away from Fernandina Beach this morning. We went through the Cumberland Sound, very calm seas so no problem. Followed Crawdad up by Cumberland Island for a good look at the island. Cumberland Island is one of Georgia's largest barrier islands.  There were both  Spanish missions and British Colonial forts on Cumberland Island, plus some plantations and "The Settlement", which was established at the north end of the island for the black workers. The first African Baptist church was established here in 1893,  rebuilt in the 1930's, and is one of the few remaining structures of this community. Because the part service now owns 80% of the island, there will never be more building on the island, or bridges or causeways built from the mainland. A leftover from the original plantations is a herd of wild horses, and we were thrilled to see one of the horses grazing on some grass along the shore of the island.
Just after we exited the channel into Cumberland Island, we passed by the Kings Bay submarine base. Submarines enter by Cumberland sound, and we understand that if one is coming in, there are plenty of patrol boats to warn recreational boaters away. We had a very quiet trip up past the base, there was what looked like a patrol boat in the entrance channel to the base. Wonder what would have happened if we had taken a wrong turn? We also passed a degaussing range. This apparently is a way of reducing the magnetic charge of warships. We heard one boater tell a story about passing one and his eletronics all went haywire. Some of them worked afterwards, some didn't. Luckily we passed by without incident. 
Our next challenge for the day was St. Andrews Sound, one of the larger openings to the Atlantic that we go through. If the weather is bad, it can kick up pretty roughly, but today was nice and calm so our trip across it was very pleasant.

One of the horses on Cumberland Island

Arrived at Jekyll Harbour Marina on Jekyll Island, a very pretty place. This is Finally's home marina, and Finally is docked here, having crossed her wake on Monday. However, Jill and Richard went home this morning, we are sorry to have missed them.
Went for a walk this evening to the historic area of the island, well worth a repeat visit tomorrow. We have discovered, or been discovered by, a small bug called noseeums. The lady here at the marina called them mouths with wings, very small biting things that drive you crazy at dusk and dawn, and in between if you are out of the breeze and/or in the shade. Tonight we cooked and ate indoors, no way we could sit out on the back deck. Apparently the hot weather will send them away, so we need to hope for weather above 80 F. We will stay here for another day, then move on.