I’ve lived in the southeastern United States my entire life, and I spent the first eighteen years in Georgia. But I didn’t set foot on Cumberland Island, a Georgia barrier island, until I was nearly fifty-one years old. That, my friends, is unfortunate and embarrassing. If you live within a day’s drive of this treasure, put it on your backpacking bucket list.
On my drive to St. Mary’s Georgia where I’d catch the Cumberland Queen ferry to take me to the island, I listened to an audiobook that captivated me nearly as much as the island: Untamed: The Wildest Woman in North America and the Fight for Cumberland Island (Will Harlan). Do yourself another favor and make sure you read it before you visit (and it makes the drive go by in a flash if you enjoy audiobooks).
My ferry reservation instructed me to arrive an hour early, and I was glad I didn’t blow it off. The line to check in was long, and I had to park my car in a lot a couple of blocks away, leaving me with only minutes to spare before the NPS ranger gave her spiel prior to boarding. After listening to Untamed, I craved more stories about the struggle between conservation and wealth that has dominated the landscape of Cumberland for decades. So I was bummed that I didn’t have time to peruse the visitor center gift shop for another book to read on the island.
My regret was quickly replaced by a trio of friends I met while waiting to board the ferry–Britt, Mike and Abby. Before Britt struck up a conversation with me about how small my backpack was compared to theirs, I was already scheming about how to stealthily take a photo of Abby’s fabulous curly hair. I chatted with them a bit on the ferry, learning from their knowledge since Britt and Mike were repeat visitors. Turns out, we’d be camping in the same campgrounds the next two nights, and I secretly hoped my campsite was close to theirs–I loved their company instantly.
The 45-minute ferry ride was quick and beautiful. As we approached the dock, the Cumberland Island Welcoming Committee, a.k.a. dolphins, began cresting the water alongside the ferry. “What even is this magical place?” I already wondered.
After roll call and a briefing by a ranger (they take the daily visitation limits and regulations seriously on the island), we were set free. I ventured to the Dungeness ruins first, hoping I might catch the end of the ranger-led tour. I didn’t make it in time because I was too enamored with my first armadillo sighting along the trail. Such bizarre creatures, but oh so fun to spot foraging!
The ruins were enormous, and it was mind blowing to think of how much bigger the mansion would look had it not burned in 1959 (this was actually the second time it burned). And to think this was a summer home! I listened to the history of this overt display of wealth on the NPS app with my ear buds. Then a couple of the famed Cumberland feral horses caught my eye, putting on a show of playful banter with an edge of tension to it. They didn’t look healthy, which was unsurprising after reading Untamed.
After I’d had my fill of wandering the Dungeness ruins and grounds, I headed toward Sea Camp, the most popular campground on the island since it’s close to the dock. The smell of campfires and the sound of iPhone speakers playing pop music filled the air as I walked through it. Many people set up camp here for days on end, bringing coolers worth of food and fun with them. I was grateful that a friend recommended I book a site at Stafford campground instead, 3 miles away, since it was a bit quieter (thanks, Shelton!).
The beach provides an alternate path to the Parallel Trail (which parallels the main road on the island and the beach), so I opted to walk it, hoping the sand would be compacted enough to make the going easy. It was, and I loved this “choose your own adventure” style of hiking. Within minutes, I left the crowd of people on the beach near Sea Camp behind (“crowd” is relative, since it probably amounted to a dozen people).
I walked 3 miles down the beach before encountering another person. Tell me where else in this country you can do that on a beach? Along the way, I discovered oodles of sand dollars, shells, and horseshoe crab exoskeletons. I decided to only take home three treasures from the sea (it’s legal to do as long as what you take is dead or doesn’t have anything living inside it). My internal conversation went something like this: “This sand dollar is so cute and tiny! It’s coming home with me, for sure. Oh, but wait, this one is soooo pretty too. Uh oh, now I have 3 beautiful shells and a sand dollar–who has to go?!” It was a fun little game, and one I didn’t mind losing, ultimately.
I found a sizable piece of driftwood to sit on and enjoy my lunch while soaking in the tranquil scene. Since I ran out of time to purchase a book in the visitor center, I downloaded one about the island on Kindle. Not my favorite way to read a book, but it was interesting to read about the controversial encounters that had taken place on the beach where I sat.
I arrived at Stafford Campground and discovered Abby and Mike standing in their reserved campsite. Turns out, my campsite was smack dab in the middle of the friends’ two sites. I told them I was happy to trade with Britt so they could all be right next to each other.
They were too nice to say it, but when I walked down to Britt’s site to set up, I discovered that it was a better site for them to hang out in than the one I was giving up. So I changed gears and stuck myself in the middle, explaining why I moved to Abby and Mike.
Lucky me, these three friends welcomed me into their fold that evening, inviting me to sit by the cozy fire they made in Britt’s choice site. I quickly felt as if I had known them for far longer than a few hours. Britt and I both attended Auburn University, just a few years apart; and I confessed to Abby that I was glad I no longer had to stealthily take a photo of her hair and could just ask now! The friends were still in awe of my “tiny” pack, which was actually loaded up with more than I usually bring on backpacking trips, with comfort items like my Helinox Chair Zero (worthwhile investment for trips like this).
We talked long into the evening. The friends had plans to get up early to see the sunrise on the beach. I knew I’d found a kindred spirit when I heard Britt talking about civil twilight and when they should set out toward the beach in relation to it. The sunrise sounded like the perfect way to start my second day on the island, so I told them I’d see them in the morning and thanked them for adding such a special element to my day by asking me to hang out with them.
