Trip to Cumberland Island (August 2006)

During the night, we heard horses drinking at the river.
In the morning, I found horse and raccoon footprints in the sand.

Hiking north, we saw the wharf ruins (lower left of picture) near the north end of the island.

Horses at Burbank Point, on the north end of the island. The horses are standing on Little Cumberland Island (a private island just north), just across Christmas Creek from where I was standing. The second horse above was standing in a mud hole.
We really enjoyed visitng Burbank Point. If you go, you should realize that the (obvious) trail is not shown on the map.

First African Baptist Church at The Settlement.
This is where Carolyn Bessette & John F. Kennedy Jr. were married. (John, Carolyn, and Lauren Bessette died in a plane crash on July 16, 1999.)
(Click the picture for a close-up picture of the plaque on the church.)

On Bunkley Trail, going south from The Settlement.
This trail is listed as 'Maintained', while some others we were on were 'Unmaintained'.
It was extremely buggy on North Cut Road, getting to this trail. The yellow disc on her top is a Bug Button citronella bug repellent disc.

Back at Brickhill Bluff campsite we packed up our tent
Watching here as a horse trots by. He seemed a bit surprised to see us (we were the only ones at the campsite), but he just kept on going.
We had hiked three and a half hours so far that day (without our tent and stuff), and had four and a half more hours to go (with full backpacks).

(Below) We were happy to have a hand-operated water pump at the campsite. (She called this 'luxury backpacking'.)

Plum Orchard, on the east side of the island, about halfway down the island. (There are occasional tours of this building.)

Side view is below (from the west).

A tiny 1.5 inch salamander (lower left) along the trail. Perhaps he was a relative of the large one I saw earlier on the trip.

Deer at Stafford Place (a private residence).

Our final destination on Tuesday after 8 hours hiking: Stafford Beach.
Incredibly, we were the only ones on this beach.

Sunset at Stafford Beach