Just one half days travel north up the Intracoastal Waterway from the St. John's River is one of the National Park's Service best kept secrets, Cumberland Island National Seashore - truly an enchanted place. Part of our plan to sail north from Jacksonville to the Chesapeake Bay was to stop at Cumberland Island, and stage the boat for sea. Cumberland Sound's outlet to the North Atlantic is a deep channel used by the US Navy's Trident submarine fleet stationed at King's Bay Georgia. As we approached the southeast shore of Cumberland Island, Lilly spotted a herd of wild horses grazing in the emerald hewed salt marsh; these wetlands transition the lagoon of the Sound into the maritime forest of the high interior. We knew right then that both the serene beauty of God's natural world, and the early history of our country was waiting for us on this intriguing island.
Here is a short excerpt from the Park Service's description of this multi faceted eco system:
"Forests so quiet that you could hear yourself breathe, sunlight filtered and diffused through over-arching trees and vines, sounds of small animals scurrying in the underbrush, the gentle splash of water moving through the salt marsh, the courting bellow of the alligator, blinding light on water and sand as you emerge from the shadows of the live oak forest, a standing row of slave cabin chimneys, fallow gardens and crumbling walls of mansions from bygone eras."

One day we plan to go back to this special place and spend more time there. Perhaps we may even get the opportunity to share Cumberland Island with our family and friends.

To see some of the pics we shot at Cumberland Island navigate through our PHOTO GALLERY thusly: PORTS OF CALL / USA / ICW / CUMBERLAND ISLAND.