Cumberland Island

Cumberland Island National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior National Seashore Georgia Forests so quiet that you can 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 f r o m the shadows of the live oak forest, a standing row of slave cabin chimneys, fallow gardens and crumbling walls of mansions from by- gone eras. This is Cumberland Island, Georgia's largest and southernmost barrier island and today protected as a national seashore. canopy of live oak trees stretches out just beyond t h e back dunes t h a t provide protection from the salt spray. In central and northern sections of the island, pine trees tower over hardThe w o r d "seashore" is misleading, for w o o d forests. On the western side of Cumberland Island is a complex ecolog- the island, saltwater marshes pulse ical system of interdependent animal w i t h the tidal flow. Because the prevand plant communities. Each lends itious owners maintained Cumberland self t o the preservation of the other. A Island in its natural state, nature still system of foredunes protects the inter- reigns o n this land t h a t bears t h e dune meadow and shrub thickets. A imprint of humankind. ISaltwater marsh Maritime forest Beach The marshes come into view first as you As the marshlands become higher and driapproach the island from St. Marys, Ga. er, washed only at extremely high tides, When the tide is out, the marsh appears the salt-tolerant communities give way to like a broad plain of tall grasses intricately freshwater-loving plants and then, finally, interwoven with tidal creeks. Closer exami- to trees. The most striking feature of the nation reveals an array of birds live oak forest is the solitude. Even the air wading through the grass jjjUlg^ seems to move noiselessly , or feeding at the banks of above the tops of the trees' the creeks. Fiddler crabs -, arching branches. scurry across mud flats The sounds of an orand eat decaying vegedinary rainshower tation and other organj P are muted by the ic material. Raccoons feMtsi^*^ dense canopy of leaves Raccoon^ and other animals come ^and vines. Cradled in the down from the uplands to feed on crabs GreaFhorned branches, resurrection ferns and to search for shellfish. owl spring up with this life-giving moisture. Draping Spanish moss lends a touch of the exotic as it sways in the When the tide is in, the tops of grasses breeze. Vivid plumages of painted buntsway with the current, making it hard to ings, summer tanagers, cardinals, and piledistinguish between grass and water, the ated woodpeckers add splashes of color color of one intensifying the color of the to the somber hues of the forest while the other. These tides play a vital role in the clear notes of yellow-throated warblers life of the marsh, for on their flood cycle and Carolina wrens punctuate the stillness. they bring the microscopic organisms^ £ 3 *€7, ^ Deeper in the forest's shadows at midday, or in interdune meadows at dusk, you creatures need - * * A "*• Tiddler crab may catch fleeting images of the island's white-tailed deer. Raccoons, masked banfor nourishment and the water from dits of the forest, are often seen as they which to draw oxygen. On their ebb, the tides flush the silt and debris washed into tour the island on nightly forays. You may come across a shy and newly arrived resithe marsh from the inland rivers out to dent, the armadillo, first seen on the island sea. The marshes buffer the landward in 1974. Interdune meadows, both wet side of the island from the twice daily influx of tidal flow and absorb some of the and dry, mark the forest's eastern impact of storms. Marsh edge. Their es possess quiet, sand and changeable beaugrass give way to ty, yet they are the realm of dunes the most producand beach. Farther inArma< tive land, acre per^-4 Clapper rail acre, on the planland, freshwater ponds appear like jewet. With their wealth of nutrients, marshes els. Here on a warm spring night you can support large populations of fish, shellfish, hear the booming of the bull alligator as plants, and birdlife. They also act as nursit goes through its courtship rites. Rainfall eries. In the grasses and shallow waters sustains the ponds and the wildlife that here the young of many species begin are drawn to them, adding yet another their lives protected from predators. dimension to the island. that many / ¥ Emerging from the darkness of the forest to the brightness of the beach you momentarily lose your sight, so sudden is the change. On the beach the waters rise and fall twice daily, washing to and fro over the sand, shaping and rearranging. The wind, too, plays a role in this process. Barrier islands appear to be permanent, but actually they are continually in the process of change. In some areas on Cumberland Island, you may notice the dunes covering the shrubs and trees in their path. The plants that grow on the dunes are the stabilizing element. Their root systems are fragile and are affected by the impact of humans and animals. Overgrazing by the island's feral horses may impair the ability of some grasses to reproduce. Least tern rJBm. ' Here the shorebirds are given to the spirit of movement. Sandpipers dance before the rhythmic advance and retreat of the fHi^S water, and gulls soar on the ocean breeze. An osprey Ghost crab may dive into a wave before your eyes and a few seconds later emerge with a mullet in its talons. Loggerhead turtles, ancient reptiles of the sea, lumber ashore on deserted island beaches at night. Guided by instinct, they lay their eggs and then return to the sea. Hatchlings emerge about 60 days later and scurry for the protection of the surf. Today tracks of humans, birds, and other animals mark the beach. Tomorrow they will have been swept away, and the beach will take on new configurations. DRAWINGS: ©EASTERN NATIONAL/CASEY FRENCH ALEXANDER BACKGROUND PHOTO: ©A. BLAKE GARDNER I The Human Imprint Plum Orchard Mansion For thousands of years people have lived on Cumberland Island, but never in such numbers as to permanently alter the character of the landscape. Piles of shells, called middens, provide us with clues to the lives of the Indians who left them. An occasional pot shard indicates that Spanish soldiers and missionaries were here in the mid-1500s. No signs remain of Fort William and Fort St. Andrews, built to protect British interests. Revolutionary War hero Gen. Nathanael Greene purchased land on Cumberland Island in 1783. His widow, Catherine Greene, constructed a four-story tabby home that she named Dungeness. In the 1890s, The Settlement was established for black workers. The First African Baptist Church, established in 1893 and rebuilt in the 1930s, is one of the few remaining structures of this community. Thomas Carnegie, brother and partner of the steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, began building, with his wife Lucy, on Dungeness's foundations in 1884. The ruins of this mansion remain today. Plum Orchard, an 1898 Georgian Revival mansion built for son George and his wife Margaret Thaw, was donated to the National Park Foundation by Carnegie family members in 1971. Their contribution, as well as funds from supporting foundations, helped win Congressional approval for Cumberland Island National Seashore. Enjoying Cumberland Island NPS/CFRED WHITEHEAD Ferry Information A passenger ferry serves Cumberland Island from St. Marys daily except December through February, when it does not run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It does not carry cars, bicycles, kayaks, or pets. It departs the mainland at 9:00 and 11:45 a.m. and the island at 10:15 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. From March through September it also departs the island at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Ferry reservations may be made up to six months in advance. Call toll free 1-877-860-6787 or 912-882-4335, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you miss the last ferry departing the island, you must charter a boat for the return trip. backcountry sites—Brickhill Bluff, Yankee Paradise, or Hickory Hill—have any facilities. Backcountry campsites have wells nearby; the water must be treated. Campfires are not permitted, so bring portable stoves. Both a camping permit and a reservation are required. Get permits at the Sea Camp Ranger Station; for camping reservations call 1-877-860-6787 or 912-882-4335, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fishing Georgia state fishing laws apply. Weather Cumberland Island winters are short and mild. Summer temperatures range from the Fees and Supplies Fees are charged for ferry serv- 80s°F to the low 90s. In summer it is best to visit the beach early or late in the day and to find ice, entrance to Cumberland Island, and campshade in the hot, midday hours. ing. No supplies are available on the island. You must bring all your supplies with you. There is drinking water at the visitor center, museum, ranger station, and Sea Camp Beach campground. Walking shoes and rain gear are recommended. Camping All camping is limited to seven days. The developed campground at Sea Camp Beach has restrooms, cold showers, and drinking water. Campfires are permitted at Sea Camp, but only dead-and-down wood may be used. No Private Property Some of Cumberland Island is privately owned. Respect the rights of landowners and do not trespass. Safety The Dungeness ruins and outbuildings are closed to the public. They are unstable and unsafe, and diamondback rattlesnakes, one of three poisonous snakes here, live in the ruins. • Check yourself often and carefully for ticks, which carry Lyme disease. • There are no lifeguards. • During periodic managed hunts the wilderness area is closed to the public. • Don't approach feral horses; they are dangerous and kick and bite. Feeding any wildlife is both prohibited and dangerous. This is one of more than 390 parks in the National Park System. The National Park Service cares for these special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. Learn more about national parks at www.nps.gov. For More Information Cumberland Island National Seashore P.O. Box 806 St. Marys, GA 31558 912-882-4336 www.nps.gov/cuis AGPO:2007—330-358/00779 Reprint 2007 Phnted on recycled paper.