ACA Jekyll Island and Cumberland Island Exploration Journey
March 7th-10th 2012
Join the ACA Jekyll Island and Cumberland Island exploration journey!! Days one and two of this event will be based on Jekyll Island. Our first venture will be to the south end of St. Simon Island (from North end of Jekyll) via St Simon Sound. Along the way we will be doing some navigation and ACA / BCU paddling skills challenges. We’ll explore some of the beaches of St. Simon upon landing.
Then, on the next day, we will head out to the extremely deserted North end of Cumberland Island. Very few paddlers get to this end of the island due to its distance from the Cumberland Island camp sites. When looking at Cumberland Island from Jekyll Island you’ll see huge white sand cliffs that are very striking. The crossing is via St. Andrews Sound. Here our skills challenges will continue and will be amped up for those seeking certifications! Arriving back from Cumberland Island on Friday afternoon, we will drive to St. Mary’s Georgia and Crooked River State Park to set up camp for Friday and Saturday nights.
Saturday morning around 8am we will paddle to Plum Orchard (midpoint on Cumberland Island). We offer a unique treat of having a local historian and naturalist join us to provide interpretation and local lore. Sunday morning we break camp and drive south (just a bit) to Old Town Fernandina for our final “Teach & Trek”. This trek will take us to the South end of Cumberland Island. Upon arrival, we are sure to see the famed “wild horses of Cumberland” and beautiful primitive vistas. We will hike a loop that will include views of miles of isolated beaches and we can explore the magnificent ruins of the Dungeness Mansion.
Upon our return we will pack up and head to the Irish Pub in downtown Old Town Fernandina for dinner and event de-brief. Another unique aspect of this journey will be the variety of paddling skills, assessments, and certification exams that are being offered. These services are optional, but for those interested you will be challenged with a completely diverse and multi-dimensional paddling environment. Call to book your spot (904) 502-7733