December 2006
Despite the remoteness and peace of the Georgia waterways an occasional tug and tow will appear around a bend. This is usually where the waterway is at its shallowest and where the barge needs to make a wide turn! The professional skippers are all helpful and courteous as long as you remember that they have right of way.
One of our favourite overnight anchorages was in the narrow and winding Frederica River. The river parallels the Mackay River off St Simons Island and was where the British built a fort to defend the area from the Spanish who had colonised to the south in Florida. The river is up to 18 metres (60ft) deep and the fort was built on the inside of a right angle bend where cannon could be aimed down either leg of the river. Behind Fort Frederica was essentially a jungle. The dense palmetto undergrowth would have been nearly impenetrable with its beautiful Live Oak and Spanish Moss canopy and this made the fort very secure.
Fort Frederica is now a National Monument and we were surprised to see the Union Jack flying from the shore-side battery! The main bastion is hidden in the forest and out of site from the water. We decided that if Tony could spare a few redcoats then taking back the fort for the British would not have been any problem at all, but maybe they are a but busy just now...

Pusher tug and barge in Georgia cut - still called a tug and tow!
View of Fort Frederica from the western approach with Union Jack flying
View of Fort Frederica from the anchorage to the south
Close-up of fort from the south with cannon
The redcoat teaching his group of school children

Imagine our surprise the following morning when a redcoat marched out to the fort followed by a band of school children! He taught them all about defending the island and how to fire a musket. He also helped them understand the ballistics of firing a cannon. They just loved it - and so did we! We made sure our ‘red duster’ was plainly visible.

Having waited for sufficient tide we crossed the estuary below Brunswick GA and headed up the very shallow cut behind Jekyll Island where we had so enjoyed ourselves on the journey north. We decided to spend a week exploring and working on boat maintenance and really enjoyed it. We cycled right round the island this time.

Jekyll Island was owned by a french family before being sold to the millionaires
More history close to the family burial ground
Detail of the Jekyll Island Club turret which is used as the hotel logo - here everyone employs the 'Georgia Wave' to keep away the no-see-ums
A Christmas tree in the hotel lobby composed of island grown poinsettias in pots supported on a frame
The traditional Christmas tree in the beautiful dining room with modern black and white touches
A Victorian style Christmas Tree with artificial apples and berries
Based on the Nutcracker ballet with all sorts of appropriate miniature decorations

The western shore of this barrier island is a nesting ground for loggerhead turtles but this is not the right season. Firethorn berries sparkle bright red in the palmetto undergrowth and the deciduous trees are still turning yellow and red. There is frost forecast inland though.
We visited a local art exhibition at the Goodyear ‘Cottage’ and bought second hand books at the old Infirmary.

We took advantage of a free tour of the old Jekyll Island Club which is now a hotel. The concierge showed us all their Christmas Trees and gave a history lesson as we went.
We have now started to collect decorations for the boat including 12 volt LED Christmas lights, tinsel and a snowman beanie. Pictures later...

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