We arrived here on Sunday and we are pretty much alone in the woods outside of Savannah. Spanish moss hangs from every tree. Did you know, Spanish Moss isn't Spanish and isn't moss. It is actually related to the pineapple. Aloha!
Before we came here we made two stops on Jekyll Island. One was a guided trolley tour giving the history of the island. The other stop was at the Georgia Sea Turtle "hospital" where they rehabilitate injured sea turtles.
Jekyll Island was named by General James Oglethorpe after his friend Sir Joseph Jekyll, a supporter and benefactor of the Georgia colony which Oglethorpe established.
 |
| The former Clubhouse is now a hotel |
The historic district is on 240 acres located on the river side of the island, about midway. The former clubhouse is now an elegant hotel, and the former homes of the members are in the process of being restored.
The trolley tour was like homes of the rich and famous circa 1900. These "cottages", as they were called, were large. Each was built to the taste of the owner, so there is a different look to the compound. Many have been restored, but the tour limits visits to only 2 at a time. Pictures are not allowed inside of the homes.
The compound also had a central club house where communal dining was held every night. The main purpose of the club initially was for hunting. What was killed was brought to the club house and would eventually be found on the menu. A game keeper was hired to keep the island stocked with pheasants, deer and such.
 |
| du Bignon cottage |
The compound also had quarters for servants as well as support staff such as accountants and bookkeepers. Obviously for these men business was a priority and would have to continue regardless of location. In fact, the first transcontinental phone call was made from here, because the president of AT&T was a member of the club and was on Jekyll Island at the time.
 |
| Indian Mound, the Rockefeller Cottage |
An important, secret meeting was held here in November of 1910 for the drafting of what was to become the Federal Reserve. It was so secret that the most powerful men in banking and government took a train down from New Jersey in the middle of the night, using only their first names or code names in order to conceal their identities from the press.
 |
| Moss Cottage |
Membership in the club declined, the depression and the advent of the income tax reduced the wealth of the wealthy, and eventually World War II and the fear of German submarine attacks off the coast forced the closure of the club.
The island was sold to the State of Georgia in 1947 which turned it into a public state park. In 1976 it was made a historic public landmark. The hotel is now run by a private investment firm and renovations of the cottages continue.
 |
| Unrestored cottage. Walls are tabby, but the wood suffered termite damage. |
Our next stop was the Georgia Sea Turtle Center located in the historic district. This is an educational and rehabilitation center for the 5 species of sea turtles which populate the Georgia coastline.
 |
| Cast of a turtle fossil skeleton |
Sea turtles spend most of their lives in water, but must make it to land to lay their eggs. It is here that they face formidable dangers. One which I was not aware of is artificial light. When the turtles hatch their instinct is to go toward the lightest part of the sky, which is normally the sea/sky horizon. Artificial light can misdirect them. This is why street lights in Florida are turned off at night during the months when turtles are hatching.
 |
| Turtle Hospital |
 |
| A turtle's chart |
The hospital here cares for injured turtles aiming to get them back to the ocean if possible. Turtles cross roadways at night and are often struck by cars. Others suffer shark bites.
 |
| Turtle Doc |
The turtles are important in the local ecosystem. For example, the leatherback turtle feeds on jellyfish, which in turn feed on fish. No leatherbacks means too many jellyfish and not enough fish for us. Unfortunately these turtles will also eat plastic debris, which can resemble a jellyfish and this can obstruct their digestive tract. The hunting of turtle eggs, primarily in Asia, is another important factor in their decline.
No comments:
Post a Comment