Georgia

 March 29, 2024

The trip is starting to speed up.  As we get closer to the end, reflections of the past 10 months bring very mixed emotions.  We know it is time to get back to our lives and pick up the balls that have hit the floor.  However, there is no interest or desire for this lifestyle to end.  The most common question we get from folks is "what's next"?  Truth is, we don't know.  Our expectations are that it will take 6 months or so to catch up on all the undone things.  After that, we will see.

Georgia

We had been in Florida or the Bahamas since the end of November.  Those 4ish months were filled with palm trees, white sandy beaches, incredible wealth, stunning blue waterways and a non stop party culture.  Georgia is a stark contrast.  The trees are magnificent live oaks with 200+ foot wingspans end to end all covered in Spanish moss.  The houses are jumbo classic southern plantation style with large porches and plenty of swings.  And the accents are southern thick.  Gone are the beautiful blue / green waters.  

Our first stop was St. Mary's island.  I don't have any pictures here for it was a real quick stop.  The reason for the stop:  To meet up with Julie Strueber (Now Heller).  Julie was the gal that introduced Terri and I back in 1979 at the UofD!  How cool is that.

Jekyll Island

Jekyll Island quickly became a top ten stop (on a list with ~30 top ten spots) on the trip.  We will be coming back here in the future.  The island is only about seven miles end to end and absolutely flat so it was perfect for our scooters ... which batteries we drained running all over the island.  Winds were high and temps low so we had to bundle up a little.  We had to remind ourselves that GEORGIA IS IN THE SOUTH!!! (Maybe we were in Florida too long).

Historically, Jekyll was the playground for the rich and famous.  Rockefeller, JP Morgan, Joesph Pulitzer, Vanderbilt, Goodyear (different than the tire) and others had summer homes here and all have been preserved.  Lunch at the Jekyll Island Club Resort was like stepping into Gone with the Wind.  Interestingly, this was also the site of the first transcontinental phone call.





Cruising Georgea is cruising the Intercoastal Waterway (ICW).  Unlike Florida where there were endless ports, rivers and options for Loopers, the ICW brings us all back together.  It's GREAT for we are seeing old friends and making new with those just starting their journey.  Time for, you guessed it ...Docktails and Dinner!


A friend from Raleigh keeps his boat at the Jekyll Island Marina where we stayed.  He was not there so I texted him and asked why his boat was leaning so hard to one side.  In a panicked response he immediately asked for a picture.


I won't repeat the message I got back.

When in the Bahamas, we met a really interesting couple from Canada who were traveling on their sailboat.  Our meeting with them was at the floating tiki bar on Tahiti beach.  They caught back up with us here and we were able to dine with them.  Dave and Regina are great people.  It is amazing ... as fast as we go and as slow as they are, we end up at the same place at the same time 500 miles later.


Savannah 

Expectations were real high for Savannah.  Upon arrival we discovered that there were only a few marinas and they were far from downtown.  Traveling into town revealed not a quaint southern town of the story books but a thriving, bustling city.  Traffic was everywhere and lots of noise.  Asking the Uber driver where we should go, he said ... of all places ... The Marriott.  What the *&^%.  I lived my career in Marriotts and that holds the same appeal as hitting my toe with a hammer.  

The driver insisted and my Admiral agreed.  Sigh ...

IT WAS AMAZING.  The Savannah JW Marriott is an old power plant on the waterfront.  They turned the lobby into the most incredible collection of art, jems, ancient artifacts like mastodon tusks and a prehistoric bear skeleton.  The bar had ostriches, alligators and African art.  All totally cool.

Geodes


  HISTORY





And then the rest of Savannah .... History ... Waterfront .... Fun!



 


We are now in Beaufort SC where this is being written.  More to come on that in the next post.  For now, take care and stay safe.

With Love,

Terri and Aubrey





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