Tags: Dr. Terry Norton, georgia sea turtle, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, golden isles, golden isles vacations, jekyll island, sea turtles, st. simons island, weather channel
Posted in Happenings, Nature Connection | 1 Comment »

By Beth Burnsed, Event Marketing Coordinator

A new outdoor exploration opportunity has been added on Jekyll Island. Locally owned and operated, Jekyll Island Fun Tours is now offering guided SegwayPT ® tours of Jekyll Island’s maritime forest. Visitors are able to learn about an important eco-system while enjoying a novel, eco-friendly mode of transportation.
  
“We are excited to welcome this new activity to Jekyll Island,” said Jones Hooks, Executive Director of the Jekyll Island Authority. “Jekyll Island Fun Tours has done a great job of providing a nature-based education opportunity while utilizing a mode of transportation that is both environmentally friendly and intriguing.”
  
Popular around the globe, the Segway® Personal Transportation (PT) is a self-balancing two-wheel device designed to go anywhere in a safe, efficient manner. The first of its kind, the Segway PT runs on batteries and is a zero-emissions form of transportation. SegwayPT technology enables the Segway PT to work seamlessly with the operator’s body movements.
  
The Jekyll Island tour begins with a safety video and then a hands-on familiarization with a Segway PT. After orientation, riders enter the maritime forest. Jekyll Island’s maritime forest is an environmentally rich home to numerous species of plants and animals. Riders can get an up close view of the plant life from their Segway PT via the natural paths that run through the forest. A trained guide gives descriptions and explanations of species found in order for visitors to understand the ecological importance of the salt marsh and maritime forests.
  
Tours depart from the Jekyll Island gas station parking lot at 50 Ben Fortson Parkway. They run between 1.5-2 hours including the training time. All tours include training and helmets. Tour participants must be 16 years or older with weight limitations from 100-250 lbs. Call 912-635-9704 for more information and tour departure times.

Tags: eco-friendly activities, eco-friendly transportation, georgia segway tours, jekyll island fun tours, jekyll island nature tours, jekyll island segway tours, maritime forest, segway pt, segway tours, segways
Posted in Beachscape, May 2009, Nature Connection, Two Wheelin' | No Comments »

Posted in Diversions, Nature Connection | No Comments »

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island will release two rehabilitated loggerhead sea turtles, Snowball and Blizzard, off the coast of Tybee Island, GA on Saturday, April 25. The release will be held in conjunction with the 5th Annual Tybee Turtle Trot hosted by the Tybee Island Marine Science Center.

Both Snowball and Blizzard were part of a cold stunning event off the North Carolina coast. Cold-stunned sea turtles become comatose due of a sudden drop in their environmental water temperature, called cold-stunning. Sea turtles, like other reptiles, are ectothermic, or “cold blooded”. For this reason, all of their bodily functions shut down when water temperatures fall below 50° F. They often also contract secondary problems such as fungal pneumonia and bone infections. Snowball and Blizzard arrived at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island on November 26, 2008 and were slowly warmed, re-nourished, and treated with antibiotics and other medications. Now back to a healthy condition, the turtles are ready for release back into the ocean.

The public is invited to attend and observe the release which is set for 10:00 AM near the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. For more information on the release and the Tybee Turtle Trot event visit tybeeturtletrot.net. For more information on the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island visit georgiaseaturtlecenter.org or jekyllisland.com.

Tags: Georgia Sea Turtle Center, jekyll island authority, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island turtles, Loggerhead Turtles, Savannah events, Savannah Road Races, Sea Turtle Hospitals, sea turtles, Tybee Island, Tybee Island Events
Posted in Happenings, Nature Connection, Uncategorized | No Comments »

A new outdoor exploration opportunity has been added on Jekyll Island. Locally owned and operated, Jekyll Island Fun Tours is now offering guided Segway Personal Transportation (PT) tours of Jekyll Island’s maritime forest. Visitors are able to learn about an important eco-system while enjoying a novel, eco-friendly mode of transportation.

Popular around the globe, the Segway PT is a self-balancing two-wheel device designed to go anywhere in a safe, efficient manner. The first of its kind, the Segway PT runs on batteries and is a zero-emissions form of transportation. Segway technology enables the Segway PT to work seamlessly with the operator’s body movements.

The Jekyll Island tour begins with a safety video and then a hands-on familiarization with a Segway PT. After orientation, riders enter the maritime forest. Jekyll Island’s maritime forest is an environmentally rich home to numerous species of plants and animals. Riders can get an up close view of the plant life from their Segway PT via the natural paths that run through the forest. A trained guide gives descriptions and explanations of species found in order for visitors to understand the ecological importance of the salt marsh and maritime forests.

Tours depart from the Jekyll Island gas station parking lot at 50 Ben Fortson Parkway. They run between 1.5-2 hours including the training time. All tours include training and helmets. Tour participants must be 16 years or older with weight limitations from 100-250 lbs. Call 912-635-9704 for more information and tour departure times.

Tags: biking in Georgia, hotels on Jekyll Island, jekyll island biking, Jekyll Island Club Hotel, Jekyll Island tours, Jekyll Island trips, Jekyll Island vacations, Jekyll Island walks, nature trails, nature trails in Georgia, nature walks, nature walks in Georgia, nature walks in Jekyll, rental cottages on Jekyll Island, segway, segway tours
Posted in Bird Watching, Nature Connection, Two Wheelin' | No Comments »

Tags: CNN, Dr. Terry Norton, georgia beaches, georgia sea turtles, jekyll island vacation, Reynolds Wolf, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, sea turtles, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island
Posted in Diversions, In the News, Nature Connection | 2 Comments »

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island will be featured on CNN Saturday, February 21! The segment will air some time between 6am and 1pm, and will re-air in the evening. You can also watch the piece online by going to CNN.com. Make sure you tune in to catch Jekyll Island’s own renowned sea turtles make their television debuts!

Tags: cnn segment, february 21 2009, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, GSTC, gstc on cnn, jekyll island, jekyll island cnn, jekyll island press, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, sea turtles
Posted in Diversions, Nature Connection | No Comments »

Check out this great article about Jekyll Island from Family Motorcoach Magazine!

Tags: ga, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, jekyll island, jekyll island beach vacation, jekyll island lodging, motorcoach vacation, RV travel, sea turtles
Posted in Beach Bummin', Camping, Diversions, History comes Alive, In the News, Nature Connection | No Comments »

Reprinted by The Brunswick News Mon, Aug 11, 2008

By ANNA FERGUSON

With a few weeks left in the season, employees at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island are crossing their fingers in hopes of having a record year for loggerhead sea turtle nesting.

As of Friday, 165 loggerhead nests had been spotted along the Jekyll coastline. The record high for nests counted on the beach of the state park is 204, established in 2003.

“Things are going good,” said Stefanie Ouellette, education coordinator for the center.

Across the state, turtle counts have been equally positive. Turtle nests have reached a record high, with an estimated 1,544 nests on Georgia’s coastline.

Florida, too, has good news to report on the turtle front, noting a record high in nests counts since 2003, Ouellette said.

Loggerheads, an endangered species, typically have a nesting season that runs from June through August, with hatching season ending in October. Nesting counts had held steady in high numbers throughout the summer but began to slow toward the start of August, making this week’s count a welcome change, Ouellette said.

A number of explanations have been tossed about to account for the high number of nests, though no one reason can be pinned down, Ouellette said.

Last year’s nesting season was a record low for Jekyll, leading researchers to believe that this year’s high is part of the reptiles natural seasonal variations. The flux in counts could also be paying off from the ongoing efforts from the scientific community to increase awareness about nest protection and turtle preservation, Ouellette said.

“There is no one particular reason,” she said. “It could be any number of things.”

Whatever the reason, the 2008 nesting season is proving to be a great year, she said.

The turtle center is now switching its public awareness efforts from nests to hatchlings.

Turtle hatching season goes through the fall and is a season that is even more sensitive for turtles than nesting. Each nests holds an average of 100 to 120 eggs, with hatch rates posed between 80 and 100 percent for unmoved nests.

The baby turtles must make it from their nests to the ocean to survive, a move that is made doubly hard by harsh human lights.

“Now is the time to be even more careful about lights and keeping lights away from the beach,” Ouellette said.

To help ensure a safe route from the sand to the water for newly hatched turtles, Ouellete reminds beachgoers to point headlights away from dunes and to take precautions with flashlights by avoiding light use near the beach and adjacent sidewalks.

Tags: Georgia Sea Turtle Center, sea turtle, sea turtle hatching season, sea turtle nests
Posted in Diversions, In the News, Nature Connection | No Comments »

Investopedia
Top 9 Vacation Destinations For Wall Street Geeks
Friday July 18, 12:22 pm ET
Tara Struyk

Renowned investor Peter Lynch came up with this his best investment ideas not by studying in his office, but out on the street, where he could see the value of companies/products in action. No matter where he was or what he was doing, the wheels of investment analysis were always whirring quietly in his head.If you’re geeky about Wall Street and investing, it may not matter whether you’re placing trades with your broker or standing in line at the grocery store - the world of finance is never far from your thoughts. So, rather than try to leave your investor- think behind when you go on vacation, why not embrace your obsession by taking a trip that will please you and your family - and appeal to your inner geek. Here are our top picks.

1. Financial District, New York City
   Assuming you don’t work here already, you’ll want to visit Wall Street, the heart of the U.S. financial system. This lower Manhattan area is the original home of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), one of the world’s largest exchanges, and the headquarters of many of the largest American brokerages and investment banks. You can also visit the famous Wall Street Bull, a 7,000-pound bronze animal, whose flaring nostrils are often rubbed by traders for good luck.While You’re There: Although the NYSE, and many of the other institutions on Wall Street, are closed to the public, you’ll be within walking distance of hundreds of other major museums and attractions, including the Museum of American Financial History, at 26 and Broadway.
2. U.S. Bullion Depository (Fort Knox) - Fort Knox, Kentucky
   According to the U.S. Treasury, the “Gold Vault”, located at Bullion Boulevard at the intersection of Gold Vault Road, houses 147.3 million ounces of the U.S. gold reserves. It is a classified facility that does not allow visitors on the premises - a presidential order is required to gain access - but you can get a good view by traveling along US 31.While You’re There: Visit the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor, one of the largest in the U.S. Army Museum System (”Guide to U.S. Army Museums” (1997) by Cody Phillips)
3. Home of Warren Buffett - Omaha, Nebraska
   If you’re obsessed with investing, you might want to check out the birth place and hometown of the richest man in the world in 2008. Omaha is where Buffett earned his first dollars delivering newspapers, bought his first piece of land and where he still lives in the modest house he bought in 1958. It’s also where the headquarters of his company, Berkshire Hathaway are located.While You’re There: Buffett is known to be very down to earth, and still dines in local restaurants. Hang around long enough and you could catch a glimpse of this investing superstar, or at least absorb a little bit of his Midwestern, common-sense approach to investing.
4. Mount Washington Hotel - Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
   This regal historic building, open since 1902, is where the Bretton Woods monetary conference took place in 1944, leading to the creation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Stories about the hotel’s ghosts also abound, so although the Bretton Woods agreement was signed more than 100 years ago, you could bump into one of its signatories along one of the hotel’s passageways.While You’re There: The hotel is open for business year-round and attracts visitors for its championship golf courses. The Mount Washing Resort is also New Hampshire’s largest ski area.
5. Caymen Islands
   Located 480 miles south of Miami, this island country is one of the world’s largest offshore banking centers, according to a 2006 report by the Bank for International Settlements. The Caymen Islands are also known for giant turtles. As you watch these creatures lumber up the beach, you may not be able to help but ponder the billions of dollars that are slowly accumulating tax-free gains.While You’re There: Snorkel or scuba dive off the islands’ many beaches and soak up some sun.
6. Bre-X Minerals Mining Area - Busang, Indonesia
   If you’re looking for some adventure, head to the dense and humid jungles of the island of Borneo. It is deep within these jungles, in Busang, Indonesia, that Bre-X Minerals claimed it had found huge gold deposits. The claim turned out to be a fraud, leading to the company’s collapse. An April 1997 article in Nothern Miner, stated that locals panning for gold in the nearby river came up empty-handed, but even if you don’t stumble across a gleaming hunk of ore, the jungle is likely to leave you feeling like anything’s possible.While You’re There: Getting to this remote part of Indonesia is difficult. In addition, ongoing ethnic and religious tensions in the country can result in violence and unrest, so check the U.S. Department of State’s International Travel Information before visiting this region.
7. Jekyll Island, Georgia
   This 12-mile-long island along Georgia’s Atlantic Coast became a part of U.S. financial history when, in 1886, it became a private club for some of the country’s richest capitalists, including J.P. Morgan, William Rockefeller and William Vanderbilt. As such, it was on this island that a secret group of the country’s financiers met in 1910 to discuss the establishment of what would become the Federal Reserve banking system.While You’re There: Check out Jekyll’s National Historic Landmark District and get a sense of how those 20th century “robber barons” lived.
8. The Louvre - Paris, France
   This Museum in France’s famous capital is the home of the Code of Hammurabi, which includes what may be the first official laws governing relations between creditors and debtors. According to an article by Tonietti Alphonse, which appeared in a 1928 edition of Credit Monthly, the code makes a distinct effort to protect debtors from creditors while also holding the debtor legally responsible for meeting his obligations. The sixth king of Babylon’s (now part of Iraq) reputation as a lawmaker is evident in the U.S. as well, as depicted on several U.S. government buildings, including the U.S. House of Representatives and the Supreme Court building.While You’re There: In Paris, you can enjoy the French lifestyle, sample some world famous cuisine and find just about any activity you can think of to fill your time.
9. Yap Islands, Federated States of Micronesia
   This group of Pacific Ocean islands make up the least Westernized state of the Federate States of Micronesia and is best known for its famous stone money, called “rai”. These giant, donut-shaped stone disks can measure between three inches and 12 feet in diameter, and are valued both for their size and their history. Islanders only use the money for ceremonial purposes - tourists will be happy to learn that the U.S. dollar is used for everyday transactions.While You’re There: Relax! This tropical island boasts relatively low rates of tourism and is known for its beaches and scuba diving.

Celebrate your inner financial geek by unwinding at one of these destinations. If you’re inspired along the way, it could mean many happy returns.

Tags: coastal georgia, georgia coast, jekyll beach vacation, jekyll island, vacation destination
Posted in Beach Bummin', Diversions, History comes Alive, Horseback Riding, In the News, Kayaking & Canoeing, Nature Connection, On the Water, Serve it Up, Wild Georgia Golf | No Comments »