Check out this broadcast of part 4 of the “Gullah/Geechee Nation International Music & Movement Festival™ 2009.” This segment includes an ancestral tribute at the Wanderer Memorial on Jekyll Island, GA in the Gullah/Geechee Nation. The Wanderer Memorial was erected at St. Andrews Picnic Area to remember the people who died on that last known ship to smuggle slaves into the United States and deliver them into captivity.

Tags: georgia beach, georgia beaches, gullah-geechee, jekyll island, jekyll island history, last slave ship, st. andrews jekyll island, the Wanderer
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Reprinted from Jacksonville.com, By Teresa Stepzinski

BRUNSWICK - The bigger, better Jekyll Island public boat ramp is now open to fishermen and boaters.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has completed a $441,265 project to renovate and expand the boat ramp on Jekyll Creek near Ski Rixen Pond. It was one of four public boat ramps in Coastal Georgia to undergo renovations with state funds approved by the General Assembly. Another is at Bellville in McIntosh County.

Beginning July 7, workers replaced the old 20-foot-wide concrete ramp with a 50-foot-wide one and added 80 feet of floating dock to the 20-foot long service dock, said Shawn Jordan, project coordinator with the department’s Coastal Resources Division.

The adjacent parking lot was upgraded and expanded by two acres, Jordan said.

The renovations will benefit both resident and non-resident anglers and the local economy, said Doug Haymans, the division’s constituent services program supervisor.

“The boat ramp is now big enough to accommodate regional and national fishing tournaments. There is plenty of water and room to launch three 30-foot boats at once during low tide from the ramp,” Haymans said.

Boats that size are common in kingfish and other tournaments.

Recreational and sportfishing generates millions of dollars for Georgia’s economy each year. The state’s best triple tail fishing is found off Jekyll Island. It also is a popular launching site for fishermen seeking redfish and trout in nearby waters, Haymans said.

Before the state’s budget crunch, the General Assembly approved spending $1.3 million to improve four Coastal Georgia public boat ramps. The Jekyll project was the largest.

Tags: georgia beach, georgia beaches, jekyll island, jekyll island boat ramp, jekyll island boating, jekyll island fishing
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First Redeveloped Condominium Hotel Opens Doors This Week

Jekyll Island, Ga., Nov. 18, 2008 – Although real estate development has stagnated in most parts of the country, it’s moving ahead rapidly on Jekyll Island, Georgia. In October, the board of directors for the Jekyll Island Authority approved revitalization plans for the island paradise, and this week Jekyll Oceanfront Resort becomes the first redeveloped condominium hotel to open its doors to owners and guests on this state-owned barrier island.

“During the real estate boom in the early part of this decade, developers seemed to have overlooked Jekyll Island,” said Tripp Snyder, Managing Partner, Jekyll Oceanfront Development Investors 1, LLC (JODI 1), “so the prices have remained extremely attractive for development. The hotel condominiums are absolutely one of the best investments on the East Coast because of the incredible affordability of Jekyll Island.”

Lower construction costs have allowed Jekyll Oceanfront Development to rebuild and now sell these condo-hotel villas at a great value. They used the best architects, designers, and contractors available to update and enhance the former 1970’s-style facilities to 21^st-century standards. For example, the lobby of the resort is undergoing a complete re-design by noted interior designer Lisa Torbett, whose work has been featured in Architectural Digest and other prestigious design publications.

These beach-access and ocean-front villas are being offered for prices ranging from $100,000 to $495,000. Comparable condominiums with beach access on neighboring islands cost in excess of a million dollars.

“We’re experiencing exceptionally strong investment interest,” said Snyder. “Because beach-access real estate is a rare and limited commodity, this property is probably one of the safest purchases in the country today. At a time when many other investments have lost their luster, investment ocean-front real estate is highly attractive. For example, one potential buyer is purchasing three units. Many have told us that the value of property on Jekyll Island will only continue to appreciate.”

“The new Jekyll Oceanfront Resort is an absolutely beautiful and affordable resort within steps of our pristine, highly desirable beaches,” said C. Jones Hooks, Executive Director, Jekyll Island Authority. “The dream of revitalization is quickly becoming a reality here on Jekyll Island, and it’s really exciting to see the transformation take place.”

State law mandates that 65 percent of Jekyll island remain in its undeveloped natural state, and the revitalization plan places high priority on environmental preservation. The hotel condominiums, which are located on ten acres of lushly landscaped oceanfront property, have been redesigned to both utilize the existing footprint already in place, and also reflect the beautiful historic district design.

“This is just the kind of project that Jekyll needs to revitalize the island,” said former State Senator Ed Boshears.

The Jekyll Oceanfront Resort units are the first of their kind to be offered for sale on Jekyll Island. Once purchased, they will be available for rental by the Jekyll Oceanfront Resort’s management team. “We’ve already been approached by investors who see this as a good place to put their money,” said Snyder. “It’s a difficult economy, and in their view this investment has limited down-side risk and exciting up-side potential. Plus, they like being able to take advantage of the state-mandated rental program for a top-notch resort. But it’s much more than simply a terrific investment. The property is located on a beautiful barrier island that offers one of the best locations on the East Coast for a delightful and affordable vacation.”

Tags: ga, georgia beach, georgia coast, jekyll condominium, jekyll island, jekyll oceanfront resort
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