Jekyll Island Golf Cart Nature Tours

Explore Jekyll Island’s Golf Courses

“Fore” a Birding and Nature Adventure

You don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy the beautiful courses of Jekyll Island.

The golf courses on Jekyll Island abound with native species of animals and plants.

Explore the lives and habitats of egrets, herons, deer and raccoon, turtles, frogs

and many more island creatures.

Both morning and afternoon tours are scheduled for the summer.

Call 912-635-2368 to reserve a spot- or, just drop by and join the tour!

(Private tours available by appointment.)

See the schedule below or check our website at: www.jekyllisland.com/golf

$15 a person for the two hour tour.

Tours will be led by

Lydia C. Thompson (Wild Bird Unlimited Nature Shop’s Chief Naturalist and Artist-in-Residence),

Christa Frangiamore (JIA’s Conservation Manager)

or visiting naturalists.

Don’t forget your camera and binoculars!

Tags: beach vacation, Beachscape, emerald princess, feedback, geocaching on jekyll island jekyll island georgia, Georgia, georgia beach vacation, georgia beaches, georgia coast, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, golden isles, golf, island treasures, jekyll, jekyll island, jekyll island authority, jekyll island beach, jekyll island beach vacation, Jekyll Island Beachscape, jekyll island birding, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island facts, jekyll island festivals, jekyll island golf, jekyll island history, jekyll island revitalization, jekyll island vacation, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival
Posted in Coastal Georgia Golf League, Wild Georgia Golf | No Comments »

PLACE	Week # 2 Results — July 4 - Indian Mound
1	Gulfstream	56
2	Longhorns	58
3	Prundential Georgia Intracoastal Properties	59
4	Suzie’s Friends	61
5	Emerald Princess II Casino	61
	Year - To - Date Standings	Week #1	Week #2		Total
1	Gulfstream	140	150		290
2	Longhorns	150	140		290
3	Prundential Georgia Intracoastal Properties	125	130		255
4	Suzie’s Friends	117.5	122.5		240
5	Emerald Princess II Casino	117.5	122.5		240
6	Dan Vaden Chevrolet	130	100		230
7	Jekyll Island Authority	110	112.5		222.5
8	Ingalls C.	100	112.5		212.5
9	Sanctuary Cove Golf Club	100	100		200
10	Summer Waves Water Park	100	100		200
11	King & Prince Seafood	100	100		200

Tags: Beachscape, emerald princess, feedback, Georgia, georgia beach vacation, georgia coast, georgia's jewel, golden isles, island treasures, jekyll island, jekyll island authority, jekyll island beach, jekyll island beach vacation, Jekyll Island Beachscape, Jekyll Island Club Hotel, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island golf, jekyll island history, jekyll island hotels, Jekyll Island vacations, Shrimp & Grits Festival, shrimp and grits, Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival
Posted in Coastal Georgia Golf League, Wild Georgia Golf | No Comments »

Tags: Add new tag, brunswick golf, coastal golf, emereald princess, georgia golf, jekyll island authority, jekyll island beach, jekyll island beach vacation, Jekyll Island Beachscape, jekyll island birding, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island georgia, jekyll island golf, Jekyll Island Golf Club, jekyll island history, jekyll island revitalization, jekyll island vacation, sea turtles, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival
Posted in Coastal Georgia Golf League, Wild Georgia Golf | No Comments »

Monday, June 8 
5:30-7:00, Georgia Sea Turtle Center 
Georgia Sea Turtle Center – Two Years Later and Beyond 
Meet the staff at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for a private tour of the Center and a discussion with Dr. Terry Norton, Director of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, on success stories and accomplishments from the past two years plus their vision for the future.
FREE with paid admission to the Center. Reservations Required.
  
Tuesday, June 9 
5:30 – 7:00, Georgia Sea Turtle Center 
Turtles Are Not the Only Animals that Nest on Jekyll Island - A discussion with Jim Gertis, Beekeeper, and Lydia Thompson. 
Learn from Jim Gertis and Lydia Thompson about other animals that nest on Jekyll Island. Jim will give information on bee keeping and the natural benefits of honey. Lydia will speak on Wilson’s Plovers, savvy little birds that nest on Jekyll Island’s beaches and have a unique social structure. 
FREE with paid admission to the Center. Reservations Required
  
Wednesday, June 10 
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Georgia Sea Turtle Center 
Movie Night, Finding Nemo 
Join staff from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for a movie night at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Bring you favorite sea life stuffed animal, blanket or sleeping bag, and watch this classic under-the-seas movie. 
PLEASE NOTE: This activity is closed to registrations.
  
Thursday, June 11 
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Jekyll Island Beachdeck 
Beach Sweep 
Help us clean the Jekyll Island beach so that the sea turtles have pristine nesting grounds. 
FREE
  

Friday, June 12 
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM, Georgia Sea Turtle Center 
Breakfast with Scute and Pajama Tour 
Join the staff from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center along with Scute the Sea Turtle for a delicious breakfast and tour of the Center – in your pajamas! All kids are invited to wear their pajamas as they watch the turtles rise and shine for their day. 
$11 per person. Includes admission to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Reservations Required.
  
Saturday, June 13 
12:00 Noon – 4:00 PM, Jekyll Island Beachdeck 
Nest Fest Party at the Beachdeck 
Join the staff at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for an afternoon of interactive educational activities, arts and crafts, and fun on the beach. Vendors and exhibitors from various organizations in the Brunswick-Golden Isles region will also be present with hands-on exhibits. Kids can test their skills in the always popular Turtle Crawl obstacle course. Plus, one or more of the rehabilitated patients from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center will be released. 
FREE
  
In addition to all these great activities, kids can visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and have their picture taken with Scute or vote on their favorite sea turtle patient to win Patient of the Year. Votes are accepted throughout the month of June. The winner will be announced online on July 2. For more information on any of these activities contact the Georgia Sea Turtle Center at 912-635-4444 or visit www.jekyllisland.com/nestfest.

Tags: beach cleaning, finding nemo, georgia beaches, georgia coast, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, georgia sea turtle center birthday, golden isles, jekyll island, Jekyll Island Beachscape, jekyll island festivals, Nest Fest, scute the sea turtle, sea turtle festival, sea turtle nesting, sea turtle nesting festival, sea turtles
Posted in Beachscape, June 2009 | No Comments »

Jekyll Island volunteer citizens have teamed up to coordinate the first annual Easter Egg Stroll on April 11. The Stroll is a laid back alternative to the Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Festival previously held. It is geared toward young children ages 6 and under. All eggs will be numbered and will have to be redeemed for prizes at the Easter Egg Stroll Information Booth located near the Sweet Shoppe. One unspecified number will merit a grand prize. There will be 12 of these lucky grand prize eggs hidden. Otherwise small prizes will be awarded based on the number of eggs found, with a limit of 20 per child. Once the eggs are redeemed for prizes, they will be re-hidden for other children to find throughout the afternoon. The event is free; for more information, contact the Jekyll Island Visitor Information Center at (912) 635-3636.
 
 
In addition to the Easter Egg Stroll, the Jekyll Island History Center will also offer a special free tram ride at 11:30 that day. Guests are encouraged to wear their best Easter attire and take a 20 minute, kid-friendly tram ride through the beautiful Jekyll Island Club National Historic Landmark District. The ride will end near the Easter Egg Stroll Information Booth where the kids can begin their egg hunt. Although the ride is free, spaces are limited. Please make your reservations by calling the Jekyll Island Museum
at 635-4036.

Tags: Beachscape, easter, easter at the beach, easter celebration, easter egg hunt, Easter Festival, georgia coast, georgia coast easter, golden isles easter, historic district, historic tram ride, jekyll, jekyll island, jekyll island authority, jekyll island beach, Jekyll Island Beachscape, jekyll island club national historic landmark, jekyll island easter egg stroll, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island history, jekyll island museum
Posted in April 2009, Beachscape | No Comments »

Celebrate Spring on Jekyll Island with the first annual Jekyll Island Mother Nature Festival on Saturday, April 18, 2009. The festival boasts numerous activities for families to enjoy the outdoors and explore Jekyll Island while being green-conscious. Be sure to check out the activities below:
  
Festival Highlights
 
Friday, April 17
 
Pre-Fest Beachsweep, 10 AM–12 Noon, Beachdeck
Join the Jekyll Island Authority as they clean the beach in preparation for Earth Day. Gloves and trash bags provided. Just bring some helpful hands!
 
 
Saturday, April 18
Eco-Friendly Craft Zone & Exhibitor Area, 10 AM – 4 PM, Georgia Sea Turtle Center
Make eco-friendly crafts and peruse the numerous arts and crafts vendors, local ecology groups, and green friendly businesses displaying their items and information. Also, step inside the Georgia Sea Turtle Center to learn about sea turtles and their habitat.
 
 
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle- Regift Auction,
10 AM – 4 PM, Georgia Sea Turtle Center
Bid on a variety of items “re-gifted” to the Center in honor of the Mother Nature Festival. The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Re-gift Auction puts a spin on the typical silent auction. Proceeds go to the continuing operation of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. We still need donated items.
 
 
Family Fishing Day 10 AM – 2 PM,
Rixen Pond behind Tidelands Nature Center
Join the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division for an afternoon of fishing at Rixen Pond. Free fishing poles provided as well as tips and advice.
 
 
Helicopter Tours 10AM – 4PM,
Jekyll Island Airport
Take a helicopter tour above Jekyll Island with Dragonfly Helicopters. $25 per person.
 
 

Kite Flying Demonstration
11 AM – 1PM, Beach at Blackbeard’s Restaurant
Watch as Coastal Windsports demonstrates their kite flying skills on the beach. Free.
 
 

Herpetology Session
2:00 PM, Tidelands Nature Center
Join the staff at Tidelands in a hands-on demonstration of amphibians and reptiles that make their home on Jekyll Island.
 
 
Outdoor Excursions
Make reservations for a variety of outdoor adventures in Dolphin Tours, Off-Shore Fishing Trips, Horseback Rides on the Beach, Kayak Excursions, a Bird Ramble, or a Beach Ecology Walk.

For more information on all of the Mother Nature festival activities and outdoor excursions, visit: www.jekyllisland.com/mothernaturefestival

Tags: Add new tag, arts and crafts, Beachscape, coastal georgia festivals, coastal windsports, conservation, dolphin tours, eco crafts, ecology, family fishing day, fishing trips, georgia beach vacation, georgia beaches, georgia coast, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, helicopter tours, jekyll island, Jekyll Island Beachscape, jekyll island mother nature festival, kite flying, Mother Nature Festival, re-gift, recycle, reduce, reuse, rixen pond, sea turtle conservation, sea turtles, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, tidelands nature center
Posted in April 2009, Beachscape | No Comments »

So you want to be a rehabilitation technician or a hospital coordinator? It sounds so glamorous. Well, it is very rewarding to work directly with and help sea turtles and every day there is something new to learn. In reality, many tasks are repetitive- scrubbing tanks, cleaning feces out of the water, doing water changes, chopping fish and other food items, and lifting heavy objects are all part of a technician’s day. However, it is important for our staff to take advantage of this intense labor to put their observation skills to work. There are many subtle signs that may indicate a turtle is getting better or worse-their level of activity, appetite, defecation, fecal observation, etc. Each turtle has its own personality and when you work with them everyday, you begin to see subtleties that may otherwise go unrecognized.
Multi-tasking is a key skill that must be mastered when working as a member of the animal care team. It is possible that in just one day on the job, one person may clean tanks, perform blood work, fecal exams, x-rays, anesthesia, assist in surgery, train volunteers, talk to the public about what we do, chop fish and prepare various diets, tube feed a turtle, repair a filtration system, back wash and do a major water change on a tank, mix artificial salt water, perform water quality tests, clean instruments, wrap surgery packs, order supplies, write an article, check emails, hold a turtle for treatment, give an injection, clean a wound, admit a new patient and go to a meeting. Lunch may not be on the agenda. This often ends up as a 12 hour work day.

So who are these crazy people? Erika, Michelle, Jeannie, Amy, and Rachel, that’s who! There are also a whole host of amazing volunteers but that story is for another day. Erika Kemler is our hospital coordinator. She ensures that everything functions properly from treatments to keeping the hospital organized to making sure we have all the supplies we need to assisting in anesthesia and surgery to maintaining all the medical equipment. The list goes on and on. Erika assists in all aspects of husbandry as well. Michelle is our tank and filtration specialist. We depend on her tremendously for her knowledge in this area, as well as all aspects of our operation from husbandry, veterinary care, and interacting with the public. Jeannie is our commissary queen. She is in charge of ensuring all patient diets are correct and fish and other food items are of the highest quality and fully stocked. Like the other staff, Jeannie is involved with all aspects of husbandry and veterinary care. Amy is the new kid on the block, but no less important than the others. She is a very fast learner and will eventually be involved in all aspects of husbandry and veterinary care. Rachel is our current husbandry intern. Although, the focus of this internship is husbandry (feeding, cleaning, observations, tank and filtration maintenance, etc), there are opportunities to be involved in the entire operation.

It has been a true pleasure to see our program blossom to what it is today. These women are great at what they do and the reason for our success. The energy that you feel and see when you are working them is infectious. I truly could not ask for a better team. They are amazing. Come to the Center and see for yourself.

Tags: Add new tag, georgia beaches, georgia coast, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, jekyll island, jekyll island beach vacation, Jekyll Island Beachscape, sea turtles, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island
Posted in Beachscape, March 2009 | No Comments »

Plan Your Event Schedule to Include Jekyll Island’s Events!

Following are dates of events that are still available.

April 18 – Mother Nature Festival. Arts/Crafts Vendors. Vendors must sell eco-friendly or earth/nature related arts and gifts.
June 13 – Nest Fest. Arts/Crafts Vendors. Vendors must sell eco-friendly
or earth/nature related arts and gifts.
July 4 – Fireworks Extravaganza. Arts/Crafts and Food Vendors.
August 22 – Beach Music and Barbecue Festival. Arts/Crafts and Food Vendors
September 18-20 – Shrimp and Grits Festival. Arts/Crafts, Antique, and Food Vendors.
November 28 - Jekyll Island Christmas Tree Lighting Festival. Arts/Crafts and Food Vendors.

For more information contact Beth Burnsed at 912-635-4189 or bburnsed@jekyllisland.com.

Tags: Jekyll Island Beachscape, Jekyll Island Events
Posted in Beachscape, March 2009 | No Comments »

(Reprinted with permission)

Each May, as water temperatures rise and the cold weather systems stabilize, several species of fish converge on the coastal waters of Georgia. This mass migration of fish sets off a migration of its own, local anglers heading to their favorite fishing drops. Don’t miss out on the action.

Tripletail, also known as Eddy Fish, move into the waters surrounding the Golden Isles in May. These fish get their name from the fact that their dorasl and anal fins extend back almost as far as their tail fin, thus giving them the look of having three tails. The Eddy Fish name comes from their habit of nosing up to a piling or other structure on the down current or eddy side. From here they ambush pray that swim by. These fish are shaped much like a fresh water bream but grow to near 30 pounds. This deep shape allows them to be strong fighters when hooked with the added benefit of producing several jumps before coming to boat side.

For some unknown reason the North end of Jekyll Island holds the biggest concentration of Tripletail in the area. Fish move with the tide and can be found a couple of hundred yards off the beach on high tide to a couple of miles on low tide.

Tripletail have a unique habit of floating on their sides near the surface of the water. I believe this may be a way of attracting shrimp and minnows, just as shrimp and baitfish are attracted to the shadow of debris floating in the water. If you see one from a boat and its back is to you, it resembles a black plastic bag floating in the water. If its belly is to you it looks like a white plastic bag.

The best bait for Tripletail is live shrimp, a close second is a four inch artificial Gulp shrimp produced by Berkley. Either is fished a foot below a Cajun Thunder cork. Spinning tackle works best, long casts are sometimes necessary. I prefer a Shakespeare Uglystick seven and a half foot rod and a Pflueger President reel. I like Stren Super Braid line in 30 pound test for this fishing and 30 pound test Vanish Fluorocarbon line for leader. I use a 3/0 circle hook when fishing live shrimp and a 1/16 ounce jig head with a 3/0 hook when using the Gulp.

Tripletail is the only fish species along the Georgia coast that offers true sight fishing. Anglers idle along looking for the black back or white belly floating on the surface. When a fish is sighted the boat is positioned so the fisherman can cast a bait in front of and past it. Note, it is sometimes difficult to determine which way the fish is facing. The bait is then reeled back to the fish and stopped right in front of it, within a foot if possible. Often the Tripletail will ease to and bump the cork, backup, then see and take the bait. You can see the fish just under the water and the temptation is to set the hook before the fish takes the bait. Anglers must wait until the cork is down or they feel the fish before setting the hook. Once hooked a good Tripletail will strip off several yards of line two or three times and go airborne several times before coming to boat side.

Tags: Fishing on Jekyll Island, jekyll island beach vacation, Jekyll Island Beachscape, tripletail fishing
Posted in Beachscape, May 2008, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Discover Jekyll Island Treasures
For generations, beachcombers have delighted in finding glass fishing floats that separated from European and Asian fish nets. The colorful floats could drift for years, driven by winds and currents, tossed and polished by the surf and sand until they eventually washed up on beaches around the world. Today, finding one of the original glass floats is rare; the fragile glass spheres face the are often broken or lost among crashing waves, rocky shorelines, and tangling seaweed. Every year, Jekyll Island celebrates the tradition of finding glass fishing floats by placing colorful blown glass floats along the beaches. Beginning on January 1, a special group of “Beach Buddies” hide the hand-crafted floats above the high water line on Jekyll Island’s beaches. From January 1 through February the floats hide among the shores, waiting for a special Jekyll visitor to discover it. After a beach comber finds a float, he or she takes the treasure to the Jekyll Island Visitor Information Center on Downing Musgrove Causeway. There, the finder can register the float, receive a certificate of authenticity, and have his or her picture taken to post on the Island Treasures website. For more information on how you can discover an Island Treasure, visit www.jekyllisland.com/islandtreasures

Tags: beachcombers, beachcombing, glass fishing net floats, island treasures, Jekyll Island Beachscape
Posted in Beachscape, January 2008, Page 1 | 1 Comment »