Martha Terrell’s Jekyll Island Memories
Friday, September 4th, 2009
My family found Jekyll in the summer of 1959. I am an only child and until then we vacationed in Miami every summer. On the way home to W. Va. We saw the causeway entry and decided to check the island out. We came across the drawbridge and straight to the beach. There were three motels on the ocean side and we chose the Wanderer. That’s how a 50 year experience started. My obsession for Jekyll never wanes. I worry about the new upgrading. I know it must happen for the future of the island. Sad for me and I’m sure others.
I met a boy at the Wanderer whose aunt was the activities director. We became friends so that when his aunt moved to the Corsair my family started staying there. Our families planned the vacation dates to co-inside. That lasted until I started college and we all drifted apart. Those were fun times. There were teen dances by the pool, safari trips at night to see the wildlife, crabbing, movies and lots of water activities.
My dad caught a big red snapper on a deep sea trip. He took it back to the hotel restaurant for them to cook that night and serve to anyone who wanted some.
I loved watching the shrimp boats come and go. We often went to the pier to see them unload.
My first honeymoon was at Jekyll and my second one too. Such a beautiful place to relax unless you happen to run into your new in-laws on the island. Neither of us knew the other had plans to be there. Quite a shock. You see these in-laws lived in Delaware and we lived in Charlotte, N. C.
I had two children in my first marriage and four in the next. My husband and I had moved to Arkansas so it was not and still is not easy to get to Jekyll. One trip was with all eight of us in a custom van. Crowded! Our children love the beach and Jekyll. My oldest daughter introduced her husband to our secret last year. They flew from Little Rock, AR. He fell in love just like us. Our other daughter was planning her wedding on the island for June until their house burned and was a total loss. Changed everyone’s’ plans.
My two oldest boys got to experience the ski rixen. They enjoyed that. My younger four had fun at the water park and putt-putt. Of course we all enjoyed time in the older part of the island. As many times as I have been there I learn something new every time.
We started staying at the Wanderer again when the children arrived. It always has the largest rooms. And because of memories we still stay there. I have a painting of the live oak tree that has always been near the pool and sidewalk leading to the beach. A lady here in AR painted it from a photograph taken around 1990. We have taken pictures of that tree for 50 years. The island is magic!
