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Listen as Eric Garvey, Jekyll Island’s, Chief Communications Officer, gives an interesting overview, a brief history, and an update on the revitalization of Jekyll Island on the “Georgia Focus” program on the Georgia News Network with interviewer, John Clark.
You will also quickly realize that the Georgia Sea Turtle Center is a|gallery, featuring the talents of local artists to promote turtle awareness and conservation.
Tyler Dominey, a local Brunswick blacksmith and artist, has metal sculptures of sea turtles throughout the center on exhibit and for sale. These distinctive, one-of-a-kind art pieces depict marine life inspired by Coastal Georgia.
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center’s very own staff member, Bill Heck, a retired public school teacher from Akron, OH, is very talented with a paintbrush. His educational murals are found around in the center, from the puppet theater to the restrooms!
The underwater artwork of artist and educator, Sherrie Jameson and three students from Macon’s Central High School adorn Amy’s tank, one of our loggerhead sea turtle patients.
Former museum exhibit designer, Raymond Rawls of Gainesville, Florida combined his artistic talents and knowledge of wildlife to create breath-taking artwork used in various displays about turtles and terrapins.
Composer, orchestral arranger and producer Bob Weitz and his musical wizardry shines through as you watch our puppet show, “Scute’s Ocean Adventure,” in our Center’s presentation gallery.
You will see turtle awareness and conservation goes hand in hand with art when you visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. A great deal of artistic talent will surround you. Come by, visit us today, witness first hand our amazingly talented staff and volunteers as they treat and care for our turtle patients, and educate our visitors.
visit the Georgia
Sea Turtle Center
214 Stable Road, Jekyll
Island or go online:
georgiaseaturtlecenter.org
 February 28 by captnkelli (2 found)
Attended with the family; we had a blast! Came in 4th for an Island Treasure! I’ve been attending this event since it’s conception and this was the best year yet; I can’t wait until next year! Thanks for all the hard work and time you put into this event!!!
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| February 27 by change-is-good (1009 found)
Once again, team “change-is-good” was successful. It was an all out race from one end of the island to the other. We enjoyed meeting many old faces again, and many new faces. Thanks JIA for sponsoring this event. |
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| February 27 by Nurse 1 (808 found)
Geodziadz went with ConnArtist, had a good time. (Wish I could’ve been there! |
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| February 27 by Spotlighter42 (46 found)
We had a lot of fun on Jekyll today. We did not get one of the island treasures, but we did find all five caches and work out the clues. We were probably about 15 to 20 minutes too late. We will be better prepared for next year so look out. Congrats to Gunguy&fam (3rd) and carrolla&MISSANNE (18th , i believe) |
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| February 27 by ConnArtist (1017 found)
Our first event of this kind, we had no plan and our too old to run and finished about 20 minutes ‘out of the money.’ But we had a great time and look forward to doing this again. We’ll be back next time…with a plan, hopefully, so we won’t spend as much time driving aimlessly! Thanks for all your work setting up such a fun time for everybody….. |
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| February 27 by Soccer Coach (54 found)
Attended with family cachers Tim/GA & Flamingoquilter. We had a great day on the island. I drove up from Miami, Florida yesterday & heading home tomorrow. We were lucky to leave with an Island Treasure #16 of 20. Thank you to Larissa for all your hard work for a fun event! |
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| February 27 by soccermom101 (87 found)
Attended with tgen and family and had a great time. It was a beautiful day for caching. We were won of the lucky ones to receive the Island Treasure. See you next year! |
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| February 27 by tgen (245 found)
Wow! Arrived at the event location and found many cachers ready to do some serious caching to find one of the island treasures. I didn’t realize this was going to be so competitive. We received the instruction page then off we went. We decided to go for the south side locations first then for the north end. We got a little turned around on our 4th location, but found the 5th location in no time. Made it back to the Red Bug Pizza and came in 19th….whew! Just made it, 10 seconds after we walked out the door, the next team arrived. Had a great time doing this event. May try to come back next year. |
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| February 27 by succotash (1962 found)
We traveled in from Aiken South Carolina for this event, a pleasant four-hour drive. Last year we attended the event and had a great time but were not lucky enough to find a globe (we purchased one anyway as a reminder of Jekyll). This year we were lucky enough to earn one of the treasures! We had a great time exploring the island looking for the treasure boxes. We met some geocachers from Alabama that seemed to be on our same route and were so happy to see they earned a globe as well. Corn is nursing a sore leg after doing a running hurdle over a downed tree near the amphitheater – if we come back next year, we’ll have to do some marathon preparations in the weeks leading up to the event! He thinks a sore calf was well worth the beautiful globe. It was nice meeting and chatting with other cachers as well as meeting Larissa, thanks for all the effort it took to host this event. We enjoyed relaxing at the Red Bug for a late lunch after the event, then continued our exploration of Jekyll to find the new caches placed since last year. We loved this event, thanks. |
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| February 27 by kth1022 (28 found)
We came and had a great time! Lots of new places to see and lots of running to get Island treasure!! We were one of the first 3 or 4 in to get one! YAY! |
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| February 27 by PooNBoo (334 found)
We (Tigerspy, Momsvet, and I plus youngest cacher there) had a great time today! We came in 17th, which was a big surprise since after almost getting run over (literally) by other cachers we decided to take it slow and just have a good time. Of course, we did some running once we were out of the car and had a heading on one of the boxes… This year’s format was great, and added more excitement to the hunt, in my opinion. The only negative part was the reckless driving on the part of a few of the cachers. They were tearing around the parking lot and on the roads when they were heading to another location, regardless of the people (children included) that were nearby. This is a really great way to get cachers together and out to a beautiful island for one-of-a-kind treasures…I really hope it continues and that nobody gets injured! We were there last year and will be back again! Thanks SO much for setting up this event! Oh…didn’t see a whole bunch of familiar faces, but did see a few… It was good to meet some new people…hope to see you guys on the train again sometime! [This entry was edited by PooNBoo on Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 4:55:09 PM.] |
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| February 27 by gunguy&fam (350 found)
Man! What good time. This was our first event, and what a way to start. I felt like I was apart of “The Amazing Race” I had heard of the previous events and seems like this format was much better. Many thanks to Larissa for putting this on. This is one I will definitely look forward to every year. Got to meet some local and some not-so-local cachers. Had a great time! Finding one of those elusive Orbs was a big payoff too, I think we were the 3rd or 4th group in. It will be up on the mantle before the night is over. Cache on!
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| February 27 by ktsmom (260 found)
This was our first time attending this event. Will be back for next year’s event!! Great crowd and met lots of nice folks. |
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| February 27 by mrsmaonaigh (117 found)
Had a terrific time! We are now the proud new owners of one of the beautiful globes. We’ll be posting pics soon. I haven’t done that much running in a long time. Thank you for the wonderful time! |
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| February 27 by unx3 (76 found)
Didn’t win the main prizes but did get a frisbee. Loved every minute of it. |
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 February 27 by harthunter (2350 found)
Where’s all the pretty pictures? Hope someone took some! Can’t wait to see ‘em. |
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| February 27 by dark_onyx1982 (462 found)
Thank you for hosting a fun event at a beautiful location. My friend and I came in 26th. |
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| February 27 by carrolla&MISSANNE (304 found)
really enjoyed this event number 18 out of 20 to complete and get an orb |
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| February 27 by Egret Lake Louies (184 found)
Had a great time at the JI event today. Our second year attending. This year featured a great format and challenge! We finished 8th and claimed an Island Treasure. Thanks for putting this event on. See you again next year. |
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| February 27 by DanSSJ4 (88 found)
Tftc |
Thanks for Sharing Jake and Stone!
Reposted with permission from travelgracenotes.blogspot.com
Travels with Jake and Stone: A Paradise Lite.
Thursday, January 21, 2010 – Our ride down from Jersey to Washington, DC, proves to be surprisingly easy. We rendezvous with our old DC pals, Da Labetts, and the previously mentioned Farles, for dinner at the Carlyle in the DC suburb of Shirlington. When we parked in the garage nearest the restaurant we parked in one of the many spots reserved for “The MacNeil/Lehrer Report: 9am-5pm.” And sure enough, WNET was right across the street, where they are apparently in no hurry to repaint the reservations with the updated “NewsHour” name.
Our meal was a wonderful all-around experience – great food, good wine, good service, and a stylish atmosphere. The crowd was typically DC, which meant it was hard to find anyone over 30 years old. And it was busy. It seems that in DC they have yet to hear about the recession. The dinner was a terrific way to start this vacation, that celebrates our 30th anniversary, with two other couples so happily married for almost as long. God bless us, everyone.
Friday, January 22, 2010 – We breakfast at a suburban DC diner called the Music Box and again we are six in number. But here Mrs Da L (who had to work, poor dear) has been replaced by the Farles’ son who will soon begin work in DC as a lawyer. After eggs and ham, and hugs and goodbyes, we hit the road aiming for Lexington, VA. The drive is rainy and cool, with some trees actually frosted by twinkling ice.
In Lexington we have some soup at a little bakery on Washington Street, then walk over to the campus of Washington and Lee University for a tour of Lee Chapel and Museum, which we can highly recommend. Highlights: the early portrait of a young George Washington by Peale that hangs on the left side of the chapel, the recumbent statue of Lee which dominates the scene, the concise museum downstairs, and finally, the Lee family crypt. This chapel — which is not really a chapel in the usual sense, having no religious or denominational connection — serves as a reminder of the religiosity that marked the Civil War, since it could be argued that Robert E. Lee lies in the crypt below the chapel in the same manner and for the same reasons that Popes are interred in the Vatican Grotto.
But then again, this is Virginia, not Rome, and it should be noted that outside the chapel, near the crypt doors as a matter of fact, one can visit another marked interment: that of General Lee’s horse, Traveller.
We spend the night at the Kerr House B&B in Statesville, NC. Unlike DC, here there is a recession. The restaurant we wanted to go to has closed, as has the music place we had hoped to frequent after dinner. At least the B&B proves to be quite nice (though up for sale!) and we get a good night’s sleep.
Saturday, January 23, 2010 – After a good breakfast and a friendly chat with the B&B owners we head down toward Walterboro, SC, which bills itself as “The Front Porch of the Low Country.” In the attractive historic area of town we drop into the Downtown Books and Espresso for a light lunch of coffee and pastry. Two elderly women sit and knit at one of the communal tables; we ask if we can join them, they say “of course.”
One of the best reasons to travel is to realize your own presumptions. We had sat down thinking we would find little in common with these two old, small town women and their knitting. Well, turns out they had just come back from a vacation themselves – to Peru! They talked of sharing some local “brew” with almost toothless native men in a dirt floored café of sorts, of hiking around Machu Picchu, and of para-gliding(!) off the cliffs of Lima. It all made Jekyll Island seem rather tame. Still we had a wonderful time talking with them, and realized what we would realize again and again on this trip – that down here conversation comes easily.
We get to Jekyll at 4pm, get the keys to our 2 BR duplex, and move in, all before 
dark. Down here just above Florida there is at least one more hour of daylight than back home. We want to make it over to the Jekyll Island Club Hotel while there is still light, for we know from previous experience that the Club’s sprawling grounds can be difficult to navigate after dark.
We make it to one of the hotel’s several eateries, Vincent’s Pub, just as happy hour is ending, which is good, because it opens up some seats in this intimate place. We toast our first night in Jekyll with a couple of martinis, then order some crab cakes and a burger from the room service menu, despite the 20% service charge. Though happy hour has expired, several southern male aristocrats are still seriously in the spirit of the hour(s) past, but we find charm in their bluster, thanks to their accents and our martinis.
Just outside Vincent’s and up one level is the hotel’s in-house deli where we get some java and croissants to go. Even at night the grounds of this grand old place, once the exclusive haunt of millionaires, are quietly enchanting. Our walk back to the car, amidst the quiet demi-dark of palm trees and formal gardens, seems magical, but looming as well. But once back in our simple but sweet 2BR place all that truly looms is a good night’s sleep.
Sunday, January 24, 2010 – Bike rental for the two of us for what’s left of the week is about $100. We take the bikes for a little exploratory ride down to the beach via King Avenue where we see way more birds than people. We do some food shopping at the little grocery store in the strip mall that is the only serious retail on the island. Today’s temp is perfect for us: 61 degrees.
Stone drops Jake off for some windy golf at Great Dunes, an interesting 9-holer that dates from 1926 and costs but $10 to walk. The layout is basically links-like, except for the 
occasional stand of wind-blown trees, and the grass is all brown (dormant, Jake guesses) except for the greens, which range in size from small to micro. In fact, Jake stepped off the two axises of the the circular 9th green and they each measured 16 paces. While Jake fights the wind and his game, Stone drives around a bit, visiting the sea turtle center and finding a close-in parking spot for our next visit to the hotel. Back at the ranch/duplex we do some lunch, some napping, some reading, and then it is time for dinner and a DVD movie.
Monday, January 25, 2010 – Stone says Jake slept trough a major thunderstorm last
night and on Jake’s morning bike ride to get a newspaper the evidence of the downpour is everywhere. Puddles dot the bike trail, and the broad and empty beach looks newly washed, with nary a footprint marring its plaster like sand.
Besides Great Dunes, Jekyll has three 18-hole golf courses, but today Oleander is closed because it is too wet to play. The starter suggests Indian Mound where, even though it is sunny and prime golf time (10 am) Jake tees off alone. The course has brown fairways, is very wet and the wind is quite stiff most of the time, but the sky is sun-filled and for $26 to walk it’s one heck of a deal. There is no extra charge for seeing a rather large turtle (at least by Jersey standards) and several herons. Stone spends the morning biking and walking along the beach. We both need some nap time after our lunch back in the duplex.
When we were here before we had a good meal at Coastal Kitchen so we go then again tonight for dinner; we are not disappointed. This classy restaurant, right off the causeway on the way to St. Simons Island, features a large list of wine by the glass and great seafood, including fresh, wild Georgia shrimp.
After dinner we drive into St. Simons looking for the movie theater that seems so easy to find on Google maps. Alas, we get lost in a maze of malls that would do Jersey proud, and are about to give up when we spot a small sign that saves the night. We catch the last show of the night, “Sherlock Holmes,” which gets out at about midnight. Rather than risk another mall maze we see a sign for I-95 and know our way from there, so we take the Interstate home.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 — Jake bikes into the strip mall again for the morning 
paper. The day is sunny and breezy. The ocean along the bike path is much calmer than yesterday and several people walk the sand. After breakfast we two take a beach walk. After our walk we visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and its attached turtle hospital, which proves quite interesting. We had hoped to have lunch at the Crane Cottage but it is closed, so we walk over to Latitude 31, but they are not doing lunch either. We end up at Morgan’s Grill at the golf course(s), which serves surprisingly good golfer food.
Since tonight is our anniversary night we go upscale to Halyards restaurant on St. Simons Island. The drinks and wine are first rate. Stone’s Chilean sea bass is wonderful, as is Jake’s blue fin tuna salad. Finding out that it is our anniversary they give us a free dessert. It all makes for a memorable evening and we don’t even get lost going home.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 – Another day of sunshine and temps (eventually) in the low 60’s. Did somebody say perfect? We do breakfast at Morgan’s before Jake does another 18 holes, this time on Pine Lakes. Jake plays with a friendly married couple who summer in Maine and winter down here. The green fairways (different type of grass?) give Pine Lakes a better look than Indian Mound, and the course is surprising dry, giving a good run to drives that fine the generous fairways.
Stone does a long bike ride of around 10 miles, heading up to the northern end of Jekyll Island and back. Along the way she discovers some gift shops, marsh lands with lots of birds, the historic Horton House and an equally historic cemetery.
As the afternoon lengthens, we head over to the hotel, which is on the western side of this small island (Jekyll must be only about 1.5 miles wide in most places) in hopes of seeing the sunset. At the Lobby Bar (which was featured in the movie, “The Legend of Bagger Vance”) we get our drinks, then find some seats on the veranda 
overlooking the sculptured lawns, the palms trees, the walking paths, and the developing sunset over the small river that separates Jekyll from mainland Georgia. There are maybe half a dozen other people on the veranda. We all fall into easy conversation as the sun sets, the sky ribbons itself in purplish rust, and another wonderful day on Jekyll slips into darkness.
Thursday, January 27, 2010 – Stone is eager to show Jake what she discovered on yesterday’s bike ride, so off we go on the main bike path north. Last night on the veranda we were told not to miss Driftwood Beach, which is on the northern part of the island, and indeed to day we find it just off the bike path through a set of trees. Driftwood Beach is littered with giant trees, apparently washed up during Hurricane Hugo. No wonder it is the most photographed place on a very picturesque island. Along the beach we find some sand dollars that are still alive and some unusual shells, including welks, one with the little animal still inside!
The bike trail then heads into a vast marshland where herons and egrets stalk the muddy ri
vulets with patience and a ballet-like tempo that can be mesmerizing to watch. At the top of the island there is a fishing pier and a picnic area. Then we bike down the west side of Jekyll, curving through miles of high trees that drip Spanish moss almost ostentatiously, as if each tree were trying to out festoon its neighbor.
Back down near the hotel we ride on Old Plantation Road to the Crane Cottage (built in 1919 by one of Jekyll’s millionaire families), where after a comfortable 15 minute wait in the cottage’s “living room,” (made more comfortable by a waitress taking our drink order) we have an alfresco lunch aside the cottage’s center courtyard and loggia (this millionaire had a thing for Italian architecture); delightful in every way.
Later in the day, around 4:30, when it’s safe to say hardly anyone will be on the golf courses, Jake finally gets Stone to join him in hitting and then chasing the little white ball around the landscaping. We have a wonderful time by ourselves on the Oleander course, which is now open for play but still quite wet. We end up having only time for seven holes
before darkness sets in, but during our good-walk-not-spoiled we see a family of deer and a lone bald eagle, hear an owl hoot from somewhere in the gloaming, and watch the almost full moon harden into view above the pine trees, tall guardians of this bit of Nature.
Friday, January 29, 2010 – This morning both of us bike for the paper, and as we pass the beach we spot four or five dolphins less than 100 yards off shore; quite thrilling for us. While watching the dolphins we meet a guy from Florida (he is not particularly impressed by the dolphins’ presence – he says sees them all the time where he lives) who used to live on St. Simons. Again we fall into easy conversation about this and that, and he ends up giving us some local recommendations for food on St. Simons: Barbara Jean’s for crab cakes, Sweet Mama’s for breakfast and the 4th of May for just good local food.
While Stone spends the day reading and biking and walking, it’s another golf day for Jake. He plays on Pine Lakes again, with another husband and wife duo, this time from North Carolina. Jake enjoys the round, which includes a baby alligator sighting, yet finds that the golf on Jekyll has not all that he had hoped. Perhaps his hopes had been too high. The golf is plentiful and cheap, but he found the 18-holers to be without much personality, and with few memorable holes. In fact, the Great Dunes Nine had the most memorable hole: #5: a 466 yard par 5 that ends with a pur-blind shot to a seriously elevated mini green that overlooks the ocean.
We do an early dinner, do the packing for tomorrow’s leaving, and watch another DVD movie. Outside, our near week of perfect weather (ever day sunny, usually a breeze, mornings in the 40’s, highs near 60) seems about to change. The evening’s sky is full of scudding clouds, the moon rises and then disappears behind a bank of pearly, soon to be charcoal, clouds. On a final check before bedtime, raindrops begin to dot the sidewalk.
Saturday, January 30, 2010 – Rainy but a balmy 57 degrees as we drop off the duplex keys and head back north. Our weather continues to be rainy but is not problematic till just outside Fayetteville, NC, where I-95 slows down due to ice and snow. We pull into Dunn, NC, to find the town beginning to shut down, virtually paralyzed by what is a major ice storm. On the main street we find a fast food place that remains open and have what passes for lunch. We are there a good half hour and all the while not another soul enters the place.
Worried that dinner in town will be impossible, we ask where we might buy provisions and are directed to Wal-Mart where we get some nice snacks and two good looking salad platters. When we arrive at our B&B – it is only a couple of blocks off the main street (which seems to be the only plowed street around) and we are one of the few cars on the road which makes driving on the ice and snow a lot easier – our hosts are kind enough to invite us to dinner that night with them and two other couples who live within walking distance. We offer our salads and a bottle of wine as our contribution to dinner, then go up to our room delighted with our good luck.
The dinner is everything a good dinner party should be – good food, good drinks, good people. Jake and Stone are both put immediately at ease, and we both revel in the dinner conversation that ranges from local politics, neighbors, and the history of Dunn, to more worldly affairs – and those southern accents as well!
After such a dinner it should go without saying that this B&B in Dunn is on our highly recommended list, but even if the storm had not occasioned such generosity 
from our hosts, we would still think that the Simply Divine B&B simply lives up to its name. The bedrooms are large and smartly decorated, the parlors are several and comfortable, and throughout the house, which dates from 1906, there is a pervading sense of quality and pride. And the price was divine, too.
Sunday, January 31, 2010 – The drive north from Dunn on I-95 is slow going at first. After our first 2 hours we had gone only 60 miles. But then things got better and once we hit Virginia it was pretty much clear sailing all the way to Washington, DC – or more specifically, Alexandria, VA.
We checked into the Morrison House in the Old Town part of Alexandria, where somehow we had gotten a room for under $200 total – including taxes and valet parking. We feared such a luxury place might be a little snooty, but everyone on the staff was friendly and helpful, and what few patrons we saw seemed normal enough. Everything was just about perfect – from the plush bathrobes to the free wine hour – except for the WiFi. Why such a “luxury boutique hotel,” has such a Byzantine wireless sign-up process is baffling. We ended up doing without the service. But just to get even, Jake wears his plush bathrobe as often as possible.
We didn’t have much time to explore the area, and the foot travel was made difficult by the often still not-shoveled snow on the narrow sidewalks, but we did discover an interesting place for coffee: Misha’s Coffee Roaster Coffeehouse. Misha’s is the opposite of elegant, but with art on the walls, coffee bean bags lying about, and a variety of clientele, it is its own kind of scene and worth a visit.
Down King Street, about a 10 minute walk from our hotel, is Brabo restaurant, where we meet a couple we became friends with recently and who live in the DC area. We hadn’t seen each other in some time and it was great seeing them again. Brabo is a fairly new restaurant and we hoped it would live up to its generally rave reviews. Well, it did. The room is elegant without being stuffy, the service both friendly and impeccable, the wine affordable, and the menu so enticing that we all had to ask for more time to decide what to eat. At the end of the night we all agreed the evening had been – well, great.
Monday, February 1, 2010 – On the way home, which took us but 3 hours from the hotel to exit 9 on the Dear Old Jersey Pike(!), we reviewed Jekyll to see if we might go again. The weather, the golf, the biking, the walking, the ocean, and the (sea)food, had mostly met or surpassed our expectations. Indeed, our week in Jekyll had turned out to be a sort of toned down version of our month in Sequim, WA, which we consider our summer paradise. We could never spend a month in Jekyll as we did in Sequim, but for a winter’s week (or maybe two weeks, next year) it certainly turned out to be a Paradise Lite.
David Millman, the wonderful artist who is painting the “dog” we adopted from the Humane Society to display the “Essence” of Jekyll Island (hence her name), graciously sent over the following pictures of her progress. David is really doing a great job, and “Essence” is becoming more and more beautiful every day! Thanks for your hard work, David!
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“The United Way of Coastal Georgia has raised $1,100,369.00 during the 2009 campaign! This will help many non-profit organizations throughout this community. JEKYLL ISLAND reached our goal of $25,000! This exceeds last years’ contributions by 150%.
Thank you all for your hard work and dedication to making this campaign successful. Nothing great can ever be achieved without teamwork and enthusiasm.I have had the greatest experience of working with each and everyone of you and would not change it for the world. You are all exceptional and made it happen!”
There are some very special residents on this island, hopefully just temporary ones passing through on their way back home. The locals know all about them. And you can get to know them too with a visit to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.
Yes, these residents are sea turtles. The turtles at Georgia Sea Turtle Center are being treated for various injuries or illnesses before they can return to their home in the ocean. Right now there are dozens of turtles unable to survive on their own or needing to wait until the waters warm up. That is where some of the loving comes in.
The staff and volunteers of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center have a special affinity for these turtles. Led by Director/Veterinarian Dr. Terry Norton, turtles receive individual care daily. Dr. Norton and others treat patients with more than just medications and procedures- they treat them with kindness. It is contagious, something visitors to the center do not mind being exposed to. While visiting Jekyll Island, you can fall in love again- this time with our patients. Come meet Emma, an amazing turtle recovering from a serious boat strike or Caton from nearby Blackbeard Island who was a “floater.” Griffin, our oldest and largest resident, will capture your heart, as will his fellow patients.
With Valentine’s Day in the air, come visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for a stroll in the Exhibit Gallery, watch the staff treat turtles, hear a special presentation, or walk through the Rehabilitation Pavilion to meet our patients. You could be hit by Cupid’s arrow when you do!
Some stories have very happy-endings all around… Talbot, a sub-adult loggerhead sea turtle, that was stranded on Talbot Island, Florida in September was transported to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for treatment. Talbot had a rope wrapped around both shoulders, with it deeply embedded into the skin and muscle of the left shoulder. The right shoulder wound was much less severe. However, 8 inches of the tip of one flipper was seriously damaged and had to be removed by Center Director/Veterinarian Dr. Terry Norton. The surgery was a success and Talbot is completely healed and was released on December 28 from the Cape Canaveral National Sea Shore, where warmer water permitted a safe release. The happy-ending for Talbot freed up some much needed space at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center to make room for the unanticipated arrival of 14 cold-stunned turtles from North Carolina and Florida giving the cold-stunned turtles a happy-ending too.
♦ Visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center 214 Stable Road, Jekyll Island or go online: georgiaseaturtlecenter.org
In June 2009, plans for a new Jekyll Island Beach Village were unveiled as part of the overall effort to revitalize the island. The focus of the Beach Village is the main commercial area of the island where the current strip retail shopping center and the convention center now sit. The Beach Village plan will reconfigure this area into a pedestrian-friendly shopping village with a small main street framed by shops and cafes. The main street will terminate into a large Village Green that will be adjacent and overlooking the dunes and beach. Breezes from the Atlantic Ocean will bring fresh smells of the salt air along the large public spaces. Conventioneers will be able to stroll along under covered arcades from the new hotels to the newly constructed Jekyll Island Convention Center.
Plans call for two new hotels in the beach village, both will serve convention delegates and vacationers. Each hotel will offer a different price point and a variety of options in terms of room sizes and amenities. A full service hotel is desired to be along the beachfront and an economy level hotel will be a short village block away from the beach and be fully integrated into the village setting. The plans call for around 500 lodging units in the Beach Village.
The new village main street will be framed with one-, two-, and three-story buildings in a coastal style with large roof overhangs creating large outside areas for cafes or merchandise display. There is an opportunity for some loft offices, residences and/or additional lodging units. Parking areas will be hidden, and large, wide sidewalks will encourage pedestrian activity. Several key locations will be designated as restaurant opportunities, taking full advantage of pedestrian traffic and fantastic views!
Village greenThe centerpiece of the Jekyll Island Beach Village is the new Village Green. The Village Green is the terminus and visual focal point for all vehicular traffic entering the island on Ben Fortson Parkway. It provides a clear axial view to the dunes, the beach and the ocean for all traffic headed east on the village main street. The Green creates a physical and conceptual connection between the community and the beach. It also provides an identifiable center of activity for the Jekyll Island community and guests. The Village Green also functions equally well as a passive space for residents and guests to enjoy a beverage or an ice cream, read a book, people watch, or escape the heat of the sun. It can also host art shows, concerts or children’s programs.
The majestic canopy of Jekyll Island’s live oaks will enhance the Beach Village entry experience at Ben Fortson Parkway. The two major roads of Jekyll Island, the Causeway and Beachview Drive, are both two-lane roads and provide adequate traffic capacity for the existing and proposed development. The four lanes of Ben Fortson Parkway are presently oversized. The new design will convert the existing eastbound lanes into a two-lane entry road. The existing westbound lanes will be used as part of an overflow parking lot. All improvements will take advantage of the existing live oaks to enhance the intimate character of the Jekyll Island entry experience.
One of ten sea turtles rescued from cold.
Ten cold and sick sea turtles that were rescued Thursday night in Florida found themselves taking a three hour van ride to the the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island. By Friday morning, all ten had been examined and were being treated, including swimming in warm mini-pools to bring up their body temperature. The turtles brought to Georgia are among a group of about 100 turtles found near death near Cape Canaveral. (the other 90 turtles are being cared for by rescue agencies in Florida.)
“The ten we took were basically suffering from hypothermia,“ says Dr. Terry Norton, wildlife veterinarian at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. “They were lethargice and we have been trying to bring up their body temperature. “
Norton told us Friday morning says all the turtles had received physical exams. He says the turtles were found “stunned” on the beach and some were nearly comotose. Norton says the turtles are sensitive to quick changes in water temperature and that the ocean temperature apparently dropped quickly because of the cold snap. “I do think we got to all of them in time though,“ Norton says. “I think all of them will survive. “
Center staff spent Friday examining all the turtles, which included drawing blood, sometimes from “patients” who weren’t all that interested in cooperating. “And then from their blood work, we can determine what kinds of fluids they get because we need to hydrate them,“ says Michelle Kaylor, Rehab Coordinator for the Center. Kaylor says unlike humans, turtles can’t generate their own body temperature. She says they react very quickly to their environment, so when the water temperature went down, she says the turtles got very cold, very fast.
The turtles are suffering from “cold stunning” or in terms you and I might relate to, hypothermia. It can affect their immune system and cause secondary problems like pneumonia. Their treatment includes placing them in mini-pools to warm them up a bit at a time. “When this turtle arrived last night he was not moving at all, he was stationery on the exam table,“ Jim Squires tells me. Squires is the general manager of the center and says teh care here has made a difference. He says most of the turtles are moving and showing signs of improvement. “These guys were very lucky, of course many sea turtles were rescued and we’re very happy about that,“ he says.
The recovery process is expected to take time however. “They can’t be released again now because the water is too cold and the temperature is quite severe so they’ll be with us over the winter,“ Squires says.
via Rescued Sea Turtles will spend the winter on Jekyll Island | WSAV.
Contact: Alexa Elsberry
The Butin Group
akelsberry@thebutingroup.com
(912) 638-9892
COUPLE DONATES OFFROAD RESCUE VEHICLE TO JEKYLL ISLAND
IN APPRECIATION OF RESCUE
December 14, 2009, Jekyll Island, GA – As an expression of appreciation, Shelley Allison of Jekyll Island presented an off-road rescue vehicle to the Jekyll Island Authority board. The Jekyll Island Fire and EMS Department came to Ms. Allison’s aid while she was suffering from a heart attack on a Jekyll Island beach this past year
Ms. Allison and her husband John presented the keys to a Honda Big Red multi-utility vehicle to Jones Hooks, Executive Director of the Jekyll Island Authority, and Jason Richardson, Director of Public Safety, as a Christmas present to all of the residents and guests of Jekyll Island. The Jekyll Island Authority’s Fire & EMS Department will use the rescue vehicle to quickly reach remote locations on the island where other EMS vehicles are not able to travel.
“Thank you for your generous contribution and for your dedicated overall support of Jekyll Island Fire & EMS,” said Richardson in accepting the gift. “Your donation is much needed and appreciated and will allow us to better serve Jekyll Island guests and residents for years to come.”
About the Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island is a barrier island on Georgia’s coast – midway between Jacksonville, Fla. And Savannah, Ga. Accessible by car just minutes from I-95, Jekyll Island offers a variety of amenities, including 10 miles of beach, four golf courses, a 250-acre Historic Landmark District, water park, tennis center, an array of lodging options including hotels, cottages and campgrounds.
Owned by the State of Georgia, and managed by the Jekyll Island State Park Authority,
Jekyll Island has had development limited to just 35 percent of its available land area. This unique aspect of Jekyll Island serves to preserve the critical barrier island ecosystem, and provide guests with a unique escape from the crowds and complications of other beach resort destinations.
The Jekyll Island Foundation is a public 501 © 3 organization which operates exclusively for charitable and educational purposes to support the work of the Jekyll Island Authority by assisting in the preservation, conservation and appreciation of Jekyll Island. Please visit www.jekyllisland.com for more information, or call 1-877-4JEKYLL.
About Suzie’s Friends
Suzie’s Friends is a no-kill, no-cage animal shelter for dogs and cats in Homerville, Georgia. Shelley and John Allison founded the sanctuary in November 2003 to help feed and heal animals that are hungry or abused. The shelter, which finds homes for abandoned animals, also cares for many of the displaced cats on Jekyll Island, which the Allison’s call home. Additional information about Suzie’s Friends can be found at www.suziesfriends.org.
the Hampton Inn & Suites impressive beach access, the ideal place to watch birds.
The Jekyll Island Club Hotel is pleased to announce a new offering — the Hampton Inn and Suites located in the new Jekyll Ocean Oaks development on the south end of Jekyll Island. The beachfront Hampton Inn and Suites will be jointly owned by New Castle and Jekyll Ocean Oaks, LLC, the owner-operator of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel.
Located minutes away from Jekyll Island’s historic district, the Convention Center, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and world class golf courses, the new facility will offer 138 guest rooms, 88 of which are suites with balconies.
The property utilizes solar panels for water heating, and the hotel is a member of the “Green” Hotel Association, a group of environmentally-friendly properties whose managers are eager to institute programs that save water, save energy and reduce solid waste.
Surrounded by 14.5 acres of beachside and maritime forest, the Hampton Inn and Suites provide the ideal environment for a weekend getaway, family vacation or small corporate events.
Features & Amenities • The Cloud Nine Bed — the “better than home” bedding experience available in all 138 guest rooms which include the 88 suites • Suites with balconies and beachfront views • All rooms with 32” flat screen TV s, mini fridge, a microwave oven and a coffee maker • FREE high-speed internet access • FREE On the House™ Hot Breakfast Buffet • Lobby Bar • Outdoor swimming pool, an expansive pool deck, a kid’s pool, and a large hot tub. • Beach access • Whirlpool • Fitness room • Bicycle Rentals • 400 sq ft executive meeting facilities • Onsite Business Center
more | Call (203) 447-7070
online | www.jekyllislandhamptoninn.com.
location | 200 Beachview Drive, Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island Club Member Alanson B. Houghton was known as America’s “business man diplomat.” Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.
by Andrea Marroquin, Museum Specialist
Houghton was known as America’s “business man diplomat.” Among the third generation of his family to head the Corning Glass Works, Houghton began learning the glass trade in 1889. In time, he became Vice President (1902-1910) and later President (1910-18) of Corning Glass Works. He would also serve as a U.S. Congressman and an ambassador to Germany and Great Britain. Despite an active political career, Houghton helped manage the family glass dynasty into his 70s.
Corning Glass Works had developed the glass light bulb casing for Thomas Edison’s incandescent lamp. With the company poised to bring affordable electricity to the masses, Houghton sought an automated means to rapidly and inexpensively produce light bulbs. Other Corning executives were reluctant to invest, so he and his brother Arthur financed it themselves. This resulted in the company’s first semi-automatic bulb-making machine in 1913. That year it produced 420 bulbs an hour and 40 million light bulbs. Houghton then negotiated agreements for Corning Glass to produce 40% of the incandescent light bulbs in America.
Corning Glass Works also cornered the market on railway signal glass. Intent on producing the best quality railroad lamps, Houghton established one of the nation’s earliest in-house research labs and hired professionally trained scientists. They studied how to improve the heat-resistance, durability, and color schemes of railroad lanterns and warning lights. The standards they set were adopted by the industry. As a result, the company manufactured 75% of railway signal glass used in America. Corning’s “shatterproof ” glass lanterns were soon a mainstay of the railroad industry.
The onset of World War I resulted in the loss of access to European laboratory glass. Beginning in 1914, Corning Glass Works began producing laboratory glassware. This led to a patent for a new borosilicate glass that would be used in kitchens across the nation. Under Houghton’s leadership in 1915, heatresisting Pyrex cookware was first introduced as a popular household product.
In January 1918, Houghton acquired Steuben Glass Works, retaining talented master artist Frederick Carder as its Art Director. Carder was known for his multi-hued luxury crystal. Carder produced iridescent luster glass in a variety of shades, including the popular Gold Aurene, Blue Aurene, and Verre de Soie. His creations included Venetianstyle millefiori wares and intarsia etched and colored glassware. Carder’s most recognizable innovations in cut glass techniques date to his time with Corning Glass Works. A prolific artist, Carder created 7,000 varieties of candlesticks, lamps, perfume bottles, bowls, vases, goblets and decanters. In later years, Houghton’s nephew, Arthur Amory Houghton, Jr., would manage Steuben’s development of clear crystal.
Alanson B. Houghton, a Jekyll Island Club Member from 1919 until his death in 1941, is known to have visited the island in 1919 and 1922. In 1936, Jekyll Island established an Annual Invitation Men’s Doubles Round Robin tennis tournament. Houghton donated a cup presented each year to the winners.
With Houghton at the helm as an executive of Corning Glass Works, the family-owned business tripled in size to become one of the leading glass manufacturers in the world. Houghton’s descendants have continued the family tradition, creating fine art glass, as well as glass for televisions, coffeemakers, fiber optics, the Hale and Hubble Telescopes, and windows for every U.S. manned space vehicle.
Your visit to GSTC helps Emma and her friends! As visitors realize, rehabilitating endangered sea turtles like Emma can be timeconsuming and costly, but very rewarding. Come visit GST C where you’ll learn about our efforts to aid sea turtles and things you can do to help. We promise you won’t be the same when you leave, and neither will the turtles! Visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center at 214 Stable Road on Jekyll Island or go online to: www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org
As Georgia’s first sea turtle rehabilitation, research, and educational facility, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) on Jekyll Island receives patients with a variety of injuries and illnesses.
Some of the turtles’ conditions are the result of natural environmental causes while others are caused by human impact. Regardless of the cause, our goal is to heal every turtle, where appropriate, and safely release them back into the wild.
On August 9, 2009, Emma arrived at GSTC after being stranded on a beach at Amelia Island, Florida.
Emma is a green sea turtle who Dr. Terry Norton, Director/Veterinarian describes as arriving with “the most severe boat strike injury that I have ever seen in a live turtle. She is truly amazing.” With a large gash in her carapace (upper shell) likely caused by a boat propeller Emma’s treatment includes regular cleansing of her wound, applying sterile honeycoated bandages that are used for human burn victims and then applying a waterproof bandage so that she can spend her days in the water which allows her to eat. In the evenings, the wound is again cleansed covered with a silver mesh material and then Wound Vacuum Assisted therapy is applied while she is kept out of the water. Initially, Emma even spent overnights at the homes of trained staff where her recovery could be monitored. The great news is Emma is eating well and actively moving around. It’s a long road to recovery for her but she’s well on her way. Visitors to GSTC can see Emma and her incredible progress.
Your visit to Georgia Sea Turtle Center helps Emma and her friends! As visitors realize, rehabilitating endangered sea turtles like Emma can be time-consuming and costly, but very rewarding. Come visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center where you’ll learn about our efforts to aid sea turtles and things you can do to help. We promise you won’t be the same when you leave, and neither will the turtles! Visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center at 214 Stable Road on Jekyll Island or go online to: www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org
Antiques by Carla Cook Smith.
The Jekyll Island Arts Association will host the exceptional work of photographer; Carla Cook Smith and whittler; Ernest Shaver on exhibit at Goodyear Gallery January 4th – 31st. The artists’ reception will be held Sunday, January 10th from 1–3 p.m.
Photographer, Carla Cook Smith discovered a new side of her self when she picked up a camera. As a painter, she photographed places and things she wanted to paint. However she started to see the beauty of photography all on its own. The lens opened to show her the extraordinary beauty of ordinary things. Through the camera Carla takes the time to absorb the beauty of what is before her: storm clouds on the marsh, sand blowing across the desert, a dusty radio, an interesting reflection or a new perspective of a cemetery. Carla’s hope is that her work opens others to pleasant thoughts and new experiences.
Woodpecker by Ernest Shaver
Self taught in the art of hand carvings whittler, Ernest Shaver began wood carving with a pocket knife in 1980. Early on, he concentrated on hand carving walking sticks that feature mammals, reptiles, human faces, vines, and abstract images. Most recently, he started hand carving song birds and woodpeckers using several wood types such as bass, buckeye, and tupelo. Ernest strives to develop the implied image of each walking stick or bird by the natural shape of the original wood.
Admission is always free in Goodyear’s gallery and shop which is located in the Jekyll Island Historic District. Their regular hours are Monday–Friday, Noon–4 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
date | January 4th – 31st, Monday–Friday
hours | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
phone | (912) 635-3920
location | Goodyear Gallery
price | Free entrance
We have our first “virtual” Island Treasure float finder of 2010! His name is Logan Porter of Glenville, GA, and he says, “I’m so excited to have won an Island Treasure! I have actually looked for these on Jekyll Island in the past and on JekyllIsland.com. I started looking this year on January 1st. Thank you so much–this is so exciting!!!!”
Thank you Logan for being a fan of Jekyll Island and Island Treasures!
and he says of our Island Treasure Float Finder program, where we place on our beaches beautiful glass art pieces that mimick the floats fishermen would use in their nets in the past . . .
“Great idea! Have been reading about it for years, but never here during the right months. Thank You! We love Jekyll. Have been visiting for 30+ years.”
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) Thanks for organizing this event.
We will be back next year.
Thanks for sharing Jake and Stone!