Leaving Isle of Hope

It is very hard to leave this beautiful place.  We have come to love Isle of Hope but we are leaving today heading for Sullivan's Island in South Carolina.  Before leaving I took some shots of the boat and the marina. 

There were some guys fishing under the ramp just before we left this afternoon.  They had caught Drum and bait fish.  We saw a dead possum floating by and I overheard some of the dock hands commenting that it would surely bring in the gators.  Kind of makes it a little easier to leave.

I spotted  "Duchess" in one of the slips and had to go take a peek at her.  She was built in 1939 and is  quite lovely.   The woodwork is amazing and in great shape.  

Look at the leaded glass windows

 

While waiting for Steve and Matthew to return from their quick trip to Home Depot, I got to see the dock hands lower a boat into the river with a boat lift.  

 Below are some pictures of how our boat  at this marina. 

I like this picture of Meandering Joy!!!

It looks like we have plenty of room to leave the marina from this angle. 

Here is a better glimpse of how narrow the fairway is that we navigate.  There is not much wiggle room.

Meandering Joy is the second boat on the left--that's another Fleming on the right named Evergreen.  

Herb, the owner of the boat on the right, decided that he would make it easier for us to leave by moving his boat out before we left.  A big Thank You to Herb.  We would have made it out fine--we have already done this twice--but it sure make it nicer not to have to hold our breath while getting through the slim fit.  

We are now headed to Daufuskie Island where we plan to rent a golf cart and explore this interesting island that can only be reached by ferry.  

joy

Wormsloe Historic Site

The entrance to Wormsloe

After obtaining a land grant of 500 acres, a man called Noble Jones built a fortified home along the Skidaway river about halfway between the Atlantic Ocean and Savannah, Georgia.   This home was a part of many defensive structures coordinated by James Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia, to protect the colony from a potential Spanish invasion.  Today Wormsloe consists of the remains of the tabby constructed home, a colonial life demonstration area, a one and a half mile oak lined avenue, and a large mansion built by Jones' descendants.  

Tabby Walls of the fort/home

Looking up through the Sabal Palmetto

Contrast the gnarly dead tree with the flourishing green marshy area

Colonial life demonstration area

View from the colonial demonstration area over the marsh

The Avenue of Oaks

We road our bikes from the Isle of Hope Marina to Wormsloe Historic Site and through the Avenue of Oaks.  We discovered that many people have wedding photographs taken here.  We have to agree this would be a great place for a wedding. 

joy

Isle of Hope

Isle of Hope is located in Chatham County, Georgia.  The name alone is an invitation to stop in for  visit.  Isle of Hope is located just a few miles from Savannah.  When one pictures a beautiful old southern town, Bluff Drive in Isle of Hope fits the bill.  The elite in Savannah built their summer cottages in this historic community on the Skidaway River.  The oak trees lining Bluff Drive are massive with Spanish moss hanging off their limbs making it difficult for the sunshine to make its way to the road.  The front porches are as inviting as the people in this community. 

Isle of Hope is in fact, not an island.  Folk lore abounds that this area was used by pirates to hide their booty.  It is also been said that the French Huguenots used this area as a refuge from persecution.  One some early maps, the name of this peaceful location is L'Isle Desperance. 

Right around the bend in the road from Isle of Hope Marina is Wormsloe Historic Site.  The remains of the fort built by Noble Jones along the Skidaway Narrows.  Noble Jones was granted this tract of land in 1733  by James Oglethorpe who founded the colony of Georgia.  A visit to this site today is a must.  To visit by bike is an even better treat.  The descendants of Noble Jones still inhabit a home on this site.   There is a museum which houses artifacts from the early fort along with the story of its development through time. 

In the 1870's there was a daily train service form Savannah to Isle of Hope.  Where the railroad met the river was a place known as Barbee's Pavilion.  This pavilion become world renowned in the 1920's.  It housed at different times, a skating rink, a dance hall and a turtle soup factory.  The Barbee family ran a terrapin farm which supplied restaurants all over the country with the delicacy.  When the streetcars stopped running to Isle of Hope in the 1960's, business to Barbee's Pavilion waned and eventually the pavilion closed in 1968.  There is still a Barbee presence along Bluff Drive--look for the cottage with a "B" .

The pavilion at the marina--great place to meet people or enjoy the view of the Skidaway river.

 

Private docks lining the Skidaway rive--I saw dolphin swimming here but wasn't fast enough with the camera.

This little guy hangs out at our boat all day--he likes to walk along the line looking for fish

Steve checking out the barn -- could we build this at our house?

Tennis Anyone?

Interesting sculpture we spotted in front yard of this home.

A rising tide--the grass is eventually covered completely by water.