Despite all the devastation, the good folks of St Mary’s GA managed to pull off another wonderful Thanksgiving day celebration. 38 boats anchored in the harbor and a total of 150 people gathered for the feast. While the food took center stage in the lobby, the real draw is the people. We renewed old friendships and made new ones. Cruisers are an interesting bunch. They come from all walks of life with all levels of experience and all sorts of different destinations in mind. But the shared experiences of living and traveling on a boat bind us together in a unique way.
The town managed to get a dinghy dock opened just in time for the fleet to arrive!
Lots of delicious food. So much so that overflow tables had to be set up to hold it all.
Jerry, the 4th generation hotel proprietor hard at work. A great host!
After leaving St Mary’s, we usually try to stop by Cumberland Island. It’s a peaceful spot originally developed by the Carnegies and then used by Lucy Carnegie and her children as their winter home. The museum in St Mary’s has lots of exhibits about what life was like during the islands heyday. Today, it’s mostly in ruins. But it’s still a great place to hike and explore.
The ruins of the old Carnegie estate, Dungeness.
Fernandina Beach was also hard hit by the storms. They have managed to re-open the mooring field and the dinghy dock so we could go ashore to enjoy our annual T-Rays’ burger!
Christmas decorations are beginning to show up everywhere. We’re grateful when people wait and let us enjoy Thanksgiving before starting the commercial engine up. We particularly like the non-commercial reminders of what Christmas is all about, a birthday celebration!
Another beautiful sunset, something we never tire of.
But if not…