Cumberland Island Day 2

     Sitting on the front deck, I was slow to take in my surroundings. At 4:30 in the morning all is quiet. A soft breeze wafted over me, keeping me cool as I slowly sipped and enjoyed the aroma of a cup of coffee. The stars overhead appeared closer. The milky way appeared as a long stroke of a lighter shade of pale. Channel markers twinkled their red and green colors off in the distance, lighting the way for those cruisers who unadvisedly or unavoidably traveled at night. The only distraction was the distant lights of the navy port. Nothing appeared to be moving. I sat quietly on this moonless night watching the serene reflection of the stars wiggling in the water around the boat.
     As the morning sun began to lighten the eastward sky, I looked forward to what the day would bring. Once Beth gets up and has a coffee we would start the generator back up to launch the dingy for our trip to shore. The plan would be for us to have a picnic on the beach and let the dogs run and play in the water.  I can hardly wait to see Sophie's and Spencer's reaction when they see the horses.
                                                                                 

                                                                 Breakfast

     First Sophie, then Spencer  appeared on the front deck beside me. I knew Beth was out of bed and I found her already in the lazy boy chair enjoying her first sip of coffee.  We discussed our plans for the day and got ready to take the dogs to the island. As I launched the dingy, Beth prepared the backpack with beach blankets, water, camera, dogs leash and harness. It took both of us to get Sophie into her life jacket. (What gives that dog so much energy?)  Spencer on the other hand stood absolutely still and lifted each paw to fit into his life jacket.  He was ready to get in the dingy.
      We quickly landed the dingy at the visitor's dock and followed the dogs up to the island.
"Remarkable! Serene! Awe-inspiring!" I thought. I simply can't think of enough adjectives to describe this island that produced the same feelings in Beth and me had the day we first landed here in 2012.  We let the dogs run ahead and enjoy the freedom.
                                                                                   

                       
                                                       

Starting down the path to the beach we walked slowly through 100 plus year old trees bent and gnarled, with Spanish moss dripping from their limbs.  Slowly a surreal feeling evolved, like maybe we were in a mystical "Harry Potter" movie.  We rounded a bend just as a fawn walked out into the path. She spotted the dogs and stepped slowly onto an alternate path but did not go into the woods. She waited, curious to see little Sophie. She just stood there and stared at the tiny puppy. Beth called to her but her focus was on Sophie.  Sophie, on the other hand just sat and stared back. Neither dog barked. They all just sat staring quizzically at each other.
After about 5 to 10 minutes we turned to slowly walk toward the beach, looked back and the little fawn was following us down the path. When Beth squatted to offer some grapes, the fawn paused then meandered off into the dense bushes.

                                                                                  

                                                                               

     The dogs ran across the bridge over the sand dunes towards the seashore. We stopped to take pictures of the local flora, always keeping the dogs in sight. Cool air was drifting in off of the Atlantic so the dogs were cool enough to run and chase each other and made a game of who could get to Beth or me first, when we called them.  Returning back over the same bridge a large deer appeared beside the bridge blissfully eating leaves and shrubbery. It gave us a casual look when we stopped to take pictures then we meandered off to sit in the shade provided by the thick canopy of this aged woods. Peaceful, relaxing and a rejuvenating walk in the woods always seems to sooth the anxiety of the soul. It certainly did this time.
                                                                                   

                                                                                  

                                                                                   

                 
                                                                                       

                                                                                     

                                                                                 

                                                           Look what I found!


                                                                                  

     Returning to the boat, all of us were tired. Exhausted puppies curled up at our feet as we had the ultimate of pleasures....time for an afternoon nap!

                                                                               

                                            Doc's Holiday anchored at Cumberland Island

    
     We planned on returning to the island so the dogs could see the horses but a late afternoon thunderstorm with lots of lightning threatened than passed west of us, so we lifted the dingy on board and and cancelled the jaunt back to Cumberland isle.

 Tomorrow we would resume our relentless march south.