Month: July 2020

Welcome back to one of Jekyll’s best places to learn the hidden lessons of nature and all about alligators.

By Ben Carswell

JIA Director of Conservation

For the wildlife denizens of Jekyll Island’s Horton Pond, the year 2020 has been… unremarkable. Despite the historic challenges that are taking place in the larger world, the relatively peaceful natural realm surrounding Horton Pond continues as though nothing is afoot. Visitors and residents can take comfort in knowing that this serene refuge has also continued to bring peace and healing relief through the improvements that the Jekyll Island Foundation funded in 2014.

In Spring, alligators awoke from their winter torpor and went about their usual grumbly mating rituals, occasionally scattering the turtle squad gathered on the basking platform with no care for social distance. Wood ducks moved back into the Pond’s nesting box. Now in Summer, the Kingfisher’s rattling call echoes from water’s edge to the tops of the tall pines. Night herons peer out from shadowy shrubs along the bank. The anhinga somehow achieves a comic beauty despite appearing to be a mashup of a turkey, a fish, and a snake. The dragon flies have arrived now. They are hunters of insects, but they are hunted themselves, from below by bass in the pond and from above by swallow-tailed kites whose unmatched regal grace in the skies inspires faith that the world shall overcome.

In this timeless theater of biodiversity, the show flows on, and the island is delighted to be able to share this encore with you again, through our Gatorology program. This Ranger led experience focuses on instilling appreciation, knowledge, and respect for the ancient American Alligator. Now an even more intimate educational experience, the maximum number of tickets per session has been lowered to six. We hope you’ll join us!

Gatorology is offered at the Horton Pond observation deck each Wednesday and Friday from 11:00 am – 12 noon through September.

To support CONSERVATION efforts on Jekyll Island, click HERE.

By Kaylee Johnson

JIA Mosaic Museum Assistant Manager

For the first time in 130 years, Hollybourne cottage will be open to the public for regular visitation! Tours of this cottage are no longer only held in the month of May but will be done twice daily beginning this month. Beginning July 1, 2020, Jekyll Island guests can explore this impressive building while on the Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum’s Bridgebuilder’s Cottage tour.

Hollybourne cottage, built in 1890, was the winter vacation home of Pennsylvanian Charles Stewart Maurice, his wife Charlotte, and their nine children. For fifty years the Maurice family wintered here on Jekyll Island in their spacious tabby house. Charles, a bridge builder, included several bridge building techniques in the construction of his holiday home, like the loadbearing trusses in the walls and attic and pier support system in the basement.

The Mosaic’s incredible interpretive staff invite island guests to join them on a basement-to-attic guided tour of Hollybourne. Tour-goers will get to dive into the history of the Maurice family’s stays on Jekyll Island and their involvement with the historic Jekyll Island Club, the fascinating construction methods employed in the building of this cottage, and current preservation projects that are still under way.

The preservation of Hollybourne has been a long, and still ongoing, journey. For well over twenty years dedicated volunteers and staff, and generous donors, have labored to return this cottage to its Gilded Age glory. We would like to thank all involved for making the reopening of Hollybourne to the public a possibility.

Click historic tours for more information. To reserve a seat on the Bridgebuilder’s Cottage tour click HERE or call the Mosaic Gift Shop at (912) 635-4036. To support, text JekyllMosaic + $ amount to (844) 899-2692 and follow the prompts.

By Rob Mahon, GSTC General Manager

& Michelle Kaylor, GSTC Rehabilitation Manager

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) has reopened its doors to the public! The past few months have been unexpected and unprecedented around the world. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center was closed for nearly 2 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but then reopened on May 15 under limited capacity with increased sanitation protocols. Please visit the GSTC website for details on these enhanced safety measures.

The staff at the GSTC are excited to welcome back visitors and have already educated a number of guests looking to learn about sea turtles, other turtle species, and the GSTC conservation mission of EDUCATION, REHABILITATION, & RESEARCH.  In addition to the daily programs that guests will still experience when visiting the Center, turtle walks are also still available to be scheduled. 

Diamondback Terrapin (DBT) nesting season is half-way complete and has already surpassed GSTC historical records. DBT team members have encountered 534 individual DBTs on the causeway thus far and are fast approaching the 2015 season record of 520 individuals.

In the hospital, 10 adult female terrapins are being cared for due to car incursion, and the incubators are at capacity, warming and growing 217 DBT eggs, some of which are beginning to hatch after their 45-day incubation period. One adult DBT female – named KIA – has been released so far this season.  She was hit by a car, brought into the hospital, rehabilitated, and was ready to go!

The 2020 Diamondback Terrapin Road Season could not have been successful without the support from the Jekyll Island Foundation and its donors.  To support the ongoing work of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, text GiveJekyll + $ amount to (844) 889-2692 and follow the prompts, or visit the Jekyll Island E-commerce store. 

By Alexa Orndoff

Director, JIA Marketing & Communications

There’s no better feeling than passing through those historic gates, making your way down the causeway, and entering this special place. The feeling can’t be replicated and sometimes, it’s even hard to articulate. It’s unmatched by memories and photographs. A simple souvenir can’t replace the experience, but it often serves as a wonderful reminder. It might even inspire you to give back as a way to stay connected. With the redesign of our new Jekyll Island online retail store staying connected is now that much more accessible.

Launched in July, the Jekyll Island e-commerce shop offers an expansive collection of merchandise and memorabilia, some of which was only previously available in on-island gift shops. Visitors can find vintage-inspired t-shirts, highly sought-after island treasures, and even the heavily requested Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) front license plate. From symbolic sea turtle adoptions to annual memberships to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, the revamped online store is modern and clean, with a focus on intuitive navigation, allowing visitors to both find what their looking for and discover recommendations for popular items, including ways to give back.

And, speaking of giving back, if after your relaxing trip to Jekyll Island you feel inspired to get involved, the Jekyll Island Foundation is the answer. Visit their website to GIVE NOW, Become a Member, honor family or friends with a Tribute Gift, or support your favorite cause – CONSERVATION – HISTORIC PRESERVATION/MOSAIC MUSEUM – GSTC. Your partnership directly impacts the work of the Foundation and its efforts to keep the history, natural beauty and character of Jekyll Island alive.