AN ICON REIMAGINED
The newly renovated Jekyll Island Club Resort stands as the quintessential emblem of the Golden Isles in Georgia, presenting an enduring allure of timeless elegance. With its blend of waterfront lifestyle, captivating grounds, exquisite dining options, inviting pools, oceanfront access and an opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle, the resort promises to envelop guests in a tapestry of rich history and charm.
30
A Moving Tribute
Whether for a brief stay or a season, migratory species thrive on Jekyll By Tony Rehagen
38
The Women's League
Men built the Jekyll Island Club; women broke down barriers By Mary Logan Bikoff
THE MAGAZINE OF JEKYLL ISLAND
Fall/Winter 2024 • Vol. 7 No. 2
46
Falling
for Fall
On Jekyll, autumn offers a different kind of stunning, natural beauty By Jessica
Salty Dog
Whittingslow
56
Storied Places
Several buildings around the island preserve history and embrace the present By Jacinta Howard
Vacationing with a pup, even a quirky one, is really a breeze . . . if you're prepared By Mary Jo DiLonardo
Boat House Ruins
Once-hopping site was island's lifeline flora
Saltwater Standout
Tasty pickleweed a briny survivor fauna
The Incredible Oyster
This beloved bivalve acts as backbone of the marsh
guardian
Building A Legacy
Developer Dave Curtis key to the revitalization of Jekyll firsts
Before Faith, Union Worship on Jekyll Island began in a tiny chapel
artisan
Island Treasures Father-son glassblowers craft a popular prize my jekyll
State Rep. Al Williams A long history of enjoying and protecting the island paths
Remembrance A quiet, sobering walk along the Wanderer Trail
A cement made with oyster shells, tabby was widely used in buildings throughout Jekyll Island. Horton House, on the north end, is one of the oldest tabby buildings in Georgia. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
photograph by brian austin lee
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about 31 · 81
Published twice a year, 31·81 pairs stunning photography with thoughtful articles to tell the stories of Georgia’s unique barrier island.
Jekyll Island lies at 31 degrees north latitude and 81 degrees west longitude.
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100 James Road • Jekyll Island, GA 31527 jekyllisland.com
executive director
Mark Williams
senior director of marketing & communications
Alexa Hawkins
creative director Claire Davis
senior graphic designer George Alread
Photography courtesy of Jekyll Island Authority unless otherwise noted. This magazine was published by the Jekyll Island Authority in cooperation with Atlanta Magazine Custom Media. All contents ©2024. All rights reserved.
publisher Sean McGinnis
editorial director
Kevin Benefield
editor
John Donovan
art director
Tara McCarthy
associate publisher Jon Brasher
production director Whitney Tomasino
It calls out to you, the vibrant golden marshes stretching across the horizon, endless as the sunset sky.
A haven for all, timeless and eeting. Where simple pleasures lie and creature comforts thrive. Listen to your soul and the Golden Isles will reveal itself to you.
Each taste steeped in lifetimes of warmth and comfort, in the traditions of the ocean, the perfect pairing, as good as gold.
A Georgian gem long treasured, beloved across generations, the discovery of joy cherished by all.
Satisfy your soul in the Golden Isles.
The Joys OF JEKYLL ISLAND
Create unforgettable memories at the Holiday Inn Resort Jekyll Island. Our oceanfront resort offers the perfect blend of relaxation and excitement. Enjoy delicious coastal cuisine at our new beachfront restaurant, 24 Coastal Grill, while soaking up the sun. With spacious accommodations, family-friendly amenities, and a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean, our resort is the ideal destination for a warm winter getaway. Book your Jekyll Island vacation today!
STAY LONGER & SAVE! STAY 3+ NIGHTS & SAVE UP TO 20%
There's something about being outdoors, surrounded by nature, that fosters a sense of connection."
Dear friends,
As the vibrant colors of fall begin to emerge across the island, I am filled with a sense of gratitude for the beauty that surrounds us and all the ways in which this island brings us together. Fall has always been a favorite season of mine. It's a time when the weather cools down, allowing us to fully immerse in nature's glory and create lasting memories.
Year after year, Jekyll Island welcomes families to its serene shores to experience moments of joy and discovery together, something that I, too, enjoy with my family. There's something about being outdoors, surrounded by nature, that fosters a sense of connection, and there's no better time than now to do that.
And let's not forget about the festive spirit that fills the island during the fall and winter seasons. Few places celebrate shrimp and grits quite like we do at the Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival! It's always a can't-miss event! And my grandkids are already talking about coming to see the holiday lights again during Holly Jolly Jekyll. This is truly the season of seasons in the South and you can experience it all right here on Jekyll Island.
As we look forward to the festivities that lie ahead, I hope you'll take a moment to cherish the time together with your family in this special place and create some memories you'll experience only here.
Mark Williams
Executive Director, Jekyll Island Authority
JEKYLL ISLAND AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Glen Willard chairman Richmond Hill, GA
Walter Rabon commissioner, dnr Monticello, GA
Joy Burch-Meeks Screven, GA
Robert “Bob” W. Krueger vicechair Hawkinsville, GA
Ruel Joyner Savannah, GA
Dr. L.C. “Buster” Evans Bolingbroke, GA
William “Bill” H. Gross secretary/treasurer Kingsland, GA
Dale Atkins Baxley, GA
Joseph B. Wilkinson St. Simons Island, GA
Jekyll Island offers visitors unparalleled beauty, peace, quiet, and charming history. But animal lovers, don't forget: We have a wild side, too." ”
Animal Kingdom
Jekyll Island's beloved sea turtles, to no one's surprise, get all the attention around here. Anyone who stops into the Georgia Sea Turtle Center instantly becomes a lifelong fan of our flippered friends.
But turtles are just part of a veritable wildlife parade on the island every year, one that ebbs and flows like the tides. In this issue of 31•81, The Magazine of Jekyll Island, we look at Jekyll's role in the migration of all sorts of species, including birds, butterflies, and (front and center) sea turtles. Tony Rehagen has the story (page 30).
For all the wild animals out there, Jekyll has earned a reputation as a family-friendly place that welcomes fourlegged family members, too. Thinking of bringing Fido along on a beach vacation? After a trip to Jekyll with her oft-skittish border collie, Mary Jo DiLonardo has some tips on how to pull off a successful beach blast with even the most travel-averse of pets (page 64)
Elsewhere in this issue, Jessica Whittingslow (page 46) presents a few alternatives to fall's well-worn pastime of gazing at leaves (butterflies are way cooler), and Tess Malone praises yet another island stalwart, the American oyster (page 16)
As always, Jekyll Island offers its visitors unparalleled beauty, peace and quiet, and a charming history. But animal lovers, don't forget: We have a wild side, too.
John Donovan Editor
Josh Green is a writer and editor whose work has appeared in Urbanize Atlanta, Garden & Gun, Indianapolis Monthly, and elsewhere. His first novel, "Secrets of Ash," is nominated for a Georgia Author of the Year award and won IndieReader's 2024 national contest for literary fiction. joshrgreen.com
Mary Jo DiLonardo is a freelance writer based in metro Atlanta, covering nature, sustainability, education, and health topics. In her spare time, she volunteers for a rescue group that finds homes for special-needs dogs. She's fostered more than 75 puppies. Her dog Brodie is on IG at @brodiebestboy
SEE THE JEKYLL ISLAND
Jessica Whittingslow is a freelance writer based in St. Simons Island. Her work was most recently featured in Elegant Island Living www.jessicawhittingslow.com
QUALITY CARE THAT’S
Mercer Medicine Jekyll Island, is now open in the Beach Village for all your health care needs! Whether it’s helping you stay healthy, managing a chronic illness, or providing immediate treatment when it counts, our care team is dedicated to assisting you.
Jekyll Island residents and visitors now have access to:
JEKYLL ISLAND
The Boat House Ruins
What was once a lifeline to Jekyll is now all but gone BY JOSH GREEN
Today, all that remains of a crucial part of Jekyll Island's past are a few timeworn concrete piers, some tabby walls, and an old capstan winch, a table-sized tool with ropes used for pulling fanciful boats and launches from the water. These ruins were once part of a transportation hub as critical to Jekyll Island as the Causeway and airport are today.
The Jekyll Island Club Boat House that stood in what today is Riverview Park—situated just south of the
Historic District, near the three-way stop where Stable Road meets Riverview Drive—once housed the boats of Jekyll's well-heeled citizenry. These vessels were their lifeline to mainland Georgia throughout the Club Era (1886-1942), long before the Causeway bridge was built. A more recent addition to the park—a sturdy historical marker from the 1950s—pays homage to the boat house's significance.
For some Club members and their guests, arriving at
the island meant anchoring their private yachts in Jekyll Creek's deep channel and taking smaller vessels to shore. Others traveled by plush private railcars to the bustling port of Brunswick. From there, ferry boat captains transported guests to and from Jekyll aboard one of several Club-owned steam vessels. Barges towed behind the ferries carried baggage, supplies, and even livestock. The first automobile on island arrived by barge in 1900.
The first Club-owned steam vessel to Jekyll was the circa-1887 Howland, named for Club president Judge Henry Elias Howland. Its replacement, the 84-foot Jekyl Island (that's how the word often was spelled at the time), was stored in the boat house during the summer. Several smaller boats—the Hattie, the Kitty, and the Sylvia among them—were used in the summer offseason and stored in the boat house through winter.
Andrea Marroquin, curator of Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum, says the boat house was strategically placed south of what is now the Historic District so as not to block
the water vistas treasured by the likes of Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and Pulitzers. The boat house's creek-side positioning may have helped buffer it from storms, too, though a wharf-wrecking hurricane of 1898 proved the area wasn't immune.
The advent of the Jekyll Creek Bridge in the 1950s made the island accessible by car, and the custom of arriving by water faded like the Club itself (though ferry service did continue during the island's early days as a state park). What remains undocumented is when the boat house was built and when it either crumbled or was demolished. "We simply know that it was standing by 1916, based on [archival] photos," Marroquin says.
The location of the boat house isn't quite as tucked away as it once was. But that's not all bad. A wayside panel positioned there helps today's Jekyll explorers interpret the ruins that remain. "It used to be a bit more off the beaten path," says Marroquin, "but now that Riverview Park is there, with parking, pathways, and picnic tables, it's easier for guests to discover."
The boat house (light-colored roof, opposite page) is visible in the distance. Above left to right: remains of capstan winch and concrete piers.
Saltwater Standout
Pickleweed thrives on Jekyll
BY TESS MALONE
Looking like a sea of coral popping up for fresh air, pickleweed is found all over Jekyll Island's high salt marshes. It survives and thrives by sending the saltwater that it absorbs to its end segments. The salt turns those segments red, and they eventually wither and die. What's left is a plant with a distinctive salty flavor. That brininess, along with what some consider a cucumber-like appearance, give the succulent its name.
Pickleweed is edible, though experts suggest that, as with most wild edibles, it's probably wise to go easy on it. Still, Native Americans have used it for centuries for its supposed health benefits. Studies have shown some effectiveness against inflammation, diabetes, asthma, cancer, and other ills.
"Pickleweed is native and a part of the protected coastal salt marsh ecosystem," says Yank Moore, the director of conservation for the Jekyll Island Authority, "so make sure you follow any local, regional, state laws or guidelines before harvesting wild specimens."
A Year Round Destination
Whether you’re planning a dynamic conference or a memorable social event, The Westin Jekyll Island ensures an outstanding experience characterized by flawless style and adept service. With beautiful outdoor oceanfront venues, over 5,350 square feet of onsite event space, and steps from the convention center, The Westin Jekyll Island is the perfect destination for events. To plan you next event , visit westinjekyllisland.com or call 912-635-4545
The Incredible, VERSATILE OYSTER
This beloved bivalve acts as backbone of the marsh
BY TESS MALONE
Jekyll Island is home to a multitude of mollusks, none more remarkable than the humble oyster. This cherished bivalve is the backbone of the marsh ecosystem. "They prevent sediments from free-flowing outwardly, acting as biological filters," says Joseph Colbert, the Jekyll Island Authority's wildlife biologist.
Find them up and down the marsh creeks, where they thrive in Jekyll's tides. The see-saw of water levels is ideal for oysters to prosper.
After they make their reefs on rocks, piers, or any other hard, submerged surface, oysters get comfortable enough to release baby oysters, known as spat, which float around until they find a place to land.
Oyster reefs are open to all, with crabs and fish taking up residence for protection. This watery apartment community offers stability and prevents erosion, all while filtering out plankton and decaying vegetation to improve water quality and manage bacteria. Somewhere around 50 gallons of water can be filtered through a single oyster each day. The process removes nitrogen, phosphorus, and other harmful minerals and adds them to the oyster's shell.
Considered by many as a delicacy, oysters were a dietary staple of
Permits are required to harvest oysters on Jekyll Island.
indigenous communities thousands of years ago. The natives discarded their shells in middens, refuse piles which have become key archaeological sites. Oyster shells also were used in a type of concrete known as tabby, visible today in places like Horton House, toward the north end of Jekyll, and Hollybourne Cottage, in the Historic District. Oyster shells are still used as a material in some concrete today.
If you want to see oysters in their natural habitat, explore at low tide. But remember: If you're going to harvest them, you must have a permit, you need to be in a harvesting area, and the oysters have to be at least three inches long. Harvesting is allowed in a few spots within Jekyll Island State Park, including outside the entrance gate to Jekyll Island, near the other end of the Causeway, on the south side. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources website features a map of recreational shellfish harvest areas.
JEKYLL ISLANDA YEAR ROUND DESTINATION
Whether you crave sun-soaked relaxation, exciting events, or a memorable winter escape, Jekyll Island has it all. Immerse yourself in pristine beaches, explore historic landmarks, or tee off on world-class golf courses. The Courtyard/Residence Inn by Marriott is your ideal oceanfront retreat. Our unique dual branded hotel offers stunning ocean views, spacious accommodations with kitchens, and on-site dining. Our versatile event space is perfect for hosting your next social event or corporate meeting.
Join the thrill of the Jekyll Island Treasure Hunt this January and February! Our welcoming staff can't wait to make your stay unforgettable. Book your Jekyll Island adventure today!
Developer Dave Curtis a critical cog in
BY TESS MALONE
guardian
If you've stayed at one of Jekyll Island's hotels in the past, say, 30 years or so, there's a good chance you've seen the work of Dave Curtis. From the historic Jekyll Island Club Resort to the more modern Westin Jekyll Island, Curtis and developer Leon N. Weiner and Associates, Inc. (LNWA) have renovated and built four hotels and two residential developments on the island since the 1980s. They, along with the Jekyll Island Authority and others, have been instrumental in helping to upgrade the look and feel of the entire island. It's a stunning transformation, especially considering
that, when Curtis first set foot on the island in 1985, he didn't know anything about Jekyll or the hotel industry. Delaware-based LNWA has long been known for building single-family homes for all income levels, but through the developer grapevine, Curtis and his boss, Leon Weiner, heard of an opportunity to restore the once-grand Jekyll Island Club, formerly a private resort for the nation's uber-wealthy. Intrigued by the island on their first visit, they drove up to Hilton Head to meet the original developer of the South Carolina vacation destination, Charles Fraser. He told them that they would
never be successful trying to develop a resort on Jekyll. "Leon was just the sort of person who, when you told him he couldn't do something, became determined that was exactly what he wanted to do," Curtis says.
Curtis started commuting from Wilmington, Delaware, to Jekyll to woo investors for the future luxury resort. "It was hotter than Hades on Jekyll, and these folks would get off the plane and see this kid in shorts and a golf shirt and be like, ‘Who is this guy?'" says Curtis, who was just 28 at the time. "But the story of this facility that used to be owned by the wealthiest people in the world on this beautiful barrier island was so unique it attracted investors from Boston, Colorado, and North Carolina."
Curtis and his partners restored the Jekyll Island Club into a 134-room hotel for $20 million (that's nearly $57 million today) in a meticulous renovation that included recreating plaster friezes and cleaning years of paint off woodwork with toothbrushes. Despite running at only 22 percent occupancy in the first year, the developers persevered, reducing their rates and gradually building a loyal clientele. Soon the property became a sought-after wedding destination, and with more weddings came the need for more hotels.
In the middle of a maritime forest on the south side of the island, LNWA built the 138-room Hampton Inn in 2010. As the island grew, so did the company's hotels with a 200room Westin (2015) next to a new convention center.
By 2021, Curtis
and LNWA added a 209-room Courtyard and Residence Inn, a dual-branded Marriott property. Curtis, now managing principal of LNWA, also spearheaded two residential developments, raising more than $190 million in original investments. "His love for Jekyll has been evident as he has worked cooperatively and diligently with the Jekyll Island Authority to improve the island over the years," says former Jekyll Island Authority Executive Director Jones Hooks.
Through the decades, the infrastructure of the island has changed, but the character hasn't, according to Curtis, who eventually bought a home on St. Simons after spending years in the Golden Isles. "What was there in 1985 were basically 1960s versions of motor inns, and now there's something for everyone from luxury hotels like the Westin to more affordable properties like Days Inn," he says. "What hasn't changed substantially is the feel of Jekyll as more of a retreat than an active vacation destination."
Before Faith Stood Union
Worship on Jekyll began in a tiny chapel
BY FRAN WORRALL
Almost every visitor to Jekyll Island discovers Faith Chapel, the church that served the prominent families of the Jekyll Island Club. But the first church attended by Club members was Union Chapel, a tiny nondenominational house of worship located on the north end of the Club compound. Built in 1898, the modest structure featured board-and-batten siding, a cypress shingle roof, nondescript glass windows, and a bell tower. Rustic pews seated approximately 50 people.
According to Andrea Marroquin, curator of Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum, socialite Charlotte
Maurice, wife of Jekyll Island Club founding member Charles Stewart Maurice, spearheaded the effort to bring in various clergymen to preach at Union Chapel on Sundays. "Some were local ministers, others prominent clergy from up north," she says. Typical services included bible readings, hymns, a sermon, an offering, and, occasionally, communion.
Within six years, an influx of new Club members rendered Union Chapel too small. Faith Chapel was built in 1904, and Union Chapel was moved to an area adjacent to what was called the Quarters, housing built in the 1890s for Jekyll's Black employees. "Church was an integral part of the community of about 25 families who lived and worked on the island year round," Marroquin says. Weekly Sunday school classes were typically taught by members
of the congregation, while church services, held on Sunday afternoons and evenings, were often conducted by ministers from the mainland. Prayer meetings were held on Tuesday nights.
Although the relocated chapel was intended for use by the Black community, visitors were common. "Club members and the island's white employees enjoyed listening to the music, and some Club members were known to attend services at both Union Chapel and Faith Chapel," Marroquin says.
Union Chapel was likely razed in the early 1960s at the same time as the island's Black employee housing, but recollections of the small chapel that once served the community so well live on in archival images and oral histories.
ULTIMATE SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
Nestled amidst the picturesque shores of Jekyll Island, the Beachview Club hotel stands as an oasis of Southern hospitality, consistently recognized for its exceptional service and ambiance. As a recipient of TripAdvisor's Travelers’ Choice Award for five consecutive years and a proud nominee for Best of Georgia in 2024, the Beachview Club has earned a reputation for delivering an unparalleled vacation experience for its guests. Its award-winning team of dedicated professionals is committed to providing the highest level of service, ensuring that every guest feels welcomed and cared for. From the moment you arrive, you'll be enveloped in the warmth and charm of Southern tradition, making your stay at the Beachview Club an unforgettable one.
INDULGE IN COASTAL
Experience coastal charm at the Beach House Restaurant & Taproom. Sit on the wrap around porch and sip on a craft brew. Savor fresh seafood and gaze out across the Atlantic. Indulge in the perfect blend of relaxation and flavor! We can’t wait for you to dive into our new seafood forward menu!
Island Treasures
Father and son glassblowers craft one-of-a-kind artwork for a popular Jekyll event
BY RICHARD L. ELDREDGE
In early October, a few months before thousands of treasure hunters make their annual descent on Jekyll Island, glassblowing artists Mark and Marcus Ellinger begin firing up their oven in Stanwood, Washington. For the past 22 years, Mark, now joined in his Glass Quest studio by his son Marcus, has created the colorful handblown glass globes that serve as much-coveted prizes in the island's winter scavenger hunt known as Island Treasures.
The popular off season event, held in January and February, is inspired by the work of East Coast fishermen, who in the early 1900s began using colorful hollow glass floats to mark their nets. By the 1950s, beachcombers were scouring the sand for globes that had broken loose. In 2002, the daily hunt known as Island Treasures (now formally led by the Jekyll Island Authority) was launched. Visitors and locals roam Beach Village, the Historic District, beaches, parks, and established paths throughout the island in search of clear plastic globes— during the hunt, they're necessarily plastic—that are
traded in for unique pieces of Ellinger glass art.
Each morning during their busy season, the Ellingers work nonstop for eight hours creating the globes. "You only get about 30 seconds to work with the glass," explains Marcus. "We start with clear glass and then add the colors, the background colors, create a texture, slowly work a bubble into it, slowly break them off, and add the official Jekyll Island stamp on the bottom."
Adds Mark: "This is not a craft you can set down, think about, and come back to. Once you start a piece you have to finish it immediately, all while withstanding a lot of heat." On a busy day in the studio, the duo can crank out a singular glass globe every 10 minutes. But nothing is certain until the oven is opened the next day.
"You don't know what it's going to look like exactly until you take it out," says Mark. "That's the joy of it. It's like Christmas morning every day."
The Ellingers are creating joy far and wide on Jekyll Island each January and February: In 2024, around 200,000 people visited during the hunt.
"The event definitely has a cult following," says Alexa Hawkins, the JIA's senior director of marketing and communications. "And that's thanks in no small part to the beautiful pieces the Ellingers create for us."
Only 250 plastic globes are hidden around the island each winter. But the Ellingers supply the island with 1,700 of their glass works of art. The floats are sold yearround at the Guest Information Center, just outside the entrance gates to the island on the Causeway, and at the new 31•81 shop in the Historic District.
Occasionally, the Ellingers get a surprise visit from Island Treasures superfans in their Washington glass studios. "It's humbling for us to meet them and hear they enjoy what we've created," says Marcus. "They feel a connection to us because they own a piece of our art. In turn, that helps fuel the fire for us as artists."
Left: Mark Ellinger demonstrates the delicate process of blowing a glass globe. Right: Mark with son Marcus and wife Cindy outside of their Washington studio. (Photos courtesy Mark Ellinger)
"I want to keep Jekyll as natural as possible with lots of trees and wooded areas. I don't want it to become a concrete jungle." — AL WILLIAMS
As told to FRAN WORRALL
Photograph by BRIAN AUSTIN
LEE
georgia state representative al williams of midway, who has served in the georgia general assembly since 2003, first visited jekyll island as a boy in the late 1950s when one of his friends asked him to go on a day trip. the friend's mother, a schoolteacher, opened the door to a new world for him that day. "i felt an instant connection to the island," he says. "it was magical, especially the oak trees draped in spanish moss."
at the time, jekyll was segregated. "black visitors had to turn right at the entrance," he recalls. a beach at the island's south end was designated for blacks, and the dolphin club and motor hotel was their only lodging. years later, in the 1970s and 1980s, williams and his family often vacationed at jekyll, which was by then fully integrated.
williams still enjoys spending time on the island. and as a member of two of the most powerful house committees in the assembly— appropriations and economic development & tourism—he helps secure jekyll's future by enacting legislation that protects the environment, limits development, and funds revitalization projects.
he has long led the charge for preserving the natural beauty of jekyll, noting that it has avoided the indiscriminate construction that has spoiled many other coastal resorts. he's also adamant that the island remains a vacation spot for people of all income levels and from all walks of life. "jekyll is for everyone," he says. "there's no place like it in the world."
A Moving Tribute
whether for a brief stop or a whole season, migratory species depend on jekyll
BY TONY REHAGEN
ILLUSTRATIONS BY PATRIK SVENSSON
ekyll Island welcomes all comers. This coastal paradise serves as a season-long layover for some and a quick stop for others. It's a popular destination for weary travelers looking for a change in environment, a place to find food, relaxation, and a chance to reset to the natural rhythms of life.
And we're not just talking about snowbirds, retirees, and tourists.
No matter the time of year, humans share Jekyll Island's bounty and beauty with a vast menagerie of migrating animals, drawn to the island's unique patchwork of ecosystems. Some come as entire populations. Others arrive alone. They come in
search of food or a place to hibernate. They come to escape extreme weather. Some come to breed or lay their eggs, ensuring the future of their species.
Climate, geography, and topography all play parts in Jekyll's role as a migratory hot spot for all sorts of animals, from manatees to frogs to peregrine falcons to dragonflies. But the island also stands out because of the hospitality that humans show visiting wildlife. Other places mount sincere efforts to keep animals and habitats safe. On Jekyll Island, protecting wildlife and the land is the law.
Only one-third of the island's acreage, by state law, is allowed to be developed. The rest is pre-
served for both permanent residents and those just passing through. A key example of this human-animal harmony on Jekyll: The upcoming upgrades to the island's golf courses include scrapping nine existing holes. Most of that land will be restored to maritime grasslands and wetlands that will serve as a wildlife corridor.
"Whether they come from a short distance or a long distance, these species put themselves in a lot of peril and tax themselves energy-wise to get here," says Joseph Colbert, the Jekyll Island Authority's wildlife biologist. "There is a primal urge and drive to achieving this migration."
shorebirds and seabirds
Whenever migration is mentioned, birds are the first species to come to mind. An easily recognizable landmark on the north-south Atlantic Flyway, Jekyll is a landing pad for hundreds of species coming from as far away as South America. Some are just passing through on their way home or to warmer climes; others stay all winter to enjoy the warmth, ample food supply, and diverse canopy for cover. The island's wetlands and deep ponds are the perfect place for wading birds to nest.
It should come as no surprise that the clean and relatively unpopulated Jekyll beaches are a haven -
for migrating shorebirds—Wilson's Plovers, Willets, Black-necked Stilts, Skimmers, Least Terns, and American Oystercatchers, to name some—that arrive in spring and scratch out nests in the dunes for their eggs.
The tidal amplitude (the difference in depth between high tide and low tide) is anywhere from six to nine feet on Jekyll, two to three times that of North Carolina or southern Florida. "That leaves a huge amount of exposed sandbar and mudflats during low tide," says Tim Keyes, a wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. "That's like a grocery store for shorebirds."
butterflies
Monarch butterflies are famous for their migration. They are the only butterflies to make a two-way migration because they're unable to overwinter; they can't survive winters by slipping into a different, hibernation-like life stage, as some butterflies do. So they have to move. Their long fall journey south (as far as 3,000 miles), then, can span multiple generations. No individual monarch completes the entire trip.
These regal insects, with their iconic wings of black and orange fringed with bright white dots, make a splashy autumnal appearance on Jekyll. But their numbers are relatively puny compared to that of another orange-and-black winged Lepidoptera, the true royalty of the island's butterfly migration, the Gulf fritillaries.
Drawn to the island's flora, particularly the plentiful purple passionflowers, the Gulf fritillaries come to feed and leave their larvae, which will grow into caterpillars on the host plant. And they come in droves. While you might see 300 monarchs blow through in a day, 7,000 to 9,000 Gulf fritillaries may come and go in that timespan. Colbert has witnessed up to 42,000 on a particularly windy day. With those kinds of numbers, Daniel Quinn, the natural resources manager for the Jekyll Island Authority, says it's a good thing that the new wildlife corridor near the golf course will be packed with plants for these important pollinators.
sea turtles
Sea turtles are so well-known as migrators to Jekyll that they've essentially become the island's mascot. By now, most human residents and visitors know that between May and the end of August, bales of female loggerheads come ashore at night, dig a nest in the sand, and lay their eggs. It's not always on the exact same spot on the beach where they were born, a phenomenon experts call "site fidelity." Some nest across multiple states.
Still, getting here is a wonder of nature. While fliers have a clear overhead view and terrestrial wayfarers literally can feel the weather, vegetation,
and general lay of the land, scientists had long been mystified by how these shelled swimmers can paddle thousands of miles through a tossing and sometimes treacherous ocean to find a stretch of shoreline suitable for laying their eggs. Studies have revealed the answer: magnetism.
The Earth has a magnetic field that covers the entire planet, including the ocean. Sea turtles detect changes in this field’s strength and direction in relation to the planet's surface, these studies have shown, allowing them to navigate back to the welcoming Georgia Coast.
manatees and whales
Turtles, birds, and butterflies might be the star migratory attractions of Jekyll, bringing in tourists to catch their traveling show of natural beauty and splendor. But the island is a complex network of ecosystems that attracts a large supporting cast of animals on the move.
Each spring, manatees venture north from Florida to munch on the island's buffet of marsh grass. Their aquatic mammalian cousins, the North Atlantic right whales, come down from New England each winter to give birth to their young calves. They're all part of the grand cycle of life that plays out on Jekyll Island all year, every year.
"We humans really have no way of understanding the single-minded devotion it takes to accomplish some of these migrations," says Colbert. "It's amazing to see all these species move in and out over time."
When Kate Allerton Papin, a wealthy widow, inherited her father’s Jekyll Island Club membership in 1893, she might well have been the first woman to gain full entry into a very prestigious, very private men’s club. It was big news at the time. A headline in The New York Times read “Women May Become Members; The Jekyl Island Club [that’s how the island’s name was often spelled then] Decides to Open Its Doors to Them.” The article stated that membership would grant women “all the club rights and privileges accorded to men.”
In Victorian America, men and women were typically
channeled into separate spheres of life. Social clubs were for either men or women, rarely for both. But from the formation of the Jekyll Island Club in 1886, it stood apart.
“It is not intended that it shall be a selfish and exclusive ‘man’s’ club. On the contrary, ladies will constitute an attractive element and will be freely admitted to all the privileges to which their husbands, fathers, and brothers are entitled,” the Times reported. “They can fish, shoot, ride on horseback, bathe, camp out, and enjoy themselves.”
And enjoy themselves they did, in nearly every aspect of Club life.
“From the get-go, it was intended to be a family club,” says Emily Robertson, lead interpreter at Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum. “Jekyll stood alone; it was unique in that regard.”
Still, all 53 of the original members of the Club were men. Papin broke down the membership door in 1893, and in ‘97 Frances Baker became the first full-fledged woman member without having inherited a spot from a man. In 1901, the Club’s bylaws were adapted to formally and officially admit both male and female members.
In those early years, despite the inclusionary vision, the men of Jekyll sometimes found themselves frustrated by how much Club women embraced their freedoms. When Papin attempted to buy an apartment at Sans Souci, the Club’s 1896 Victorian apartment building, she was turned down specifically because of her sex. (The apartment ended up in the hands of J.P. Morgan.)
the victorian women of the Club found [Jekyll] to be a place where they could let down their tightly pinned hair
Florence
The women’s welcome into the clubhouse, the inner sanctum of the Jekyll Island Club, was a little bumpy, too. The clubhouse had been built with a separate ladies’ parlor, and it was expected women would use it. Futile attempts were made to keep them out of the main parlor where, the Times reported, “the ladies play billiards in the common billiard hall and go anywhere they choose.”
Though exceedingly luxurious by most standards, Jekyll Island was considered a rustic retreat for the upper-crust members from New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and other big cities. The Victorian women of the Club found it to be a place where they could let down their tightly pinned hair and seize their chance to take part in activities like hunting, sharpshooting, bicycling, golf, and horseback riding. In some instances, they were able to compete against men, with favorable results.
Jean Struthers Sears, whose family owned one of the country’s largest marble firms, was active in several Club activities and had a reputation for moxie and athletic prowess. “She definitely took advantage of all Jekyll had to offer,” says Robertson, who portrays Sears in a living history tour of Moss Cottage, which the Sears family built in 1896.
Sears was a known sharpshooter and avid bicyclist. Records indicate that on at least one occasion, she took the prize for the 100-yard bicycle spoon-and-egg race. Another time, she beat out men and women in a clay pigeon shooting match. She once clobbered J.P. Morgan in a shooting competition. He was so upset about losing to a woman that he took it up with the Club president at the time. “He basically told [Morgan] he was a sore loser and needed to get over it,” says Robertson.
According to Sears’s great-great grandson, David Lodge, who has a home on Jekyll today, Sears was such a dynamo that once she was teaching Sunday school on Jekyll when an alligator approached. She whipped out a pistol and shot it.
The women of Jekyll also became the foundation of the community, organizing social events for members, taking part in Club committees, and supporting the employees and their families, all duties that had been overlooked by male members.
Club member Frances Baker found a schoolteacher for the employees’ children in 1901 and supervised the building of the island’s first school. She continued to buy supplies and finance the maintenance of the school, even matching the teacher’s salary. Later, she joined a cohort of Club women, including Florence Higinbotham Crane, in spearheading a “welfare committee” to aid the employees’ families, and organized a library for them in 1927. Charlotte Maurice was known as a spiritual influence at the Club and, as the consummate host, invited not only members to her home but also locals and clergy, both Black and white.
These women were leaders back home, too, great benefactors and advocates for social change and enrichment. Edith Macy organized programs to help poor children in New York and furthered the expansion of the Girl Scouts, serving as chair of its national board of directors from 1919 until her death in 1925. Annie DeCamp Hegeman Porter was a founder of Shinnecock Hills Art Academy on Long Island, New York, one of the country’s first open-air painting schools. Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge was known for the grand New Jersey estate where she bred and raised show dogs. She founded an animal welfare society and supported a seeing-eye-dog school still in operation today. (In 1933 she was the first woman invited to judge Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club.) Dodge’s foundation, still active today, has distributed nearly $500 million in support of nonprofits. Alva Vanderbilt championed the rights of women and was a leader in the fight for women’s suffrage. Helen Hartley Jenkins was known both for her polarizing personality (she dripped with diamonds and was described by one friend as an enfant terrible) and her philanthropy (she founded the School of Nursing at Teachers College at Columbia University and was a steadfast supporter of the Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor).
As men’s involvement on the island dwindled in the 1930s during the Great Depression, women stepped into leadership roles. By the end of the decade, women owned seven cottages outright and headed up half of the committees. Women’s Club membership peaked in that decade at 25 percent. By the end of the Club Era in the 1940s, 31 women had enjoyed full Club membership, amounting to 10 percent of the membership over the Club’s history. As women rose on Jekyll, so did they rise across America.
the ladies rough riding obstacle bicycle society
In the 1890s, America went wild for the bicycle. Riding became a fashionable leisure activity and proved to be freeing for women across the country, providing independence, mobility, and (not insignificantly) a more practical wardrobe. Corsets got looser and skirts became less cumbersome. Even bloomers came into play. The bicycle was embraced by the women of the Jekyll Island Club. Jean Struthers Sears, a well-known sportswoman, was part of a group that formed the Ladies Rough Riding Obstacle Bicycle Society, which attempted daring feats on two wheels and flew freely about the island. Some in high society might have considered the sport unladylike. But the fact that it was so popular on Jekyll Island sheds light on the sort of groundbreaking place the island was during the Club Era. In fact, the elite women who took up sports (including bicycling, tennis, croquet, and shooting) in places like Jekyll at the turn of the century may have helped usher in the acceptance of women in sports across the country. It might have even inspired some men, too. William Rockefeller reported that his son, Percy, was spurred to take up bicycle riding on Jekyll because so many of his female friends enjoyed it.
Falling for Fall
Throughout much of the country at this time of year, nature lovers enjoy a spectacle of changing leaves. Jekyll Island’s unique beauty is on display, too, as the calendar moves away from summer and toward a new year.
By JESSICA WHITTINGSLOW
Photography by BRIAN AUSTIN LEE
Beautiful Butterflies
If you yearn for autumnal hues of orange and yellow, catch migratory butterflies as they cruise through Jekyll on their journey south. Get a glimpse of the stunning chartreuse cloudless sulphur, the spotted bright orange Gulf fritillary, and their close lookalikes, striped monarchs. These spectacular species seek respite on the island’s south end this time of year before proceeding on their voyage.
Gorgeous Spartina
There are countless reasons why the islands off the coast of Georgia are called The Golden Isles. One that perhaps makes the most sense: the seasonal hue of Spartina alterniflora, or marsh grass. The sun accentuates the brilliant color of the grass, which shines in streams of woven gold in salty waterways. And Spartina is useful, too. Many species depend on this plant, including Crassostrea virginica, the iconic American oyster.
A sure sign of fall, the local muhly grass puts on a remarkable performance, with the plant’s purple-pink flowers erupting all over Jekyll. Resembling the plume of a posh hat, you’ll find clusters of this sweet grass in abundance as you make your way around the island.
Colorful Coquina
Hunt for treasure while you explore Jekyll’s beaches. Discover stray driftwood, various vibrant shells, and the occasional opaque piece of tumbled sea glass. As you wander, watch for brilliantly colorful coquina shells. These dainty, hinged mollusks come in an array of yellows, oranges, beiges, blues, and pinks that could inspire a sunset.
The Perfect Sunset
There’s nothing quite like a sunset, and Jekyll Island offers some of the best in the South. The sun’s golden scarlet glow, reflected off ocean or marsh, sparks a rippling reflection as it slowly sinks below the horizon. Just when you think the show is over, hues of coral and lavender color the sky for one last hurrah.
STORIED PLACES STORIED PLACES
Jekyll Island buildings preserve history and embrace the present
By JACINTA HOWARD
If walls could talk, Jekyll Island's historic buildings would share some fascinating tales. Stables that once housed magnificent horses belonging to America's wealthiest families are now a museum. A power plant is now home to rehabilitating sea turtles. Lifeguard dorms and infirmaries have been thoughtfully preserved and adapted to new uses, reflecting the island's rich history and innovative spirit. Here's a look:
Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum
In 1897, some of America's wealth iest individuals kept their horses at the former Jekyll Island Club Stables while they wintered on the island. The building has seen a load of changes since then. It served as a garage. In the early part of the State Era (when the state of Georgia bought the island in 1947), it was a building supply store. In the 1980s, it became home to the first island museum, although it retained some of its original purpose; then, and for many years after, part of the building served as a barn for horses used on carriage tours. "The reuse of late 19th-century stables into a museum doesn't typically seem to gel," Taylor Davis, the historic preservationist for the Jekyll Island Authority admits, laughing. "We had a paddock on the back part, which, when I first started here, was still a paddock for horses." By 2019, the museum reopened as it is now. The paddock is now an outdoor classroom and event space. Funded by several organizations, including the Jekyll Island Foundation, the museum's gallery space features ar tifacts spanning from the Guale Indi ans to the Gilded Age and beyond.
Georgia Sea Turtle Center
In the early 1900s, what is now the Georgia Sea Turtle Center was a power plant where electricity was generated for the Jekyll Island Club. Once power became available from more reliable sources on the mainland, the building went through several transitions, from a Christmas shop to a garage of sorts. "There were a couple of vintage cars parked in there I remember from my childhood," Davis recalls. In 2007, the building became the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, where sick and injured turtles are rehabilitated. "It's essentially a big brick shell of a building that we rehabbed into an interpreted space, retail area, and turtle hospital," Davis says. "There's a place for turtle treatment in the northern wing, where they have an operating room with a viewing window. This window, originally an exterior door, is now like the old hospital galleries for watching operations, but for sea turtles."
The JIA Annex
A three-story structure built in the 1890s, the Jekyll Island Authority Annex building originally housed servants of the Jekyll Island Club. Davis describes the building as "folk Victorian with Queen Anne elements" that complemented the Club. From the 1970s to the '90s, a college theatre group produced plays at the island's amphitheater, and the building housed the actors. During summers, lifeguards stayed there. "So, it has continually served as a dormitory," Davis adds. "However, today, nobody spends the night there; it houses our offices, keeping the structure relevant and functional." The building has undergone a careful restoration and looks now, from the outside, much as it did in the 1890s, with the exception of the air conditioning units. "Paint analysis identified the original colors and 28 wooden windows were restored," Davis says, "with some sashes replaced to match the original material." These days, the building is home to several offices for the JIA, the state organization that oversees the conservation and development of the island.
31•81, A Jekyll Island Lifestyle Shop
Built in 1890, this structure, originally known as Furness Cottage, faced the river. The shingled Queen Anne-style building was purchased by Joseph Pulitzer, who moved it slightly away from the river and built a massive brick cottage on the open lot. Later, the Albright family acquired the original Furness Cottage, moved it again, and in 1930, the Goodyear family relocated it to its current position, transforming it into the Club's infirmary, staffed by doctors from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. The building has served various other roles over the years. It was once a home for the Jekyll Island Authority's staff and later became a bookstore until around 2016. Today, it's been revitalized as the 31•81 Lifestyle Shop. "It's amazing to see this incredible store breathe new life into the structure," Davis says. "This transformation represents the [building's] highest and best use, maintaining its historical charm while serving a modern purpose."
VACATIONING WITH A PUP IS A BREEZE ON JEKYLL ISLAND
BY MARY JO DILONARDO
SaltyDog
Brodie is the best dog. He's just maybe not the best beach dog. At home, our much-loved and slightly manic border collie is mostly a couch potato, making only an occasional half-effort to growl at the Amazon truck or kids in the cul de sac. He's a sweetheart, really.
He's never—would never—hurt a thing.
But sometimes, when he's out of the house, he morphs into an anxious, barking, twirling mess. It can be hard to take him places.
Brodie has a whole list of things that make him nervous or overly excited (No. 1 being other
Island. They're encouraged to visit. Nearly every hotel, and many private rentals, allow pets. (There's a good chance that your hotel has dog treats stashed behind the front desk.) Dogs are welcome to hang out at restaurants with outdoor patios. The beaches are practically made for our furry family members.
That said, when we visited in spring, the island was nowhere close to being overrun with canines. We saw dogs here and there exploring the beach, walking the trails, or lounging at restaurants. All of them were well-behaved, notwithstanding a stray bark or occasional whine. That, of course, usually came from Brodie.
We stayed at a hotel toward the south end of the island in a first-floor room with a small patio. The room offered easy access to the grounds and no stairs or elevator rides, which can be challenging or downright scary to even the coolest of dogs.
ON THE BEACH
dogs). Leash walking, even in the quiet and friendly surroundings of our neighborhood, can be intense. So it was with some serious apprehension that we loaded up the car, buckled Bro into the back seat, and headed to Jekyll Island.
Unlike a lot of places, dogs aren't simply tolerated on Jekyll
The area around the hotel was lush. Tumbleweeds of Spanish moss that had drifted from the towering oaks aroused Brodie's interest. There were plenty of places where he could privately do his doggy business, too, and several well-placed bag dispensers and trash cans to dispose of said business. Unlike in the suburbs, there weren't full bags left on sidewalks or petrified deposits that someone chose to ignore, either.
Getting to the beach was a bit of a challenge. A flight of wooden stairs climbed to a long, winding boardwalk. A set of steep steps led down to the sand. Brodie is nearly 10 years old and had knee surgery a few months ago, so we encouraged him to take the stairs slowly. If your dog isn't terribly young or graceful, call around before you book. Ask about beaches with ADA access. Some hotels offer ramps to the beach that make the trip much easier for older, less nimble dogs.
BEACH RULES
○ Pets are allowed on most beaches and parks year round.
○ Pets must be on a leash at all times. Maximum leash length is 16 feet. (An e-collar doesn't count as a leash.) Always clean up after your pet.
○ Pets must be kept off the dunes.
○ No pets are allowed on the beach between South Dunes Picnic Area and 2,000 feet northeast of St. Andrews Picnic Area to protect nesting shorebirds.
Jekyll's wide, flat beaches are ideal for dog walking, offering plenty of room to share the sand with other pups, which is good if your pup isn't particularly sociable. And just about all of Jekyll's beaches are open to dogs. A small stretch of beach just south of South Dunes Picnic Area is the only spot on the island that's off-limits, to protect wildlife in the area.
To capitalize on quiet time and avoid run-ins with overly friendly pups, we ventured to the beach early each morning, when it was less crowded (and cooler—also good for our furry buds). Brodie went bonkers sniffing the unfamiliar odors. We tried getting him to wade into the waves but Brodie, being Bro, wasn't a fan of the whole backand-forth thing with the surf. Still, he liked the sea breeze, which ruffled his ears and gave him some pretty impressive beach hair.
Brodie was fascinated with jellyfish, horseshoe crabs, and sand dollars. But he wasn't exactly sure if they were something to sniff, nibble, or roll around in. We caught him, on more than one occasion, trying to do all three. At one point, even as we kept him on the leash, he deftly dropped to his side and rolled gloriously in a batch of seaweed. He was quite pleased with himself.
The island, all pup parents should note, has a strict leash policy. No matter where you are, your dog must be on a leash, and that leash can be no more
THE ISLAND'S BEST DOG WALKS
North Loop Trail (shown): This flat, 8-mile bike trail winds past the ocean, marsh, and maritime forest. Much of it is in the shade.
Driftwood Beach (pages 64-65): On the northern end of the island, this spot is filled with a surreal scene of towering driftwood and fallen trees.
Ocean View Trail: A paved boardwalk trail offers unparalleled coastal views as it goes from the Jekyll Island Ocean Club to the Holiday Inn Resort.
Great Dunes Beach Park: This popular beachfront park has picnic and play areas, restrooms, and showers.
BIKERS AND DOGS
If you like to bike with your dog running by your side, many of the wide, paved trails on the island make that easy. You can rent a bike from Beachside Bike Rentals, Jekyll Island Bike Barn, and Jekyll Wheels. Don't want to work that hard? Red Bug Motors rents electric- and gas-powered vehicles that are road-ready. Your pup is welcome to ride along, but no crates or dog booster seats are allowed in the bugs.
DINING TIPS
○ Call ahead to confirm the restaurant is pet-friendly with plenty of shade.
○ Take your dog on a walk first to tire them out and relax them.
○ Bring your own water bowl and a toy or chew to keep your pup entertained.
○ Pack a beach towel or mat for your pup to sit on.
○ Bring paper towels and bags for any messes.
○ Keep your dog on a short leash. Not all dogs or people want to greet every dog.
than 16 feet long. As the parents of a reactive dog, we were relieved not to have loose, unpredictable pups bounding up to us, hoping to make a new friend. Being prepared on a beach walk is paramount. In addition to a leash, make sure to pack all your doggo supplies. A travel bowl or water bottle is critical. Hook it on your belt loop or toss it in your backpack. (And bring enough refreshments for the humans, too.) The island doesn't have a pet store, though you can find things like collars, bowls, and treats in a few places.
IN THE ROOM
Hotels will hit you with either a nightly or a per-stay fee for pets. The charge covers a post-stay deep clean, for all that dog hair and dog-treat crumbs you might leave behind. Different hotels have different policies for keeping dogs in the room. Some require, if you're away, that dogs be put in a crate. Others don't allow a dog to stay unaccompanied in the room at all. Ask
before you book. Because hotels aren't always the quietest of places, Brodie was instantly aware of every closing door, every conversation in the hallway, and any other dogs complaining about their accommodations. Anytime we went out without Brodie, we crated him and gave him a Kong filled with peanut butter. And we left on the TV, with the sound on, to keep out stray noises. (Brodie took in a few episodes of “Charmed” and at least one action-packed Marvel movie.) When we returned, he was, as always, overjoyed to see us. He was even more excited about the mini tub of peanut butter that we pocketed from the breakfast bar. I imagine it's a lot of fun to travel with dogs that love everything and everyone. But when you're dealing with a not-soperfect pooch, like our best boy Brodie, it takes a little planning, a lot of deep breaths, and a near-ideal destination to make it work. Jekyll Island was that place for us.
DOGGIE DIGS
Most hotels welcome pets. There's always a pet fee, a maximum weight limit, and only 1 to 2 pets are allowed. Some require pets be crated when alone and others don't allow them to be solo in the room at all. Highlights:
○ The Westin Jekyll Island offers a pillowy Heavenly Dog Bed and bowl.
○ The Holiday Inn Resort Jekyll Island gives pups a bag of treats.
○ The Beachview Club Hotel provides an orthopedic dog bed and an elevated bowl, with treats, upon request.
○ The historic Jekyll Island Club Resort has four pet-friendly rooms.
REMEMBRANCE
PATHS
You can stand on St. Andrews Beach, look out over the brackish water of Jekyll Sound, and picture on the horizon the broad white sails of the Wanderer, one of the last ships documented to bring enslaved Africans to America. You can follow the footprints through a maritime forest to retrace the journey of young Umwalla, one of 490 captive passengers and one of only 409 survivors to make it ashore on November 28, 1858. You can listen to the rushing of the river that conveyed Umwalla and countless others inland to lives of forced labor and hardship. You can try to imagine how his faith and his community helped fend off despair until Umwalla, renamed Lucious Williams by the man who claimed to own him, finally was released from bondage. You can return humbled to the beach that, even a century later, was still segregated and wonder how it all was possible. You can never forget it happened. —tony rehagen
ESCAPE YOUR BEACH
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Embark on your island getaway at our intimate oceanfront boutique hotel with 40 luxurious suites. Just moments from the beach, each suite offers timeless comforts: a generous living area, private balcony, and porch. Indulge in culinary delights at Eighty Ocean Kitchen and Bar, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner favorites. Come, stay a while in paradise.