Sapelo Island Atlantic Coast Camping, Beachcombing & Island Festival Weekend

OVERVIEW:  Are you a beach lover who enjoys the wonders of nature and a healthy dose of adventure—plus perhaps occasionally a little luxury when you're camping?  This may be the perfect trip for you!  Sapelo is a beautiful barrier island on the Georgia coast about 40 miles south of Savannah.  Its pristine natural beaches and wilderness areas are enhanced by its protected status as a National Estuarine Research Reserve.
  Like Cumberland Island to its south there is no bridge or highway connecting Sapelo with the mainland.  Visiting groups such as ours make advance reservations on the public ferry which takes only 20 to 30 minutes each way.
  The 2-mile-long beach by our campsite is a wonderful place to be in the fall—we'll have it all to ourselves and can relax on the sand, beachcomb for exotic shells and observe thousands of shore birds. Late October's average temperatures are ideal for enjoying Sapelo:  typically 70s or low 80s during the day and 50s or 60s at night.  Another plus of camping on GA's barrier islands at this time of year is that there's usually little or no problem with mosquitoes or other insects.

MANY NICE CAMPSITE AMENITIES!  We'll have exclusive use of the GA DNR's gorgeous oceanside "Cabretta" Group Campsite with its wide expanse of level live-oak shaded tent space.  The well-equipped campsite also features three screen-fronted hardwood-floored Adirondack buildings—sleep in one if you like in lieu of bringing your tent!   Another big bonus of the site is its spacious roofed dining pavilion, with safe piped water, large picnic tables, BBQ grills, and a big campfire ring.  The comfort station has hot showers, lavatories and flush toilets—even a hot-water dishwashing sink!  Our friendly campsite hosts will transport us by bus and truck directly from the ferry dock to and from this private group campsite.  It's fine to take "car-camping" style gear; e.g. coolers filled with ice, fresh food and our favorite cold drinks - also multi-burner propane stoves, lanterns and large pots & pans are appropriate for our "family-style" meals - see more about this below.
By the way, esp. since Cell Phone coverage is "spotty" on Sapelo, we like to consider this an opportunity to put away our electronic devices and simply enjoy nature for a change as we did 20 years ago!  Here's an emergency contact number for our Campsite Hosts, Doug & Lisa, in case your loved ones desperately need to reach you: 803-661-9948.  

ABUNDANT THINGS to SEE and DO including "CULTURE DAY FESTIVAL!"  Sapelo is blessed with lovely secluded beaches, sea-oat-capped sand dunes, forests of huge gnarled mossy live oaks, abundant seabirds & wildlife - even wild bald eagles! - and historic ruins.  Beachcombing, shell collecting and stargazing on our private beach are always spectacular.  We also usually see wild dolphins and alligators.
  This trip has been carefully planned and booked to coincide with the Island's famous annual "Culture Day Festival" (always the 3rd Saturday in October) featuring amazing live entertainment and much more.  The festival venue is conveniently near our group campsite and should not be missed!  As registered campers already on the island we'll have free access to the periphery of the festival, but likely will need to pay a $25 general admission fee for formal admission to the food & refreshments venues, arts & crafts booths, etc. - Updated since first posting.
  Also for this trip we've arranged a special optional Sapelo sightseeing bus tour (9:30 AM till Noon on Fri).  Our friend J. R. Grovner is a Sapelo native and lifelong resident of its quaint "Hog Hammock" community; his ancestors were slaves who lived and worked on the Island more than 150 years ago. For a nominal contribution (~$25 from each of us who opts for the tour) J. R. will drive us all over the island, with walking stops at the beautifully restored 190-year-old Sapelo Lighthouse on the island's south end, its adjoining "Nanny Goat Beach, the Marine Research Institute, the palatial "Reynolds Mansion," Hog Hammock (and its pub!) - also possibly the remote north end of the Island with its historic French "tabby ruins" and Raccoon Bluff church.
  Some of us may be able to work in a half-day adventure from our campsite over to legendary "Blackbeard Island" and back— it's just across Blackbeard Creek from the north end of our lovely campsite island, Cabretta.

OUR FAMILY-STYLE MEALS are optional, but delicious and highly recommended!  (Refer also to notes below under "Required Items to Bring.")  The trip leaders will provide (included in the trip price) all the ingredients for a big Friday Evening Group Dinner at our dining pavilion - also hot brewed Coffee each morning.  Our breakfasts and other dinners will be informally prepared and shared "Potluck-Style" at the pavilion, with each camper who chooses to participate simply contributing an ingredient or small dish, salad, dessert item, etc. of your choice that you personally enjoy.
  All trip confirmees will be given access to online "PerfectPotluck.com" Signup Sheets that will facilitate our choice of appropriate items, to enter on the sheets in advance and then bring to share.

  Lunches: For those who happen to be at the campsite around midday we usually also enjoy putting out nice "potluck" items at the pavilion to share, but  won't bother with formally planning lunch contributions.  During much of each day many of us will likely be away from the campsite exploring, beachcombing, etc. so we suggest that each person bring a light daypack and be prepared to carry in it a few snack items such as fruit, a sandwich, trail mix, cookies, water, etc.—plus camera, etc. 

TRIP SCHEDULE & LOGISTICS:  It's about a 4.5-hour drive from Atlanta to the mainland ferry dock and its adjoining "Sapelo Visitor Center" in Meridian, GA via I-75, I-16, I-95, and GA-99—see our detailed Directions below.  For this Sapelo trip the scheduled Public Ferry Departure for our AOC camping group will be at 3:30 PM sharp on Thursday.  It will be imperative for each of us to be there at the dock no later than 3:00 PM for loading and boarding (along with passengers from the public at large who may have likewise booked that ferry).
  We expect that the most of our group on this trip will opt for our "general Carpooling plan." (See details below: meeting Thursday at 9:00 AM at the I-75 "Stockbridge Road" Park & Ride lot.) It's also fine for our various parties to pair up in advance and depart Atlanta from mutually convenient times and places. For any who prefer to drive down on Wednesday (or earlier) there are various inexpensive lodging options along the GA coast near the mainland ferry dock.
  At 2:30 PM Thursday our AOC group will all gather at the Sapelo Visitor Center near the mainland ferry dock, and at 3:00 PM drive our vehicles temporarily to the dock and load our gear onto the ferry (see directions below).  Let's avoid bringing numerous small separate items and have our personal things well consolidated inside large rugged containers, duffels, etc. (see more below).  Although we never have to walk our camping & personal gear more than 40 or 50 yards it's a good idea to pack ompactly and avoid bringing any unnecessary items.  (Each of us will have no less than EIGHT loadings or unloadings of our gear including our two at home!)

  Our vehicles will have free parking all weekend at the Visitor Center near the mainland dock. The ferry will depart for Sapelo at 3:30 PM sharp, arriving at about 4:00 PM Friday.  At the island dock our GA DNR "Campsite Hosts" will meet us with a school bus and drive us and all our gear directly to our "Cabretta Campsite"— by the ocean about 5 miles NE of the island dock.  We'll have about 70 hours on the Island to enjoy this beautiful campsite and the many other wonderful things Sapelo has to offer.
  On Sunday afternoon our bus to the Island Ferry Dock will depart the campsite at 2:30 PM.  We have ferry reservations to depart Sapelo at 4:00 PM Sunday, and expect to be back at our vehicles on the mainland by about 4:30.  This makes it likely that each of us can be back in Atlanta as early as ~10:30 PM Sunday, assuming a stop for dinner and gas en route home.

"PRE-TRIP PLANNING PARTY," TUE OCT 14, 6:30-7:30 PM in conjunction with our 2nd-Tue AOC SOCIAL:   If your schedule permits, please drop by and join us for this informal "pre-Social happy-hour planning party."  We'll gather on the porch of the Taco Mac in the "Prado" shopping center in Sandy Springs, 5600 Roswell Rd, 1/2 mile south of the I-285 Roswell Rd exit.  No problem if you have to arrive late - just look for us around a table full of handouts.  We'll introduce one another, give out nice Sapelo brochures and maps, address everyone's questions and suggestions about the trip, and facilitate "Custom Carpooling."  Topics will include Directions to the mainland Sapelo ferry dock (and to our optional 9:00 AM Thu carpooling spot) - also optional Group Meals & Activities, suggested things to bring, how to pack, etc.  Afterward we'll have plenty of time to enjoy more of the Social!

FOR MORE on SAPELO CLICK on THESE LINKS:
Excellent Wikipedia article:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapelo_Island
Nice Color Map of Sapelo showing Cabretta Campsite, roads & trails
http://www.sapelonerr.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Sapelo-Island-with-text.pdf
Lorri Meyer's Sapelo Photo Album from June 2013 AOC trip: https://picasaweb.google.com/115116507155383750859/SapeloIslandJune2013?authkey=Gv1sRgCIKNydDqgpmCHg&feat=email#
Allison Adams' Sapelo Photo Album from our Aug 2009 AOC trip:  http://megasuperstar.shutterfly.com/262
Lisa Maldonado Santore's Photo Album from AOC Labor Day wkend 2007 trip:  http://lsantore.smugmug.com/Travel/Sapelo-Island/3460146_VzEB3#194475447_G5PMg

FROM ATLANTA to SAPELO ISLAND MAINLAND FERRY DOCK & VISITOR CENTER, Meridian, GA 31304, about 295 miles total:
1. Take I-75 South ~85 miles to Macon. (If your point of departure is the East or NE side of Atlanta you may wish to connect to I-75 via I-285 and I-675.  Important:  When approaching Macon AVOID the I-475 bypass by bearing left on I-75 at Mile #177.)
2. At I-75 Exit #165 in Macon, bear Left off I-75 onto I-16 East toward Savannah, andcontinue ~157 miles to the I-95 Interchange just west of Savannah.
3. Merge Right from I-16 onto I-95 South at Exit #157 (I-95 Exit #99 en route back), and take I-95 South ~41 miles.
4. Get off I-95 to your right at Exit #58, "GA-57, Townsend-Eulonia, GA."  (For those who may wish to drive down a day early there are various inexpensive lodging options near this exit.)
5. Turn Left onto GA-57/ GA-99 and stay on GA-99 (eastward and southward) for about 9.5 miles (crossing US-17 en route). Look on your left for the following large rectangular sign on the same corner as a church: "Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Center."
6. Turn Left off GA-99 just before the above sign onto the paved Sapelo Island Dock Road (a.k.a. "Landing Rd"), turn Right over the small bridge, and follow the road just 8/10 of a mile to its dead end at the Visitor Center & Ferry Dock.  Congratulations—you made it!

FOR GPS NAVIGATION (or GOOGLE.com/maps, etc.) in conjunction with above DIRECTIONS:  You can enter the Sapelo Mainland Dock's Lat/Lon Coordinates 31.4550,-81.3647 as your destination. Also, for a zoomable map & satellite view of the dock and adjoining Visitor Center vicinity, click on the square blue & green "Event Location" icon near the top of this online article.

GROUP PROCEDURE at MAINLAND DOCK and ADJOINING "SAPELO VISITOR CENTER":  At about 2:30 PM Thursday we suggest that you stop by the Visitor Center where you can enjoy its free museum displays of the island's natural, geologic and human history, check out their T-shirts and other nice souvenirs, and pick up free Island maps, brochures, etc.  We'll load our gear onto the ferry at about 3:00 PM. The AOC trip leader will pay for our group ferry fare at the Visitor Center and simply present that receipt as our "group ticket" after we board.  As discussed in the event itinerary our Ferry departure will be at 3:30 PM sharp.

PARKING PROCEDURE NEAR MAINLAND DOCK:  For unloading your heavier gear from our vehicles we may park temporarily at the farthest dead-end of the road (beside the dock and ferry office) but over the weekend we must park either in the marked spaces at the Visitor Center or along the shoulders of the dock road, at least 100 yards from the dock.  Parking is FREE!

• Round-trip Ferry between Mainland Dock and Island (group schedule in itinerary above),
• Round-trip charter Bus Transportation between Sapelo Island dock and Campsite,
• Three nights Oceanside Camping at Cabretta Group Campsite (Sleep in screened Adirondack Building in lieu of your tent if you prefer.)
• Hot Showers, Flush Toilets, Running Potable Water + other misc. Island amenities & Group Supplies,
• Friday evening group Dinner at group campsite Dining Pavilion
+ Hot Brewed Coffee each morning with creamers & sweeteners.

*NOTE: It is your responsibility to get your payment in on time. Please allow two days for processing a PayPal transaction.  Any personal checks must be hand delivered to an AOC Officer or Treasurer by the Sep 25 payment deadline.

CANCELLATION POLICY: If you cancel on or before Sep 25, full payment will be refunded less a $5 administrative fee. No refund after Sep 25 unless someone replaces you and pays in full, and then if requested you will be eligible for a refund less a $5 administrative fee. No partial payment for partial attendance. If the trip leader cancels the event, full payment will be refunded. If you do not cancel your attendance or fail to show up for the event, you are still responsible for full payment.