Cumberland Island Camping

READ EVERYTHING :)  PLEASE.

Let's spend a wonderful weekend on Cumberland Island National Seashore.  This is a special place and if you haven't been there - it's a must see.  From wild animals (of all sorts) to pristine beaches, the ruins of Dungeness, the beautiful oak trees.  It is a place to relax and breathe.  

We have a coveted group site (GS) at Sea Camp reserved for 20.  We have the event set at 16, if you are sharing a tent, let us know, we would increase the group size.  We just don't want to overload the site with individual tents.

A ferry boat takes us, leaving at 9AM, from the mainland (St. Mary's GA) to the island where we'll spend two nights, returning on Sunday on the 10:15AM ferry.

We will bring (via wagons or on our backs) our supplies for about 1/3 mile walk from where the ferry drops us off to our campsite.There are picnic tables and fire rings, and bear boxes in each camp site. 

There are mens' and womens' bathrooms with cold water showers. Showers have no lighting so you need to shower before dark.  Next to the showers are bathrooms and outside the bathrooms are large sinks to clean cookware.

From the campsite, the dunes, beach and ocean are accessed with a five minute walk via a boardwalk.  

There are no bike rentals at this time.  As of 10/2, no bike rentals but for a small fee and reservation you can bring your own bike.

As of 7/1/2022, cash is no longer for your entrance fee or for park passes.

As of 9/12/2022, the museum is closed for renovations.  The visitor center will display a limited number of items.

Animals on CI:  https://www.nps.gov/cuis/learn/nature/animals.htm

Friday, 10/28:  Ferry departure from St. Mary's is 9AM.  Each person must be there an hour early to unload gear, check-in, and pay any remaining fees at the Park Service office (park entry fee). 

You will need to travel from Atlanta to St Mary's GA either early in the morning, or stay nearby on Thursday night in a local hotel/motel (cost of hotel is not included in this trip) so that you can catch this the ferry.  The ferry ride to the island takes about 40 minutes.  Once there, the park service will give us a presentation about the camp rules.  Then, we can go set up our tents, etc.  You can bring coolers.  There is ice that is sold on the ferry, so on subsequent days you can meet it in the morning or afternoon to purchase some, if needed.  Likewise for campfire wood.  You can also gather downed wood on the island.  

After we get to our site, setup camp, you are free to spend the remainder of the day as you like, at the beach, reading a good book, heading out to Plum Orchard (tours at 11am, 1pm, 2pm)  https://www.nps.gov/places/plum-orchard.htm.  Be sure to carry a map with you.

Saturday, 10/29: Your trip leaders will lead a hike starting at 9:30AM and finishing by noon.  The hike will be out to the ruins of Dungeness, cemetery, boardwalk, and back up the beach to our campsite.  If interested, let us know, so we won't miss taking you there.  Distance around 4.5 to 5 miles.  This will be a casual paced hike.  Time allowed for taking pictures, etc.  Bring water!

You are free to do your own thing if you don't want to join our hike.  Explore!

Friday and Saturday evenings, you are cordially invited to join your trip leaders for sunset at Sea Camp dock.  

Sunday 10/30:  Be a the Sea Camp dock by 9:45AM, we'll wait for the folks to unload; then it's our turn to load our gear on to the ferry and return to St. Mary's.  Load the gear in the cars and head home.

IMPORTANT STUFF

Food:  Bring 2 lunches, 2 breakfast, 2 dinners.  When you get back to the mainland on Sunday, you'll be hungry - there are places to stop and eat on the way back or consider packing an extra lunch.  We will be sharing bear boxes (that get rather warm inside); please label your food and be considerate of space for others - only putting food in the bear box.  We use heavy duty Rubbermaid containers (with bungee cords or straps) for stowing our 'other stuff' (cooking gear, paper towels, toiletries).  Coolers must be strong secured from the critters that will come and try to open them.  You cannot put your cooler in the bear box - there won't be enough room.  Bungee cords or straps do the trick.  Pack it in/pack it out - there are no trash receptacles on the island.  There is a dumpster on the mainland.    

Parking:  Upon arrival, once you've unloaded your gear, park your car in the lot further down the road on the right.  Lock your car.  Parking is free!

Checking in:  find the trip leaders, we will assist the group with the checkin process.  Here is some information about the process:  https://www.nps.gov/cuis/planyourvisit/covid-19-safety.htm  Once we have the group together, we'll go checkin.  So, please don't be late.  So what time do we get to the dock for checkin?  Be at the checkin spot, just outside the dock area at 8AM.  

Ferry:  Tickets can be purchased in advance....ONCE YOU ARE ON THE EVENT at,  https://www.cumberlandislandferry.com/  Book a roundtrip ticket.  Mask are currently required on the ferry and are optional in the NPS office.  The ferry ride can be breezy (bring a jacket).

Camping fee:  The total amount is $80.00 and this will be pro-rated by the number of attendees.  Once you have completed the registration for this event, and we close registration (10/7), you will receive an email with details on how to pay your camping fee.  You must follow it to the detail or you will risk losing your spot on the event.  You must attend the entire event - remember - we have a group site permit (no showing up later on Friday or coming over on Saturday).  

Park Entrance fee:  Each participant must be included either on someone elses park entrance card or must pay their own park entry fee.  So each cardholder pass allows for up to four individuals.  We will handle this on a first come, first serve basis based on signups.  For example, if the first two people to sign up don't have a park pass they will come on Ralph's pass (he already has one - an American the Beautiful - Senior Pass).  So as you sign up - send us an email advising us if you already have a pass and we'll try to make sure we are all covered.  Here is a link to what park passes work in the national parks:  https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm

Carpool:  We are not setting a carpool location, but will assist attendees in carpooling.  So when you register for the event, send an email to us stating your desire to carpool, we will create a distribution list for those interested in carpooling so y'all can make arrangements with each other.  Please be responsible for keeping your gear compact, don't forget to pay your driver. 

Behavior:  You are responsible for you.  So having said that, QUIET HOURS are 10pm to 6am.  If you are a night owl and want a fire, that's okay - but keep it quiet (tent walls are thin).  Your trip leaders are not police, but if we think things are too rowdy, well....you understand. 

Electricity for my stuff:  None available.  There are a couple of outlets in the bathrooms, but don't count on them.  Bring a battery backup for your phone.  Phone reception is available usually at the docks.

Water:  There are various spigots around Sea Camp.  The water is potable.

From Atlanta: http://tinyurl.com/kh93xjm 

In St Mary's facing the waterfront, there is 'drop-off' parking in front of the dock.  You can unload your vehicle here.   Then you must move the vehicle to the over-night parking which is down the street on the right (facing the water, go right; lot is on the right).

Reminders:

1. Send us an email with the following:  a) you have a park pass, b) you want to carpool, c) if you are sharing a tent.

Costs you must pay:  

Pay for your own roundtrip ferry.  Leave at 9AM on Friday, return at 10:15AM on Sunday. Approximately $32 - $34, plus tax, per person.

Possibly pay your entrance fee. (We will try to consolidate by sharing park passes). $10.00/per person if unable to consolidate.

Pay the pro-rated camping fee.  $80.00 divided by number of participants. (For example, if we have 16 people, the cost is $5.00/per person.

This event is rain or shine.  The camping fee is non-refundable.