The far southeast corner of the state is home to Georgia’s largest barrier island – Cumberland. Like many of its brethren, Cumberland Island was once home to a massive summer estate, this one owned by the Carnegie family. Unlike many of the other barrier islands, though, much of Cumberland is either a designated federal wilderness area or is protected as one of the 10 national seashores.
Accessible only by boat, Cumberland Island, especially the southern part, is a reminder of what the southeastern barrier islands were like before the development that has taken place on many of them. Miles of unbroken and unspoiled beach spool out from the low sand dunes, feeding ground for seabirds and home to nesting sea turtles.
A herd of wild horses, completely unmanaged, lives on the island. The horses wander freely on the beaches and in the inland maritime forest, stopping to graze on the meadow grasses or to wolf down bales of Spanish moss.
The many trails through the island provided perfect walking and exploring, and Madrone spent almost a week anchored in the calm waters of Cumberland’s western shore.
