Sapelo Island....
the people, the history, the beaches, the natural beauty
Who is Sapelo and what makes her so inviting?
When you step on the ferry to take the ride over to Sapelo you immediately relax. On your ride over dolphins play along side the boat, sea gulls escort you to the island and squadrons of pelicans lead the way across Doboy sound.
On the ferry ride you have a chance to witness the web and flow of life on a barrier island. Share the ride with residents, school children and people making the daily trip to and from the island for work and play. You may also see a cage of pheasants heading to their new farm home, supplies for the local store or coolers heading to the hunter's camp site. It is all part of everyday life on Sapelo.
Step off the ferry onto Sapelo and you step back in time; to a time when life was uncomplicated and things were more easy going.
Sapelo Island, off the coast of Southeast Georgia is located in McIntosh County, between Brunswick and Savannah. Approximately 96 percent of the 16,006 acre island is owned by the State of Georgia and managed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The other four percent is privately owned by full-time and part-time residents, who live in the Hogg Hammock community.
The historic community of Hogg Hammock, is the home place of descendants of slaves who worked on the sea island cotton, rice and sugar cane plantations. The rich traditions and culture of the Georgia coastal Geechee people can still be seen in the day-to-day routines on the island.
The Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve (SINERR) is on the western edge of Sapelo and focuses its research on education, stewardship, and the responsible, sound management of the Georgia coastal resources.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve work closely together managing the island's resources. This relationship offers visitors access to the island using the state run ferry and guided tours.
The University of Georgia Marine Institute is located on the south end of the island providing research and education on the preservation of the wetlands, wildlife and marine life on and around Sapelo.
Also on the south end of the island is the Reynold's Mansion, a Georgia State Park. And once home of R.J. Reynolds, the tobacco tycoon.
Near the Reynolds Mansion, is the Sapelo Island Lighthouse built in 1820, and in service until 1905. The lighthouse held watch over Doboy Sound and the Atlantic Ocean which at one time was a crowded commercial sea way. In 1998 the lighthouse was restored to continue its work in aiding navigation and stands on the shore reminding us of times gone by. The renovation includes an eye catching new spiral staircase and repainting of the spiral-stripped exterior identical to the structure's original beauty.
The beauty of Sapelo is in the undeveloped, serene, acres and acres of pristine forest, where wild life is abundant, beautiful and treasured. You can see many species of birds, both shore and song birds. There is no rush on Sapelo, so take your time and try your luck spotting the rare and elusive Guatemalan Chacalaca, imported as a gamebird for sport hunting, it is now wild and roams in the forest. A birder's paradise for sure, there are many different shorebirds and indigenous species calling this island home either seasonally or permanently.Wild hogs and cattle can be found in the undeveloped, pristine forest. There is also the Hogg Hammock wild cow which visits during the night, making sure everyone is safe and sound.
On the north end of the island, are ruins from Chocolate a Sea Island Cotton plantation once owned by French Royalist from 1789-1875. Today the main house and tabby remains of slave cabins still stand and tell the history and story of a different time and place. They provide a sense of the spirit and life of Sapelo island hundreds of years ago.
Sapelo Island's history is diverse. Scattered around the island are historic reminders of those who once occupied this beautiful island and called it home: Early Guale Indian Native Americans, Spanish, English and French occupation each succeeded one another until Thomas Spalding purchased a portion of the island and built what is now Reynolds Mansion. Coffin and Reynolds have also left a significant mark of history and influence on the island.
Tales of pirate treasure and Civil War battles, of the old South and the industrial magnates that came to find seclusion, serenity and leisure enjoyment are woven into the fabric of Sapelo Island, making her story rich and captivating. The famed airman, Charles Lindbergh took off from its shores, and American presidents from Coolidge to Carter have walked the Sapelo beaches and enjoyed the accommodations of the Reynolds mansion.
Today, it's a place where guests can explore Georgia’s fourth largest barrier island, by golf cart, on foot, bicycle, van or even rented ocean kayaks. The lush forest surrounds guests in a sea of green marshes, sandy shorelines and adventure at every turn. If this sounds like your perfect vacation, you can come and explore an island the size of Manhattan, but with a population of about 30. This 11-mile long and four-mile wide island is a true jewel. Enjoy the beauty of two pristine beaches; Nannygoat on the south end and Cabretta on the north end, each with beautiful, undisturbed sand dunes, shore birds feeding, and a unique ecosystem found only along the barrier islands.
It's a beautiful day on Sapelo, come and join us!
When you step on the ferry to take the ride over to Sapelo you immediately relax. On your ride over dolphins play along side the boat, sea gulls escort you to the island and squadrons of pelicans lead the way across Doboy sound.
On the ferry ride you have a chance to witness the web and flow of life on a barrier island. Share the ride with residents, school children and people making the daily trip to and from the island for work and play. You may also see a cage of pheasants heading to their new farm home, supplies for the local store or coolers heading to the hunter's camp site. It is all part of everyday life on Sapelo.
Step off the ferry onto Sapelo and you step back in time; to a time when life was uncomplicated and things were more easy going.
Sapelo Island, off the coast of Southeast Georgia is located in McIntosh County, between Brunswick and Savannah. Approximately 96 percent of the 16,006 acre island is owned by the State of Georgia and managed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The other four percent is privately owned by full-time and part-time residents, who live in the Hogg Hammock community.
The historic community of Hogg Hammock, is the home place of descendants of slaves who worked on the sea island cotton, rice and sugar cane plantations. The rich traditions and culture of the Georgia coastal Geechee people can still be seen in the day-to-day routines on the island.
The Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve (SINERR) is on the western edge of Sapelo and focuses its research on education, stewardship, and the responsible, sound management of the Georgia coastal resources.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve work closely together managing the island's resources. This relationship offers visitors access to the island using the state run ferry and guided tours.
The University of Georgia Marine Institute is located on the south end of the island providing research and education on the preservation of the wetlands, wildlife and marine life on and around Sapelo.
Also on the south end of the island is the Reynold's Mansion, a Georgia State Park. And once home of R.J. Reynolds, the tobacco tycoon.
Near the Reynolds Mansion, is the Sapelo Island Lighthouse built in 1820, and in service until 1905. The lighthouse held watch over Doboy Sound and the Atlantic Ocean which at one time was a crowded commercial sea way. In 1998 the lighthouse was restored to continue its work in aiding navigation and stands on the shore reminding us of times gone by. The renovation includes an eye catching new spiral staircase and repainting of the spiral-stripped exterior identical to the structure's original beauty.
The beauty of Sapelo is in the undeveloped, serene, acres and acres of pristine forest, where wild life is abundant, beautiful and treasured. You can see many species of birds, both shore and song birds. There is no rush on Sapelo, so take your time and try your luck spotting the rare and elusive Guatemalan Chacalaca, imported as a gamebird for sport hunting, it is now wild and roams in the forest. A birder's paradise for sure, there are many different shorebirds and indigenous species calling this island home either seasonally or permanently.Wild hogs and cattle can be found in the undeveloped, pristine forest. There is also the Hogg Hammock wild cow which visits during the night, making sure everyone is safe and sound.
On the north end of the island, are ruins from Chocolate a Sea Island Cotton plantation once owned by French Royalist from 1789-1875. Today the main house and tabby remains of slave cabins still stand and tell the history and story of a different time and place. They provide a sense of the spirit and life of Sapelo island hundreds of years ago.
Sapelo Island's history is diverse. Scattered around the island are historic reminders of those who once occupied this beautiful island and called it home: Early Guale Indian Native Americans, Spanish, English and French occupation each succeeded one another until Thomas Spalding purchased a portion of the island and built what is now Reynolds Mansion. Coffin and Reynolds have also left a significant mark of history and influence on the island.
Tales of pirate treasure and Civil War battles, of the old South and the industrial magnates that came to find seclusion, serenity and leisure enjoyment are woven into the fabric of Sapelo Island, making her story rich and captivating. The famed airman, Charles Lindbergh took off from its shores, and American presidents from Coolidge to Carter have walked the Sapelo beaches and enjoyed the accommodations of the Reynolds mansion.
Today, it's a place where guests can explore Georgia’s fourth largest barrier island, by golf cart, on foot, bicycle, van or even rented ocean kayaks. The lush forest surrounds guests in a sea of green marshes, sandy shorelines and adventure at every turn. If this sounds like your perfect vacation, you can come and explore an island the size of Manhattan, but with a population of about 30. This 11-mile long and four-mile wide island is a true jewel. Enjoy the beauty of two pristine beaches; Nannygoat on the south end and Cabretta on the north end, each with beautiful, undisturbed sand dunes, shore birds feeding, and a unique ecosystem found only along the barrier islands.
It's a beautiful day on Sapelo, come and join us!
Sapelo Island Lighthouse