Aurora Borealis
Leslie and I had spent the day out in Glen Tanar enjoying a sunny but cold walk out in the hills. Though cloud had come and gone during the day, by the evening it was a chill night with the stars steady in an inky sky. With a rapid substorm developing I kept an eye on various aurora services during the evening until it became apparent that the Northern Lights were being seen all across the UK. Even from our kitchen window in central Aberdeen it was apparent that there was a bright green glow in the northern sky. We barely hesitated, grabbing warm clothing and camera gear before driving out to our usual spot near Midmar in Aberdeenshire.
There were flurries of snow as we headed west and we briefly wondered whether we had made a mistake in not driving out to the coast. However, we were committed and soon pulled up in the parking spot to find that, since my last visit, the forestry had been logged and there was now an even better northern horizon.
Stepping out of the car it was apparent that a pale green glow filled most of the northern sky. I quickly had the camera set up and fired off a few test shots at various exposure lengths, quickly finding that the pale green belied more complex colours at the fringes.
We didn't have to wait long before this ethereal glow suddenly shimmered and crystallised into a bright and complex structure with rays and curtains hanging in the sky. With a whoop we watched as the whole sky suddenly erupted in colour and shape as the display intensified before our eyes.
After this initial period the aurora died down to a pale green arc; some structure continued to be revealed by photography. We only had to wait a few more minutes though before the activity picked up once again, this time a brightening along the lower edge of the arc signaled a period of rays and curtains that extended far to the south.
It was strange to be looking behind us to see activity but this tallied with reports of the Northern Lights seen as far south as Norfolk during the course of the evening.
We finally noticed that a large snow storm was rapidly approaching us, swallowing the aurora and the stars as it advanced. We reluctantly packed up and headed back towards Aberdeen. Just before the snow hit there was a chance to get a final view and so I pulled the car safely off the road and took a final set of photos as the clouds continued their march southward.
A Note On Alert Services
This winter I have started using the Aurora Alert service provided by Andy Stables who is based on the Isle of Skye. This has proved to be both accurate and timely and combines both data and crowd-sourced obervations to give a good idea of what is visible and where from. It is a Chrome app so can be used on both Apple and Android devices, as well as from any desktop computer. I recommend checking it out if you are at all interested in catching the Northern Lights.
Dundee Mountain Film Festival
This was my second year in succession attending the Dundee Mountain Film Festival. I travelled down to Dundee by train on what proved to be a very miserable and wet Friday afternoon. Dinner was a delicious pint and burger at Tonic, right next door to Bonar Hall, and by 6:45 I was sitting in the auditorium itself whilst the Friday evening session audience slowly filled the room.
The five films shown were an eclectic selection from stunt paragliding in France to the Golden Age of big wall climbing in Yosemite. The highlight for me was the film Forgotten Dirt; mountain biking remote footpaths in the remote Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan including a visit to the high plateau.
After the interval mountaineer John Porter gave a brilliant illustrated talk focusing on his experience climbing in the Greater Ranges in the 70s and 80s at a time when alpine style climbing was being introduced to the Himalayas by talented European mountaineers. His talk focused around the climber Alexander Macintyre but also featured famous names like Chris Bonnington, Dougal Haston and Don Whillans. The photography was absolutely breathtaking and the routes were bold. With nothing in the way of sponsorship expeditions were on a shoe string budget and even just getting to the Himalayas was an adventure in itself. The talk was also very sobering with John describing how his generation almost "climbed themselves into extinction". It was truly superb though and I picked up a copy of his book One Day As A Tiger at the end.
I stayed overnight down by the waterfront and it was a cold Saturday morning. I wandered along past Discovery just as the sun was lighting up the clouds and then went along to the Parlour Café on West Port for a delicious breakfast of poached eggs and a cappuccino.
The Saturday morning session showcased four films from a Scottish perspective. “Deano” Dunbar had gone on another adventure, this time paddle boarding the length of the Caledonian Canal. There were then two excellent hill running films from Nadir Khan, one focussed on the Black Cuillin and the other on An Teallach. The final film was amongst my favourite of the weekend, Transition debuted last week at the Kendal Mountain Film Festival and it was a pleasure to see the whole thing here. Natalie Berry is a talented indoor climber (and an editor at UKClimbing.com) and in Transition, starts to take her ability and skills outdoors to the crags and cliffs of Scotland. The film is beautifully photographed and sees her tackling everything from sea cliffs on Lewis to winter climbs on the Ben culminating with an incredible climb on the nose of the Cobbler above Arrochar. Trad climbers Dave Macleod and Lucy Creamer provided reassurance and encouragement throughout Natalie’s adventures.
After the interval historian David Munro presented an illustrated talk on the “forgotten” Scottish polar explorer William Spiers Bruce who participated and later led many expeditions to both the north and south polar regions. The talk was complemented by numerous illustrations, photographs and maps from various expedition diaries and provided an excellent overview of an amazing career.
After a delicious lunch at Jute in the Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre I made my way back for the afternoon session. The seven films were a real mix with the highlights for me both being set in the desert south-west of the USA. Desert Ice featured ice climbers dropping into remote canyons to climb ice routes whose existence wasn’t even known about until recently. The filmmaking was tense and exhilarating. The final film of the set was Sufferfest 2 in which climbers Alex Honnold and Cedar Wright cycled between and then climbed up 45 of the desert’s most interesting and iconic rock towers. This featured some incredible scenery and the film was full of both humour and hardships as the miles, weather and ascents started to take their toll.
After the interval filmmaker Jen Randall gave an excellent talk featuring a number of her short films as well as her most recent work, Operation Moffat. Jen was a very modest speaker but her filmmaking is superb and Operation Moffat in particular was great. It profiles the life of Gwen Moffat, the first female mountain guide in the UK who stravaiged across the country during the 60s and 70s in search of adventure. The interviews conducted with Gwen (who is now in her 90s) were both hilarious and heart-warming and the idea of a young female climber (Claire Carter) following in the footsteps of Gwen was beautifully realised. The film is excellent.
It was a shame not to have time to attend the evening session but I needed to be back in Aberdeen and so with the dreich weather continuing I headed back to the station and the journey north.
Planetary Conjunction and Aurora Borealis
Before Sunrise
A solar storm, emanating from the same coronal hole that caused brilliant aurorae over Scotland on the 7th-8th October, was due to arrive sometime on the 2nd or 3rd November. We’d made plans to head out in the evening on the 2nd but at 8:30 auroral activity was fairly low and it didn’t look as though the storm had arrived just yet. We headed home but I set my alarm for 5:45 to make the most of the promise of clear skies to catch a sight of the pre-dawn planets with Mars and Venus at conjunction.
Above: Planetary Conjunction, Canon 450D, 17mm, f/4, 8s, ISO 400
Rather than head to the beach like last time I just took a wander into the park at the bottom of our road. It was quiet and incredibly still with a heavy dew soaking everything. I padded across the dark grass and set up the tripod below the trees with a nice framed view of the planets. Bright Venus was closely paired with the much dimmer Mars whilst Jupiter sat a little distance up and to the south.
Above: Planetary Conjunction, Canon 450D, 17mm, f/4, 8s, ISO 400
It was a beautiful morning and I watched as a light fog drifted about over the rooftops, occasionally covering the sky. A little while later and the first light of day was tinging the sky. I took a couple more shots from outside the flat before heading back into the warmth for breakfast.
Above: Planetary Conjunction, Canon 450D, 17mm, f/4, 8s, ISO 100
After Sunset
The solar storm finally arrived during the day with winds picking up from 300m/s to 700m/s. There were also hints that the Bz component of the IMF was heading southward – the perfect conditions to spark aurorae at Scottish latitudes. Sadly during the day a thick fog had rolled into Aberdeen, bringing a damp and cloying feel to the city.
After dropping Leslie off at a class in the city I decided to venture west to see whether the fog was lighter out in the shire. The drive was fairly unpleasant, taking it slow on theroad over to Kingswells and then out to Echt and Midmar. Thankfully, after turning off the main road and climbing the bank past Midmar kirk I came out of the fog to find a beautiful starry sky and a wide, faintly green arc across the northern sky. Long exposure photographs immediately revealed some definition and structure to this display of the Northern Lights.
Above: Northern Lights from Midmar, Canon 450D, 17mm, f/4, 30s, ISO 800
As my eyes adjusted to the dark I could see that there was quite a bit more structure than I had initially thought and watched as the light pulsed gently above the mist and fog. Over me the Milky Way arched and I could hear geese honking as they flew over me somewhere in the darkness.
Above: Northern Lights from Midmar, Canon 450D, 17mm, f/4, 30s, ISO 800
Above: Northern Lights from Midmar, Canon 450D, 17mm, f/4, 30s, ISO 800
After this initial bright period the activity seemed to dip for a few minutes so I took the opportunity to have my dinner whilst I continued to take photos and watch the sky. Occasionally scraps of cloud would move uphill and envelop me in the dank murk that reduced visibility.
Above: Northern Lights from Midmar, Canon 450D, 17mm, f/4, 30s, ISO 800
Around 20:00 activity picked up again and bright patches appeared, rippling along the arc of green and clustering along it's lower edges. The long exposure photographs started to reveal subtle rays along the length of the arc.
Above: Northern Lights from Midmar, Canon 450D, 17mm, f/4, 30s, ISO 800
Above: Northern Lights from Midmar, Canon 450D, 17mm, f/4, 30s, ISO 800
Sadly this increase in brightness coincided with a more determined effort from the mist and I found the views gradually disappearing as the cloud drifted further up the hill, eventually completely surrounding me. I needed to get back to Aberdeen and with the views gone decided it was time to pack up and head off.
Kintail and Torridon
Saturday was a day of dramatic weather. We drove from Aberdeen through heavy rain until eventually the sun broke through close to Inverness. The drive alongside Loch Ness and into Glen Morriston was spectacular as sunlight sparkled off a damp and dripping world the colours of autumn bright in the trees and the dark blue of the loch. As we headed west towards Kintail the skies grew increasingly dark until it looked like we were heading into night as we drew close to Loch Cluanie. Here the rain started with sheets of water crossing the glen in front of us. Above us through dark rents in the cloud we could see it was hail and snow at higher levels.
The shower passed as we approached the Claunie Inn and suddenly the scene changed to autumnal russets capped by white summits. We pulled into the Cluanie Inn where an giant smoked salmon baguette and bowl of steaming Cullen Skink provided a welcome lunch break. As we sat there enjoying tea the rain started again, heavy and unrelenting.
We followed the glen down to Loch Duich and the turn-off for Ratagan and our destination for the night, Grants at Craigellachie. Everyone else had already arrived and we seized what seemed to be a lull between showers to take the customary stroll down the loch shore. The snow tinging the tops of the Five Sisters made for a dramatic introduction to the North West Highlands for Julia, Josie, Dave and Scott.
Of course as we headed down the loch it became clear that the next shower was on its way and soon enough we were enveloped in stinging hail that was led by a bright and fast moving rainbow.
Everyone put hoods up and hats on and perservered for a little, the hail turning to a rain but eventually we had to call it quits and headed back to dry out, warm up and watch the rugby whilst enjoying pre-dinner drinks.
That evening we headed down to the restaurant where Tony and Liz treated us to the usual delicious food and wine. My starter was Loch Leven Mussels in a pastis-cream sauce. My main was Perthshire guinea hen and the dessert was a Bailey's Creme Caramel. We topped off the night with coffee and a wee dram or two from the selection of whiskies.
The next day the cloud was down almost to the loch and it was raining hard. We drove over to Lochcarron and then over the Bealach na Ba where the waterfalls were white torrents crashing down the hillside. It was very atmospheric topping out in thick mist and then a relief to get down to Applecross where a warm fire was going in the inn.
After a drink we headed on, rounding the top of the Applecross peninsula and then dropping down past Shieldaig and into Torridon where we were staying at the Torridon Inn. With the weather putting a damper on any outdoor excursions we whiled away the afternoon with beer, rugby and card games before getting changed for a pleasant pub dinner followed by a few more drams.
The next morning the weather had finally cleared and we headed for a walk down to the boathouse, following a circular trail waymarked by the hotel. The views across a serene Upper Loch Torridon to the mountains of Beinn Alligin and Liathach were sublime.
We headed up through the woods where plenty of work is being done on the trail before dropping back down to the inn.
Then everyone went their separate ways, some heading back to England and others spending a bit more time on the west coast. We needed to head back to Aberdeen but did find just enough time for a short walk through the woods by Loch Maree. The drive down to Kinlochewe through Glen Torridon was spectacular with the blue skies, now almost unblemished by clouds, a perfect contrast to the bright autumn hues of the glen floor and the bare Torridon hills.
We parked up at the well provisioned car park at the start of the Glas Leitir trails and followed the waymarkings for the Woodland Trail.
This took us steeply up through the woods of Coille na Glas Leitir with the views behind us soon opening up to reveal Slioch's ramparts across Loch Maree. The colours of the woods and the water were emphasised by the bright sun.
As the trail contoured through the woods we noticed a few alto cumulus clouds gathering in the skies above Beinn Eighe.
We dropped down as the trail wound its way besides a pleasant tumbling stream, crossing it on stepping stones and then following a series of slabs across an area of bog to eventually reach our outward route.
It had been a thoroughly pleasant hour or so wander and set us up nicely for the long drive back east to Aberdeen.
A Planetary Conjunction
With the weather forecast fair for the morning but descending rapidly as the first major Atlantic systems of the autumn funnel into Scotland I took the opportunity of a day off work to head down to the beach early and photograph the close conjunction of Venus, Jupiter and Mars in the pre-dawn sky.
After taking a few photos and noting that the morning traffic was already picking up I headed down to the quieter end of the beach near Footdee and the Marine Control Centre. The Shetland ferry was pulling into the harbour as I arrived and I was able to take a few photos of the planets over the breakwater. A few minutes later I noted that pale Mercury had also risen just above the hillside opposite.
I now went in search of some additional compositions, taking a few shots of the planets above the marine control centre and then watching as a supply ship glided slowly between the breakwaters
Finally I headed back around to the beach and the car and took a few more photos as the sky started to gild with approaching sunrise. I wasn't keen to get stuck in traffic and it seemed like clouds were drifting in from the south so I packed up and headed off half an hour before sunrise.
Total Lunar Eclipse
As Sunday evening advanced I was delighted to see that a bright full Moon[^1] was occasionally shining out from behind drifting cloud. It looked like there might be a good chance of catching the total lunar eclipse later on and so I dutifully set my alarm for 03:35 and headed to bed.
A few hours of comfortable sleep later and I was up, pulling on a few warm layers of clothing and then quietly descending through the sleeping hotel. The night porter looked momentarily panicked but I explained what I was doing and was soon out in the quiet grounds with just an occassional car on the A9 disturbing the silence. The skies were mostly clear but a thin mist meant the stars weren't quite as bright as I would have liked.
Nevertheless the eclipse was going on and looked fantastic. A dark, ruddy red moon hung above the pines low in the west. It wasn't ideal placement but I found a spot for the tripod and set about getting sorted. Using the lights on the drilling rigs moored in the Cromarty firth gave me a reasonable focus and I was soon snapping away with the 50mm lens - I hadn't brought my telescope with me on this occasion.
From the depths of maximum eclipse I watched the Moon gradually brighten as the sunlight slowly spread back across the surface. I kept taking photos, occasionally adjusting settings but mostly just enjoying the sight as my eyes grew accustomed to the darkness. The thin mist continued to cast a slight halo around the moon and its presence meant I never quite got a truly crisp photo.
As the crescent brightened and the red colour faded I decided it was time to pack up and head back in for a return to a warm bed as dawn slowly approached.
Other Reports
Author Alex Roddie captured some superb photos of the event from his home in Lincolnshire.
The North Aberdeenshire Coast
After spending a pleasant evening visiting friends who have recently moved up to Peterhead we headed out under a brightening sky to explore a few places along the eastern and northern Aberdeenshire coast.
Our first stop was Rattray Head, reached by leaving the main road shortly after passing the St Fergus gas terminal and following a narrow, potholed, muddy road along to a parking area besides the old keeper’s cottages (now converted into an eco-hostel). It was overcast and a strong northerly wind was whipping across the dunes.
We took the short walk through the sand dunes and out onto the beach at Rattray Point. The Rattray Head lighthouse stands on a granite pedestal a short way out from the beach. Sand was being blown along the beach by the strong wind and we spent only a short time enjoying the biting air and the crash of the breakers.
Our drive took us around the corner, bypassing Fraserburgh to reach Pennan on the north coast. A short drive further on brought us to the parking area for Cullykhan Bay and Fort Fiddes. We followed the grassy track and boardwalk down to the bay itself where the high cliffs shelter you from the worst of the wind. It is a beautiful quiet place and we spent time exploring the beach and combing the rock pools on a raised shelf below the cliffs. On the way back up we spotted an opening in the cliff with daylight at the far end. It was quite creepy though and we only dared go so far before heading back out.
We then headed up and along the headland, admiring the blowhole below the cliffs to the west and then taking in the views across the turbulent waters to Pennan itself.
After surviving the steep drive down the twisting road to the foreshore of Pennan we parked up and wandered along the front. The wind was up and rain threatened as we passed the pretty collection of cottages. At the Pennan Inn the snug was full but we got a seat in the restaurant and enjoyed a delicious steak lunch.
We stopped to take a few photos of the Local Hero telephone box and wandered briefly around the harbour before heading off down the coast to Macduff.
By now the day was brighter but it was still windy as the breakers beyond the harbour wall testified. We decided to head into Macduff Aquarium which proved to be an excellent visit, designed to get you close to the habitats, flora and fauna of the Moray Firth and North Sea. We saw the sea anemones and jelly fish being fed, were entertained by hermit crabs and rays, and spent far too long trying to differentiate between x and x.
After that it was a simple drive home taking us almost due south back to Aberdeen.
Georgia (Part Four)
Day 14
It was an early start as we rolled off the island for the first time in a couple of days. The sun was rising over the marshes as we grabbed a quick breakfast from the McDonalds in Brunswick and then headed south, crossing the Sidney Lanier Bridge for the first time. Besides the river were a small flock of Roseate Spoonbills.
We drove down the fairly quiet interstate before turning off to St Marys, arriving in the town and driving down to the riverfront where the Cumberland Island National Seashore's visitor centre and ferry terminal sits. We collected our pre-booked tickets, parked the car under some shady oaks and then headed out to listen to the briefing from one of the rangers.
Then it was out onto the ferry, the Cumberland Queen II, which was moored alongside the visitor centre. We chose to head up onto the top deck as the early start meant the sun wasn’t at its most powerful just yet. With everyone aboard the ferry departed and we enjoyed a gentle cruise down the St Marys river.
The channel is wide and lazy, threading through the last of the marsh with a view across to the industry of Fernandina Beach on one side and the grey structures of the King's Bay submarine base on the other.
Eventually we were gliding along the west shore of Cumberland Island, its forest seemingly impenetrable until we neared Dungeness dock and our entry point to the island.
As soon as we stepped off the boat we saw that a crowd was forming on the dock. A maelstrom in the muddy brown waters just off the island turned out to be a group of manatees - an incredible introduction to Cumberland Island.
The crowds slowly dispersed but we stayed around, lucky enough to catch clear glimpses of them as they broke the surface twisting and turning around. It was hard to tell whether it was playful or agressive. Eventually a second adult arrived and the group almost ran aground on the beach before suddenly breaking up, the radio trackers on a couple of them showing them swimming away to the north.
With that first encounter over we could now turn our attention to Cumberland Island itself. Dungeness dock would have been the arrival point for those staying at Dungeness house and the area has a slight manicured feel to it with buildings and open pastureland divided up by long avenues of live oak and smaller areas of shrub. We stopped to have a look around the small museum in the former ice house before setting off down the live oak avenue.
In the distance we caught our first sighting of the wild spanish horses and then a group of wild turkey before following a side trail to the mostly empty duck pond where a large herd of horses were grazing and splashing about. There were a scattering of foals amongst them.
We worked our way around to the main entrance to Dungeness, now an impressively eerie ruin, even under the unblemished blue skies. It was warming up nicely now as we slowly wandered around, taking in a tabby house, the orangerie and several statues out on the lawn.
More horses appeared as we threaded our way through ruined out-buildings to the quiet cemetery sitting on the edge of the marsh.
Now it was time to head away from Dungeness and over to the wilder east coast of the island. We followed a sandy track that was broken up by occassional stretches of boardwalk. One of these took us out over the marsh where there were fiddler crabs and wading birds. We left the trees behind until it was just the coarse grasses amongst the dunes.
Here the temperatures were fierce and we were glad to finally reach the black and white dune crossing marker signalling our arrival on the beach.
The sun was beating down but there was a pleasant ocean breeze blowing in off the Atlantic where a series of shrimp boats worked their trade.
We slowly ambled up the beach, coming across sand dollars and scattering gulls that were enjoying the receding tide line.
Eventually we reached the black and white pole marking the crossing back across the dunes towards Sea Camp. Trailing vines grew across the hot white sands here and we found the heat amongst the dunes was almost overpowering.
Everyone went at their own pace, the dark line of the maritime forest an almost mirage-like vision ahead of us. Thankfully as we reached the treeline there was a shower to duck under and then we found a perfect picnic bench area under the twisted branches of live oaks where it was, if not cool, certainly much more pleasant than out under the midday sun.
Here we enjoyed an excellent picnic lunch with sandwiches and crisps and lots of ice cold water, nicely melted by the long walk down the beach. There was fresh fruit and it was pleasant to get off our feet for a little while. Above us the sun shimmered through the trees and the spanish moss and the carpet of the forest was all palmetto.
After lunch we followed signs through the maze of tracks that make up this camping area and along to the main road. The live oaks were an ever dizzying puzzle of shapes and shade and dappled sunlight arching over us.
Just before we reached the road a scuffling in the fronds gave away the presence of a tiny armadillo that was snuffling its way among the dry undergrowth.
We crossed the dusty main road and headed down the final short stretch of track to the ranger station and sea camp dock, where we would be catching the ferry back to St Mary's.
Whilst there we were lucky enough to get a short talk on sea turtles as well as holding a full sized sea turtle shell. As we waited for the ferry to depart I headed down the River Trail for a short way which enjoyed views through the edge of the trees to the languid drift of the river separating Cumberland from the marshy mainland.
Sadly our departure time swung around and our time on the magical Cumberland Island was over. We boarded the ferry, this time seeking some shade on the lower deck and enjoyed our ride back.
As Cumberland receded behind there was still a wildlife treat in store as a dolphin's fin appeared in the water before the boat. Then the trees around St Mary's appeared and we were following the wide channel of the river back up to the town.
After retrieving the car we had a short drive around St Mary's, seeing the house where Leslie's Dad grew up and some of the sights, old and new, around the town.
Then it was time to tackle the drive down to Saint Augustine in Florida, our destination for the evening. The roads around Jacksonville were busy and the weather threatened us with storms as we crossed the St John river. Soon though we down the interstate and then turning off for Saint Augustine. Our motel was located in Vilano Beach, across the water from the city itself and everyone was glad to reach it and get a shower after the long, hot, dusty but amazing day on Cumberland.
The Magic Beach Motel had a lot of Americana charm about it and the beach was just a two minute walk away. Unlike further north the Atlantic here is clear and blue with an unbroken horizon. We enjoyed a stroll here as the day progressed and the heat started to diminish a little.
After getting smartened up we headed into Saint Augustine itself, eventually finding a parking spot near the restaurant we were booked into. We walked down St George Street, the main street which is quaint and touristy in a way I didn't expect a place to be like in the USA.
After taking a look at the oldest wooden school house still standing in the US, and the gates of the city, we got a delicious flavoured popsicle from Hyppo and then headed along to the Columbia restaurant where we had an absolutely delicious Caribbean-food inspired dinner accompanied by Sangria de Cava. My Shrimp Criollo in particular was wonderful.
With stomachs happy and darkness now fallen over the city we took a stroll along the waterfront and along to the Spanish-era fortress, the Castillo de San Marcos. The lights on the Bridge of Lions reflected off the harbour waters and there was a pleasant atmosphere as the placed geared up for night time.
Back across in Vilano Beach the neon of the Magic Beach Motel drew us like a moth to a candle and we were soon tucked up in bed after a long but brilliant day.
Day 15
The next morning after a fun little breakfast in the motel we headed through St Augustine and across the Bridge of Lions to the Alligator Farm. As well as alligators this quite large park is home to a vast array of animals from across the globe and we spent a very enjoyable morning wandering around its leafy paths.
The central attraction of course is the alligators and we arrived just in time to see one of the feeding shows where a keeper demonstrated their terrifyingly fast reflexes for catching passing prey. The raised boardwalks gave you plenty of opportunity to see these powerful, prehistoric creatures from a close but comfortable distance.
In a nearby shaded pool a group of juvenile crocodiles were only too eager to fight over food pellets tossed to them.
There were also plenty of other reptile species including snakes in the humid dark of the python cave and a massive komodo dragon.
The most interesting part of the park for me was the [outdoor rookery]http://www.alligatorfarm.com/wading-bird/). We reeached this after seeing the park's largest animals, the deceased Gomek and the huge Maximo, an Australian saltwater crocodile.
The rookery is home to dozens if not hundreds of wading birds that make their nests in the trees above the outdoor alligator swamp. This is traversed on a long winding boardwalk with the alligators almost forgotten as we got close to Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Stalks and ridiculously fluffy baby egrets still wobbling about their nest.
There was a constant coming and going of birds, squabbles and squawks, chicks being fed and adults bickering. The sight of these huge creatures gliding just above us was magical and we spent a long time out despite the growing heat of the day.
After the rookery and alligator swamp there were a few more animals to take a look at including a giant tortoise, lemurs, a pelican, a wide variety of lizards and yet more species of alligators and crocodiles. Eventually though we had seen all we wanted to see and were ready to move on and find some lunch.
Whilst over on this side of the city we took a brief trip out to the Saint Augustine lighthouse before heading back out of town to Schooner's Seafood House that proved to be very popular with the Sunday church crowd. Eventually the slightly flustered waitress got us seats at the bar and we tucked into some excellent fried shrimp and iced tea.
After lunch we had a brief thought about tackling some of the touristy spots in downtown Saint Augustine but eventually decided to tackle the dive home, planning on taking the longer but more attractive coastal route. So, heading north, after crossing the John River we left the interstate and instead followed the old coastal highway (designated A1A) as it wound its way along the shore of the Atlantic, passing white-sand beaches and stretched-out beachside towns.
We stopped at Little Talbot Island state park where the heat on the dunes was quite incredible and towering clouds to the west told of the storm that would hit us a few hours later.
Nearing Fernandina Beach we stopped at Peters Point for another stroll along the beach before continuing on into town.
In Fernandina Beach itself we parked up by the marina and had a drink in Brett's Waterway Cafe before taking a stroll down main street. The place has a very Spanish-colonial with palms and red-bricked buildings, including the Palace Saloon, the oldest bar in the state of Florida.
Then it was a long drive back north into Georgia. On the way we encountered a massive thunderstorm that had us slowing to a crawl on the interstate. We found Brunswick shimmering as the evening light bounced off soaking streets.
A very filling dinner was had at the Olive Garden before we returned across the causeway to St Simons. It was very nice after a long day in the car to put the feet up and kick back with a cold beer from the fridge as the storm clouds parted and a pastel sunset lingered in the west.
Georgia (Part Three)
Previous posts in this series: Part 1 (North Georgia); Part 2 (Atlanta and the Golden Isles Highway)
Day 7
It was very exciting to finally be on Saint Simons Island. Following Demere Road we soon arrived at the nexus of the island, the roundabout, and then it was just a couple of turns into the car park of Leslie’s Dad’s office. We hung out there for a bit before heading around to Leigh Anne’s where we would be staying whilst on the island. Their beautiful house sits right by the 13th hole of the Sea Palms golf course and is surrounded by live oaks.
After getting settled in and enjoying a glass of chilled white wine we headed out to dinner, pausing briefly at the edge of the marsh beyond Harrington, the area of the island where freed slaves first settled. It was idyllic as twilight fell; as we watched a small fishing boat came in and was towed ashore and the scent of the marsh mingled in the evening air.
With darkness falling we headed down to Bennie's Red Barn, a lively place on this, the Friday evening before 4th July. Even after 9pm it was crowded and service was a little patchy but in the end we were well fed and I managed to get a Sweetwater IPA to drink.
Day 8 (Happy 4th!)
4th July dawned sunny and hot. We had a lazy start and after breakfast headed through the neighbourhood to the Sea Palms swimming pool and conference centre where the local celebrations were being held. Bob and Leslie had a swim in the busy pool and then we headed out to watch the parade arrive. The St Simons island fire truck was followed by a motley assortment of cars, bikes and golf carts.
With everyone here the ceremony started. There was a prayer, singing of the national anthem and a tribute to veterans represented here by a pair of World War 2 servicemen. Afterwards we were provided with hot dogs, cookies and cold lemonade which we enjoyed in the hot sunshine.
We now had a few hours to kill before the fireworks display in the evening and so we sought out some cool shelter, heading to the cinema to see Terminator: Genysis and then visiting Leigh Anne around at the Simply:Mac store.
After a tasty dinner at the nearby Mexican restaurant Cilantro we drove down to the Village, located at the southern end of the island. We parked the car and then walked the last few blocks, joining in with a big crowd that was making its way to the area around the pier where the fireworks would be. There were numerous house and garden parties going on and the roads were filled with golf carts transporting entire families down to the celebrations.
We made our way through Neptune Park by the front where a good crowd was mingling around, listening to live music and filling up on plenty of barbeque. We got ourselves a place to sit and watch the fireworks which began soon after darkness had fallen.
The finale was amazing with the fireworks mingling with Jimi Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner played by the band behind us.
We didn't wait around too long after the end of the show, threading our way back through the streets and then driving back to Sea Palms.
Day 8
We started the day with brunch at The Bonefish, sharing it with Jamie, Jerry and Nancy. Then we picked up Leslie’s Aunt Mary and had a sushi lunch with her at Fancy Q over in Redfern Village.
We headed round to Uncle Jim’s for the afternoon where there was baseball on the TV followed by red wine drank on the porch as a thunderstorm rumbled through and rain fell onto the live oaks.
In the evening we headed across the Causeway to Brunswick. We were hoping to get all-you-can eat crab with Bob’s friend Tully and his partner but the place Leslie had found online was closed. Instead we headed to Millhouse, a busy steakhouse where everyone dug into enormous portions.
Day 9
Our continuing culinary tour of the island started well on Monday morning where after a quick stop at Uncle Jim’s to pick up my forgotten sunglasses we headed down to the Village.
The previous evening’s rain had brought to life the resurrection fern that fringes the upper side of the branches of the live oak and furls back into green life after a dousing.
We stopped by Nancy’s delightful bookstore right on the main street and then headed down to Iguanas for an amazing lunch of fresh fried shrimp.
After lunch we walked off our food with a stroll out to the pier, watching the fishermen and crab catchers and gazing out across Saint Simons Sound as the thunderclouds started to build off to the west beyond Brunswick.
We then headed across the car park to Brogen’s, a bar that hosts the local chapter of the University of Georgia college football team, the Georgia Bulldogs (Go Dawgs!). Here we had beer and some amazing beer-battered onion rings.
We were now heading for an evening rendezvous with Leslie’s Aunt Sali near her home by East Beach. We drove all the way up to Gould’s Inlet at the northern end of the beach where there is a view up to Sea Island, site of three luxury resorts, which hosted the G8 Summit in 2004. A huge storm cloud was drifting over the island as we stood in the sunshine with fiddler crabs scuttling about in the sand above the inlet.
We headed down the beach to meet up with Aunt Sali and her husband Steve. The sun was out and the beach busy but clouds were rolling in from the west and eventually a sharp shower broke over us sending us running for the car.
After stopping by at Anna’s house for beers in her back garden we headed down to the Village for an open mic night at the Palm Coast cafe. A couple of musicians were down from Atlanta visiting family and so we got to see excellent performances by Barb Carbon and Daniel Hearn under the atmospheric live oaks lit by coloured lights. There was also excellent craft beer on tap and the atmosphere on the patio was great.
By about 11 we realised we hadn’t eaten for a while and so headed for a fun midnight snack at the Waffle House[^1] where we got some crazy combination of hash browns, bacon, eggs and more.
Day 10
It was an early start on Tuesday, up before the sun to head down to East Beach where we met up with Uncle Jim for a wander down the beach. Amazing crepuscular rays arched up from beyond the northeastern horizon as the light from the hidden sun was broken up by jumbled clouds.
We headed north towards Gould’s Inlet watching as the light changed and finally the red disc of the sun appeared above the ocean.
After enjoying the early start and saying hello to the first dog walkers and runners appearing on the beach we headed down to the Village where we parked below the lighthouse and then wandered along through Neptune Park to have a delicious breakfast at Sandcastle just up from the pier. Coffee, pancakes and syrup were the order of the day for me whilst Leslie and her Dad tucked into biscuits and gravy.
Back at the house we enjoyed a nap, catching up on lost sleep from the late night and early morning combination. Sometime later we emerged and took the bikes out for a ride down the main road to Bob’s office from where it was a quick walk across the car park to Southern Soul Barbeque for lunch.
The food was amazing and whilst Leslie and I had pulled pork sandwiches with fries, Bob tucked into a hearty plate of ribs. We sat outside where the fans were blowing the hot around and admired the decorative use of license plates and signs from across the country.
We popped around to visit Leslie's grandma who lives down near the Village and spent the rest of the day visiting people and places around the island.
Day 11
We retrieved the bikes from the office and continued our cycle southward heading for the Village. On the way we paused at the site of Battle of Bloody Marsh, a key moment in the island’s early colonial history. We gazed out across the marshes which run towards the East Beach Causeway and read the various plaques and memorials that sit at the edge of the marsh. A tourist trolley bus came and went.
We cycled down into the Village parking the bikes outside the library and then got frozen yoghurts from Yobe, saw a pelican sitting on a post near the pier and then headed along to the Lighthouse.
We paid our entrance fee and headed into the keeper’s cottage, now a very well put together little museum tracing the history of Saint Simon's light and fleshing out details of its construction and subsequent operation.
After looking around the museum we headed up the 129 steps to the top of the lighthouse for a spectacular 360 panoramic view stretching from Jekyll Island to the Sidney Lanier Bridge and over the tree covered expanse of the island. Clouds were building away beyond Brunswick but the sunshine here was wonderful.
We headed back to Brogan’s where we had more delicious fried shrimp and beer sitting up on the terrace.
We called in at a grocery store to get drinks and then cycled up along the marsh and out to East Beach to meet up with Sali and family.
After drinks we pedalled up towards Uncle Jim’s where Wednesday night is music night. With a couple of guitars and a keyboard we were entertained as darkness fell.
Day 12
My morning started off with a cycle up Frederica Road heading towards Fort Frederica itself. On the way I passed a few of the island’s oldest and prettiest buildings.
The best of these is Christ Church where I parked the bike to have a quick stroll around the grounds which are filled with live oak. The church itself, built in 1884, is beautiful.
I pedalled on and soon reached the entrance to Fort Frederica where I tied up the bike. One of the rangers gave me a map and a quick orientation and then I was free to explore.
Outside the fort a large township had quickly grown up and the fortifications were extended to include this large settlement. Now the foundations of the buildings and depressions of the defensive ditch are all that remain. The size of the place is impressive as you wander down the main street where there would have been various large houses and businesses. Part way down Uncle Jim caught up with me and we wandered down to the fort itself, built right on the bank of the Frederica River with plenty of opportunity to fire at invading ships.
We headed back and Jim gave me (and the bike) a lift back to the house and then down to the Village where we meeting up at Mullet Bay restaurant to celebrate Leslie's Grandma's birthday. On the way we spotted a very pretty nacreous cloud sitting over the island.
Later in the afternoon we took a gift around to Leslie's grandma and spent time by the pool with Savannah and her boyfriend.
That evening we had a Chick-fil-a dinner at the house before heading over to Brunswick to the cinema where we saw Jurassic World.
Day 13
Friday was a pleasant day spent hanging out with Leigh Anne's two children. After going for a swim in the pool we had a burger lunch at Zuzu's down by the pier followed by frozen yoghurt for dessert. We then swung by the farmer's market to pick up a fresh watermelon.
That evening we took everyone out to Catch 228 for dinner. Service and the meals themselves were sadly a little mixed but my boiled shrimp were the best of the trip!
Georgia (Part Two)
The first part of our trip to America can be read here.
Day 4
That evening we drove across north Atlanta through leafy suburban streets to the Emory University campus. We met Leslie’s Uncle Rick and his partner Jenny at Marlow’s Tavern, part of the Emory Point development, situated across the road from the Centre for Disease Control. The atmosphere inside the place was great as the USA took a victory over Germany in the semi-final of the Women’s World Cup. We had a delicious meal (tilapia fish tacos for me, a steak salad for Leslie) and a good chat with them before heading our separate ways at the end of an excellent evening.
Day 5
The next morning I had a wander through the local neighbourhood, taking in Buckhead Baseball and the neighbouring Frankie Allen Park where I saw my first American woodpecker.
I wandered back to the hotel via some of the quiet suburban streets off Pharr Road but never quite found the grand view that certain street names promised.
Later we drove south into the centre of Atlanta. We parked in the Georgia Aquarium parking lot with views over to the skyscrapers of downtown and had a wander around Pemberton Place where the aquarium is situated alongside the World of Coke, the Centre for Civil and Human Rights and Centennial Park, built for the Olympic games in 1996. This latter place was closed as it seemed like the preparations for the upcoming 4th July celebrations were already beginning.
We had some time to spare before our slot at the aquarium so we headed just off Pemberton Place to a bar called Stats where a hearty Cobb Salad and Chicken Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries were washed down with a nice crisp bottle of Big Creek from Jekyll brewing.
Outside the Aquarium we met up with Leslie’s sister Jill and her youngest son Jared and ventured into the busy world of underwater adventure (no fishing poles allowed). We let Jared dictate which order we visited each area and first on the list was the cold water zone. The star attractions here were the three Beluga whales, swimming slowly around their large tank. The sea otters and African Penguins proved very lively as we wandered around the rest of the area.
Next up was Ocean Voyage where a huge marine environment was filled with shoals of fish and the enormous, impressive whale sharks and manta rays which glided serenely overhead as we walked through the long tunnel that formed the centrepiece of this part of the aquarium.
Tropical Diver was a very cool area with colourful fish, recreated reef environments (complete with wave action) and the most incredible collection of jelly fish swimming in their own magical starscapes.
We spent some time being entertained by Asian small-clawed otters and got up close to piranha in the River Scout area before heading out to get some refreshments. Unfortunately we were too late to get into the final dolphin show of the day but it had been a very fun visit nonetheless.
Outside we spent a last few minutes sitting near the grass of Pemberton Place before Jill and Jared had to head off for home.
We then headed back to the hotel ourselves, driving north as the sky started to darken towards the expected evening storm. We got back to the hotel just as it started raining and this time it didn't let up for several hours.
Later in the evening we ventured across the road through the rain to Pricci, a very nice Italian restaurant where a delicious meal was accompanied with an excellent bottle of Chianti. We had a long, lazy meal and were amongst the last diners to leave, almost being handed the keys to a Lexus by the valet parking guy!
Day 6
After a nice breakfast in the hotel we checked out and packed the car up for a short drive across Atlanta to Fernbank, the city's museum of natural history.
Set amongst peaceful wooded surroundings on the east side of Atlanta, Fernbank is a wonderful place. After wandering around the dinosaur sculptures outside we headed in to purchase our tickets so we could get into the incredible main hall. Here sunlight floods in through the glass ceiling onto two giant dinosaur skeletons, a Argentinosaurus being pursued by a Giganotosaurus. Above them a flock of Pterodaustros flick their wings through the air.
We then went around the Georgia Through Time exhibit which explores Georgia's Natural History through different habitats within the state, stretching from the mountains of the north to the barrier islands of the east coast.
Each area was filled with typical native creatures, plants and trees and there was a lot of information to digest as we wandered from a mountain pass down to the Okefenokee Swamp.
We then had a look around a small exhibition exploring Native Americans and their clay workings on the barrier island of St Catherines followed by stepping into the amazing planetarium room where the roof resembles the night sky and the light changes from dusk to night and back to dawn in a slow, relaxing cycle.
Finally we went through the hands on/science room where there were lots of fun practical experiments to do demonstrating various phenomena around vision, hearing and more. It was a lot of fun.
After a very enjoyable morning at Fernbank we now bid farewell to Atlanta and headed out with the 4th July weekend on the next stage of our journey.
We headed down the interstate a short distance south of Atlanta to Jonesboro, the town where Leslie spent her early childhood. Our first stop was lunch: a Hot Brown[^1] at the Jonesboro Dwarf House
Leslie gave me a quick driving tour of Jonesboro, driving through her old neighbourhoods and seeing some of the houses she had lived in, as well as those of her grandparents. We visited her family ceremony, a quiet plot in the midst of a suburban neighbourhood.
On the way out of town we drove past Stately Oaks, the old plantation house, and then Leslie's elementary school.
Our next stop was the Denny's diner at Tanger Outlets in the delightfully named city of Locust Grove. Here we were meeting up with Leslie's oldest nephew who we were spending the afternoon with.
After a bit of a drive around we spent an entertaining afternoon at the [Henry County Fun Bowl] just outside Macdonagh (http://www.myfunbowl.com/HenryCounty.html) where we played arcade games, ten-pin bowling and lazer tag. We rounded off the visit at Mesquite, a bustling Mexican restaurant in nearby Jackson.
With the nephew dropped off it was then a drive down the interstate to Macon in central Georgia where we were staying overnight in an effort to beat the worst of the 4th July traffic. We got to the hotel just in time for the pool to be closing so instead had to content ourselves with iced drinks up in our room. It had been a long, hot but very enjoyable day.
Day 7
The next morning we had a very light breakfast at the hotel before packing up the car and heading across town to find the S&S Cafeteria, one of Leslie's favourite stopping places on the drive from Atlanta to the coast. At first we found the wrong one and so the satnav was consulted and fifteen minutes later we were outside the right one. The cafeteria consists of a huge line taking you all the way from starters through to dessert. We filled up on some of the favourites including Salisbury Steak, fried okra, macaroni cheese, collared greens, cornbread and watermelon then sat down with our sweet teas to tuck into this massive late morning feast.
Our next stop in the Macon area was the Indian Mounds located just outside the city at Ocmulgee. An important site for Native Americans, it had been inhabited for several thousand years with the Mississippian peoples constructing huge ceremonial and funerary mounds from around 900 AD.
The site is extensive and we planned a pleasant walk around, first visiting the earth lodge where the original clay floor, carbon dated to 1015 AD, is still in place.
We then wandered around some of the earth fortifications and finally across the railway line to where the colonial trading post remains offer a wide view over to the large funeral and ceremonial mounds closer to the river.
As we were heading towards the largest of the mounds we noticed that the sunshine had been replaced by rapidly darkening skies that were being funneled through on a warm, strong wind. It looked very dramatic as we cautiously climbed up to the top of the mound where there were grand views across the line of the Ocmulgee river to the city of Macon. We didn't spend long up there though, soon retreating to safer, lower ground as the storm advanced towards us.
We took a slightly circuitous route back, passing a further mound on the east of the site and then following a trail that wound its way through dense woodland. A pitter-patter of rain started up but we were mostly sheltered. Eventually we crossed under the railroad via a brick bridge and then followed a final stretch of trail back to the car park. We headed into the visitor centre and had a wander around their exhibits before returning to the car to start out drive to the coast.
Whilst it is possible to get to the coast quicker, we chose to take the older route, known as the Golden Isles Highway[^2], enjoying the leisurely drive as it passed through a series of quiet towns. We noticed the trio of rural Georgia: a water tower, a Dairy Queen and a Dollar General which came around like clockwork each time we entered a city limit.
In Macrae we stopped at Waylon's Family Restaurant for giant drinks (frozen coke for Leslie and unsweet iced tea for me) before heading on. As we got closer to the coast the country lost any semblance of elevation change and the trees started looking distinctly sub-tropical[^3]. It was sandy and the long roads stretched on in a straight line for miles at a time.
We refueled at the final major town before hitting the coast and after four hours on the road finally came to the outskirts of Brunswick. We had grown so used to a lack of input from the satnav that we missed our turn and ended up doing a quick drive through the historic part of this port city. Soon though we were out and following signs to St Simons Island.
We headed across the F.J. Torras causeway, crossing the salt marshes[^4] with a huge horizon stretching out in either direction. The island itself was a low lying band of greenery on the horizon that drew nearer as we crossed a series of channels and rivers (including the Intracoastal Waterway) which thread their way through the marsh.
Soon we rolled past the marina and onto Saint Simons Island itself. Our long drive from Atlanta to the Atlantic was done.
[^1]This is a pretty unbelievable combination of bite-sized fried chicken, cream sauce, bacon and cheese with slices of toast ready to dunk! It's kind of like a breakfast lasagna that we ate at lunchtime.
[^2]Check out this blog post for more photos of the Golden Isles Parkway, including of the city of Scotland
[^3]In fact they reminded me a lot of the trees that appear in the sub-tropical climate in Transport Tycoon Deluxe
[^4]Also known as the Marshes of Glynn for a poem by Sidney Lanier