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Georgia

Discover Georgia’s Barrier Islands With Your Grandchild

Program No. 2534RJ

Adventure awaits with your grandchild as you sail on a shrimp boat, climb a storied lighthouse, meet injured sea turtles and search for nesting turtles on a night beach walk!

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6 days

5 nights

12 meals

5B 3L 4D

Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner, Games

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Archeological Dig, St. Simons Village & Lighthouse

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Sapelo Island, Beach Seining, Lunch With Lula

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Shrimp Boat Trawl, Free Afternoon, Gullah Ringshouters

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Boneyard Beach, Sea Turtle Center, Gatorology, Beach Roundup

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Program Concludes

Jekyll Island, Georgia

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At a Glance

Spend an exciting week with your grandchild on sunny South Georgia beaches, hopping around to Jekyll, Saint Simons and Sapelo — three different and unique islands. Set out on an adventure together under the stars as you search the beach for a possible Loggerhead Sea Turtle nest. Drag a seine net through the surf as we explore the creatures that thrive in the shallows of the Atlantic. Dig through the rocky ruins of an old military fort, and shout your way into the Gullah culture through their songs and heritage. On this island adventure with your grandchild, swimming, shrimping and learning all about sea turtles and the ecology around them will keep you busy during this memorable week together.

Activity Level

Keep the Pace

Walking up to 2 miles daily, including beach and marsh walks; ferry ride to Sapelo. School bus or park van for field trips on Sapelo. Turtle walk at night over uneven terrain and sandy beach soil.

Best of all, you’ll…

Meet sea turtles up close with scientists at a turtle hospital and on a night beach walk to look for nesting turtles.
Hop aboard Lady Jane, a retired U.S. Coast Guard ship, to trawl (or fish with a net) for shrimp and other ocean critters.
Take a ferry to secluded Sapelo Island to see how the Gullah people preserve an African heritage from before the Civil War.

General Notes

For a comparable family adventure for all generations, check out "Discover Georgia’s Barrier Islands With Your Family" (#23552).

Featured Expert

All trip experts

Terrie Dal Pozzo

Terrie was raised in New Orleans and moved to the U.S. Virgin Islands at the age of 18. She became the youngest woman in the Virgin Islands to obtain a Coast Guard license to operate motor and sailing vessels. Terrie skippered sailing vessels, taking guests on journeys through the Leeward Islands, teaching them to sail and snorkel and educating them on island life. She later lived in Kitzbuhel, Austria and Perth, Australia before returning to the Virgin Islands. She currently lives in eastern Tennessee.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Terrie Dal Pozzo View biography

Stephanie Chewning View biography

Stephanie works with One Hundred Miles as a coastal education coordinator. She is responsible for developing hands-on environmental education programs for all ages. Stephanie’s love for the ocean started at a very young age on the beaches of Stone Harbor, New Jersey. She earned her degree in marine science from the American University. After college, Stephanie spent time teaching grade school students environmental science in Florida, California and Georgia. Stephanie spends her free time running, reading and going on adventures with her husband Richard.

Suggested Reading List (9 books)

Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop

You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.

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Discover Georgia’s Barrier Islands With Your Grandchild

Program Number: 2534

Neptune's Honor, A Story of Loyalty

by Pamela Mueller

"An historical novel portrays the story of two best friends in antebellum Georgia—one born into slavery and the other, the son of the slave’s master. Their devoted friendship on St. Simon's Island, which finally evolves into a shared struggle to survive on the Civil War battlefields, is an inspiring example of how two men from completely different backgrounds can stand united as brothers in times of sacrifice and tragedy.

Sapelo's People: A Long Walk into Freedom

by William S. McFeely

In this moving and original work, William S. McFeely, one of this country's most distinguished historians, retells the history, and enters into the current-day lives, of the people who inhabit Sapelo's Island off the coast of Georgia, descendants of slaves who once worked its huge cotton plantations. It is at once a richly detailed work of historical reconstruction, a sensitive portrait of the lives of black Americans in this particular place and in our own time, and a moving meditation on race by a writer who has made its painful dilemmas his life's work as a historian.

The Whale Who Ate Plastic

by Stephanie O'Conner

The Whale Who Ate Plastic is a fun and engaging adventure into ocean plastic and environmental awareness. Ages 8 - 10

Sea Turtle Scientist

by Stephen R Swinburne

Dr. Kimberly Stewart, also known as the Turtle Lady of St. Kitts, is already waiting at midnight when an 800-pound leatherback sea turtle crawls out of the Caribbean surf and onto the sandy beach. The mother turtle has a vital job to do: dig a nest in which she will lay eggs that will hatch into part of the next generation of leatherbacks. With only one in a thousand of the eggs for this critically endangered species resulting in an adult sea turtle, the odds are stacked against her and her offspring. Join the renowned author and photographer Steve Swinburne on a journey through history to learn how sea turtles came to be endangered, and what scientists like Kimberly are doing to save them.

God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man: A Saltwater Geechee Talks About Life on Sapelo Island, Georgia

by Cornelia Walker Bailey

Equal parts cultural history and memoir, God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man recounts a traditional way of life that is threatened by change, with stories that speak to our deepest notions of family, community, and a connection to one’s homeland. Cornelia Walker Bailey models herself after the African griot, the tribal storytellers who keep the history of their people. Bailey’s people are the Geechee, whose cultural identity has been largely preserved due to the relative isolation of Sapelo, a barrier island off the coast of Georgia. In this rich account, Bailey captures the experience of growing up in an island community that counted the spirits of its departed among its members, relied on pride and ingenuity in the face of hardship, and taught her firsthand how best to reap the bounty of the marshes, woods and ocean that surrounded her. The power of this memoir to evoke the life of Sapelo Island is remarkable, and the history it preserves is invaluable.

Jekyll Island: The Nearest Faraway Place

by unknown

Jekyll Island's undisturbed beauty, combined with its pleasant year-round weather and refreshing ocean breezes, provides a breathtaking backdrop for a variety of wonderful experiences. Located midway between Savannah, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida, Jekyll Island is approximately 5,700 acres and the smallest of Georgia's barrier islands. As a tribute to the Island's allurement, the Jekyll Island Authority has published Jekyll Island The Nearest Faraway Place, a coffee table book recognizing the inspired talent of residents and guests and their ability to capture unique perspectives of our cherished Island. During the period of March through September 2010, a competition was conducted to discover photographs of, and poems about, Jekyll Island. Scenic images and inspiring narratives portraying Jekyll's beach and marsh, sunrise and sunsets, wildlife, nature, historic landmarks, and views from above were sought for inclusion in this project. Submissions included 70 from Georgia, 17 from different states, 4 from Canada and 1 from the United Kingdom. Results of the competition were announced and the winning selections are featured in the commemorative publication. Copyright of the selected works and all rights to publish became property of Jekyll Island Authority. Jekyll Island The Nearest Faraway Place is now currently available at the Visitor Information Center, the Commissary, the Jekyll Island Book Store, the Jekyll Island Museum Store, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and Hattie's Books in Brunswick.

St. Simons Island: A Summary of Its History [Paperback]

by R. Edwin Green

South of Savannah, along the picturesque and historic coastline of Georgia, lies a group of barrier islands known as the Golden Isles. This collection of coastal Sea Islands has attracted people—Native Americans, European settlers and vacationing sun-seekers—throughout history, for the islands’ bountiful resources and appealing climate. Perhaps the brightest jewel of these islands is St. Simons Island. The History Press is proud to release St. Simons Island: A Summary of its History, by local resident and historian Reverend Edwin Green. Green has compiled an informative volume, which highlights the unique and developing history of one of Georgia’s most popular Sea Islands.

All Things Turtles For Kids

by Animal Reads

Kids love these funny-faced and wise-looking animals, and it's easy to see why. They have unique characteristics and personalities that put a smile on anyone's face. This colorful book filled with amazing real-life images aims to combine fun with education to help you learn all about turtles. Here are a few of the things you and your little one can discover and look forward to inside: Simple and easy to understand writing for readers 6 years old and upwards. Awesome, real-life pictures of these fascinating animals! Plenty of incredible facts and topics ranging from their history, evolution, characteristics, diet, and life cycle. Pretty much... "ALL THINGS TURTLES"!

The Sea Turtle Project: Putney Hicks Inventor Adventures

by Marsha Tufft

Twelve-year-old Putney Hicks is ready to spring into action. As news spreads of a legendary three-legged turtle laying its eggs, she fears that the bright lights of a nearby porch will tempt the vulnerable babies away from the ocean. And with only ten days left before they hatch, Putney works furiously on a clever prototype to save the newborns before they become easy prey for hungry predators. Just as the ingenious middle schooler makes progress on her design, she’s terrified when her beloved AI companion vanishes. And without her trusted helper by her side, Putney’s frantic efforts to rescue the tiny reptiles could be in jeopardy. With the clock ticking, can she track down her smart sidekick and help the hatchlings survive? The Sea Turtle Spy Project is the energizing fourth book in the award-winning Putney Hicks Inventor Adventures middle grade series. If you like courageous young girls, seaside settings, and science-inspired curiosity, then you’ll love Marsha Tufft’s fun-filled mission.

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Discover Georgia’s Barrier Islands With Your Grandchild

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Protecting the Environment

At a Glance

Best of all, you’ll…

General Notes

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