POST 467 - DAY 260/04: WOODBINE - BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA

Putting the cart before the horse...this photograph came near the end of a most pleasant day.

I am standing at the South ramp to the BRUNSWICK, FLORIDA Harbor Bridge which I POWER walked in a stiff wind both ways today with a most delightful lady.

US 17 as it passes through the small town of WOODBINE, GEORGIA. We stayed last night in the parking lot of WOODBINE GROCERY at the invitation of CB. Thank you again, CB and Bill.

Mid town WOODBINE, GEORGIA.

CITY HALL, WOODBINE, GEORGIA.

I include this photograph as a reminder:

On the ashes of failure, one can build anew.

Wall Mural in the town of WOODBINE GEORGIA.

Narrative included in the above Mural...please click click to enlarge.

EBENEZER Church...you gotta be kidding me.

TRUTH IN ADVERTISING...I find this quite refreshing.

Satilla River Walk...short, but stimulating and beautiful.

Bridge in the background over the Satilla River - there are actually three separate rivers which come together as they reach the Inland Waterway and the St. Mary's River.

The marsh land in the foreground is quite shallow and contains a number of Alligators.


Riverwalk and Bridge over the Satilla River.

From the Riverwalk, the underside of the Bridge over the Satilla River. The symmetry of the support pylons caught my eye.

Georgia has turned old railroad right of way into walking trails.

A place to launch private boats on the Satilla River in WOODBINE, GEORGIA.

Please say HELLO to Richard.

I watched Richard from a distance hauling in fish after fish...finally had to have a chat.

It was Richard who told me that yesterday, while fishing in the same spot, he witnessed three Alligators pull themselves up out of the water with their claws holding on to the floating boat dock (about 30 feet to the right of this photograph). The Sun had come out and they just wanted to take a Sun Bath. The shoreline of the river is too overgrown with reeds to allow the Sun to reach the river bank, so they improvised.

This is the "BAD BOY" Richard is after: Cat Fish. Yesterday, Richard says he caught 17 of the critters, which he takes home to his family in the town of ST. MARYS, which I visited yesterday. Richard, a native of Georgia, works as Grounds Keeper for the U.S. Navy Golf Course.

Richard catches his own fish bait: Georgia Shrimp. The little guys live on the bottom of the river, buried a couple inches under the mud. Richard casts his throwing net into the water, lets the weights settle the net on the muddy bottom, gives a couple tugs on the retrieving line to set the weights into the mud, and pulls the net back. Usual catch: 15 - 30 shrimp per cast.

On my second walk of the day, I came across a number of "retired" construction equipments, including this "caged" tractor. I include it so I can share a story:

My Brother-in-law, Al Hagglund, living in SULTAN, WASHINGTON relates the day his friend took his bucket tractor into the woods to remove a few trees. The tractor bucket scooped dirt off the roots to loosen them up; using the bucket as a lever, Al's friend then pushed the trees over onto the ground.

One evening, Al's friend did not come home. He was found sitting in the drivers seat. The tree he was pushing over snapped in two pieces a few feet above the tractor, the top half falling directly into his chest, piercing clear through his body and pinning him to the seat...

I pays to have a stout fully enclosed Operator's Cab when working in the woods.

US 17 nearing I-95 near the seacoast town of BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA.


SPIA parked facing the marshland in BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA. This marsh is about 30 miles North to South and about 15 miles wide, ending on the shoreline - with several islands along the way - of the Atlantic Ocean.

At low tide, this dock serves as a Kayak Storage and Launch Platform.

This photograph was taken about noon local time. It is now 6:00 pm as I type, looking out the window of SPIA. The tide has risen to about 6 inches beneath the floor where the Kayaks sit.

There is a tide of approximately 8 feet. For those not in the know, the ocean waters of Earth are pulled up - and fall down - following the Moon as it circles the Earth. Please Google "tides" to get the full skinny.

From the center of the BRUNSWICK Estuary Bridge, one can see the Atlantic Ocean in the distance beyond the vast Marshland.

The most picturesque BRUNSWICK Bridge. (It has another name, but I have not yet discovered what it is).

US 17 crosses this bridge. After posting this update I will visit SWANKY'S Bar and Grill - a first class Pub and Eatery next to SPIA - I will go fetch a seafood dinner at the invitation of the Manager.

The support towers - supporting the cables holding up the roadway -as I walked across the bridge, which is 3.5 miles round trip. Both ends are very steep...I would estimate them to be about 15% grades, perhaps a bit more on the Southern approach.

Graceful. I have driven across the - almost - twin of this bridge. It crosses a river on the Southern border between Portugal and Spain about 50 miles North of the ROCK OF GIBRALTAR (which I have had the pleasure to spend a full day exploring a couple years back).

Please say HELLO to Laura.

Laura is my newest friend, whom I met while walking over the bridge. Laura was running, but slowed for me. We chatted for the next 45 minutes while we completed our walk down the South ramp, crossed over to the West side of the bridge and climbed back up against a 40 mph headwind. Neither of us were breathing hard - talking all the way - when reaching the top. Not bad for a couple old fogies - Laura is 50 and as spry as a 25 year old.

The head piece she is wearing is now mine...her gift to me when we parted after completing our double crossing. Laura RUNS the 3.5 mile round trip every day since the bridge was dedicated in 2002 - except when lightning is lighting up the sky.

A self-image...a bit off center, but took it as we walked - climbed - the bridge.


Laura and the Bridge at the bottom of our long climb.

Walked 30 miles today.

Tomorrow, will leave SPIA parked while I walk North on US 17 toward the town of DARIAN, GEORGIA, about 20 miles away. We have been invited to stay overnight in DARIAN at a Seafood Restaurant owned by the same folks who put us up tonight.

Will try to take a side trip into the village of BRUNSWICK when we drive to DARIAN.