Old Wharf at the Settlement, Floyd Creek

11 May 2015

Today was a day of exploration by dinghy.  

We puttered up the Malkintooh Creek at low tide, directly across from where the MERCY is anchored.   We saw a lot of birds, and one small alligator that was so unconcerned with us that he didn't even submerge when we circled to get a photo.  There are two different houses on the shoreward bank, and we went no further than the large dock at the second house.

We also took the RIB out the Brickhill River, turning north in the Cumberland River, and rounding Terrapin Point,  to investigate the ruins of the Cumberland Wharf, where you can see the stubs of two rows of pilings at low tide.  We went to the beach slightly to the west of the wharf ruins.  There is an rectangular box on the beach, which, although I thought at a distance it was a septic tank, it proved to be a fiberglass tank or ice box, I'm guessing out of the shrimp boat whose remains are strewn between there and the wharf.  There are huge clumps of oysters on either side, visible at low tide, but soon submerged.  I'll remember the white box as a place to bring the dinghy straight into.

The shore is sand/mud, and interspersed with oyster shells.  It looks to be sandier toward Terrapin Point, but we wanted to see if we could find the remains of the old Settlement.   We followed a trail up to the road, and found a sign point to the North Road.  Ellen walked up that road seven or eight minutes before returning, saying the road was straight for as far as she could see.   I'm not sure just where the old African Church is.

The dogs and I walked the beach towards Terrapin Point.   There were huge tracks of a boar, though I'm happy to say I didn't see or hear any.

When we all rendezvoused  at the RIB, we were all covered in mud.  We waded out and tried to rinse off.  Suffice it to say that I ran the washdown pump for a long time upon returning to the boat.

Before we returned to the boat, we followed Floyd Creek from the Cumberland River almost to the Satilla River.  Part of the way through is a large dock, with a sign saying if you have difficulties and require assistance, to give this location number.  The creek is lined with marsh grass on either side.  I wish I a better way of determining depth than my oar!  It appears the waterway is maintained for a barge, and is numbered with Auxilliary ICW numbers for passage when the Atlantic is too rough to prevent crossing the inlet.

We returned to the MERCY and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon on the hook.

The photos are of our anchorage as the tide changes.