Tuesday for New Year's Eve, we had breakfast then took Alex for a hike at Skidaway Island State Park. After paying admission, we parked at the picnic area and got on the Sandpiper Trail Loop. The trail started with a long boardwalk through the salt flats.
There were lots of holes in the sand but a little too cold for any fiddler crabs. At the intersection, we went left around the loop.
There were a lot Palmettos growing here. We then took Avian Loop Trail out to a bridge over the tidal creek.
We turned left again where the trail looped.
There was a lot of Spanish moss growing around here.
Soon, we came to a nice views of Skidaway Narrows and Diamond Causeway.
Then we got on the connector trail past some campsites to Big Ferry Trail. Turning left again, we passed the alligator ponds, but it was too cold for them.
Soon we got to the observation tower.
Stairs led up only to the second level, but there were great views of the surrounding salt flats.
Continuing on the Big Ferry Trail, we took the Earthworks Loop to extend the hike and see a couple more sites. Shell middens formed where Native Americans had discarded shells; shellfish were an important part of their diet.
The earthworks were constructed as a Confederate defense during the Civil War.
There was also an old liquor still from prohibition days.
Shortly past here, we got back on Big Ferry Trail.
It finished up past a freshwater slough.
Then we took Connector Trail back to Avian and Sandpiper Loops.
We finished up our hike around lunch time.
On the way back to Savannah, we stopped at Bonaventure Cemetery and took Alex for a walk around the graveyard.
There were lots of live oaks draped in Spanish moss.
Some of the trees had resurrection ferns growing from their trunks.
It's really a beautiful cemetery and full of history.
The Guardians of Bonaventure is a plot of war veteran graves in a triangle, pointing towards Savannah.
The statuary on many of the graves was very elaborate and beautiful.
And even more elaborate were the mausoleums.
The famous Bird Girl statue is no longer here; it's in the Savannah for safekeeping, but other statuary in the cemetery was beautiful.
And the setting among the live oaks was beautiful.
One of the most well-known statues in the cemetery is little Gracie Watson, who died from pneumonia at age 6.
There were lots of beautiful spots for pictures.
General Lawton was a Confederate General whose monument is known as Heaven's Gate.
Conrad Aiken, a notable novelist and poet, gravestone is a bench that he hoped poets would sit on and use for inspiration.
We drove around a bit through the cemetery, stopping to see a few more interesting sights.
When we finished here, we went back to the hotel to park and then headed to Wet Willies for dinner. We had some drinks down by the river, but didn't make it to midnight.
There were lots of holes in the sand but a little too cold for any fiddler crabs. At the intersection, we went left around the loop.
There were a lot Palmettos growing here. We then took Avian Loop Trail out to a bridge over the tidal creek.
We turned left again where the trail looped.
There was a lot of Spanish moss growing around here.
Soon, we came to a nice views of Skidaway Narrows and Diamond Causeway.
Then we got on the connector trail past some campsites to Big Ferry Trail. Turning left again, we passed the alligator ponds, but it was too cold for them.
Soon we got to the observation tower.
Stairs led up only to the second level, but there were great views of the surrounding salt flats.
Continuing on the Big Ferry Trail, we took the Earthworks Loop to extend the hike and see a couple more sites. Shell middens formed where Native Americans had discarded shells; shellfish were an important part of their diet.
The earthworks were constructed as a Confederate defense during the Civil War.
There was also an old liquor still from prohibition days.
Shortly past here, we got back on Big Ferry Trail.
It finished up past a freshwater slough.
Then we took Connector Trail back to Avian and Sandpiper Loops.
We finished up our hike around lunch time.
On the way back to Savannah, we stopped at Bonaventure Cemetery and took Alex for a walk around the graveyard.
There were lots of live oaks draped in Spanish moss.
Some of the trees had resurrection ferns growing from their trunks.
It's really a beautiful cemetery and full of history.
The Guardians of Bonaventure is a plot of war veteran graves in a triangle, pointing towards Savannah.
The statuary on many of the graves was very elaborate and beautiful.
And even more elaborate were the mausoleums.
The famous Bird Girl statue is no longer here; it's in the Savannah for safekeeping, but other statuary in the cemetery was beautiful.
And the setting among the live oaks was beautiful.
One of the most well-known statues in the cemetery is little Gracie Watson, who died from pneumonia at age 6.
There were lots of beautiful spots for pictures.
General Lawton was a Confederate General whose monument is known as Heaven's Gate.
Conrad Aiken, a notable novelist and poet, gravestone is a bench that he hoped poets would sit on and use for inspiration.
We drove around a bit through the cemetery, stopping to see a few more interesting sights.
When we finished here, we went back to the hotel to park and then headed to Wet Willies for dinner. We had some drinks down by the river, but didn't make it to midnight.
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