A mere 15 or so miles to the west of our boat 18-wheelers, RV’s, and family minivans navigate the congested ribbon that is Interstate 95. For many of those travelers little if any thought is even given the islands and marshy hummocks stretching out just beyond their view. But for passage makers winding their way through the unspoiled estuary that makes up this very special section of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the low country can be a place of peace, solitude and unsurpassed natural beauty. Un-crowded marinas, idyllic anchorages, bird song, and a big sky overhead are a welcome change from the more urban and developed sections of the ICW, north and south. From St. Mary’s to Savannah the Georgia low country is a vast expanse of marshes and tidal rivers to the west and dune flanked barrier beaches to the east. It is principally comprised of eight island groups, the Georgia Sea Islands. Running north to south these coastal jewels begin Tybee, Wassaw, Ossabaw, St. Catherines, Sapelo, St. Simons, Jekyll, and Cumberland.

Our northbound passage to Newport, R.I. aboard a handsome 43-foot Albin trawler, Lady Lou, began in Fort Myers, Florida and had taken us across the state through locks and north up the waterway.  With every mile that clicked by palms turned to pines and something in the air changed.  I could not help feeling the excitement build as we approached the Georgia border.  Like all those drivers on the interstate I never gave the low country much thought either, but now a green sea of marshland opened before us and on the horizon the sea islands came into view.

 Leaving Florida, Cumberland Island, the largest of the sea islands stands like a guardian of the marsh.  Sheltering the ICW from the Atlantic Ocean, this barrier beach stretches northward for almost 18 miles.  It is accessible only by boat and is one of the wildest of the islands.  It was settled...