Visiting & Photographing Cumberland Island

Cumberland Island can only be accessed by boat via the town of St Mary's, Georgia. It's a 45-minute ferry ride from St Mary's to Cumberland Island. Cumberland Island is a National Seashore run by the National Park Service. America the Beautiful NPS Passes are accepted at the Ferry Office, Ferry fees are additional. ​You can visit as a day-packer, or camp overnight. I boarded the ferry early morning (post sunrise) from St Mary's, and boarded the last ferry of the day back to St Mary's. 

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I recommend packing at least 2 lenses, 3 if you like to shoot ultra-wide: An ultra-wide (14-24 mm), a wide (24-70 mm), and a telephoto (100-400 mm or similar). The wide is very useful in the live oak forest which is where the campgrounds are. A wide lens, especially a focal length of 24-120 mm or 24-200 mm can be a real workhorse if you plan to pack only 1 lens, please note though, a 400 mm telephoto is highly recommended if you plan to photograph feral horses, deer, armadillos, and birds. I've also used it for some Dungeness ruins architecture shots as the ruins are off-limits. A tripod can be beneficial, but you can certainly shed the weight if you're comfortable shooting handheld. I bought my tripod but shot both, with, and without it. 

 

All the photos above were created on the southern part of the Island. As a day packer, NPS recommends "The South End Loop Trail" which is listed on their NPS handout map or the NPS website. All of the images here were made along this trail. Having some 7 hours before reboarding the ferry back, I was able to comfortably photograph along the hike, without feeling rushed. Please note though, I got off at the Dungeness Dock (Southern Dock), did the 4-mile hike counter-clockwise, and caught the ferry at the Sea Camp Dock (northern dock). 

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Pack enough water for the day. There are two water fountain stations on the Island if you need to refill. Pack snacks (protein bars, nuts, etc). I bought a turkey/cheese hoagie at Walmart in St. Mary's the day before and kept it in my hotel fridge. This worked out quite nicely for a lunch break on the Island. Be sure to pack mosquito nets, I wore mine while eating lunch - yes, really, the biting midges (no-see-ums) were that bad lol. 

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If you are planning a trip to photograph on the Island, feel free to email me and I'll share any additional information I have. It's a fantastic experience and well worth the effort - especially if you love Live Oak Trees like myself. 

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- The Houdsta

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