I
’ve seen Amelia by car, by kayak, by foot and by horseback
— but never from aboard a catamaran.
So, when the people at Amelia River Cruises contacted
me about riding along on one of their tours, I jumped at the
offer.
The company has been in business since 2000 and they
currently offer a variety of tours that fit nicely into any vacation schedule or weekend. I chose the Cumberland Island tour,
which departs every morning at 10:30 a.m.
My trip was aboard The Bald Eagle, a catamaran captained
by Kurt and narrated by tour guide Susan, who immediately
informed us that Amelia Island used to be home to the busiest
seaport on the East Coast.
As we made our way toward Cumberland Island, Susan told
the tour more about the history of the area. Although the port
has slowed dramatically from its early days, about 90 percent of
imports to Bermuda come through the port.
We also learned why locals have their own name for Tiger
Island:“Snake Island” . Definitely not a recommended stopping
point for boaters.
We got plenty of information about the history of Fort Clinch
and even some modern-day history. (Susan recommended that
ladies visiting the fort wear modest clothes to avoid bawdy jokes
from too-serious re-enacters.)
After taking in many picturesque views, The Bald Eagle
reached its destination: Cumberland Island. We were immediately treated to views of the famous Cumberland Island horses.
This band of feral horses lives freely on the island, living off of
wild sea oats and dune grasses.
It felt like a rare treat to see the horses, but the Cumberland
Island tour almost always gets a great view of the band.
Cumberland Island is also home to typical Florida fauna such
as deer, squirrels, raccoons, armadillos, boars and alligators —
but our trip saw many magnificent birds of prey.
The trip was punctuated with a perfect sight: We steered
through a pod of dolphins as we returned to the dock.
OTHER HISTORIC TOURS
In addition to the Cumberland Island Tour, Amelia Rvier
Cruises offers an afternoon Beach Creek Tour with an up-close
view of the ruins of the Dungeoness Mansion on Cumberland
Island.
There is also an abbreviated Cumberland Island Tour called
the Cumberland Sound Tour that offers a shorter version of the
history with many of the same beautiful and unusual sights.
TWILIGHT TOURS
Tours run all day and into the evening at Amelia River Cruises.
There are two versions of the evening tours: one is family-friendly and the other is better used as a date night.
The Traditional Family Sunset Cruise offers a relaxing way for
the whole family to take in a beautiful sunset while hearing an
abbreviated history of the area.
The Twilight BYOB Cruise, however, is designed especially for
adults. As the name would suggest, the tour encourages you to
enjoy your beverage of choice while aboard The Bald Eagle. The
tour even includes live music.
To learn more about Amelia River Cruises or to book a tour,
visit www.ameliarivercruises.com
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