American Cruise Lines - Day 13 - Brunswick, GA (Part 3)

Once we were back in our cabin, Dad was no longer interested in doing the Lady Jane Shrimp Boat tour this afternoon given the colder weather and the grey skies. It didn't take much convincing to agree to drop the tour as well. Especially since it was expected back at 5:30PM. Instead we relaxed in the room until it was time to try once again at getting to see the Pilot House as the rescheduled tour was set for 5PM tonight.

It didn't seem like a lot of people paid attention to the schedule because as they would trickle in to where we sat waiting in the 3rd deck lounge to use the internet, they would be shocked at the mention of the scheduled tour and rush to get their spouses to join us. Third time ended up being the charm as we were finally invited by Captain Gillilan to come on in to the Pilot House for a tour. It started out being a small group so it was like a personal tour. I've seen the bridge on the biggest ocean cruise ships and smaller ocean cruise ships and while the bigger the ship even there had the biggest bridge, I was amazed at how small this pilot house/bridge was.

This Captain had no issue letting us hang out on the bridge wing where the officers step out to view the side of the ship while docking.

Top left: Looking down the side of the ship from the bridge wing. Top right: The secondary set of steering controls the Captain can use while watching the side of the ship. Bottom left: The walkway in front of the bridge. Bottom right: Dinner bell?

You could have a crew of 5 or 6 officers on the big bridge at one time, here if there was more than two you'd be sitting on top of each other. Captain Gillilan explained that when the ship is in motion, it's him and his first mate in the pilot house. He happily showed us how each of the mechanical tools worked and what all the various screens showed. He was a lot more trusting than I would have been with all the cruisers that wandered in and started randomly touching all the various mechanisms on the dashboard. I pictured a Steve Urkel moment where they pushed an important button while asking what it did. "Oh major alarms are going off and the Coast Guard just arrived? Did I do that?"

Just below the alarm system pictured here (above) was a big box of flashlights. Everyone questioned the Captain about if it was a sign of power outage issues (we'd heard our share of weird noises) and he laughed insisting it was simply that all of the flashlights accompanying the lifejackets were due to be checked and batteries replaced.

I think I need one of those giant arrows that says "You are Here" on this map:

I thought I'd grabbed a better picture of it while I was backed up against the wall during a rush of visitors (directly underneath this display is a sink for handwashing) but that small sheet of paper taped to the wall in the bottom right was a list of emergency phone numbers for the local area. Slight problem was that the numbers were all for Maine where the ship was during their last repetitive runs. Books all about New England area in the lounges and cabins, okay that's understandable but shouldn't the pilot house/bridge have a current and updated list of emergency contact numbers for at least this new Charleston to Jacksonville route they were starting?

We learned that Captain Gillilan's former job was piloting a cargo ship that ran between the US and South Africa. In a small world after all moment, we learned that his former employer was the company owned by Tom and Monica, the couple from Norway whom we'd enjoyed getting to know on this trip as well. Shoutout to Tom and Monica, hope your post cruise travel plans went well!

The door was left open while we toured so after a while we had a constant stream of passengers wandering in and asking the same questions over and over. It was during this visit that we became the first to learn the news that due to storms in the area and the necessity to tender in due to the lack of a standard dock, our expected call to Fernandina Beach, FL would be cancelled. Instead of leaving at 3AM the next morning from Brunswick, we would be leaving tonight at 10PM and have to go back out in open water in order to go straight to Jacksonville a day early. The plan was that once in Jacksonville, we would be safely docked and bus people back over to Fernandina for tours. The ship wide announcement was made while we were at dinner.

What I didn't realize until after the fact was that throughout the day I had started getting really dehydrated either from medication or the motion or what was later diagnosed as a bacterial infection of some sort or a combination of all three so by the time we were getting ready for dinner, my occasional vertigo was coming on with a vengeance.

We had previously requested a special order of pizza for dinner tonight after seeing another cruiser having it and I really didn't want to miss dinner. When we pre-ordered, our waiter Kevin gave us an option of single pizzas or one to split so we chose the one to split. Dad assured me that I could leave early if I felt too bad so we headed on down. It wasn't the most pleasant walk to the back of the dining salon but I felt better to be sitting and drinking water.

When our pizza came, I decided to try and eat a little but as soon as I took that first bite, I instantly felt sick to my stomach and had Dad escort me back upstairs to the cabin. All I remember from the walk upstairs is feeling like I was trying to part the Red Sea because at that moment, the masses chose to come down from the cocktail hour using the stairs. All I bothered to look at was people's knees as I pushed my way up the stairs as fast as my arthritic body would let me. I laid out on my bed sipping water and felt like I was having a panic attack with my heart pounding so bad. I was afraid to change into my nightshirt because I was convinced that I'd have to call for medical help. Once I was settled in the cabin, Dad went back downstairs to eat his dinner. After about an hour of laying there, I felt much calmer, clearheaded, and my heartbeat felt normal again. When Dad returned to check on me, he brought up more drinks and some crackers. For the rest of the evening, my stomach felt fine and I wished Dad had thought to bring up the rest of my pizza so I could try again. For the record, he very much enjoyed his half of the pizza.

American Cruise Lines - Day 13 - Brunswick, GA (Part 2)

When it was time to leave the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, we were met with our new form of transportation, a red multicar tram. This would be the tram that took us on the Jekyll Island portion of the tour.

There is a graduated step to get into the trolley but the benches are bolted in so once on the inside, you had to turn and shimmy to your spot on the bench. The benches could hold up to 4 people but thankfully we had enough space to spread out and have a bench to ourselves.

There were two single seats at the front of our tram that were used by those with mobility assistance.

Before the ride started, our driver/guide handed out over the ear listening devices. He assured everyone that they had been sanitized in between uses. This was a nice improvement over the usual tour listening devices we've been given over the years. They were comfortable to wear and the sound was at a pleasant level. I personally was nervous that I'd end up knocking mine off each time I lifted my camera strap up to take pictures and would repeatedly use my hand to check whether it was securely still there. The worst it ever did was slide back and forth but stayed secure on my earlobe. 

I snuck this picture after Dad put his on. He never knew he was such a good model:

It didn't take long to ride over to Millionaire's Village and our guide started pointing out the historic homes we passed.

Below - I'd like to introduce you to my summer home. Just 1 million more monthly payments and it's all mine!

We were to go inside two buildings today, the Rockefeller home which according to the guide, the family had requested no pictures be taken inside, and the church that was used by the residents known as Faith Chapel.

The Rockefeller home was decorated for Christmas and really had the nostalgic feeling of walking into grandma's house. Being a historic home, there was no handicap access so unfortunately the one passenger using a wheelchair (outside of boarding the tram) was only able to explore the lower level. Once inside the house, we were free to roam around about 90% of the place (some was blocked off) and our headsets allowed us to continue listening to the guide tell stories and describe what we were seeing. It was nice to be able to move around on our own and not be crowded standing still in one space and then having to move as a herd into the next space.

Who needs a moat when you can just install a spraying fountain walkway:

There were a couple steps to go in the front door (as seen from the tram) of Faith Chapel but they were able to take our wheelchair passenger in through the back door.

We learned the story behind how the church was built in such a way to ensure that this stained glass window behind the altar would get the most sunlight.

The stained glass window on the opposite wall features a design that includes the signature of Louis Comfort Tiffany (as in those little blue jewelry boxes).

Different designs of gargoyles protruding from the rafters was added to resemble the ones in Notre Dame.

Our final stop on the tour was to Jekyll Mosaic which was basically the typical bathroom/gift shop stop of every tour. There was also a photo gallery you could browse but with the time we were given it was either look at the pictures or shop. I liked that as soon as you walked in, there was a table for little kids to amuse themselves while waiting for a tour.

The whole building is basically a refurbished barn structure so the gift shop had a display in the back made to look like a horse stall with horse statue. The entire time walking around the gift shop, recordings of horse and cat sounds could be heard. I was one of those people who had to do a double take and make sure that wasn't really a horse back there.

Back on the trolley for a ride back to the bus for a ride back to the ship:

Normally seeing your ship "take on water" is a bad thing but this is the sight that greeted us upon returning to the ship:

Once back on board we were greeted by a table set up with not only hot chocolate (that martini glass is full of whipped cream) but a bottle of liquor for adding a little extra warmth if you wanted. Sadly, the dispenser of hot chocolate had been depleted by the time we arrived. 

After a quick run to the cabin to drop off our coats and the big camera, we found our own warmth in some hot food for lunch in the dining salon. 

As you can see in the menu above, this time the burger was one of the entrée choices. Except for the kettle chips, it was a really tasty dish. You've heard of Build a Bear - meet Build a Burger:

Later as we sat enjoying lunch one of the dining management staff made a point of asking if I saw the hot chocolate display and seemed disappointed when I answered that we found it to be empty. I thought maybe they'd refill it or offer to get some to have now but when we came back out from lunch the entire setup was gone.

American Cruise Lines - Day 13 - Brunswick, GA (Part 1)

We continue our port stops in Georgia by visiting Brunswick, GA. This may also be listed on the itinerary as St. Simons Island and/or Jekyll Island. Ever feel like you've been in three places at once? Today there were four excursion options with one of them offering a morning and an afternoon session. This was also one of the first ports that I saw them offer a paid option just for transportation to town, in this case to St. Simons Island.

Option #1 - 8:30AM - St. Simons Island Exploration - $45 per person. Wheelchair accessible, 1 1/2 hours long (after a 30 minute ride to the Visitor's Center and another 30 minutes back to the ship), activity level 1, cameras permitted, and restrooms available. Enjoy this tour as your spirited guide tells the tales of the island's history. Pass by Fort Frederica, Bloody Marsh, Retreat Plantation, and the beautiful Christ Church. After the tour, there will be 30 minutes to shop and explore on your own.

Option #2 - 8:30AM - St. Simons Island Transportation Only - $15 per person. Basically you ride the bus into town for 30 minutes with the folks on the full tour and then explore on your own. Though the tour information says you can spend 4-8 hours in town, if you want to take the tour bus back, you must return to the Visitor's Center by 11:30AM. There is a notation that most shops in town open at 10AM.

Option #3 - 8:30AM - Sea Turtle Center & Jekyll Island Tram - $50 per person. Wheelchair accessible, scooter accessible, 2 1/2 hours in length, activity level 1, cameras permitted, and restrooms available. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is a marine turtle rehabilitation, research, and education facility dedicated to providing emergency care to sick and injured sea turtles. Through a docent led program and self-guided exploration, learn about these wonderful creatures, their conservation, rehabilitation, as well as their amazing journey from egg to adulthood. Your excursion continues with a tram tour of the Jekyll Island Historic District. Travel through Millionaire's Village, spanning over 240 acres of extravagant homes and cottages that housed some of the world's wealthiest people. This tour was also held again at 1:30PM.

Option #4 - 2PM - Lady Jane Shrimp Boat - $50 per person. 2 hour tour, activity level 1, cameras permitted, and restrooms available. After a 30 minute bus ride to the Lady Jane Shrimp Boat, you will travel through the scenic Marshes of Glynn where you may see dolphins, seagulls, and pelicans. Help sort shrimp, blue crab, puffer fish, horseshoe crab, skate, amberjack and others while the captain shares stories about a fisherman's experiences on the water.

Bet you can guess which tour I decided was a must do! If you said the Sea Turtle Center, you have been paying attention and thank you for that. What's surprising though is that Dad even suggested we both also sign up for the Lady Jane Shrimp Boat tour - this from the man who acts like any seafood coming into contact with his body is a sin. In order to do both, we selected the 8:30AM Sea Turtle tour.

We woke up to an overcast chilly morning and headed down to breakfast.

To be quick, I went with the routine fried eggs and sausage:

Dad asked our waitress about getting a bagel and lox as they had stopped putting it out on the buffet table. She went back into the kitchen and had the chef prepare a plate of fresh lox for Dad to use. Add a little pile of sliced onions and capers and it's almost like Princess' suite breakfast presentation.

After grabbing our coats and cameras, we headed off the ship to the two waiting buses parked nearby.

We checked in with Ali and boarded the bus in the right of this picture as she directed. Several other cruisers were right behind us doing the same and then splitting off to whichever bus fit their tour choice. Within a few minutes of sitting on the bus waiting for it to fill up, Ali came onboard to announce that we'd all have to switch buses as it was the other bus heading to the Sea Turtle Center. The consensus everyone gathered was that they determined there were more people going on the city tour and needed the slightly bigger bus. They even swapped bus drivers so the two drivers had to take the time to change settings and teach each other about their buses. To make this switch, each bus' occupants filed out and stood in lines next to each other waiting for each bus to finish emptying. As we stood there shivering, someone came up with the hilarious reference to our situation being like two sports teams passing each other in a walk across the field at the end of the game. Once we could start filing onto the proper buses, we all kept the analogy going giving the other line high fives and wishing them "good game" and "good tour." 

The path into the museum/gift shop was lined with personalized memorial bricks:

Once we arrived at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, we were split into two groups. One group stayed in the museum area while the other went in to the rehabilitation center. When you as a visitor walk into the rehabilitation center, you walk in on a platform lined with benches. From the raised platform, you can see the large tanks dedicated to the turtles currently being cared for and witness the staff doing their work as your guide stands below you by the tanks using a microphone to be heard. This is as far as they let visitors go hence the need to split up our group and take turns being inside. Our guide introduced us to each turtle by explaining what happened to them, how they were named, and what treatments they were receiving. 

The turtle pictured above was given the name Quasimoto because of getting something stuck on his back that caused a hump on his shell. The person who donated to the center got the honor of naming the latest turtle.

This turtle in the next tank over not only was injured by a boat propeller but also had some issues with anxiety and light changes so they had a tarp draped over his tank.

At the far end of the platform, there were two tanks holding baby turtles. They were being housed in tanks with warming lights just like a human baby's incubator in the hospital. These tanks had signs letting you know to inquire in the gift shop on how to adopt a baby turtle. 

The random gems you find when browsing the multitude of pictures from today. "Mom! He's biting me!" My favorite is the look on the turtle in the bottom left corner:

You could also read more information about their current patients on signs along the platform:

I liked how they also had scrapbooks you could browse to see all the past success stories of turtles they'd been able to help and return to the wild:

In between the center and the museum, there was an open pond and a gated enclosure. The open pond held healthy adult turtles and the enclosure had baby turtles. Our guide said no one ever believes them when they say there really are baby turtles inside.

Can you find the adult turtles in the pond?

With our tour of the rehabilitation center over, we were given these strips of paper to take into the museum. We were to follow the life cycle of a turtle by going to each station dedicated to a fact about the turtle and choose from 3-4 machines that stamped an imprint onto your paper. It was by chance whether your visit to this station earned a good or bad outcome and was like a fun scavenger hunt.

My first station visit revealed that my turtle's nest was underneath an artificial light so my poor guy wasn't off to the greatest start in life:

My second station visit revealed that I was a female turtle:

My third station visit revealed that I migrated to the Sargasso Sea so it looks like I'm moving up in life:

What lived on my shell is what I learned at station four:

And lastly, I learned my final result of having lived to be a sub-adult sea turtle:

I'm pretty sure a lot of people would describe me as sub-adult:

There was other informative displays featuring hands on activities within the museum:

One of the coolest parts of the tour was a large window where you could view the center's medical team doing real procedures on the turtles:

We were a little rushed for time by the time I moved on to check out the gift shop which of course was filled with every kind of themed sea creature product from shirts to mugs to jewelry. I picked up another wooden magnet for $7.44 with tax.