Happy National Tartan Day
Happy National Tartan Day (April 6). We celebrate the Strachan family. Captain Francis Garden Strachan ran away from the family farm in Banffshire, Scotland to sail clipper ships between Europe and the Orient in the 1870s. Then in 1885 he founded the Strachan Shipping Co in Savannah at the Cotton Exchange Building. From Brunswick his son FDM Strachan became Glynn County’s first millionaire by shipping timber, cotton, naval products throughout the world. Around 1910 FDMS built his summer cottage Beach Lawn on the southern end of St. Simons Island. The Strachan Carriage House (the historic four bay garage with servants quarters above and a 52 ft veranda) honors their memory and allows guests to enjoy stories and hospitality about Scots who made coastal GA home.
Fish Tales with Capt. Brooks Good.
Just before shelter-in-place took place we enjoyed lots of fishing and “fish tales” with Capt. Brooks Good. Registration is still open for his kids fishing camps or family fishing outings. Book atFirst Loggerhead Turtle Nest on Cumberland Island
The first loggerhead turtle nest appeared on Cumberland Island. The Wilson’s plovers nested on the quiet dunes on SSI beaches when humans could only exercise and not plop down our beach chairs. And Florida manatees moved up to GA to enjoy our warm spring waters. (SSI Bike Paths
The SSI bike paths were the popular “roads” on the island. Book your rentals in the village fromRo/Ro The Big Boats
The Golden Ray ship is still turned over in the St. Simons Sound. You can view this “tourist attraction” from our street and get great photos when outgoing ships blow their horns and pass the Golden Ray and the fishing pier. The VB 10,000 is scheduled to cut up and remove the ship this summer. (Shelter In Place Made Easy
My husband and I sheltered in place here for 7 weeks this spring much to the envy of our family and friends elsewhere. Truly it was easy. The weather was perfect to start my tan and splash in the pool. I read 7 books, tended to spring cleaning, and researched more fun historical facts about the Strachan family. The high speed internet and new Sonos audio kept my husband in synch with his work. Daily low tide beach walks were a must. Uncle Don’s Market was open for local lettuces and Florida tomatoes. St. Simons Seafood and City Market provided the freshest shrimp, mahi-mahi, flounder and sea trout. And take out from Mellow Mushroom in the village and Southern Soul BBQ worked very well when the chef (me) wanted a night off.
Now restaurants, grocery stores, liquor stores, drug stores, small shops and bookstores are operational with smart social distancing rules. Go to (www.goldenisles.com) for latest updates. Our housekeeper Susan is following the CDC and travel industry cleaning protocols. We want you and your family to enjoy the vacation we know you need. Spring 2020
Prohibition? No problem. Maybe.
Love owning a historic house and artwork with history – 91 years ago from Washington DC Star, March 22, 1928
“Yacht Libeled in Dry Coast”
Jacksonville, Fla, March 22
The $80,000 yacht Roamer, property F.D.M. Strachan, Savannah and Brunswick, Ga shipping man, today was subject of a Federal libel action intended to forfeit it to the Government for alleged violation of internal revenue laws. Strachan was arrested last Saturday when Coast Guardsmen discovered 41 quarts of whiskey on the yacht. He was later dismissed. He was charged jointly with the yacht Captain Alfred Throder Nielsen and four colored sailors with violation of prohibition laws.
Roamer was a steam yacht built by N.G. Herreshoff in 1902. FDMS purchased the yacht in Sept. 1922. This painting of Roamer was done by Joe Selby, an African American sailor turned artist in Florida. More stories of “The Old Pirate” await you on the veranda of The Strachan Carriage House. BYOB.
Resume Normal Operations
This antique nautical sign spoke to us when we spied it at the Antiques Show in the village over Memorial Day. I think it was because we had spent nearly a week of nearly perfect weather doing nothing much but eating, drinking, reading racy beach books, laughing with old friends, and lounging in the pool. Not even close to anything like our “normal” operation of carpools, work, and emails. Now we understand what the new “normal” will be…
‘To Do or Not To Do’ – Vacation Stress!
Do we go kayaking in the marsh? Should we check out Gogo’s latest jewelry creations at Redfern Village? What about a walk on East Beach? Or a nap on the veranda and then a quick trip to G.J. Ford’s bookstore to see if they have Island Time, the new book on the history of St. Simons Island with gorgeous photos by our friend Ben Galland? We could begin to think about dinner and the grocery store, or we could call Barbara Jeans for take out crab cakes. I can’t take this stress… guess I will jump in the pool and think about it while floating around and around.
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