Georgianon reporting in with a little eyebrow-raising news from our beautiful Golden Isles on the coast. They are all beautiful, with some islands privately owned and others open to the public and accessible by vehicle. Sea Island is the "fanciest" of them, with the luxury resort, and all the luxury homes on either side of Sea Island Drive beyond it. It is the polar opposite of resort places like the Hamptons or Vail; these are the rich who want to live quietly, not show off or have loud parties. Designer clothes are out; old shorts & t-shirts and comfy flipflops are in. A "party" is more apt to be supper for family and a few friends and their children, mom and her sister do the cooking, and it's over by 9:00. Early to bed and early to rise; besides, there are almost no outdoor lights in deference to the sea turtles. No condos and no hotels, no wild under-30 crowd, and the local police are serious about no speeding and no loud car stereos. There's a gate to drive onto the island as well.

Sea Island is a quick boat trip from Jekyll and St. Simons, both much more open and with the same phenomenal beaches. Boaters in the area need to limit activity to daytime (lurk moar, basically) until they have memorized channels, because the labyrinthine wetlands can be very difficult to navigate. By the same token, kayakers will be in heaven with the wildlife watching in the area.

Sea Island is privately owned by billionaire Philip Anschutz (a conservative, yaaaay) who Forbes ranked the 41st wealthiest American:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Anschutz

Documents: Georgia (Cloister at Sea Island) resort underpaid workers more than $1M

The posh Sea Island Resort hosted the 2004 G-8 Conference under then-Pres. George W. Bush

VIP guests in the past have commemorated their visits by planting a southern live oak (Quercus virginiana). They include Pres. Calvin Coolidge who began the tradition in 1928, Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, President George H.W. Bush, Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, and President Bill Clinton. During the G8 conference in 2004, President George W. Bush planted a tree.

"Promoted as a quiet, worry-free escape, as opposed to some of the high-energy resorts in Florida, the Cloister appealed to businessmen, politicians, and celebrities, including New York Mayor Jimmy Walker, Edsel Ford, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Eddie Rickenbacker, and many others. In addition to the hotel, Mr. Coffin also dreamed of creating a residential community on the island and encouraged his guests to consider building "cottages" nearby. To that end, he brought in electricity, water and telephone service, and improved causeway access to both St. Simons and Sea Islands. Among those building homes was Eugene O’Neill, who wrote the play Ah, Wilderness! while there."

https://www.mdjonline.com/ap/business/documents-georgia-resort-underpaid-workers-more-than-m/article_4b60b39a-a60e-5b84-ac8d-a07cd6a7a6cf.html

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Documents-Georgia-resort-underpaid-workers-more-15147936.php

https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Anschutz-takes-control-of-Sea-Island-resort-in-Georgia