Today we all went ashore for a bicycle ride around the island.

Last time we were here they were having a deer and hog cull so we couldn’t visit the north end. This time was OK, though we thought someone should try out one of the hog traps.

We also passed this small cemetery, a suitably spooky looking place where Robert Stafford is buried. Born poor, he became one of the most successful cotton planters of Georgia’s Sea Islands. His personal life is of more interest though. He fell in love with a mixed race nurse whose grandmother was concerned about who would protect her after she died. She felt it would be safer if Robert owned Elizabeth rather than having to constantly prove her free status – and sold her to him for $1. They had 6 children together and as the Civil war loomed Robert decided to relocate the family to Connecticut where they could live and receive an education in safety.  He left all his money to these children in Trust funds, but left the land on Cumberland Island to children with another, white woman who he also chose not to marry.  Biographers suggest his behaviour is a reflection of the conflicts many southerners had between personal choice, honour and the social expectation surrounding racial segregation.

We cycled about 7 miles to one of the old mansions called Plum Orchard, given to the National Park Service in the 1970s. It was very grand in its day, boasting 6 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms to show off the new indoor plumbing.

The wallpaper in the drawing is also very expensive as each printed water lily is appliquéd on to the background. People apparently either love it or, like me, hate it!

There was also one of the earliest ice makers installed here in 1903. It used ammonia and wasfairly dangerous to operate, but more important to impress the guests.

My favourite luxury was the indoor pool. It is only 9ft deep although appears much deeper. With no means to keep water clean, it was emptied every day and refilled. To 3 ft for the children and then to 9ft for the adults later in the day!

Last time we were here we went to the ruins of a larger house called Dungeoness at the south end of the island. Owned by the Carnegies, it was abandoned in the 1920s so it became a kind of spares store for all the other buildings on the island.

It started raining in the afternoon and we caught in a traffic jam- with some of the wild horses. It stop enough for a brief trip to one of the beautiful beaches though.