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Barrier Islands along the coast of Georgia.
There are 13 barrier islands along the coast of Georgia. A few are quite developed, such as Tybee and St. Simons, but most of them are still relatively unspoiled. They have been considered prime property since colonial days, when a number of them had plantations or settlements, such as Sapelo, Ossawba, and St. Simons. During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s many were in private hands, usually used for hunting or for retreats from the cold northern winters. This actually was a good thing, as it kept them from being over-developed, such as happened on Hilton Head in South Carolina.
Today most of them are protected from development, and are a wonderful heritage that will never be spoiled. The arrangements that protect them vary considerably, from Jekyll Island which is a state park, to Ossawba Island, which is protected by a private foundation to several that are within the province of the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources, such as Sapelo Island, Wolf Island, and Blackbeard Island, and Cumberland Island, which is a National Park.
The barrier islands stretch along most of the Atlantic coastline, and are a beautiful part of the coast. They are sand, and they are constantly changing, with tides and storms. They protect the coast against the ravages of storms, and the barrier islands and the marshes that surround them are