As soon as Mary and I entered the clearing at the end of the access path to Driftwood Beach, we had an overwhelming feeling of otherworldliness. It was an eerie sensation -which took a little while to shake off- as we gazed on the haunting skeletons and sun-bleached bones and of oak and pine trees past. We had entered a forest graveyard.

Driftwood Beach
Life (and more recently hurricanes) had gotten in the way of our usual pre-trip homework. We had expected actual driftwood -bits and pieces of wood that had washed ashore- scattered about a stretch of shoreline named Driftwood Beach, but that is certainly not what we found!
As Anthony (Tony) J. Martin, author of Life Traces of the Georgia Coast (Indiana University Press), succinctly explains in his blog post Doing Field Work on a Developed Barrier Island:
“At the north end of Jekyll, shoreline erosion has caused the beach and maritime forest to meet, and the forest is losing to the beach. This has caused the forest to become what is often nicknamed a “tree boneyard,” in which trees die and either stay upright or fall in the same spot where they once practiced their photosynthetic ways.”
This scenic “cemetery” is a must-see any day of the year! Climbing seems to be the favorite pass-time for kids, while adults sling hammocks on the gnarled branches. Stargazing is the ultimate choice for a romantic evening beneath the heavens. Driftwood Beach is likely the most explored and photographed stretch of beach on the Jekyll Island.
Off the beach, human ghost stories abound on this Golden Isle. Sightings are apparently common enough in the historic district, including the Jekyll Island Club Resort, which boasts a rich history of supernatural appearances – from a uniformed bellman performing his duties to a long gone railroad magnate who still evidently cannot begin his day without a cup of coffee and the morning newspaper. In the evening, after you’ve enjoyed a day of beach explorations, you can join the “world famous” Jekyll Island Trolley Ghost Tour for legends and tales from beyond the grave. If you do, let us know how it goes!

Jekyll Island Club Resort
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Anthony Martin: Life Traces of the Georgia Coast
Related Halloween Links:
A Halloween Tale: Beware the Excirolana kincaidi!
The Graveyard of the Pacific: The Bones of the Peter Iredale