Georgia Natural Wonder #42 - Wassaw Island. 860

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Georgia Natural Wonder #42 - Wassaw Island

Wassaw Island is one of the Sea Islands. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia southeast of the geologically older Skidaway Island and is part of Chatham County. The refuge is bordered by the Wilmington River and Wassaw Sound to the north and the Vernon River and Ossabaw Sound to the south. Including surrounding tidal marshes, two smaller islands (collectively known as Little Wassaw Island), and several small hammocks, they make up the Wassaw Island National Wildlife Refuge. It is 10,053 acres of marsh, mudflats, and tidal creeks. About five and a half miles long and up to two miles wide, Wassaw has about six miles of deserted ocean beach. The land mass is 76 percent salt marshes and 24 percent beaches, dunes, and maritime forest. The refuge is a part of the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex.



Of all Georgia's coastal barrier islands, Wassaw Island is the least disturbed by human intervention. Only Fort Morgan, constructed during the Spanish-American War (1898), and a small housing compound have been built there since colonial times.



Unlike Georgia's other barrier islands, Wassaw Island's forests were never cleared for timber, cotton, or cattle. The island today is said to be the best representation of what Georgia's barrier islands looked like before Europeans arrived. Since 1969 Wassaw has been a national wildlife refuge and recognized as a prime sanctuary for migratory birds and nesting loggerhead sea turtles.



The United States government owns most of the island. Loggerhead sea turtles nest on the beaches in late spring and early summer, and turtlers can camp at the turtlers' cabin at the Federal Dock (refuge headquarters office), and then go to the beach at night to observe the turtles. Aside from this, the Federal Dock is usually only used when natural disasters occur on the island and assistance is necessary.



The island is accessible only by chartered or private boat. Most visitors arriving by private boat anchor their boats to the north or south beaches or in Wassaw Creek, near the boat dock for the refuge headquarters office. The public is encouraged to use twenty miles of dirt trails for hiking or bicycling.

Geologic History

is a very young island geologically. It formed about 1,600 years ago in the current Holocene epoch. Its main topographic feature is a centrally located dune ridge, which runs the length of the island and reaches elevations of forty-five feet above sea level at the south end. The oceanfront beach is characterized by an eroding shoreline along its northern end. Where erosion of forested upland is occurring, the beach is littered with the sun-bleached skeletons of cedar, oak, palmetto, and pine in what is known as a "boneyard beach."



The remainder of the beach is backed by sand dunes. In particular, Wassaw's southeastern tip shows evidence of rapid accretion, or sand buildup, with a series of several dune ridges—the positions of former shorelines—parallel to the present shoreline.



The pattern of erosion on the north end and accretion on the south end is typical of several Georgia coastal islands. As a result, the whole of Wassaw Island appears to have shifted, rotating counterclockwise over the past century.

Human History

Human activity and impact on Wassaw has been minimal. Native Americans apparently used the island for hunting fish, fowl, reptiles, and shellfish. Indian artifacts dating to A.D. 500-600 have been found on the island. The island's name is derived from the Creek word wiso (pronounced WEE-so), meaning sassafras, which still grows on the island. Sixteenth-century French traders came to Georgia's coastal islands to ship large quantities of sassafras back to Europe, where the plant was used to make a highly popular medicinal tea.


Sassafras tree.

For most of the 19th century the island was occupied by Anthony Odingsell, an African American planter, who inherited Little Wassaw Island from his former master and probable father, Charles Odingsell. Anthony Odingsell was the wealthiest free person of color in Georgia for many years. In 1846 a cholera epidemic prompted white authorities to send 300 slaves from Liberty County to Wassaw to help them avoid the disease. The eleven slaves owned by Anthony Odingsell, a black planter who also owned Little Wassaw Island, were probably among those sent to the island. Records show, however, that most of the slaves died on the island and were buried there. The location of their graves is unknown.



During the Civil War the island was occupied first by Confederate troops and then Union troops. Then in 1866, George Parsons, a wealthy businessman, purchased the island with the intent of making it a holiday retreat for family and friends. Although his attempts to populate the island with hogs, pheasants, turkey and quail failed, he did end up building a housing compound for his family and friends in the center of the island along with approximately 20 miles of interior roads.

Fort Morgan

At the northern end of the Wassaw Beach, facing the ocean, are the ruins of Fort Morgan from the Spanish–American War, built in 1898 by a group of civilians under the supervision second Lieutenant Henry Sims Morgan of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They built the fort into the dunes on the north end of the island as part of the Endicott system of coastal forts. It was to protect the southern approach to Savannah, by way of the Wilmington River, from Spanish attack. The fort is made from cement and granite gravel, with small clam shells embedded in the walls. The ruins are slowly deteriorating as tidal forces and shifting sands have caused sections to crumble under their own weight. The tidal action of the beach leaves much of the ruins exposed some years and other years much of it appears to have been buried under several feet of sand.



It was equipped with two 4.7-inch rapid-fire guns. It was the largest single fortification built in Georgia specifically for the Spanish-American War. Today, only a part of the fort still exists. Sometimes the corroded remains of the bolts which held the two 4.7-inch rapid fire cannon mounts are clearly visible in their circular pattern located on either side of the main bunker.



As the ruins are a prominent feature easily visible from other coastal islands to the north, the top of the bunker has an official USGS marker embedded in the riuns. At high tide, water from the ocean comes up and pools around the fort. As the tide retreats, water remains around the ruins, trapping fish and sometimes small sharks or other wildlife in tidal pools around the battlements and a large radius around the ruins. Bass up to 3–4-foot long have been reported to be trapped in these tidal pools. Other fishes have been reported to be trapped as well.



Lieutenant Morgan was later assigned to help build the batteries on the north end of Tybee, where he lost his life attempting to rescue shipwrecked sailors in Tybee Roads during the hurricane of 1898. Historians had the battery be named Fort Morgan in his honor. A monument dedicated to him is found in the parking lot of the Tybee Island Museum.



The Parsons family and others in 1930 formed the Wassaw Island Trust to preserve the island in its natural state. During the 1960s when nearby Skidaway was undergoing development, Parsons family descendants became concerned about the future of their wild island. In the 1960s the trustees, fearing that the state of Georgia might condemn the island and open it to public use or development, negotiated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to convey Wassaw to the United States for permanent preservation as a natural area.



In 1969, the Parsons family conveyed the island to the Nature Conservancy of Georgia provided that no bridge ever be built connecting it to the mainland. The transaction was for the bargain price of $1 million. A 180-acre portion in the center of the island, including the Parsons' housing compound, was retained by the family and the trustees for their personal use. Shortly after the transaction, the Nature Conservancy sold the island for the same amount to the federal government. Today, the island is a national wildlife refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.



The Caretta Research Project, which focuses on learning more about the endangered loggerhead sea turtles, is conducted on the island by volunteers.



Biological Resources

Wassaw’s forest harbors rare old-growth stands of cedar, oak, and pine, along with cabbage palm, holly, and magnolia. A variety of other habitats on Wassaw, including the tidal marshes, sandy beach, dune systems, and freshwater sloughs between the dunes, support an abundance of wildlife species.



More than 200 bird species have been identified on Wassaw, which is home to large rookeries for egrets, herons, and other wading birds. The freshwater sloughs and ponds are home to dozens of alligators. Waterfowl such as mallards, mergansers, and wigeons also use the ponds during fall and winter. Southern bald eagles and osprey nest on the island, as do American oystercatchers, plovers, and terns.



Bottle-nosed dolphins are common in the waters around Wassaw.



Beginning around April of each year, Wassaw's dark, deserted beach provides ideal nesting sites for threatened loggerhead sea turtles. More than eighty loggerheads nest each year on Wassaw.



From the Sherpa Guide………

If you are looking for an unspoiled barrier island, it does not get any better than Wassaw. Unlike Georgia's other barrier islands, Wassaw Island has never had its forests cleared for timber, cotton, or cattle. Today part of the National Wildlife Refuge system, this migratory bird refuge is considered the most primitive island on the Georgia coast and is the best representation of what the barrier islands looked like before Europeans arrived. Hiking, shelling, bird-watching, nature study, and fishing are excellent activities here. Facilities are sparse, so if you intend to stay for more than 5 minutes, come prepared with bug repellant, water and food, and toilet paper.



Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge is one of the natural treasures of the United States.



Located southeast of the Pleistocene, older Skidaway Island, the Holocene, younger Wassaw Island has roughly 7 miles of deserted beach and 2,500 acres of beach dune and upland forest communities, roads, trails, and administrative land. The woodlands consist of lush virgin stands of oak, pine, and cedar along with magnolia, cabbage palm, and holly. Virgin forests are extremely rare not only on the coast but anywhere in Georgia. The remainder of the refuge is tidal saltwater marsh, which is excellent for fishing and where one can quickly become engulfed in its natural beauty.



As one approaches the island, it is obvious from the height and size of the pines and oaks that it is a precious reserve of wilderness on America's rapidly developing coastlines.



The lack of disturbance has allowed natural climax plant communities to flourish, which in turn support a natural diversity of animal species. More than 204 bird species have been identified on Wassaw. The island is home to rookeries for egrets, herons, and other wading birds, which are abundant in the summer months. Bird watchers will appreciate the thousands of migrating songbirds that visit Wassaw in spring and fall to feast on insects, seeds, and fruits during their long journeys to and from breeding grounds. Migrant songbirds include worm-eating, black-throated blue, chestnut-sided, Cape May, Nashville, Blackburnian, and black-throated-green warblers. Waterfowl such as widgeons, mallards, and mergansers use the small freshwater ponds during fall and winter. Painted buntings (summer residents), rufous-sided towhees, and cardinals are common in the interior forests. A large variety of migratory birds use Wassaw as a sanctuary, and some unusual species have been reported, including roseate spoonbills, magnificent frigatebird, parasitic jaegers, peregrine falcons, and piping plovers. Southern bald eagles and osprey nest here, as do American oystercatchers, terns, and plovers.



Wassaw is a very young island geologically, having formed in 400 a.d. Because of its youth, it hasn't had the time to develop the richer soils found on its older neighbor to the west, Skidaway Island. The island displays its ocean-related origin in a series of parallel dune ridges that mark the position of former shorelines. The main topographic feature of the island is a centrally located dune ridge that extends the length of the island, reaching elevations of 45 feet above sea level at the south end. The sea continues to influence the island, by eroding the north end and creating a boneyard beach of Live Oaks, and by accreting new land at the southern end.



A special activity on Wassaw Island is a loggerhead sea turtle research program run by volunteers. Almost 10 percent of Georgia's nesting sea turtles crawl across the sands of Wassaw and Pine Island to lay their eggs. Endangered loggerhead sea turtles are dependent on undeveloped beach to nest and continue their species. In the last 50 years, loggerhead turtles have been sliding toward man-caused extinction due to the loss of suitable nesting habitat, among other factors. The Caretta Research Project, initiated in 1973, is aimed at learning more about the population levels and habits of loggerhead sea turtles and improving survival rates of their eggs and hatchlings.



The program is a cooperative effort between the Savannah Science Museum, the Wassaw Island Trust, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Project volunteers, who volunteer for one week between mid-May to mid-September, are charged with observing, tagging, and recording nesting females, then relocating nests to protected hatchery sites. When the eggs hatch two months later, volunteers record the success of the baby turtles. Major predators of loggerhead nests are raccoons, ghost crabs, and feral pigs. Hatchlings fall prey to raccoons, ghost crabs, gulls and other birds, and fish. Adult turtles are killed by sharks, motor boats, and shrimp nets.

How to Spend the Day at the Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge


Sea Shell and Sand Dollar collecting.


Searching for Star Fish.


Deep Sea Fishing.

Hike and Bike

20 miles of dirt roads and 7 miles of beach make the Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge an ideal place to go hiking and biking! You are welcome to use any of the areas open to the public. Be sure to bring a Trail Guide and stay on marked trails to minimize disturbance to plants and animals.



Wildlife observation and photography is encouraged, so bring your camera! Travel through the perfect combination of white sand and lush forest; it’s the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and appreciate nature.

Cast a Line

Saltwater fishing is available year-round in the estuarine waters adjacent to the Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge. You can cast your line from the beach from sunrise to sunset!



However, keep in mind that freshwater fishing is prohibited, and all saltwater fishing is subject to state fishing regulations.

See Amazing Wildlife

The Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge is the perfect place to become one with nature. Not only does the island landscape become more beautiful with every step you take, it is also full of wildlife. Alligators, deer, feral pigs, and a wide variety of birds can be found here. Over the years, birdwatching has become very popular, especially during the spring and fall migrations.





Take a Tour or Charter

Sundial Charters offers year-round tours of Wassaw Island. Sign up for one and enjoy some of the best bird watching, shelling, salt marsh ecology, dolphin viewing, and beachcombing that Georgia has to offer!

• Directions: Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge is reachable only by boat. Novice boaters may want to charter a nature cruise from a charter service out of the marinas listed here. It can be confusing trying to navigate the various tidal rivers, so a nautical chart is a must. The closest marina to Wassaw Island is Delegal Creek Marina, phone (912) 598-0023 or Salt Water Charter, phone (912) 598-1814. Many visiting Wassaw launch from the Isle of Hope and unload at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dock on Wassaw Creek on the interior of the island, then anchor in the creek. Isle of Hope Marina, 50 Bluff Drive, phone (912) 354-8187. Wassaw Island can also be approached at the northern end by boating up the Wilmington River from Hogan's Marina on Wilmington Island, phone (912) 897-3474.

• Activities: Hiking, bird-watching, shelling, fishing, picnicking, nature studies, biking, kayaking. Strictly prohibited are camping, fires, pets, firearms, and collecting of plants, animals, and artifacts. Deer hunting is allowed by special permit during two periods in October and November. The island is closed on hunt days and the day before and after each hunt period. Dates and bag limits change each year. For information, contact the Savannah Coastal Refuges office at (912) 652-4415. Volunteers for the loggerhead research project should write or call Caretta Research Project, Savannah Science Museum, Inc., 4405 Paulsen Street, Savannah, GA 31405. Phone 355-6705.

• Facilities: Federal dock, exhibit shelter with island map.

• Dates: Open sunrise to sunset. Closed annually for deer hunts in fall and winter. Portions of beach may be closed to prevent disturbance to nesting, wintering, or migrating birds.

• Fees: None.

• Closest town: Skidaway Island.

• For more information: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Savannah Coastal Refuges, Parkway Business Center, Suite 10, 1000 Business Center Drive, Savannah, GA 31405. Phone (912) 652-4415.

OK a return to the mountains tomorrow for wonder #46. Our GNW gal for today getting turtle kisses?