Remote Island Experience

LADIES RETREAT: Grab the girls, bring an open mind and heart, and get ready for an adventure to never forget. Sapelo is a very special place unlike anywhere on earth.  You will feel like you are stepping back in time to a slower pace of life.  There are some places on the island where you may feel you are not even on planet Earth anymore.  Sapelo is a remote island experience, so here are a few things to know before coming and about your stay at Changing Tides:

·      My children help work the retreat, mostly behind the scenes, to help make your experience smooth and memorable. So expect to see them every once in a while. Yes, they do enjoy it and they do get paid!

·      If you suffer from pet allergies, please know we do have 2 sweet golden retrievers and 2 friendly cats on the premises sometimes.  They will not participate in the ladies retreat but are around.

·      Pack light. Only bring play clothes and play shoes, nothing fancy! Bring things you don’t mind walking dirt roads in, sitting by a fire in, riding a Polaris ranger in, and enjoying the beach in. If it’s cold, bring a coat, hat, and gloves. If it’s hot, bring a swimsuit and flip flops.

·      Makeup is optional! Bring it if you want it.

·      Bring bug spray if the temperature gets above 70 degrees. Bring sunblock if desired.

·      All meals, snacks, and drinks are provided in your Sapelo experience but please let me know ahead of time of any food allergies so I can best prepare to serve you. I will provide you with a list of the provided meals a week in advance of your trip. If there is a food or drink you just can’t live without, feel free to bring it. Small coolers are allowed on the ferry.

·      We have 4 bedrooms designated for our guests.  3 rooms have two twin beds. 1 room has a king. Linens, pillows, quilts are provided.

·      There are two full bathrooms with towels, washcloths, toiletries, hair dryer, etc.

·        There is a beautiful, hot water, outdoor shower.

·      There is a coffee pot and Keurig.

·      There is great Wi-Fi in the house but poor cell service. We do have a landline and walkie-talkies for emergencies.

·      Great naps, deep conversations, or meditative thoughts and prayers seem to always happen on the porch swing couch while you listen to the waves crash in the distance and birds sing in the huge live oak trees overlooking the breathtaking salt marsh. Much time can be spent on this screened in porch enjoying nature’s beauty, observing raccoons scurry across the trees limbs, maybe a deer or 3 will pass through or an armadillo rustle in the palmettos. If you’re lucky you will get a glimpse of a pileated woodpecker or even a painted bunting!

·      In the cold months, we enjoy a fire on the porch.

·      We enjoy S’mores and fellowship around the front yard fire pit.

·      Sapelo Island is extremely unique in that all visitors are required to have reservations by an island resident or DNR. Not just anyone can bebop over on their own. Your name will be on the list at dock and you are to check in with the DNR ferry crew when you arrive.  Your round-trip fee will already be paid. The ferry runs on a strict schedule and ALWAYS leaves on time. So plan to arrive 30 minutes early, unload your luggage at the end of the dock, then go park your car and walk back to board the ferry.  Be on the lookout for a dolphin or two to welcome you on your adventure!

·      If you arrive early enough to the ferry, stop by the visitor’s center and check it out!

·      There are no hospitals, pharmacies, ER’s, or med stops on the island so please bring any medication you use on a regular basis.  I have an extensive first aid kit but in the event of an emergency, DNR and 911 will be notified. Things just take a bit longer here than on the mainland.

·     There is one small restaurant on the island in Hog Hammock community usually only open for lunch and dinner Wednesday - Saturday.

·      There are no hotels, police, Wal-Mart, or shopping on the island. However, there is peace and tranquility.

·      The “Sapelo Experience” would not be complete with out a vehicle malfunction so be mentally prepared for that just in case and know you will be taken care of.