Planter Legs, Buoy Tree, Photographs Leaving Tybee

Before we leave Tybee, while our swimming clothes are being washed and dried at the only laundromat, we take a walk to Kullman Park to sit a spell, absorb the ocean -- its misty smells, its endless sight and its seagull sounds.  We re-visit the jumbo anchor that rests there on the curve of the main thoroughfare.  

The laundromat shares a building with a Savannah Praline shop, why the name Savannah, I don't know, it should be Tybee, but their chocolates are rich, and sweet, and gooey.  The sign says, "Praline Parking, All Others Will Be Sent To The Furnace With All The Bad Eggs" a reference to Willy Wonka, you know.  You've gotta love their puny, down-home sense of humor.

As we leave we take one last jaunt around the island on our golf cart.  We have to return it before 10, fully charged, so we hosed the sand off the foot rest making sure nothing was left in the glove box or under the seat.  Sadly, as the Keeper of the Key, I had to hand it over to the owner.  But first, let's see what this tree is all about.

Nikki, who loves to drive, kindly pulled up to the tree of buoys so I could take a picture.  Well, the owner saw what we were doing and took his garden hose and stepped out of view.  Ah-ha, someone to question!  

"Do you say bü-ee or boi?"  I asked.  

He replied, "Bü-ee."

"Why so many buoys on your tree?"

"It's a 20 year collection, from North Carolina to Florida Keys to Louisiana.  I've probably collected over 3,000."

"Really!  That's impressive", and I look to see just how many are on the tree.  

He adds, "Mostly I just give 'em away."

As we're still leaving

our final tour takes us past the lifeguard stand mailbox, Spencer's favorite mini-camper "It's still there???" he exclaimed when we showed him the photo, and legs.

The Fish Art Gallerie used to have a 4 ft. cube cardboard box full of mannequin legs sticking up and out, all gangly.  This vacation the box is absent but we spied evidence along Jones Street....a floral pair of legs and a yellow planter of feet.  

And...we have left.  We've left the fence of whittled animal shapes where we ate at The Original Crab Shack, the house signs that say C Breeze, and Pelican Perch, and the food of fresh oysters, chicken souvlaki and dungeness crab legs.

We're on I-70 to Columbia, S.C. "and beyond!" 

But first a stop at Gatlinburg.

Do you know from where the name Gatlinburg came?

I'll give you a hint, he was a landowner and more,

but ne'er a seaman, he kept to shore.

And, we're keeping to shore, quite inland!  No more blue skies over blue seas, no more cries and caws of fish finds, no more ocean slapping waves, just a mental wave good-bye leaving all behind.