Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Gulls and terns wading in the shallows.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. A keyhole urchin - a close relative of the sand dollar.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. A keyhole urchin - a close relative of the sand dollar.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Dune plants like sea oats and railroad vine help to anchor dune systems.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Dune plants like sea oats and railroad vine help to anchor dune systems. Ghost crab tracks are seen proceeding diagonnally from lower left to the right center of the image.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Dune plants like sea oats and railroad vine help to anchor dune systems.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Primary dunes. Looking north on Nannygoat Beach. The McIntosh Academy science class is on the beach.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Looking east toward Nannygoat Beach.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Sapelo Lighthouse, constructed in 1820, suffered serious damage during a hurricane in 1898. It was restored in 1998 to its present condition.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Sapelo Lighthouse, constructed in 1820, as seen from Doboy Sound on Sapelo Island's south end.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Live oaks and palmetto at sunrise on the road to Sapelo Lighthouse. The Reynolds Mansion, also called

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Reynolds Mansion, also called the Big House, was originally built by Thomas Spalding in 1810. It is currently operated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources as a conference facility.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Golden Silk spider webs may measure greater than 1-meter in diameter.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Close-up of a Golden Silk female spider. The females of this species can range between 30 to 40 mm in length. The smaller males, two seen on the other side of the web in this photo, are only 4-6 mm long. These spiders feed primarily on flying insects.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Resurrection ferns grow on the bark of live oak trees and thrive following rainy weather.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. View at low tide from the marsh near Chocolate.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. The marsh at Chocolate.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Sunrise at Nannygoat Beach.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Swash zone at Nannygoat Beach. Georgia's coastline is composed of wide, slowly sloping beaches. Wave action is minimal compared to other areas of the East Coast.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Swash zone at Nannygoat Beach. Georgia's coastline is composed of wide, slowly sloping beaches. Wave action is minimal compared to other areas of the East Coast.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Swash zone at Cabretta(?). Looking south. Georgia's coastline is composed of wide, slowly sloping beaches. Wave action is minimal compared to other areas of the East Coast.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A young moose.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A sea otter feeding on a sea urchin.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A beautiful array of starfish , sea urchins an mussel shells in the rocky intertidal zone of Kachemak Bay.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.