I arrived in Jacksonville to gorgeous weather – mid-sixties and bright sunshine – and we drove up the coast into Georgia.

I’m beginning to thaw out after my Upstate New York swing, and what better introduction to the Southeast coast than to chow down on some fried alligator.

We had lunch on the water at Skipper’s Fish Camp/Oyster Bar in Darien, a small fishing village about an hour north of Jacksonville. I’d never had alligator, and when I saw it on the menu I had to go after it.

There was a sign on the wall that read: Alligator: The Other White Meat.

Spot on, for sure – it tasted very similar to chicken in both flavor and texture. I ate it happily, but there is no question I need to try it again prepared in a different fashion. I feel like anything can taste good fried.

After lunch we took a boat ride to Eagle Island (see video below), and now I am just getting settled at the lodge. I’ll have some more photos later – I have an amazing room/set up here.

For now I’m headed off to explore the area – the lodge sits on ten acres of wilderness beside the Darien River.

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