Even though I had just visited Jekyll Island last month for Thanksgiving, I found myself heading that way again for Christmas. Discovering a cheap hotel rate has a tendency to cause me to make spontaneous decisions. And while spontaneity and I usually don't mix, it paid off this time.

I hopped in the car on the morning of Christmas Eve early enough so that I arrived on the island in the afternoon. Passing by the famous Jekyll Island Sandbar on my way to my hotel, I couldn't help but notice the low tide. I stopped at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel Beach Pavilion to check it out.

The sandbar and all the people walking on it could be seen from the parking lot at low tide.

I made my way down to the beach to check it out.

Approaching the sandbar.

The people seen way off in the distance in the photos above and below give you an idea of how long this sandbar is.

I hit the sandbar and started walking.

This sandbar is actually quite large. A significant walking path is available at low tide.

I would turn around periodically to see just how far from the beach I had traveled.

At the point seen in the photo above, I had run out of dry beach.

The water level wasn't deep at all. But the problem was that I was still wearing my jeans.

Rolling up the pant legs worked ok until the water started to get deeper.

By the time I took the photos above and below, I was pretty far off shore.

I zoomed in on the Jekyll Island Club Hotel Beach Pavilion where I was parked for the photo above.

Looking back at the shore.

This was all the further I could go today. Judging by the photo above, I could definitely go a lot further if I was dressed for the occasion.

Zooming in toward the Holiday Inn Resort, which is across the street from the Quality Inn where I'm staying.

Looking back to the shore.

The dry beach I had at the beginning of this journey was now gone which means the tide was starting to come back in.

I started heading back to shore.

Looking back to the shore.

Making my way back to the shore.

I spotted what looks like the Emerald Princess Casino ship off in the distance.

Even though I was headed back to shore, there were still plenty of people still out on the sandbar.

I would have been too if I would have been dressed properly.

No worries. I've got shorts with me. So I'll be back.