Annual event returns to island

450 globes hidden across Jekyll Island for treasure hunters.

A tradition spanning six decades returned to Jekyll Island on New Year’s Day — collection of one-of-a-kind glass floats. However, this time the annual scavenger hunt receives a different spin.

“From Jan. 1 through Feb. 28, Beach Buddies will hide about 450 clear, plastic globes in public, common areas,” Meggan Hood, the Jekyll Island Authority senior marketing director, said in a statement. “Each one represents an Island Treasure waiting to be found. We’re excited to have even more winners in 2018. Finding an Island Treasure is the draw. But, the real treasure is exploring this beautiful island.”

Fishermen used to use glass balls as floats for their nets, and the floats would be picked up by folks walking the beaches in the event those balls broke free and washed in to shore. In this modern search, the plastic globes should be easy to spot in public places — it’s not like an Easter egg hunt, so they will not be hidden in dunes, marshes, animal habitats or private property.

During recent searches, glass floats ended up going uncollected for months, so this method is intended to make the process more successful for the treasure hunters. Inside each plastic globe is a card with instructions to be turned into the Jekyll Island Guest Information Center. Each card contains a number for a specific float, which will then be awarded to the card-bearer, along with a certificate of authenticity and a biography of the artist that created their float.

There is a limit of one glass float per household, allowing more people to participate in the search. People with questions can check out the Jekyll Island Authority website at jia.com/signatureevents/ island-treasures.