On Saturday morning we decided to take a ride to Florida. I wanted to photograph the Amelia Island Lighthouse and take a leisurely drive down highway A1A. First stop was Fort Clinch State Park a $6.00 fee is required at the gate. They have a nice overlook where the lighthouse can be viewed across Egan's Creek. The park of course has the Fort which I have visited previously but not this time. I continued on down toward the beach and the incredibly long fishing pier. At this entrance you can access the beach or the pier. Please be careful on the beach not to disturb the sea turtle nests, I saw at least five nests that were marked. This area is also home to alot of different birds, be sure not to disturb the nesting and/or resting shore birds. Here are a few pictures of the pier and the lighthouse.
As we were leaving the pier I noticed this mockingbird preening himself. He was so engrossed at the task in hand he could have cared less about me.
After leaving Fort Clinch I was determined to find the Lighthouse and get a better photo. Let me tell you that was a chore. When we finally did locate the lighthouse it was posted Private Property. The Lighthouse is owned by the Coast Guard and is only open for tours the first Monday and Wednesday of the month. Lucky for the grounds keeping crew was there and they were nice enough to let me in and photograph this adorable 67ft tall Lighthouse. Thank You Gentlemen, I really do appreciate it. Here is one of the photos I took.
We then got back onto A1A and headed South to Big Talbot Island. The parking fee here is $3.00. The park offers a higher bluff over the water and a short walk through the woods for beach access. The beach is picturesquely littered with fallen trees and driftwood much like my beloved Jekyll Island. Saturday was the perfect picture taking day! The sky was a brillant blue with big white puffy clouds. Here are just a few photos.
We walked down the trail and encountered a lot of these spiders, Golden Orb Weavers. and anyone who knows me knows how I feel about spiders....Not exactly my favorite creature on earth, but as long as they leave me alone...I'll leave them alone. Anyway just before accessing the beach there is another scenic overlook, it sure was a beautiful day!
After leaving Big Talbot Island and heading south again on A1A we crossed over a small area of marsh called Simpson Creek and I noticed a few Roseate Spoonbills, Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets, sorry I didn't get a photo of the Snowy Egret, they were a little camera shy.
Then we continued on down to Little Talbot Island, there is a $5.00 entrance fee. This park offers 5 miles of beach and picnic areas. I did not go on the beach or take any photos on this day. The place was so crowded. Maybe next time. Further South just a few mile is Huguenot State Park which has an entrance fee of $3.00 and you can drive on the beach. We did not stop here either because my poor, little, tired, truck would probably get stuck in the sand and it also was very crowded maybe another day.
At this point we turned around and headed back North on A1A, when I noticed a sign for B.E.A.K.S. Wildlife Sanctuary so we turned down the dirt road and enjoy the coolness under the shady trees and took a slow ride. The actual B.E.A.K.S. (Bird Emergency and Kare Sanctuary) Facility was closed but we enjoyed the ride through the woods and encountered this Gopher Tortoise.
After that we grabbed a bite to eat and headed home. I enjoyed our short jaunt down A1A and Florida is certainly another example of the Beauty that Surrounds Us and has a lot to offer for outdoor and nature enthusiasts. But it can tally up...I think I'm going to invest in the yearly park pass.
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