FERNANDINA BEACH and CRINCH STATE PARK

After moving from St. Augustine into Georgia, we have just three days to see all in this area! So we began our Friday going in to St. Marys to check things out. We found a Marine Museum that would have been great especially for a Marine because most of it was memorabilia, uniforms, newspaper clippings and anything historical to the military. There was some equipment. But what was most beneficial and interesting to us was the film that they showed!! I really enjoyed it as it showed Marines beginning a tour in a submarine from the time they prepared for their tour of duty and boarding, clear through the return and restoring the sub for it's next trip. Like I said, very interesting! We even kept the lady running the ticket booth overtime for five minutes. We did not know that it was so close to their closing time! We checked out the restaurants along the water-front but decided it would not fit our pocket. So we moved along the dock to see what was happening on the water! We found a ship out there that our neighbor in the campground had mentioned to us. They had seen it up the east coast when it was being built. Then they happened upon it anchored here when they were out in their kayak. When they could not find anyone answering from on board, they finally found them in one of the restaurants where many of the local seamen hang out. So we decided to photograph it and show it to you. It was a beauty! It is a home made steel craft one hundred feet in length. The Steel Away. While at the dock in St.Marys, we decided that it looked interesting across the river. So we checked it out the next day. The signs said Fernandina Beach. Beach being the key word, it did not take us long to grab our lawn chairs, stop for a Subway sandwich to split and grab our hats. The water was cold, but not excessively so! But we could feel an undertow that we were not interested in struggling with. It was overcast part of the time, but that did not keep us from sitting out there to enjoy and watch other people play and fish. We loved it and decided that it was some place that we would return to!!! Not sure when though! When Gary talked with one of the local fishermen, he was told that even in peak season it was not real crowded. So that convinced us that this is our style place! We also checked out the Main Beach and it was not over crowded, but beautiful! This was one of the apartment buildings facing the beach. And there were many single family homes and cottages, as well as condos. We think this fellow was was practicing with his kite for surfing. It was a breezy day for it. When we left the beach area, after driving up and down the streets to see the houses, we found a sign for Crinch State Park with a Fort. So as is usual with our Jeep, it easily turns around and we went back that road. We are so glad that we did!! We had been looking for the access to the long pier that we saw from our place on the beach, that went out over the water. It had to be at least a mile long, at minimum!! But we never found the street to it. Distance when you are on the beach is always deceiving. Well, that also could be because we had to find it from the State Park!!

We walked more than half way out on it, but decided that it was more than we wanted to tackle to go clear to the end, as we had already walked plenty on the beach! Along to the right of the pier notice the large rock break wall. And then note the beach to the right of that barrier, where you could swim.

We had also noticed that there was a campground that we decided to check out. So glad that we did as it was small and very clean with much white sand around. It had water and electric hook ups. So we are thinking that some day we will try to stay here. The gentleman at the gate told us the rate, which was moderate, but that we would need to reserve way in advance as is very much in demand! When Gary left him, he wished him "Good luck" on getting reservations. Did we know a good thing when we saw it? I think so!!

While in the State Park, we also decided to look over their claim to fame, the Fort used in the Civil War.

View looking out to sea from the Fort.

View from the wall down into the Fort.

A room in the building inside the Fort walls.

The laundry room within the walls of the Fort.

We could see some differences from this and the fort built by the Spaniards in St. Augustine. But a fort is a fort, right?

Monday, April 26, we move on north to spend some time in Savannah. Check in again soon. Take care!