The problem with the EconoLodge was that they stopped breakfast at 9 and I didn't get dressed to check out until a little after that (because I was getting directions to the places we were going and writing them down - No phones with GPS in those days), so we didn't get any breakfast. And I suspect that there wouldn't have been a lot there anyway - we saw the coffee pots and two things of juice (apple and orange) but there wasn't much room for a lot of other things. After we got screwed out of our meager breakfast, we started east, heading for Fort Caroline. We crossed the St. Johns River, and discovered that there was a new bridge/road (not on the map)
New Jacksonville bridge
which took us across to Fort Caroline (another National Park with a stamp for my passport). Fort Caroline is in the Timucan Preserve, named for the Timucan Indians who were the original inhabitants.
Location of Fort Caroline and the Ribault Monument
Fort Caroline was an attempted French colonial settlement in Florida, established under the leadership of René Goulaine de Laudonnière on June 22, 1564, as a new territorial claim in French Florida and a safe haven for Huguenots. The fort was named after King Charles IX of France.
Fort Caroline Visitor's Center
It was Fort Caroline which was a thorn in the side of the Spanish in St. Augustine as it was in a good position to attack the treasure ships and also the French were (gasp) Protestants. The Spanish attacked and burned Fort Caroline at the time that Ribault had sailed to attack St. Augustine, but the French fleet got caught in a storm and so the Spanish massacred the rest of the French at Matanzas.
The Demise of La Caroline
We got there a little before 10, and saw the information at the fort, and then walked out to the river.
Path to the Ribault Monument
Coast Guard in the St. John's River
The original fort is long gone and the original location is not really known. We did not walk out to the reconstructed fort but we visited the Ribault monument.
Timeline history of Fort Caroline
Ribault monument
Replica of the stone placed near here by Jean Ribault
Erected by the DAR May 1st 1924
The information there said:
"On the morning of May 1, 1562, French navigator Jean Ribault first viewed the river you see before you. He named it the Rivre of May. A day later, staking France's claim to the New World, Ribault's men placed a stone marker on a sandy knoll near the rivers mouth. Thus began a race with Spain to colonize in Florida. The race ended in 1565 with France's defeat and Ribault's death at the Matazas massacre, south of St. Augustine."
The French landing on "the River of May"
Looking up the St. John's River
House from the Ribault monument
Houses across the St. John River
Next we made our way to the Naval Air Station at Mayport
Mayport NAS
to see the old St. John's lighthouse Fortunately we had Bob's military ID to get onto the base. Otherwise we would have to photograph the lighhouse from the other side of a chain link fence.
Old photo of the lighthouse with the oil house and keepers house
The bottom of the lighthouse has been buried underground when the land was filled so that the Naval AIr Station runways would be stable.
St Johns River Lighthouse in Mayport
The 'shadow' of the top of the old house (the roof line) that stood next to the lighthouse was visible in the masonry. In order to access the inside of the tower at present, one has to climb through a window.
Shadow of the oilhouse
I did not realize that the OTHER lighthouse was also on the Naval Station, so I missed seeing that. It is on the beach adjacent to the sports club and most people don't realize that the tower is a lighthouse.
Our next objective was the St. Johns River ferry. St. Johns River is Florida’s longest, snaking over 310 miles from the swamps of central Florida to the Atlantic Ocean. The total drop of the river from its source to its mouth is less than thirty feet, or about an inch per mile, making it one of the “laziest” rivers in the world. Another of the river’s unique features is that it flows north, one of just a few rivers in the United States that does. The Timucuan Indians called it Welaka, meaning river of lakes. The French named it Rivière de Mai, River of May, since they arrived on May1. It was finally renamed Rio de San Juan, after the mission San Juan del Puerto was established near the mouth of the river in 1587.
I originally thought the ferry was free like the ones in NC, but a car was $2.75. The ferry dock was right outside the base. We lined up for the ferry a few minutes after 11 so we must have just missed one. We were not really sure that the ferry was running, but we got into line, and immediately a whole bunch of other people lined up behind us. The last person in line was a lady in a red convertible who went around in front of us going the wrong way.
Seagull at the ferry dock
The St. Johns River Ferry dates back to 1948 when the Fernandina Port Authority completed construction of a road down Ft. George Island. Previously, there had been no road and no water connector between Mayport and the Island. . There are two ferry boats the MV Blackbeard (1950's style which is the standby ferry) and the 1990s style car ferry MV Jean Ribault.It operates every day including holidays. The cruise takes 8 minutes.
Approaching ferry
There was apparently quite a lot of current in the river because the ferry operator banged the ferry around on the pilings of the dock quite a bit going both directions. We were first on the ferry and were right in the front of the middle lane - nothing in front of us. Because of the way the ferry had banged around on the way in, I was afraid to get out of the car, and the ride was so short I'm not sure I would have had time to take many pictures anyway.
End of the ferry ride
Our next objective was Kingsley Plantation at Fort George.
Tinmucuan Preserve - Fort Caroline and Kingsley Plantation
State route A1A runs along the barrier islands, including Ft. George Island. From the ICW (Intercoastal Waterway) on our boat, we could see the A1A bridges, and from the highway, we can see the beach and marshes of the barrier islands. On Fort George Island, A1A skirts the ocean side, continuing north to Little Talbott Island State Park. On this stretch of A1A, the Kingsley Plantation road is the only side road off the highway, but it is easy to miss.
Kingsley Plantation entrance
I first saw this plantation house and state park from where we anchored on our first time down the ICW in front of the plantation house.
Flashback to 7 December 2000 - Fernandina Beach to Ft. George River
We aren't going very far today. Still, we got away from the marina before 10:30.
Leaving Fernandina Beach
There is a lot of current going through the Kingsley Creek Bridge. Saw 3 or 4 dolphins porpoising lazily in the channel. We hear a guy calling a fixed bridge and asking for an opening. Eventually someone gets on the radio and tells him that there is no one monitoring the radio on a fixed bridge (duh) and he can't get under it so he should get his clueless self back to the ICW. Came into Sawpit Creek, and I went below and heated up Bob's seafood au gratin casserole from last night. He liked it better reheated. I ate my pot roast from Jekyll Island and the cheese fingers from last night. Heard someone on the radio telling someone else that they were going on the wrong side of the green.
Suddenly we were confronted with a big barge across the channel with an active dredging operation going on. It was over past the green side of the channel so we sidled cautiously past on the red side.
So far, north FL is not that different from south GA. Marsh grasses, gravel banks and clumps of trees, all sprinkled with gulls, cormorants, herons, pelicans and shallow water with occasional crab pots. Absolutely clear sky, but the promised 10-15 knots from the NW hasn't materialized. It's warm enough for both bimini curtains to be up. Saw a whole flock of birds that looked a little different. Looked at them with binoculars, and I think they were white ibis.
Entrance to Fort George River
As we come in the Fort George River past the big park (which I found out later was Kingsley Plantation) on the south side of the river to anchor. We are just across the dune line from the ocean. You can't go through to the ocean by boat as the channel has closed but I think you could beach a dinghy and walk over. We anchored after 19.7 miles at 5.3 mph for a total of 797 nautical miles since we left the Potomac.
Chart_of_anchorage
Kingsley Plantation from the anchorage in 2000
People are out on the lawn looking and pointing at us.
LUNATIC II from Boston came in after us and anchored. A motor boat called VALKERIE, and a single hander from Maine also anchored. The Maine boat is too far away for me to see the name, as it anchors right at the end of the creek. There are a lot of little fishing boats, but most of them leave by sunset.
Dec 8 - Ft George River to St. Augustine, FL
Bob has bought Santa hats for us to wear, but it is too hot, so we put them on the jib winches. The Maine boat at the entrance left early and fisherman came back into the creek starting at dawn.
Fishermen pulling crab pots
Started the engine at 7. There was a crab pot boat pulling pots and a gaggle of pelicans following him.
End Flashback
Boat anchored in front of the plantation house near where we anchored in 2000
When I looked it up (on my AAA book and on the internet), I found that Kingsley Plantation is the oldest remaining plantation in Florida.
Hidden by lush vegetation is evidence of 6000 years of human occupation; ranging from shell mounds, through plantation era structures, to a 1920's resort club, the history of Ft. George Island is a cross section of Florida's history.
Tabby built buildings
Tabby is a type of concrete made by burning oyster shells to create lime, then mixing it with water, sand, ash and broken oyster shells.
Slave Quarters
Tabby buildings
Slave Quarters
Barns
Kingsley Plantation map
Plantation operations
The Task System
Kingsley kitchen
Plantation house
Kingsley House
Kingsley House
Wells
Gardens
Kingsley Plantation is open seven days a week, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, except on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. There is a ranger program daily at 2:00 p.m. The visitor contact station and bookstore are located in a 1920s building adjacent to the plantation buildings. The grounds at Kingsley Plantation included the slave quarters but the plantation house was closed to the public. According to the Park Service website:
The decision was based on a preliminary engineering assessment that revealed structural problems that could jeopardize the integrity of the structure itself as well as pose a potential safety threat to visitors. The report pointed out damage to the support beams by termites and the structure's inability to bear the load placed on it by the 55,000 visitors to the site each year
Timucuan Preserve
This proved to be another part of the Timucan Preserve (and another passport stamp) inside of a state park. It was free so we could tour the grounds (and take pictures of the boats anchored in front) even if we could not visit the house. The Ribault Club had a free exhibit at the visitor's center of the state park, but we didn't go to that.
Past Kingsley Plantation, you will cross the Fort George River - where the Fort George River inlet used to be. There is a fixed bridge and a sand bar across the inlet now and even a kayak would have to be portaged. The road goes on through the Big and Little Talbot Islands (a Duval County park.)
Fishermen out on a sand bar
The next bridge goes across Nassua Sound to Amelia Island, the northernmost barrier island in Florida.
By this time it was 1300, and I was looking for a place for lunch, but first we drove out to the end of Amelia Island to look at the lighthouse. The Amelia Island Light was originally the Little Cumberland Island light of Georgia. In 1820 it was a modest fifty-feet tower at the entrance to the St. Mary’s River. In 1839, the Lighthouse Board moved it to Amelia Island, and the height of the tower was raised to sixty-four feet. The lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 13, 2003.
Amelia Island Lighthouse
In 2001, the Coast Guard gave the Amelia Island Lighthouse, oil house, and surrounding property to the City of Fernandina Beach. But it is still an active aid to navigation, and when we saw it in February 2005, the lighthouse was off limits for visits. Volunteers in the Coast Guard Auxiliary assist the Coast Guard in maintaining the light. The city is overseeing the current restoration of the lighthouse tower. Plans were to open the tower in 2004 on a limited basis. Small groups will be allowed to climb the sixty-nine granite stairs ro view Amelia Island and the Atlantic Ocean.
The major focus (pun intended) has been on the restoration of the lantern room and the parapet (gallery). Fortunately, the historic third-order Fresnel lens still remains in the tower.
Museum - formerly the County Jail
We drove by the museum (formerly the county jail) and eventually parked (free parking lot) and ate at Cafe Karibo.
Cafe Karibo
This was where we ate the first time we came down the ICW in 2000. In those days it was called 27 North Garden Cafe and it was also an internet cafe. When we walked in, another couple offered to let us sit at their table for 6, which we appreciated as the place was crowded even though it was almost 1:30. The couple told us that they had met the owner on the beach that morning - they were staying at the Elizabeth Pointe Lodge Bed and Breakfast. I had the corn and crab chowder which was the special. It came in a glass and there were nice BIG chunks of crab meat in it.
Corn and Crab Chowder
I also had the curried chicken salad wrap ($7.95), which was very good, and included potato salad and fruit. I could only eat half of it.
Curried chicken salad wrap ($7.95),
Bob had a sandwich, also with potato salad and fruit - total for lunch $23.10.
Sandwich with potato salad and fruit
We got to Hilton Head at dusk after a long drive (when the car started to thump again - although Bob blamed it on the road),
and checked in a bit after 5. This was a good thing because in February, the office is only open until 6 in the evening on Saturday instead of 8 like it says in their literature.
Our unit was on the 5th floor, which they are apparently in the process of renouvating. The floors up there in the 'hall' (the halls were open to the air, but had a cover and were in the center of the building with the units on each side) are concrete without any tilelike finish on them. There are also old appliances out in the hall. There is an elevator at each end with a glass outside wall. There were luggage carts that you can load and take up to your unit. All local calls are free. We have access to the beach with the combination to the beach gate and changing rooms, but not to the newer unit parking garage. But parking was free in the lots.
Our unit has a loft with twin beds and a TV, a great room with another TV
Great room from the loft balcony
and a balcony looking over one of the two pools (one of them is heated),
Balconies from the pool
a full kitchen (which includes, pots and pans, and eating utensils, plus a toaster, coffee pot and microwave), a half bath, and a bedroom with a queen bed and a full bathroom. The latter bedroom has a window out onto the corridor which is lighted all night, so it has blackout curtains on it. You have to keep them closed, or people can watch you sleeping. There is a step up into the kitchen from both the hall and the living room. We have to be careful about that- not to trip.
We got our stuff up to the room, and I tried to figure out how to log onto the internet, but I wasn't getting a dial tone. The only phone is on the wall between the kitchen and hall. So if I want to sit down and send email, I need to have a long cord. Meanwhile Bob went down to see what was in the laundry room. There was a man there who was trying to check in after six and the answering service didn't answer, and then dropped his call. He was really annoyed.
We went to dinner - walked across the street to a place called Steamers. They said it would be 20 minutes wait for a no smoking section table, and 15 minutes for smoking (it WAS about 6:30 on Saturday night). I asked about the restaurant on the other side, and the guy said that there was only one waiter over there and he was really tied up. I asked if that was a new kinky way to wait tables, and he just kind of looked at me.
Steamers
I asked if we could just sit at the bar and eat, and he said yes. We ordered root beer (would have felt strange about sitting at the bar and drinking water), and I got a salad and a plate of grits,
My salad
and Bob got a dozen oysters
Bob's steamed shrimp
and some steamed shrimp. It took us about half an hour to get served, and by that time people were stacked up waiting for tables.
Bob again complained about the oysters not being cut out of the shell and he said the shrimp were undercooked and didn't come out of their shells very well. I was happy with what I ordered. Total was $35.75 after they applied the discount for being at Sea Crest.
Since then I have read several scathing reviews of Steamers - in one case the person was given soup and no spoon, nor could any spoons be found in the place. (I would have drunk the soup)
