Jacksonville Area

Singleton's

We really must be heading north – from Ocala to Jacksonville in one day!  In one morning!   But in all fairness – we did pull out early, but not before Bob came over to wish us well and safe travels!  He was also moving soon.

The Sullivans

                                            Jacksonville straddles the mighty St Johns River that is the only river in the USA that flows from south to north.  Out on the beach island is the small historic town of Mayport, which was founded in 1562.  This small town is home to the nation’s third largest Naval station which is port for 22 vessels, a Nuclear air craft carrier, an 8000 ft runway and a helicopter pad that launches over 100,000 flights a year.  The last time we camped at Kathryn Abby Hanna City Park, we included a picture of the oldest structure in this quaint OLD town – the St Johns Lighthouse that was constructed in 1858.  Also in that old blog was a discussion about the Singleton Seafood Shack.   It is STILL the total package of a seafood SHACK!   Its shackitude displays it all: low ceilings, wood floors, tables and hard benches, food served in Styrofoam and plastic utensils!  The seafaring bric-a-brac is hanging everywhere and the annex/museum still holds the dusty collection of fabulous hand crafted wooden ships.   And the food is still dee-lish!!!  Scallops one day and on the second visit we split our sweet tasting fried shrimp and stuffed deviled crab.  Out back are moored the very boats that bring the various fishes and crustaceans in from the ocean beyond.  Hopeful pelicans still perch and wait for a snack.  They can dream, can’t they??

Jacksonville Beach

After one of those very satisfying meals at the Singleton, we found a narrow looking hole in a fence that showed tire tracks that lead out thru the wetlands and along the rocky shores of the river.  Unable to yield NOT to temptation, H carefully threaded the truck thru that opening and out along the narrow rutted path.  At the end of the sandy track was a loop and a good spot to get out and stretch our eyes to see what was up and then down the river.   Up river we could see the Nuclear power plant and across the river was a large Navy vessel in dry-dock.   We could see the big number 68 on her bow.  Upon some investigating, we found that that number was assigned to the 505 ft guided missile destroyer, “The Sullivans”.   She is named for the 5 Sullivan brothers who fought and died together in World War II.   Since her launch, she has served in the Persian Gulf and after 9/11 she served as a temporary hospital in New York during Operation Noble Eagle.  During Operation Enduring Freedom in 2002, Al Quaeda attempted a bomb attack while she was in port in Aden, Yemen.  Their small boat was so overloaded that it sank and the attack never happened.  Later they tried the same type of attack and successfully bombed the USS COLE in October of that year.  As of December 2013 she had just returned from another 6-month deployment.  It must now be her turn to be rested and renewed!

This long thin stretch of island is home to Mayport, her seafood and 3400 acre Naval station, the mile and half of ocean beachfront of Hanna Park and then south to Atlantic Beach, Juniper Beach and Jacksonville Beach with its long thin fishing pier on pilings that stand out across the wide beach and into the rolling waves of the Atlantic.   Again we parked and slipped out of our sandals and onto the cool damp sand.   Between the pier and us we spotted a gathering of gulls like we had seen over on the Gulf side of the state.  This group was even more diverse with long black-billed Skimmers, my favorite “bad hair” Terns, black headed Laughing Gulls and a half dozen other kinds of gulls and shorebirds!  On another sandy walk on Hanna Park Beach, we heard the soft roar of an approaching engine.  H turned towards the noise and realized a motorized para-sail was humming up the coast, cruising low over the young ladies lying on the beach in their brand new Spring Break bikinis! 

Another snowstorm was on the evening news for up north.  Another rain- storm was on the same evening news for Florida and Georgia.  Seems every week there is a threat of more rain – some even severe!   Like the folks up north are saying – “Will this ever end?”  We were up early Sunday morning, in time for the 9am ferry boat that crosses the wide dark St Johns River - up the length of A1A on Amelia Island and over to the mainland and Yulee.  Farewell to Florida - Georgia was on our mind!  However, a “bridge out” sign caused us much consternation and we ended up on an extremely lengthy detour before we finally reached Blythe Island Campground in Brunswick Georgia.   And it has rained ever since we parked the “condo” and unhooked the wet truck – ALL night and ALL day! Thankfully no severe weather but it has sure put a damper on this part of our adventure. Two nights here and we’ll be on our way again! 

But now  - - - - - HAPPY ST PATRICKS DAY, EVERYONE!!   Our now just green Amaryllis sports a Welcome Flag; Erika’s Gnome looks dashing in green beads and my latest purchase 2 Vancouver Geraniums show off their Irish flags!

Salt Spring Again, Heading North

We’re in the forest again - the Ocala National Forest and Salt Springs Campground.    Our site is just one over from where we were parked in December.  More rules have changed since December – now your wheels have to be on the blacktop, NO jacks in the dirt, no flagpoles and NOTHING but lanterns hanging on the lantern hook.  We were informed that our trailer would have to be moved up and the back jacks had to be on the pavement.

Next-door is Bob in his pickup truck camper from Illinois. Across the road are Bruce and Joanne from Minnesota.  They brought their Harley.  Next to them was Betty, a retired airline stewardess from New Jersey.  Her miniature longhaired Dachshund’s name is Nathan! (Get it? Nathan – hotdog)   On the other side of us was a couple in a bright yellow modified van/minibus, decorated with big flower decals.  They and their laidback dog and free roaming cat kept to themselves.  There is wifi in the front gatehouse and when attendance is taken you will find most all the northern states represented and the discussion is all about weather up north!   It was cool when we arrived so we quickly set up our get together with D&S on the day before another storm was to come raging thru.   It was great to see them one more time before we would head farther north once more                                

Warm weather has since prevailed and the wet suits FINALLY came out of the box in the back of the truck.  The seaweed and grasses are now all gone so the springs are clear and full of good-sized large mouth bass and schools of shiny mullets.  The manatees were still grazing out in the bay and the bay was full of anchored boats and slow moving kayaks.  Those aboard were focused on the large gentle animals that swam slowly amongst them.   With all the rain that Florida has had this past winter, the water level in the spring is now high, making the narrow peninsula at the mouth of the head spring an island and the steps that lead down into the cool clear water are now under water and slippery with algae.  The 3 springs are still deep blue and the water gushing up and away cause shiny echoes on the tops of the huge underground boulders.   One afternoon a 4-foot alligator was spotted and soon became the object of fascination and observation.  That cute little guy was just trying to mind his own business, yet he kept all those grown ups out of the water anyway!  As did the large blue crab that attempted to stay out of sight as he crawled as close to the base of the retaining wall as he could. 

Another COLD front is coming thru.  The patio rug is folded and secured in its travel bag.   All my sewing projects are put away.   The Amaryllis is snug in the shower.   It must be time to move on again.

Mt. Dora Area

Trimble Park, in Tangerine Florida is just outside of Mt Dora where the “mounts” are just slightly rolling hills.   But – the shops downtown do have tee shirts that proudly proclaim, “ I Climbed Mt Dora”!   Trimble Park is yet another one of OUR favorite Orange County Parks and is run way better than all the rest!  We considered ourselves lucky to get a spot there this year.  Of the 15 sites in the park, 8 are lakefront sites, 4 back up to the small run that divides the group camping and picnic area from the campground itself.  3 sites are not on any water at all.  Last time here we managed to secure the PRIMO sight but this year we parked on site #3 on the run.  Next to us was a great couple from New York.   Down the way were Maine, W Virginia, Michigan and Connecticut – besides the local Floridians.  Of the 8 occupied campsites – there were 3 Portabotes!  Our bikes were never unfolded but we got our exercise in by walking the park’s perimeter.

The park is a peninsula lined with Cypress Trees, each surrounded by its myriad of up and coming roots called “knees”, shaggy Palms and leaf-dropping Live Oaks.  Azaleas and Redbuds are starting their blooms.  The shallow waters are full of aquatic growth and hungry wading birds!   All day long we listened to cardinals, and all sorts of chirping or warbling birds that were flitting too fast for us to get a focus on.  There were Egrets and Herons and we think we even heard a complaining gator in the weeds of the run!

 

Mt Dora is a delightful little town on the other side of the lake.  The calm basin of water is home to a marina that dresses to the hilt at Christmas time and a lovely peninsula with a big “Welcome to the Port of Mt Dora” sign complete with a Mark Twain saying, a collection of large metal benches to rest on or watch wonderful sunsets from, a stately red and white striped lighthouse and a string of public docks.

 

 At the docks were moored a half dozen small craft that looked like 2 surfboards lashed together with seats on top and an oversized Evinrude outboard engine secured on the aft.  Their crew was there also – booking tours of the small adjoining lakes and the Mt Dora Canal. (Go back and see the pictures from our December time in this area!)  H looked at them droolingly for a bit and may have been tempted to see about booking a tour but that thought passed quickly!   While H was studying the boats, I was enthralled by a large white Egret who didn’t like me in his space.   I pushed his patience too far by trying to get closer and closer to those mile high black skinny legs and long lacey tail feathers!   With a big squawk, off he flew!

Saturday is flea market day!  In December, it was raining and cold so the outdoor vendors were closed so we made a return trip to give them a chance at our dollars.  And we needed more tomatoes!    I still have not found Staci’s plate that is on my search list but I did find another addition to my “village”!  On Sunday as we were out on a Home Depot and Joann mission, we passed several Model T Fords that were chugging along the roadway!  As we passed the open field next to the flea market, we noticed a plethora of other vintage Fords!   We were driving a Ford so felt compelled to pull in and inspect them!  The years ranged from 1909 thru the 20’s!  There were racecars, 2 seaters, 4 seaters, rods and even trucks!   Yellow, purple, orange, dark green, bright blue and bright green vehicles were interspersed with the shiny black, gray and taupe ones!  Some were pretty rough and some were loaded down with gold or brass adornments!  According to the license plates they hailed from as far away as California and Maine with several other states in between.   But enough - this Ford is ready to move a bit more north.

Titusville to Blue Springs

Shuttle booster rockets

Since we got the Delta 4 launched, the very next day we drove out to Merritt Island and checked out the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, where the rocket boosters for the shuttle Atlantis stand tall and proud.  Last year we posted pictures of the full sized model of the Atlantis that is just down the road at the other NASA museum! 

  Heading south and across another causeway we found ourselves in Port Canaveral - the business hub of the hard working international port.   Oh, yeah, there are several good seafood restaurants here, including Rusty’s where we ate with L&D!  On this day tho, we ate at the “Smokehouse”.   On a long ago trip, we had smoked fish tacos here!   This time we split a smoked salmon taco.    It was strange but good!  We found the Exploration Tower that Louie and Dave had told us that we “MUST” see and explore.  The back of the 7-story building looks like the nosecone of one of the retired space shuttles. H thinks it looks like a big spinnaker sail!  What do you think?  The front is glassed-in layers of exhibits and information about the Port and the Cape called Canaveral.  The third floor is a theater with very comfy stadium seating.   When you first enter the room, the entire front expanse is floor to ceiling windows that overlook the harbor and Merritt Island beyond.   As the program begins, full width shades silently lower along with the movie screen.  As instructed, after the informational movie we went up to the 7^th floor and got our first hand magnificent view.   The tall white NASA Assembly Building was just barely visible on the horizon.  Two cruise ships were still moored at their home docks.  You could see more heavy storm clouds pushing their way over the area.    On the 2^nd floor, a massive mobile of bright blue whales, pink jelly fish and green and white bubbles dangles over the open area in the middle of the building.  The mobile is made out of recycled plastic junk collected from the ocean!  At the ocean end of the Port is Jetty Park, another campground where H used to camp but has become quite upscale and charges now to just drive into their grounds.  We did find out that you can ride a bike or walk in for free, but where to park your vehicle is the big problem then! 

  The beach was calling and we found the Cocoa Beach Fishing Pier with its eclectic collection of billboards and shops perched on weathered beams, stretched out into the crashing waves of the Atlantic.  We parked at a small dead end road a block away, put a quarter in the meter and walked the beach to the pier because the parking lot at the base of the pier now charges $10!  

On Sunday, more storms threatened but thankfully for us, their heaviest parts went north of us. Unfortunately for the folks at the Daytona Speedway, it hit them.  By now, everyone knows that - and that Dale Jr finally won his race!

On to Blue Springs State Park in Orange City!  This park has the biggest spring on the St Johns River and is called the Winter Home of the Manatees. It is just as neat as I remembered from 20 years ago when I first started flying to Florida to camp with H.  The park is in a “hammock” which means forest or the Indian word for “shady place”. The last time we were here I walked the boardwalk that rims the clear blue run at dawn and lost count of manatee at 45.  It has been warmer lately so the count was only 6 and a baby, 2 alligators, 2 eagles, a heron, a plethora of fish including some invasive nesting Tilapia and, as always, the required amount of cormorants.   The standard alarm clock in the park is a loud “cheery” cardinal!   I’ve met some really nice early risers on this last “before breakfast walk”, including folks from California, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Cherrie and David, full timers from Virginia! Sherrie grew up in Dayton and her father retired from NCR!  The license plate on the front of their motorhome and tow vehicle says “RV DREAM”!  And they are livin’ the dream!  Oh - and S blogs, too!    We got our laundry done and some local exploration in before H finally decided he should walk to the spring also.  With the sun high over the clear water, the shades changed to a deep blue at the headsprings and at its mouth where it meets the northbound currant of the St Johns River.  The park was full of school buses and their hoards of excited, color-coded kids who streamed from their confines.  Where the kids weren’t – the seniors were!   It was time to retreat once more to our peaceful “condo” and get ready for our next move.    Trimble Park awaits.

Blue Spring

The Space Coast

The heavy gray storm clouds chased us all the way to Melbourne.  We were safely inside the Super Flea Market when the deluge began.  And thankfully – ended!   Our only exciting purchases were tomatoes, cukes and sweet onions.  No dishes, no gnomes and no toys.  I ALMOST purchased a super cool fire engine for the gnome village but not for the price they wanted for that cookie jar!   Oh well.   Another time, another flea market!

Wickham Park is one of H’s favorite parks because its big, lots of places to ride bikes, 2 small lakes, close to a lot of things (shopping and restaurants!) and the beautiful beaches nearby – that and he’s been coming to this park for eons!   However, each year, by the time that we’ve been there a week, the goofy set up of the park gets on OUR nerves.   We had heard that improvements had been made so we tried it again.   Their “improvements” didn’t make diddly squat difference - just allowed lots more big rigs to be parked wall to wall.   The once nice bathhouse in “A” loop was still surrounded by uneven sites like a pizza cut into way too many slices.  But – we lucked out and got a very nice site on the outside of that circle and had a good view of the little nearby pond and of the Frisbee golf field and lakes and spaces beyond!   Bobbie and Terry next door were from Tennessee and had even eaten at Golden Girls Restaurant where we usually meet Steve and family.  R&N were on the next loop over and I did get to hug n’ chat.  We passed each other as we were coming and going from the park!   N and I went to the sewing group on Tuesday and helped make pillowcase dresses with the ladies!  Twice, we parked the truck out on Melbourne Beach and ducked our heads to avoid the overhanging Mangrove trees as we crossed the dark boardwalk and entered the blazing light of the sunny beaches beyond.  My favorite beach in Melbourne has huge flat slabs of porous rock that are submerged when the tide is in.  We would start our walk near the tall skinny vertical domino of a building that is the Radisson Hotel.  

We would stroll for a while and then reverse our steps.  When we began our walk, the rock slabs were under the water.  When we returned, they were exposed and the bright white crashing waves either rolled gently over them or just tiptoed around them – sometimes leaving a small treasure of shells on the damp sand as they slip back to the deeper waters to start all over again!   One day we closed the 20-mile gap between Melbourne and Cocoa Beach and went to visit Lois and Dave at their winter condo.  A seafood buffet at Rusty’s, up on the Port Canaveral Inlet did the job of fulfilling our constant desire for seafood.  Especially since it was enjoyed while sitting on their wide deck that overlooked the blue water and the boats that cruised up and down.  There were even several mammoth cruise ships, waiting for their new influx of excited passengers, moored just up the way.    Our 4 days went really fast!

Black Point Wildlife Refuge

We moved up the coast, past Cocoa and past the causeway to the NASA complex that is out on Merritt Island.  In Titusville, our new home for the next few days was to be Manatee Hammock, another Brevard County Campground.  Once set up on our leaf strewn, rocky corner lot, we took off and headed out to Merritt Island to find the Black Point Wildlife Refuge. The single lane shell rock road curved and wound thru grasslands and swamps that were home to birds of all kinds.  Although we didn’t see many, we had a good time scouring the ponds and creeks for them. We figured it was too hot or the wrong time of day.  We stopped at the observation post and walked out to it and climbed up the flight of wooden steps to view the vast horizon.  We saw the bright blue truck parked in the lot at the other end of the long path!  

Delta 4 launch

  That evening about 8:30, we headed to the park’s dark waterfront and the long fishing pier.  Just like everyone else in the campground, we were hoping to see the launch of the Delta 4 Rocket that the Air Force was sending to space.   Its payload was a 4800 lb new GPS Satellite.  The window of launch time was from 8:40 to 8:59pm.  We all patiently waited in the windy night air with our eyes fixed on the light emitting from the launch pad across the vast black Indian River. With one minute to spare, the skyline exploded with light and the bright glow rose to the heavens, leaving a trail of wispy smoke behind it!  Not as awesome as a shuttle launch but it was still exciting, nonetheless!

More adventures to come!

OH! By the way - the spider in Moss Park was a Spiny Backed Orb Weaver!

Moss Park Orlando, Fl

What is it ?

Remember - when we move, we ALWAYS stop for breakfast on the way.  This day’s journey was 100 miles so breakfast was a MUST!  Steak and Shake on the corner of I 95 and Fl Rt 60 fit the bill.  We had just ordered and were beginning to enjoy our first cup of coffee when H looked up towards the door and saw an apparition!  He thought he saw his Aunt Ruth’s dear neighbor from down in Del Ray Beach!   It was!  We were not anywhere near Del Ray Beach and Aunt R has been gone for at least a half dozen years.  But it was Sherrie!  What a hoot!  She and her friend ended up in the booth next to us and we spent the next chunk of time reminiscing and telling stories on each other!  I remember eating my breakfast and it was good but I was too busy chatting to tell you what I had.

It was 69 degrees at 8 00am when we left Phipps Park in Stuart - sunny and bright!   By the time we reached the edge of SE Orlando the sky was gray and the temps had dropped to 59 degrees.   A sign of things to come?  Yes!  More rain that night and next day and a heavy downpour and thunderstorm clamored across the area later in the week.   Between storms however, the week was GORGEOUS!   The little boat came off of its pedestal on the top of the truck and we soaked up some sun and enjoyed the calm waters of Lake Hart and then Lake Mary Jane!  The gentle breeze was so light that the ripples on the lake were no more than goosebumps on ones arm.  We crossed to the far side of Lake Hart and around the edge for a bit, enthralled with the size of the new “castles” being erected on that shoreline, before crossing back over and gliding thru the tall grass lined canal that fed into the lake from Moss Park.  The small river/canal that divides the two lakes and cuts thru Moss Park is still lined with the always present, droopy armed, moss ladened live oaks.  The boat launch docks shone in the bright sun while the rest of the canal resembled a jungle!  Lake Mary Jane, on the other end, is the lake we see at the back of our campsite and from the long fishing pier/dock that stretches way over the swamp grass where the Sand Hill Cranes make their nests and hatch their adorable chicks! 

One day, we rode our bikes up to the front of the campground.  I was mailing Raegan’s birthday card and H was heading off with his metal detector to look for more “toys and trucks”.   I noticed a white motorhome that looked kind of familiar, parked by the gatehouse.  A petite lady exited the gatehouse and entered the rig.  Now, I KNOW my eyes were foggy but it sure looked like Bobbie – our dear friend whom we had met, along with her husband Gene, in Moss Park – YEARS ago!   Gene has since gone on to be with his Lord, but we were to be meeting Bobbie for lunch when she was to be down visiting family.  Instead of going to her daughter’s home – she had chosen to come camp next to us!   Had we ridden our bikes 5 minutes earlier or 5 minutes later – we would not have seen her then, and she may not have found us later!  The 3 of us then called George, our other dear friend who used to be the resident campground host and wildlife photographer of Moss Park.   He is now wintering at another camp, so we all met for lunch at our favorite, Catfish Place.    B then picked up her sweet granddaughter, Rachel and we 3 ladies got to spend some great “girl time” together – knitting, playing cards, walking, collecting firewood and making s’mores over a great campfire that H had built!   On our last day together, H found the most remarkable vertical spider web and the weirdest spider that we have ever seen!  This strange little creature was black and spotted on his front and legs but his broad half inch white back had red spikes and looked like it had a black face painted on it.  If George were here, he would know what it was!

It’s now Friday afternoon.  Blooms number 7 & 8 on the Amaryllis are faded and gone.  Fake flowers are now planted around her base.   B & R have hooked up their little Honda to the motorhome and have pulled out.  The weekenders are already beginning to pull in and fill up our weeks full of peaceful, empty spaces.   And it’s a four-day weekend – we gotta get out of here!    We’re going to Melbourne to see what’s new at Wickham Park.

Check it out ,one little spider

St. Lucie canal

This next leg of our winter journey took us cross-county past cattle pastures to Stuart.   Florida St Rt 714 had a tunnel of trees that reminded both of us of the tunnel of trees in Cross Village Michigan.  The live oaks and cypress trees crossed their Spanish moss draped fingers over us for several miles.

Luckily H got us a spot in the St Lucie Lock campground, but it was only for one night.   Do I need to say “SPFB”?   Out of the 9 campsites there, folks from Michigan occupied 4 of them.   It was a friendly group that spent “Happy Hour“ together that day and we even kept in touch after we moved around the corner to the Phipps County Park for the rest of the week.  In Phipps Park our site backed right up to the St Lucie Canal and as always the view of all the passing vessels was neat to see.   If they had to wait for the lock to open, they would hover right in front of us!   With all the rain that Florida has had in the last few months, there is concern about Lake Okeechobee getting to high – after all, it is 13 feet above sea level  - and rising.  15 feet and the authorities really get panicky we were told!  For several days the TV news was full of the controversy over releasing too much of the water from the lake into the canal and causing another green algae bloom and killing the fish, like what happened last year.  There were protesters at the lock at 7am one morning and 2 TV crews were out broadcasting each day.  We could see them from our campsite on the down side of the lock and dam!  On the our side of the lock and dam is salt water and the folks on this side are saying that the algae is caused from the pollution from the ”fresh” water that drains south into the lake from the orange groves, cattle ranches and dairy farms further north in Florida.  Of course the sugar cane farmers on the south end of the river don’t want more water released in their direction and neither do the folks on the Ft Myers end of the lake!   What a dilemma!

High humidity and heat were the buzzwords for the week – a big difference from the cold damp rain from weeks gone by!  H is always saying that I’m in a fog and this week it was true!  The extreme humidity was giving my old eyes a fit!   Besides that, it was too hot to even think of putting the boat together.   By noon the windows got closed and the air came on and we were out exploring!   Restaurants with good fish on their menus were on the agenda for a few days!

  On one venture we ended up in Ft Pierce and back out on the long fishing jetty that protrudes into the Atlantic.   Fishermen dotted the length of the jetty and the pelicans were at their post, guarding the fish cleaning station.   We watched several boats venture out to the end of the protective jetty and then slowly turn back, not willing to fight with the rough choppy waves beyond.  To the east, the sky was as blue as can be and the expanse of salt water below was a beautiful aqua.   The sun was shining brightly.   To the west was another matter!   Heavy clouds were beginning to intrude on the peaceful scene and you could see the dark vertical ribbons, which meant rain was successfully escaping the overloaded clouds.  We made it off the jetty and out of the park but did not make it off the island and back to the security of the “condo” before the deluge began.   

  On another day, downtown Stuart was explored again and Hutchinson Island was revisited also!  Last year the tide was way out and folks were sitting in the sand in the alcoves created by the huge jagged boulders.  Not so this year!  The large white crashing waves were exploding over the very tops of those craggy rough rocks!   Just south of the Refuge and rocks, Bathtub Bay was now open but mammoth dunes of white sand now edged the soggy cramped parking lot.   The beach that had been damaged by previous storms was cleared but the sand under the two neighboring 2 story houses was missing.    Supports under the houses were exposed; doors were missing and windows were broken.  “No Trespassing” signs were posted.  We wondered how long they would be allowed to stay that way.  We’ll have to check, next year!

Our winter trip is half over and we must head north – but not too far and not too fast!   Melbourne and one of H’s favorite, Wickham Park was to be next but they said they were booked for the coming week.  Moss Park, near Orlando, is now next and THEN Wickham!    I’ve been saving a hug for R&N and they are already there!