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Big talbot island state park Beautiful 10. beaches

Ours is a region blessed with a bounty of beaches – from untamed barrier islands to oceanfront strands flanked by arcades. Especially inviting are the miles of undevel- oped beachfront still remaining along our Southeastern coast. Just to the south of Ponte Vedra Beach, , where multimillion-dollar mansions rub shoulders with the shore, the undeveloped beachfront at Guana River State Park offers the same view and the best of beachside amenities (sun, sand and surf), without a million-dollar mortgage. A bit farther south in historic St. Augustine, Florida, is Anastasia State Recreation Area. There, coastal camp- ing, swimming, sunbathing, surfing, sailboarding and fish- ing offer time well spent and a premier coastal getaway. Four miles of white sand beaches, tidal marshes and a lagoon provide birders with ample opportunities to observe resident populations of pelicans, gulls, terns, sandpipers and wading birds. The 2002 Editors’ Swing around and take flight on a pelican path, glid- ing north to Jacksonville’s Hanna Park, with its backdrop Choice Awards of high dunes, sea oats and ancient maritime forest. coastal Comfortable campsites – including four newly completed cabins – invite beachseekers to stick around and enjoy Northeast Florida at its beachy best. A short hop over the St. Johns River jetties takes you past Huguenot Park – where four-wheelers and pickups countdown prowl the wide, hard-packed sands – and on to Little Talbot Island State Park. There, five miles of unspoiled, uncrowded beach awaits. Right next door is Big Talbot When it comes to our coast, how do we love thee? Let us count the waves. Island State Park. Park under live oaks and take a short walk down a wide path to the edge of the 15-foot-high bluffs on Nassau Sound. Head down the steps and you’re 10 reasons to covet our coast on the beach. Lured here by sun, surf and shells, most beachcombers would never imagine they’re treading over remnants of our last ice age. The area harbors the remains BY THE EDITORS OF WATER’S EDGE MAGAZINE • PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HALL of such prehistoric creatures as mastodons, giant ground sloths, ancient whales, sharks, jaguars and armadillos. For some, it’s the beach. Others are drawn by the lure of the links, winding waterways or pathways to the past. The Leaving Big Talbot Island, Florida, A1A crosses the appeal is real, and for those of us fortunate enough to call this place “home,” sharing a slice of our coastal pie is the least we can do. We are, after all, a generous bunch, and our region has greatness to spare. Nassau Sound bridge to Amelia Island, Florida, where a Yes, our little slice of the coastal South – from its cities to its shores – reveals a magical mix certain to cast its spell string of resort properties has turned the island into a and capture the imaginations of those who come here. Many stay; others vow to return, and do. favorite hideaway for the hurried and hassled. Just down Here’s why: the road is American Beach, a historically black beach community, which, in recent years, has been at the center of a heated duel between preservationists and developers. Resort development has bypassed Georgia’s Cumber- land Island, thanks to decades of steadfast resistance by the island’s handful of private landowners and designation as a national seashore in 1972. Though landowners and the have often been at odds – primarily over ownership rights and public access – both have man- aged to fend off developers, who fancied Cumberland as another Hilton Head, South Carolina. From the Harbor Marina at Fernandina Beach, Florida, guests and daytrippers to Cumberland’s historic Greyfield Inn can catch the inn’s private launch, Lucy Ferguson, though most visitors to the island opt for the 45-minute ferry trip from the National Park Service’s dock at St. Marys, Georgia. Cumberland island

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9. Waterways

Here on the water’s edge, we don’t always walk the wholly within Florida. It is also one of the few rivers that same paths, but our surrounding waters – the ocean, flows north. Early promoters of the river capitalized on rivers, tidal creeks and marshes – create a geographical this, dubbing it the “Nile of America.” bond that we in this region feel and understand. Twenty bridges and three ferries span the St. Johns, The Atlantic Ocean is the highway of exploration lending to its image of accessibility. Though the river remains and commerce that brought the first Europeans to our a watery highway of commerce, much of its commercial shores. But that splendid sea – carver of coastlines and clout disappeared by the 1930s as the state’s rail and high- connector of continents – in many minds plays second way systems diverted traffic from the water to the land. But, fiddle to the magnificent St. Johns River, the waterway while commerce stalled, recreation boomed, and the river responsible for opening Florida’s interior and designat- became the domain of boaters, anglers and others seeking ed a National Heritage River in 2000. release on the river. That distinction remains and, in fact, con- In his highly acclaimed book, River of Lakes: A Jour- tinues to expand. ney on Florida’s St. Johns River (University of Georgia Perhaps nowhere is the river’s impact felt as much as Press, 2000), author Bill Belleville calls the St. Johns “a in Jacksonville, where Mayor John Delaney delights in river of infinite potential, a place to indulge myths, to leading excursions on the St. Johns and its tributaries – evoke shards of timeless magic, to search for the natur- waterways he often uses to showcase his city and sur- al realities that are sublime instead of merely virtual roundings. The river affords an unobstructed view of All- and safe.” tel Stadium, the port, a rebounding downtown, as well At 310 miles long, the St. Johns is the longest river as the culturally rich and diverse neighborhoods of Avon- dale, San Marco, Riverside and Arlington. Kingsley plantation A major portion of the mayor’s Preservation Project, a $312 million growth-management and river-access plan, focuses on the region’s link with the surrounding water- ways. Some $25 million in improvements is planned for the National Park Service’s Timucuan Ecological and His- toric Preserve, which will feature paddling trails and dock- ing facilities. An additional $20 million will be spent for 8. History water quality improvements, including $5 million for the restoration of Mill Cove in Jacksonville’s Arlington area. Mill Cove, a part of the St. Johns River, was once a bounti- ful fishing area, noted for record tarpon and attracting From St. Augustine, Florida, to Savannah, Georgia, there such fishing notables as writer and outdoorsman Ernest are sturdy fortresses with cannon mounts, watch towers Hemingway and baseball great Ted Williams. and moats to repel invaders, and settlements and smaller Myriad other waterways – the Tolomato, Matanzas, forts lost to time or covered by shifting sands and seas. Amelia, St. Marys and, of course, the Intracoastal itself – Visiting our region’s historic sites – some ghostly silent, course through the region, their estuarine waters no others gregarious with tourists and interpreters – makes doubt our greatest natural, recreational and economic real the early struggle for supremacy by the sea. resource. Among the earliest New World adventurers to the Southeast coast were the French, led in 1562 by Jean Rib- ault, who sailed with two ships into the St. Johns River at Jacksonville and staked his claim for France in Florida. But he was a little late, because Don Juan Ponce de Leon had claimed Florida for Spain about 50 years earlier. When the French returned to the St. Johns River with 200 settlers and soldiers and built Fort de la Caroline, Spanish soldiers, based 40 miles south in St. Augustine, overran the settlement and killed most of the defenders. The Fort Caroline National Memorial exhibits a nearly full-scale rendering of the French fort and tells the story of the failed colony. But destroying the French community didn’t assure peace to the Spanish. British colonization of Georgia and the Carolinas, a short sail to the north, prompted Spain to build the in 1672 to protect St. Augustine. In 1742, Spain also built a watchtower fortress, Fort Matanzas, 14 miles south of St. Augustine on the Matanzas River. Fort Matanzas and the Castillo, both National Park Service sites, are remarkably intact for modern-day invaders to explore. Sixteen miles east of Jacksonville is Fort George Island, where the British construct- ed a fort in 1736. Though researchers aren’t certain exactly where the waterfront fort was built, visitors to the island’s Kingsley Plantation, which dates to 1813, can tour the plantation house of Zephaniah Kingsley St. Johns river and his wife, Anna Jai, whom he purchased

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7. Great escapes

Need an escape from the workaday world? Our little known. And there’s no shortage of non-golf activities, piece of the coastal South offers great getaways with either. The Beach Club is an oceanside haven for beach resorts and accommodations catering to even the most lovers, while the Sea Island Spa has been heralded by discerning traveler. numerous publications – including Travel & Leisure and Amid the natural beauty of Amelia Island on North- the Robb Report – as the nation’s finest spa facility. east Florida’s scenic coast stands The Ritz-Carlton, The Jekyll Island (Georgia) Club Hotel was once Amelia Island, a resort whose impeccable five-diamond the playground of America’s elite. Names such as Van- service, relaxed elegance and pampering staff are as dis- derbilt, Pulitzer, Rockefeller and Morgan are sprinkled tinctive as the island itself. Just down the beach is Amelia throughout the hotel’s guest register. Guests can enjoy Island Plantation, a complete island resort in perfect the same unique combination of the resort’s natural Castillo de san Marcos harmony with nature. The 1,350-acre property overlooks beauty and elegant architecture, private amenities and the Atlantic on the east and salt marshes and the Intra- personal service that have been trademarks of the hotel as a slave and freed. There’s also a kitchen house, barn coastal Waterway on the west. for more than a century. Grand dining, championship and the ruins of about 25 of the original slave cabins. Hop aboard the private launch Lucy Ferguson at the golf, tennis and croquet await guests, as does the Jekyll A few miles north is Amelia Island, Florida, where Fort Harbor Marina in Fernandina Beach, Florida, and be trans- Island Historic District, the largest restoration project in Clinch has overlooked the mouth of the St. Marys River, ported to another era at the Greyfield Inn on Georgia’s the Southeast. the ocean and the south end of Georgia’s Cumberland Cumberland Island. Once a Carnegie family retreat, the Another of America’s historic hotels awaits guests in Island since the fort walls began going up in 1847. Once graceful mansion and grounds provide a 200-acre refuge St. Augustine, Florida, America’s oldest city. Built in 1888 used for coastal defense, the fort’s towering brick walls at of wild-island solitude. The inn itself is furnished today and restored in 2000, the Casa Monica Hotel is a charm- Fort Clinch State Park today overlook surfers and anglers, much as the mansion was at the turn of the 20th century. ing mixture of Spanish architecture and first-class service. and still guard the mouth of the St. Marys River, through Decorated with family heirlooms and antiques, each of Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and which Trident submarines pass on the way to and from the inn’s rooms has a distinctive character complemented recipient of the AAA Four-Diamond Award, the hotel is Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia. with contemporary amenities for luxurious comfort. once again a landmark in the heart of St. Augustine. By boat, the trip from the fort to Cumberland Island Relaxation comes just as naturally at The Lodge at Stretched along the Atlantic, midway between St. 1 takes only minutes. Visitors to Cumberland Island Little St. Simons Island (Georgia), where nature is the Augustine and Jacksonville, are two luxury resorts only 1 ⁄2 National Seashore, via the National Park Service ferry star attraction and guests can lose themselves amid the miles apart but each boasting its own individual and from St. Marys, Georgia, usually take a walking tour to the beauty of the 10,000-acre private paradise. unique style – The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club and The ruins of Dungeness, a grand mansion built in 1885 by Seven miles of deserted, undeveloped beach, extra- Lodge & Club. Lucy Coleman Carnegie, sister-in-law of industrialist ordinary regional cuisine and five charming cottages The resort life at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, dates to Andrew Carnegie. with 13 gracious guest rooms await no more than 30 1928 and the celebrated opening of the newest play- Farther north on the Georgia coast is St. Simons Island guests a day. ground for the well-heeled, the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club. and Fort Frederica, another British fort built by Oglethor- Legendary pleasures and gracious service await From the boardrooms of Wall Street and the social regis- pe in 1736 on the island. The settlement’s history is retold guests at The Cloister, an exclusive seaside enclave at ters of America, word spread quickly of the charming at Fort Frederica National Monument. another Georgia gem, Sea Island. seaside retreat on Florida's northeast shore. The quaint A few miles north of St. Simons Island is the British- Golf reigns supreme at The Cloister, with 54 holes inn attracted affluent guests from throughout the East built Fort King George, Georgia’s first colonial garrison. shaped by some of the greatest architects the game has and Midwest. This heritage continues today. This stronghold at Darien, at the mouth of the Altamaha River, predated Oglethorpe’s 1733 landing at Savannah by 12 years. All that remains are the brick ruins of a sawmill and a small cemetery with 65 graves of British soldiers. A museum interprets the area’s history, beginning with the native Guale Indians. One of the last brick fortifications to be built is a major landmark on the road from Savannah to Tybee Island, Georgia. Fort Pulaski, one of the best preserved forts of its type, commands the approach to the Savannah River at Cockspur Island and was built between 1829 and 1847 with solid brick walls nearly 8 feet thick. About 200 forts like Pulaski were envisioned in the early 1800s to guard the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Only 30 were built because the rifled cannon proved the design obsolete.

greyfield inn

cumberland island Casa monica hotel

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6. Good eats From rustic fish camps to haute cuisine, there’s no Minorcan Chowder Happenings shortage of dining options when it comes to coastal flavor. There’s a subtle difference between St. Augustine’s 5. Whether it’s fried shrimp or foie gras, crab cakes or signature red chowder and the one Manhattanites call chanterelles, a cold Bud or a chardonnay, the choices their own – the addition of the not-so-subtle datil pep- make for a grand mélange of menus. But, when it comes per, a combustible culinary contribution of the ancient Dozens of hometown festivals favor the Southeast to a true taste of the region, few foods say it better than city’s Minorcan settlers. One taste – with a dash of datil coast with seafood, parades, sports tournaments, con- these five coastal classics: – and you’ll never forget this chunky chowder. certs and art shows that help us get to know our neighbors. Often it’s ordinary folks – members of ser- Fried Shrimp Soft-Shell Crab vice clubs, community and church groups and There’s nothing better than a plateful of freshly caught More than just a not-so-pretty face, with soft- individual volunteers – who work long hours over shrimp eaten in sight of the shrimp boats that brought ’em shell crabs, diners get a bonus – claws, legs and steaming vats of crawfish, pots of boiling crab and in. Butterflied, dredged in meal and deep fried in peanut everything in between. The whole enchilada, so to deep fryers bubbling with golden shrimp and catfish. oil, there’s no pretense to those little beauties – just a little speak. Dusted in flour and sauteed whole, those Tens of thousands come because they delight in bit of crunch and a whole lot of savory succulence that crispy, clawed crustaceans beg to be bitten. They’re the sweet-talking Southern coastal celebrations where brings the taste of the sea to the table. So good, in fact, something of a culinary cause celebre. You either no one is a stranger. that cocktail sauce or tartar sauce is an afterthought. love ‘em or hate ’em. Here are a few of the events that are signature Southern for the coast: Datil Peppers Smoked Fish Dip St. Augustine celebrates its Florida heritage and A pinch of datil pepper is all it So you don’t favor foie gras or give a whit about Spanish roots with an Easter Festival that’s been takes to ignite the senses and create a artistic presentation? Then tear open a twin-pack of observed for 45 years. The two-week event begins with pairing of pleasure and pain. Though it Captain’s Wafers and spread on some goodness. Mul- a mass at the Cathedral Basilica on Palm Sunday and a has remained an obscure footnote in let, grouper or catch-of-the-day goes into these smoky procession led by the bishop to the city marina for a pepper parlance around the world, spreads. It’s about as unpretentious a dish as can be blessing of the fleet. the green-gold pod is a gastronomic conjured up. From many fish house tables, brimming When you’re on the coast, there’s nothing like sun, icon in St. Augustine, Florida, and bowlfuls of the delectable dips beckon, waiting to be salt air, ocean waves and bluesy music in April. And all nearby . It’s an scraped clean by folks waiting for orders of fried shrimp of it is free for the enjoyment at George’s Music essential ingredient in the area’s sig- or oysters. Grab a cold Bud, sit yourself down, and Springing the Blues Music Festival, in its 12th year at nature dishes – Minorcan-inspired enjoy the wait. Jacksonville Beach, Florida. chowders, pilaus, seafoods and The outdoor concerts attracted more than 65,000 sauces – all highly seasoned with music enthusiasts last year. The three-day festival has thyme, tomatoes, onions and fiery Minorcan chowder been praised by Down Beat magazine as one of the datil peppers. world’s best free musical events. For a weekend of the real Florida in an idyllic setting on the Suwannee River, there’s the Florida Folk Festival, which recently celebrated its 50th year at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs. Held the last weekend in May, the heritage fes- tival attracts 30,000 who come to see 600 performers and artists from numerous ethnic groups that settled in Florida. Multiple stages offer 200 concerts a day. Also on Memorial Day weekend (Saturday morning to Monday night), the crab is king in Palatka, Florida, at the Palatka Blue Crab Festival, in its 14th year. For swashbuckler sightings, try the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival in downtown Fernandina Beach, Florida. The first weekend in October attracts thousands to Smoked fish dip the St. Marys (Georgia) Rock Shrimp Festival on the St. Marys River. Kiwanis Club members cook about 800

Soft-shell crab Blessing of the Fried shrimp fleet festival DON BURK/THE FLORIDA TIMES-UNION

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4. Lure of the links

Isle of eight flags Aside from our beaches and waterways, perhaps no The 13th green looks east-northeast over a field of shrimp festival other attraction draws more visitors to this region or sawgrass, the Intracoastal Waterway and wildlife. But keeps locals preoccupied than golf. No fewer than 90 part of the horizon is changing with the construction of courses feed the need of those gung-ho golfaholics who the Wonderwood Expressway. The 18th green gives cast our coast as a golfer’s Promised Land. golfers a view to the east-southeast toward the harbor in From The Players Championship at Sawgrass in the golf course community, where boats are moored Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, which boasts the best field beside some impressive homes. and biggest purse in professional golf, to the World Golf Village at St. Augustine, Florida, golf impacts not only the The Golf Club at North Hampton mood, mind-set and economy of the area, but also Fernandina Beach, Florida reveals the incredible natural beauty at water’s edge by A 40-foot elevation on the 17th tee overlooks wild making it accessible to all of those who are lured here by marsh and Lofton Creek, with Jacksonville in the distance. the links. Here’s a rundown of a number of our favorite holes Osprey Cove Golf Club that showcase some of our region’s most beautiful vistas: St. Marys, Georgia The best view is the 15th green, which runs parallel Long Point, Amelia Island Plantation to the marsh and a creek that flows into the St. Marys Amelia Island, Florida River. In the distance are the high, sandy bluffs of Florida. Long Point is a mixture of marsh, thick stands of oak and pine and ocean. Several holes run parallel to the Sea Island Golf Club ocean, but the favorite for a coastal view is the 15th Sea Island, Georgia green, which has golfers hitting toward the ocean. The 10th tee on the Plantation Course offers a panoramic view of the ocean, Jekyll Island and the new STUART TANNEHILL/THE FLORIDA TIMES-UNION Ocean Hammock Golf Club Sidney Lanier Bridge. Palm Coast, Florida The course has six holes along the ocean, including the 17th green, which runs mostly east with a view of the ocean and a lake.

Ocean Links, Amelia Island Plantation Amelia Island, Florida Winding along a coastal Atlantic dune ridge, Ocean Links has five tees on the oceanfront. A favorite is the 16th tee, which is parallel to the ocean.

The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida Four tees on the ocean course have ocean views, but the best is from the 18th tee. Queen’s Harbour Yacht and Country Club Osprey cove Blue crab festival Jacksonville RYAN SPARROW/THE FLORIDA TIMES-UNION

pounds of rock shrimp for the seafood dinners. There are arts and crafts along the riverfront, a fine arts exhibit in the city's welcome center at Orange Hall, family games and an outdoor concert. In neighboring Kingsland, Georgia, there’s the 20- year-old Kingsland Catfish Festival, held on Labor Day weekend (Saturday through Monday). And rural Woodbine, Georgia – population about 1,200 – blos- soms each year on the last Saturday in April for its Woodbine Crawfish Festival. The little seaport community of Darien, Georgia, on the Darien River, has the Blessing of the Fleet Festival the first weekend in April. There’s a Fishermen’s Prayer Service and Supper, and a pirate invasion at the docks, in which visitors fight alongside soldiers from nearby Fort King George to safeguard the town. A little farther up the coast, the city of Savannah, Georgia, turns good-naturedly green for the day for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17. The celebrants start a few days early, though, crowding onto River Street for live entertainment and at other sites for pre-parade partying. About 300,000 people come to town for the festivities. Oak marsh at long point

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3. Happy trails

Considered by seasoned travelers as one of the firma – trails perfect for paddling. Some of our favorites most scenic drives in the coastal South, the Buccaneer include Simpsons Creek on Big Talbot Island and the Trail along Florida A1A is a great place to unwind Fort George River to Kingsley Plantation. New to the list behind the wheel – and it’s just minutes away from is Thomas Creek, near Jacksonville International Airport. downtown Jacksonville. Perhaps the best part of the The creek winds its way toward Nassau Sound on what entire trail is the 20-mile stretch between Fort George is perhaps one of the most scenic paddles in the area. A Island and Fernandina Beach. new city park featuring a kayak and canoe launch makes The well-maintained, two-lane highway hugs the Thomas Creek easily accessible. edge of the maritime forests, salt marshes and tidal Part of Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney’s Preserva- creeks that characterize our Southern shores. To reach tion Project includes the development of marked pad- this stretch of the Buccaneer Trail, simply take Heckscher dling trails on waterways throughout the National Park Drive out of Jacksonville, following the signs to Amelia Service’s Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. Island, Florida, and Fernandina Beach, Florida. Or, if Completion of the project is expected to establish eco- you want to approach by water, catch the ferry in May- tourism as an economic boon for the region. port, Florida, for a quick trip across the river. Roll off Another favorite float trip is Guana River, from the the ferry, hang a right, and you’re off on what’s sure to dam at Guana River State Park to the end of the penin- be a frequent road trip. sula. Running parallel to Florida A1A midway between If two wheels are more to your liking, get rolling on Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Guana River boasts a portions of the Rails-to-Trails bike corridor (www.rail- labyrinth of tidal creeks that wind through marsh on trails.org). There are 35 trails traversing 365 miles, with both sides of the river. There, paddlers typically see tail- many more miles being planned. The trails, built on the ing redfish, wading birds and other wildlife. Dolphin beds of abandoned train tracks, provide places for often are spotted in the main channel. cyclists, hikers, walkers, runners, inline skaters and physi- For those who prefer to traipse trails, the Florida Trail cally challenged individuals to exercise and experience (www.florida-trail.org), designated a National Scenic Trail the many natural and cultural wonders. in 1983, will – when completely certified – meander One Florida trail that’s literally for the birds is the Great from the Gulf Island Seashore near Pensacola, Florida, to Florida Birding Trail (www.floridabirdingtrail.com), a col- the Big Cypress National Preserve near Miami, Florida, lection of sites throughout the state selected for their and Naples, Florida. excellent birdwatching opportunities. The Great Florida An interesting segment of the trail that cuts through Birding Trail combines special highway signs identifying portions of Northeast Florida runs for about 38 miles, sites with detailed maps showcasing the wonderful bird- from 15 miles east of Lake City, Florida on U.S. Highway ing opportunities in Florida. Birders exploring the East 90 at the Olustee Battlefield State Historic Site to the Florida Bird Trail can pick up a commemorative trail map Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center in White at area nature centers, state parks or tourist development Springs, Florida. Thanks to the U.S. Forest Service, there councils, or simply download maps from the Web site are 40 small bridges and catwalks over tributary listed above. streams that hikers once had to wade. At the west end, When you’re surrounded by water, a path eventually the trail follows the Suwannee River on top of some of disappears. But there are plenty of trails that leave terra its steepest banks for about five miles. A sense 2. of style

From multimillion-dollar mansions to beachside bun- galows, the architectural styles of the coastal South reflect our distinct personalities and the region’s many moods. Sandblasted, wind-whipped, sun-baked and salted, homes at the water’s edge oftentimes mirror our coastal environment. Architecture is, indeed, a response to locale. And the Southeast’s Atlantic coast is a region that places extreme demands on its houses. It begs for homes that harmonize with soft dunes and palms. Its blue-horizon scenery makes specific demands on windows and porches, while its winds, which vary from soft touches born at sea to hur- ricane gales, ask for breezeways, as well as stalwart walls. The elements that physically define living with the Atlantic Ocean have led to distinctive styles of homes. In the muggy high temperatures of the coastal South, pioneers developed the Cracker Style cabin. The early residents of Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, thought a bit more about architectural philosophies than Guana river did the Florida Crackers, but those homes – which look

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Lasting 1. impressions oak trees at st. simons

Drive past them frequently, and you tend to take Like light stations, bridges, too, become part of a them for granted – the landmarks and the symbols that city’s charm. weave life’s fabric on the Southeast coast. They tell St. Augustine’s is a national trea- about our distant past, our recent history, our daily sure. The Mediterranean-style drawbridge spans 1,500 experience. feet of the Matanzas River with arches, tile-roofed tow- If they disappeared, there’d be a rip in the fabric, ers and marble lion statues. The 1927 bridge is on the something missing from all of us. National Register of Historic Places. In 1997, the bridge The St. Augustine (Florida) Light, majestic in its was added to the National Trust for Historic Preserva- black-and-white spiral-band tower, reaches 165 feet tion’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Structures. skyward on Anastasia Island, Florida. The Fresnel lens in Though some commuters grumble about its the red lantern flashes every 30 seconds over St. Augus- archaic design and traffic congestion, the bridge has tine, Salt Run and the Atlantic Ocean. The St. Augustine plenty of supporters in the Save Our Bridge committee, Light was built in 1874, but it had several predecessors, which wants the bridge preserved and protected for its including a 16th century watchtower for pirates and second century of service. other invaders. In 1824, the watchtower was fitted with As modern and clean-lined as the Bridge of Lions a lens and became Florida’s first lighthouse to safe- is old and quaint, is the Napoleon Bonaparte Broward guard navigation. Bridge, popularly called the , over

almost more porch than house – have been dubbed everything from Low Country and Charleston Style to Charleston Single House. The vernacular or Cracker Style home was usually log and had at least one porch and a breezeway linking two Lifeguard station large rooms. The more urban Charleston Single House, on the other hand, is a single room wide, with high win- dows on either side of the rooms. Piazzas cover the facades, no matter how many stories the homes are. In Dames point bridge those houses, the veranda seems to be both inside and outside, a harmony architects still strive for. Architects usually don’t like to think in terms of this or that style. That’s for historians. Yet we have enough history to look at the styles that were born here on our coast, as well as blending with those styles imported and those adapted. On our shores mingle bungalows, turreted Queen Annes, Neoclassical columns, Mediterranean villas and shingled beach houses. Each responds differently to the ancient call of the sun and tide.

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the St. Johns River in Jacksonville. port communities. They drag massive nets from outrigger and Georgia waters. Researchers estimate that watercraft The cable-stayed bridge gracefully spans two miles, booms to scoop up fresh shrimp. At sea, flocks of seagulls collisions and propeller strikes account for about 25 per- arching 175 feet above the main channel. Its upright, diago- and pelicans tag along in the trawler wake, hoping for cent of all manatee deaths. nal supports look like the filled sails of a clipper ship. When handouts when the crew separates fish from shrimp. Another coastal creature is undeniably an icon, but it’s it was built in 1989, it was the longest cable-stayed span in Also plying the waters on the Southeast coast are not a beauty, nor is it cute. It lurks in our swamps, lakes and the nation and the third-longest in the world. boxy container ships, massive and stacked high with brackish rivers and creeks. The bridge’s namesake was Florida’s 19th governor, a freight, including new cars for U.S. distribution. They’re a The alligator is the official state reptile of Florida and Jacksonville native known for smuggling arms to Cuban steady, economically invigorating fleet that pulls into ports the mascot for the University of Florida. But a potential patriots fighting for independence from Spain. in Jacksonville, Fernandina Beach, Florida, Colonel’s Island encounter with the big lizard is not to be taken lightly. The Some landmarks are humble in appearance, such as in Brunswick, Georgia, and Savannah, Georgia. males can reach about 15 feet in length, pack 80 teeth in the American Red Cross Volunteer Life Saving Station at A prominent landmark for St. Simons Island, Georgia, their jaws and weigh up to 1,000 pounds. In drought times, Jacksonville Beach, Florida. But it has a place in history as is the St. Simons Light. Visitors can climb the 129 steps to they look for water, including backyard swimming pools, the home of the first and only volunteer ocean lifeguard the top of the working lighthouse, which is part of the and shade, such as under your pickup truck. They also like organization in the . The lifeguard station dates Coastal Georgia Historical Society and museum. small mammals, even yappy pet dogs, for a meal. to 1912, and the present white building and tower with One of the coastal South’s abiding icons is the live And, if you’re boating and spy a floating log, keep your bright red trim has been a beacon to safety since the 1940s. oak, a spreading, majestic tree with a height of 60 feet and distance, especially during nesting season in mid to late sum- Another icon that’s a link to Florida’s recent history is an outreach of 100 feet. Small plaques and monuments mer. Some of those logs have jaws and a testy disposition. the St. Johns River ferry, which takes automobiles and bicy- praise the largest of the trees, which have survived cen- cles and their passengers across the river between Mayport turies or mark famous sites, such as the 400-year-old village and Fort George Island, Florida. The ferry trip is a seg- Treaty Oak in Jacksonville or the 900-year-old Middleton ment of the 52-mile-long Buccaneer Trail (Florida A1A) that Oak near Charleston, South Carolina. parallels the ocean from Amelia Island to St. Augustine. Their age-old strength lives on in antebellum houses A symbol of Jacksonville’s Navy community is the air- and in the underpinnings of such national heirlooms as craft carrier USS John F. Kennedy. It’s hard to miss at 23 the USS Constitution, or as lofty reminders of the remark- stories high and more than 1,000 feet long. The carrier able beauty and timelessness of the Southern coast from came to Mayport Naval Station in 1995, replacing earlier Virginia to Florida. carriers, the USS Saratoga and the USS Forrestal. Its battle The shrimpers also are on the watch for sea turtles, group includes destroyers, frigates, cruisers and an air wing which come to our shores to lay their eggs but sometimes of F-14 Tomcats, FA-18 Hornets and antisubmarine warfare get caught in the shrimpers’ nets. Sea turtles command a and surveillance aircraft. lot of respect at sea, where area shrimpers outfit their net Making a lower, more stealthy profile in the water are rigs with turtle excluder devices that let the prehistoric the Trident submarines, seen on the surface coming and creatures escape. going through the St. Marys (Georgia) River entrance Most boaters on our waterways have seen the channel between Cumberland Island, Georgia, and Amelia manatee signs, which designate U.S. Fish and Wildlife Island, Florida. Service manatee refuges and sanctuaries. The signs regu- St. Augustine Much smaller, but more picturesque, are the shrimp late speed and set no wake and idle zones to protect the alligator farm trawlers that grace the skyline on the beaches and in sea- plant-eating, endangered mammals that winter in Florida

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CRAB CAUSE MAMMA MIA! Favorite Fish Camp Restaurant Favorite Italian Restaurant Clark’s Fish Camp Benito’s Pizza & Pastabilities Shrimply the best 12903 Hood Landing Road 180 Vilano Road Jacksonville Vilano Beach, Florida (904) 268-3474 (904) 827-1000 From food to fashion, here are more reasons to covet our coast. FISHY BUSINESS THAI FOR TWO Favorite Seafood Market Favorite Thai Restaurant The Seafood Gourmet Old Siam 5043 San Jose Blvd. 1716 N. Third St. Jacksonville Jacksonville Beach, Florida 205 Anastasia Blvd. SEAFOOD (904) 730-0077 (904) 247-7763 JUST FOR THE HALIBUT St. Augustine, Florida Favorite Seafood Restaurant (904) 829-6974 SAKI TO ME Marker 32 TO DINE FOR Favorite Japanese Restaurant 14549 Beach Blvd. HALF-SHELL HAVEN PIECE DE RESISTANCE KoKo’s Jacksonville Favorite Oyster Bar Favorite Overall Fine Dining Restaurant 1560-14 Business Center Drive (904) 223-1534 The Moon Grille & Oyster Bar Matthew’s Orange Park, Florida 1396 Beach Blvd. 2107 Hendricks Ave. (904) 264-5700 INCREDIBLE CRUSTACEANS Jacksonville Beach, Florida Jacksonville Favorite Fried Shrimp Dinner (904) 241-1894 (904) 396-9922 WOK, WOK. WHO’S THERE? O’Steen’s Favorite Chinese Takeout 205 Anastasia Blvd. CREATIVE LOAFING NOVEL NOUVELLE Hot Wok St. Augustine, Florida Favorite Fish Sandwich Favorite Cutting Edge Restaurant (4 locations) (904) 829-6974 Chowder Ted’s L’Orient Chez Guy 7628 103rd St. 5215 Heckscher Drive 1540 Atlantic Blvd. Jacksonville BETTER THAN BALTIMORE Jacksonville Jacksonville (904) 778-9898 Favorite Crab Cakes (904) 714-6900 (904) 348-2440 14333 Beach Blvd. Dwight’s Mediterranean Style Bistro Jacksonville 1527 Penman Road TASTES LIKE PARISIAN PERFECTION (904) 223-3738 Jacksonville Beach, Florida CHICKEN Favorite French Restaurant 1014-7B Margaret St. (904) 241-4496 Favorite Fried Gator Tail JJ’s Cuisine and Wine Jacksonville Cap’s Seafood Restaurant (The Shoppes at Ponte Vedra) (904) 339-0888 MAKE MINE MINORCAN 4325 Myrtle St. (off A1A) 330 A1A N. 2151 Loch Rane Favorite Minorcan Chowder Vilano Beach, Florida Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida Orange Park, Florida O’Steen’s (904) 824-8794 (904) 273-7980 (904) 298-8080 The Finishing Touch

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2002 WATER’S EDGE 97 weso02.editor's choice 8/2/02 10:46 AM Page 98

SOUTH OF THE BORDER LUCK OF THE IRISH A SHORE THING A1A and Intracoastal Waterway Favorite Mexican Restaurant Favorite Irish Pub Favorite Restaurant With an Ocean View Fernandina Beach, Florida Castillo de Mexico (2 locations) Lynch’s The Grill (904) 261-1001 12620-19 Beach Blvd. 514 N. First St. The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island Jacksonville Jacksonville Beach, Florida 4750 Amelia Island Pkwy. APHRODITE APPETITE (904) 998-7006 (904) 249-5181 Amelia Island, Florida Favorite Romantic Restaurant 1222 S. Third St. (904) 277-1100 Restaurant Medure Jacksonville Beach, Florida SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST 818 A1A N. (904) 339-0007 Favorite Southwestern Fare A RIVER RUNS BAYOU Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida The Mossfire Grill Favorite Restaurant With a River View (904) 543-3797 HAV’N A HEAT WAVE 1537 Margaret St. Barbara Jean’s Favorite Cuban Restaurant Jacksonville 15 S. Roscoe Blvd. LET’S DO BRUNCH Habana Village Cafe (904) 355-4434 Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida Favorite Sunday Brunch 1 King St. (Inside A1A Ale Works building) (904) 280-7522 Cortesses Bistro St. Augustine, Florida MANGO MADNESS & Flamingo Room 1 (904) 827-1700 Favorite Floribbean Restaurant HIT THE DECK 172 ⁄2 San Marco Ave. Plantains (Sea Turtle Inn) Favorite Deckside Dining St. Augustine, Florida LOTSA RASTA 1 Ocean Blvd. Down Under Restaurant (904) 825-6775 Favorite Caribbean Restaurant Atlantic Beach, Florida De Real Ting Cafe (904) 249-1037 128 W. Adams St. Jacksonville CELERYBRATE (904) 633-9738 Favorite Vegetarian Restaurant Heartworks Cafe FIT FOR A MAHARAJA 820 Lomax St. Favorite Indian Restaurant Jacksonville India’s (904) 355-6210 9802-8 Baymeadows Road Jacksonville PRIME TIME (904) 620-0777 Favorite Steakhouse Ruth’s Chris Steak House (2 locations) MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS 1201 River Place Blvd. Favorite Middle Eastern Restaurant Jacksonville The Casbah Cafe (904) 396-6200 3628 St. Johns Ave. 814 A1A N. Barbara jean’s Jacksonville Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (904) 981-9966 (904) 285-0014

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Jacksonville 1721 University Blvd. N. (904) 353-6388 Jacksonville (904) 743-1844 PITA PARTY Favorite Taboulleh Rider FUNNY, YOU Goal Post Sandwich Shop DON’T LOOK JEWISH 3984 Herschel St. Favorite Bagels Jacksonville The Healthy Bagel Company (904) 384-9262 1500 University Blvd. W. Jacksonville DELI DELIGHTS (904) 730-3322 Favorite Delicatessen Publix Super Markets THIS BREW’S Located throughout Jacksonville and the FOR YOU surrounding areas Favorite Brew Pub Ragtime Taproom & Seafood Grill DESSERT ISLAND 207 Atlantic Blvd. Favorite Desserts Atlantic Beach, Florida Moon river pizza bb’s (904) 241-7877 1019 Hendricks Ave. Jacksonville CENTRAL PERK SALAD DAYS (Inside the Exxon station) (904) 306-0100 Favorite Coffee Shop Favorite Salads 202 S. Eighth St. Biscottis Daily Grind Bistro Aix Fernandina Beach, Florida 3556 St. Johns Ave. 332 S. Second St. 1440 San Marco Blvd. (904) 261-6310 Jacksonville Jacksonville Beach, Florida Jacksonville (904) 387-2060 (904) 247-9554 (904) 398-1949 PIZZA WITH PIZAZZ Favorite Pizza UPPER CRUST FINE WINE TASTES LIKE GATOR Moon River Pizza Favorite Breadery Favorite Wine Selection Favorite Fried Chicken 925 S. 14th St. The French Pantry The Wine Warehouse Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken & Biscuits Fernandina Beach, Florida 6301 Powers Ave. (2 locations) Located throughout Jacksonville and the (904) 321-3400 Jacksonville 645 Atlantic Blvd. surrounding areas (904) 730-8696 Atlantic Beach, Florida RIBBIT (904) 246-6450 IT’S A GRILL! Favorite Ribs THE HOLE THING 1188 S. Edgewood Ave. Favorite Burgers Jenkins Quality Bar-B-Que Favorite Doughnuts Jacksonville T-Ray’s Burger Station 830 Pearl St. The Donut Shoppe (904) 389-9997

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2002 WATER’S EDGE 99 weso02.editor's choice 8/1/02 10:46 AM Page 100

MORE FAVORITES THE SHOE THING BEACH BUGGY (912) 635-2600 Favorite Footwear Favorite Coastal Car or 1-800-535-9547 AHOY THERE! Carla Shoes & Accessories Woody version of Chrysler’s PT Cruiser Favorite Nautical Notions (2 locations) THE SPA WHO Pier 17 9978 Baymeadows Road GREENERY FOR LOVES ME 4619 Roosevelt Blvd. Jacksonville YOUR SCENERY Favorite Spa Jacksonville (904) 641-8447 Favorite Garden Center The Sea Island Spa (904) 387-4669 330 A1A N. Plant Ranch Nursery The Cloister Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 14108 Beach Blvd. Sea Island, Georgia BOARDROOM (904) 543-1566 Jacksonville 1-800-732-4752 Favorite Surf Shop (904) 223-4546 The Surf Station GO PLAY OUTSIDE SWEAT SHOP 1020 Anastasia Blvd. Favorite Outdoor Outfitter ROMANCE ON THE RISE Favorite Fitness Center St. Augustine, Florida Black Creek Outfitters Favorite Romantic Getaway Claude J. Yates YMCA (800) 471-9463 10051 Skinner Lake Drive Jekyll Island Club Hotel 221 Riverside Ave. Jacksonville 371 Riverview Drive Jacksonville GUY’S TIES (904) 645-7003 Jekyll Island, Georgia (904) 355-1436 Favorite Men’s Clothing Store Karl’s Clothiers LET THE RIVER RUN (2 locations) Favorite Running Event 3579 St. Johns Ave. Gate River Run Jacksonville (904) 731-3676 (904) 389-1900 www1stplacesports.com 240 A1A N. Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida FILM PHANTOM (904) 280-1345 Favorite Movie Monster Underwater gill-man in WONDERFUL WRAPS Revenge of the Creature Favorite Women’s Clothing Store Portions of the ’50s flick were filmed in Krista Eberle , including scenes at the (2 locations) Lobster House, which was at the foot of 2020 San Marco Blvd. the old in Jacksonville, and Jacksonville Marineland, south of St. Augustine, Florida. (904) 396-2711 240 A1A N. Gate river run WINGING IT Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida Favorite First Coast Resident (904) 280-6944 Brown Pelican

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