We were ready to move on from Jacksonville Tuesday morning. Since we stayed at Jacksonville Beach, we did not see Jacksonville except from a distance. When we return in the fall, I think we will take the St John’s River into Jacksonville proper.
I continue to be surprised by the amount of commercial traffic that we see on the waterways. As with most Americans, prior to taking this trip I truly had no concept of the amount of goods and people that are transported by ship.
The day started out bright and sunny when we left Jacksonville Beach but as the day wore on, the winds really picked up and the skies darkened. We had planned to anchor out this evening but as we approached the city of Fernandina Beach, Captain Mark thought it prudent that we stay tied up in a marina. This was a very wise choice as the wind picked up even more during the evening with gusts of up to 50 mph. Fernandina Beach is the largest town located on Amelia Island. At the north end of the island, is the Amelia Lighthouse. Not only does the Lighthouse currently serve as an aid to navigation, but it is also historically significant. The Lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Upon arrival in Fernandina Beach, we walked to tour the city. As with several of the smaller towns on the Northeast Coast of Florida, Fernandina Beach is quaint and charming. Proud of their heritage as both a blue collar shrimping community and a winter home for the wealthy robber barons at the turn of the 20th century, the Fernandina Beach community has done a wonderful job of maintaining and restoring the homes and historical aspects of their community. This is the type of town that Mark and I love to visit.
During our tour we found a little touch from back home in Indiana...
As shrimp is a major cash crop in the area I could not have dinner in Fernandina Beach without tasting the local fare. We had dinner at Marina Diner which is housed in one the most historic buildings in the area. The shrimp was of course to die for and I ate way too many, but they were truly excellent. Before taking this trip when I thought of shrimp fishing, I always thought of the Gulf areas between Mobile and Houston as being where all the shrimp were harvested in the US. However, I was surprised to discover how large the shrimping industry is in both Florida and southern Georgia.
The wind did not die down on Wednesday so we decided to stay another day. We are so glad that we did stay because Wednesday evening we met fellow Loopers Bob and Kathy from Oklahoma. They recently started their Loop trip from Fort Meyers and like us; they will be traveling in stages over the next couple of years. We spent a wonderful evening aboard their boat Sootsus at Sea becoming acquainted and sharing what little advice we had to offer. It is our hope that we will meet up with them again many times along our journey.
Hours on the water: 3.75 hours
Nautical miles traveled: 27
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Next Destination: Wally's Leg Anchorage on the Mackay River in Georgia
What we're listening to: Finished The Traveler and started The Dark River also by John Twelve Hawks
What we watched: A Painted Veil = B
Lesson for the day: It is always so nice to meet fellow Loopers
Obligatory knitting report: Sally Melville's Einstein Coat
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