Feb 6, 2015 It was about a 45 mile ride from Jekyll Island to Amelia Island and what a difference. David and I are avid fans of the TV show Chasing Classic Cars. Wayne Carini, the star of the show, often takes classic cars to the Concourse De’ Elegance on Amelia Island. I don’t know where the road is that he drives down with the beautiful views, but they aren’t any of the roads that we drove down. When you drive over the causeway onto Jekyll Island it’s pretty. You feel like your driving onto an Island. When you drive over the causeway to Amelia Island there is a big ugly Paper Mill that when the wind is blowing in the right (or wrong) direction gives off a horrible stench.
If I didn’t know I was on Amelia Island I would have thought I was driving down any typical shopping strip road … Target, Kohls, Walmart, Ahhhhhh! We are in the south, Winn Dixie and Publix, lots of car dealerships, dilapidated buildings and a good ole pawn shop! I am SURE there are beautiful places on this Island, but I didn’t think it was going to be hard to find them.
Fort Clinch State Park is not a disappointment. It is a 3 mile ride from the main gate to our campground. We are not even a mile into the ride and we have to stop for 6 or 7 deer crossing the road. Our site (#31), in the Amelia River Campground is like a cave made from crooked old oak trees covered with Spanish moss. Best site in this campground is #29, it has fabulous water views.
E T is not allowed on the beach here, but we take her walking on a very pretty nature trail. We found Fort Clinch, which we will tour tomorrow. David and I catch a beautiful sunset and take a short walk along the beach, it’s cold and windy. Arrrgggghhhh! Here comes the biggest jelly fish I ever saw, right up on the beach Good thing E T isn’t here she would try to eat it!
Feb 7, 2015 Hurray!! It’s finally a nice day! Sunny, light breeze and should hit mid to high 60’s.
If you like history at all, you have to tour Fort Clinch if you’re in the area. Construction of the Fort began in 1847, it was never fully completed, it still served as a military post during the Civil War (Union), Spanish-American War and World War II. The first weekend of every month they have re-enactments of everyday fort operations. We’re lucky, it’s the first weekend of the month!
It was a fun morning. One of the neighbors told us we missed a pod of dolphins in the bay. Next Time 🙂 Next stop Anastasia State Park, just south of St Augustine, Fl.