Beach, Birds, Bummer & Surprise-CCB Do Not Read

Sunday – Thursday                                                       Most Recent Posts
November 6-10, 2016                                                    St. Augustine’s Anastasia State Park
Anastasia State Park                                                     On the Water at Faver Dykes
St. Augustine, FL

 

You’ll notice this post title includes the caveat CCB Do Not Read.  That’s a note to my daughter that if she wants to be surprised this holiday, she should skip reading this post until after our celebration at her new house.

 

I am so lazy when I come to the beach.  I just want to hang around the water and the birds.
We’ve been here half of our two week stay by this Thursday.

 

Anastasia has two beach access points.  One is break in the dunes that even has a a runway mat for ease of walking or I assume taking a stroller or a wheelchair out.  That one is directly behind the Island Beach Shop and Grille where you can buy beach goods, junk food or get some grilled fare.  This time of year the grille is only open on the week-ends.  Since Northeastern Florida is not a winter retreat for a huge number of folks, I suspect it is only open 7 days during the season here which is the summer.

David of course is into all  things food so he takes a picture of the hours to make sure he’ll know when he can come by.

 

 

The other entry to the beach is this big long boardwalk acccessible from the day use parking lot and leading over the dune.  From here you can sort of get a sunset shot.  One evening we walk over to check it out.

 

 

 

Not sure you can see the boardwalk turning to the left and then snaking back toward the right to the day use parking lot.  It’s a long boardwalk.

 

 

But we barely make it in time to see the last sliver fall behind the trees.

 

We spend at least part of every day at the beach sometimes using the through the dune entrance and sometimes the over the dune.  The walk/bike ride from the campground is maybe a 1/3rd of a mile.

 

Another walk up the boardwalk with much better views of it approaching the dunes. ,

 

 

 

Walking up the boardwalk, can see the lighthouse in the distance off to the side and the gorgeous grasses among the vegetation holding the dunes in place. The beach here is broad and long and does not seem to have had significant damage from Hurricane Matthew last month. Another of the many reasons to protect our dunes and wetlands adjacent to them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indian blanket flower comes in variations of color and patterns.  Such wonderful creativity by Mother Nature.

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve taken the kayaks off the car in anticipation of putting them on the kayak carts for a paddle on what is known as Salt Run, an inlet that runs just behind the beach and up to the tip of Anastasia Island.  It’s behind the 3 miles of beach in the park.

 

On our way, we see this Wildlife Crossing sign.  We later see this wildlife in person but she’s not crossing the road.

 

There are a couple of spots just off the campground road to put into Salt Run.  This one is a beauty and we choose it for our future paddle.

 

There are half a dozen wood storks watching us.  Guess they like it here too.

In the grasses is a Great Egret.

 

 

 

Thirty Six Years ago I made patchwork Christmas stockings for Carrie David and me.   It was cute to have her stocking be the BIG one but over the years it became more and more problematic for Santa to fill it.

This year we are flying to Maryland to spend the holidays with Carrie, Matthew and Celia in their new house.  So I am taking these 3 stockings and making patchwork stockings for Matthew and Celia. 

I learned my lesson and they will be the same size as David’s and mine which leaves Carrie to eventually explain to Celia how come “mama’s sock is the biggest”.  HA!

The original stockings were made with a combination of machine and hand work.  But in the motorhome I have no sewing machine so I’m doing these two totally by hand, one patch at a time.  It’s taking a very long time but I actually like handwork and in my past life did a fair amount of quilting, crochet, embroidery, basket weaving and chair caning.  Now it gives me an excuse to sit outside or to listen to a book on tape while I’m busy.

 

 

David came out to take some pictures while I was working sitting in my beach chair on the patio.  Looks like he couldn’t get down low enough to get both all my head and my feet but I can still remember the day.

 

I was also working on them the night of the great disappointment for those who are concerned about the environment and think that the economy should be the secondary issue since without a healthy environment there won’t be any economy to worry about.  For that and many reasons I fear for my country and all its people, even those who voted for the man.   And that’s all I’ll say about that.

 

 

Every day has beach time in it and on this one I pass the wild animal in the sand next to the sidewalk on my way.

 

I take a few pictures as she moseys along.

 

Pretty soon she gets up on her legs and hustles on to I’m not sure where.

 

The most amazing thing about the park’s beach is that it is more than 3 miles long and it is really really wide.  If you walk north, you can walk to the end of the island if you want to take a 6+ mile hike.   You’ll see almost no one. There is no access up there other than from the water and that’s tricky because the ocean doesn’t drop off for a long way off the water’s edge even at low tide.

 

Lots of birds, in the sky and by the water’s edge.

 

 

I pretty much have the beach to myself even at 1:30 in the afternoon.  Today’s high is 74 degrees.   This is FANtastic!!

 

 

I enjoy few things more than a carefree afternoon on the beach reading and walking in the water.  Swimming if it’s in the 80’s.

My current read.

 

A ruddy turnstone patrols the beach.

 

Sanderlings scurry around catching lunch.

 

 

 

On one of my walks I am entertained by a snowy egret as he prances and flaps in the waves fishing. 

 

I can see his golden slippers for only a moment.

 

Whatever it is, he got it.

 

 

Off to check out a different spot. 

I’m off for dinner myself.   
Next time a paddle in the Salt Run and a hike in the Ancient Dunes.