Big talbot island state park

10.

Beautiful beaches

coastal countdown
The 2002 Editors Choice Awards
When it comes to our coast, how do we love thee? Let us count the waves.

10 reasons to covet our coast

BY THE EDITORS OF WATERS EDGE MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HALL
For some, its the beach. Others are drawn by the lure of the links, winding waterways or pathways to the past. 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. Yes, our little slice of the coastal South from its cities to its shores reveals a magical mix certain to cast its spell and capture the imaginations of those who come here. Many stay; others vow to return, and do. Heres why:

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 undeveloped beachfront still remaining along our Southeastern coast. Just to the south of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, 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 camping, swimming, sunbathing, surfing, sailboarding and fishing 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. Swing around and take flight on a pelican path, gliding north to Jacksonvilles Hanna Park, with its backdrop of high dunes, sea oats and ancient maritime forest. 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 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 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 youre on the beach. Lured here by sun, surf and shells, most beachcombers would never imagine theyre treading over remnants of our last ice age. The area harbors the remains of such prehistoric creatures as mastodons, giant ground sloths, ancient whales, sharks, jaguars and armadillos. Leaving Big Talbot Island, Florida, A1A crosses the Nassau Sound bridge to Amelia Island, Florida, where a string of resort properties has turned the island into a favorite hideaway for the hurried and hassled. Just down 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 Georgias Cumberland Island, thanks to decades of steadfast resistance by the islands handful of private landowners and designation as a national seashore in 1972. Though landowners and the National Park Service have often been at odds primarily over ownership rights and public access both have managed 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 Cumberlands historic Greyfield Inn can catch the inns private launch, Lucy Ferguson, though most visitors to the island opt for the 45-minute ferry trip from the National Park Services dock at St.

Marys, Georgia.

Cumberland island
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9. Waterways
Mayport ferry

Here on the waters edge, we dont always walk the same paths, but our surrounding waters the ocean, rivers, tidal creeks and marshes create a geographical bond that we in this region feel and understand. The Atlantic Ocean is the highway of exploration and commerce that brought the first Europeans to our shores. But that splendid sea carver of coastlines and connector of continents in many minds plays second fiddle to the magnificent St. Johns River, the waterway responsible for opening Floridas interior and designated a National Heritage River in 2000. In his highly acclaimed book, River of Lakes: A Journey on Floridas St. Johns River (University of Georgia Press, 2000), author Bill Belleville calls the St. Johns a river of infinite potential, a place to indulge myths, to evoke shards of timeless magic, to search for the natural realities that are sublime instead of merely virtual and safe. At 310 miles long, the St. Johns is the longest river

wholly within Florida. It is also one of the few rivers that flows north. Early promoters of the river capitalized on this, dubbing it the Nile of America. Twenty bridges and three ferries span the St. Johns, lending to its image of accessibility. Though the river remains a watery highway of commerce, much of its commercial clout disappeared by the 1930s as the states rail and highway systems diverted traffic from the water to the land. But, while commerce stalled, recreation boomed, and the river became the domain of boaters, anglers and others seeking release on the river. That distinction remains and, in fact, continues to expand. Perhaps nowhere is the rivers impact felt as much as in Jacksonville, where Mayor John Delaney delights in leading excursions on the St. Johns and its tributaries waterways he often uses to showcase his city and surroundings. The river affords an unobstructed view of Alltel Stadium, the port, a rebounding downtown, as well as the culturally rich and diverse neighborhoods of Avondale, San Marco, Riverside and Arlington. A major portion of the mayors Preservation Project, a $312 million growth-management and river-access plan, focuses on the regions link with the surrounding waterways. Some $25 million in improvements is planned for the National Park Services Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, which will feature paddling trails and docking facilities. An additional $20 million will be spent for water quality improvements, including $5 million for the restoration of Mill Cove in Jacksonvilles Arlington area. Mill Cove, a part of the St. Johns River, was once a bountiful fishing area, noted for record tarpon and attracting such fishing notables as writer and outdoorsman Ernest Hemingway and baseball great Ted Williams. Myriad other waterways the Tolomato, Matanzas, Amelia, St. Marys and, of course, the Intracoastal itself course through the region, their estuarine waters no doubt our greatest natural, recreational and economic

Kingsley plantation

8. History

resource.

St. Johns river

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From St. Augustine, Florida, to Savannah, Georgia, there are sturdy fortresses with cannon mounts, watch towers and moats to repel invaders, and settlements and smaller forts lost to time or covered by shifting sands and seas. Visiting our regions historic sites some ghostly silent, others gregarious with tourists and interpreters makes real the early struggle for supremacy by the sea. Among the earliest New World adventurers to the Southeast coast were the French, led in 1562 by Jean Ribault, 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 didnt assure peace to the Spanish. British colonization of Georgia and the Carolinas, a short sail to the north, prompted Spain to build the Castillo de San Marcos 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 constructed a fort in 1736. Though researchers arent certain exactly where the waterfront fort was built, visitors to the islands Kingsley Plantation, which dates to 1813, can tour the plantation house of Zephaniah Kingsley and his wife, Anna Jai, whom he purchased

7. Great escapes
Castillo de san Marcos
as a slave and freed. Theres also a kitchen house, barn and the ruins of about 25 of the original slave cabins. A few miles north is Amelia Island, Florida, where Fort Clinch has overlooked the mouth of the St. Marys River, the ocean and the south end of Georgias Cumberland Island since the fort walls began going up in 1847. Once used for coastal defense, the forts towering brick walls at Fort Clinch State Park today overlook surfers and anglers, and still guard the mouth of the St. Marys River, through which Trident submarines pass on the way to and from Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia. By boat, the trip from the fort to Cumberland Island takes only minutes. Visitors to Cumberland Island National Seashore, via the National Park Service ferry from St. Marys, Georgia, usually take a walking tour to the ruins of Dungeness, a grand mansion built in 1885 by Lucy Coleman Carnegie, sister-in-law of industrialist Andrew Carnegie. Farther north on the Georgia coast is St. Simons Island and Fort Frederica, another British fort built by Oglethorpe in 1736 on the island. The settlements history is retold at Fort Frederica National Monument. A few miles north of St. Simons Island is the Britishbuilt Fort King George, Georgias first colonial garrison. This stronghold at Darien, at the mouth of the Altamaha River, predated Oglethorpes 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 areas 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. Need an escape from the workaday world? Our little piece of the coastal South offers great getaways with resorts and accommodations catering to even the most discerning traveler. Amid the natural beauty of Amelia Island on Northeast Floridas scenic coast stands The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, a resort whose impeccable five-diamond service, relaxed elegance and pampering staff are as distinctive as the island itself. Just down the beach is Amelia Island Plantation, a complete island resort in perfect harmony with nature. The 1,350-acre property overlooks the Atlantic on the east and salt marshes and the Intracoastal Waterway on the west. Hop aboard the private launch Lucy Ferguson at the Harbor Marina in Fernandina Beach, Florida, and be transported to another era at the Greyfield Inn on Georgias Cumberland Island. Once a Carnegie family retreat, the graceful mansion and grounds provide a 200-acre refuge of wild-island solitude. The inn itself is furnished today much as the mansion was at the turn of the 20th century. Decorated with family heirlooms and antiques, each of the inns rooms has a distinctive character complemented with contemporary amenities for luxurious comfort. Relaxation comes just as naturally at The Lodge at Little St. Simons Island (Georgia), where nature is the star attraction and guests can lose themselves amid the beauty of the 10,000-acre private paradise. Seven miles of deserted, undeveloped beach, extraordinary regional cuisine and five charming cottages with 13 gracious guest rooms await no more than 30 guests a day. Legendary pleasures and gracious service await guests at The Cloister, an exclusive seaside enclave at another Georgia gem, Sea Island. Golf reigns supreme at The Cloister, with 54 holes shaped by some of the greatest architects the game has

known. And theres no shortage of non-golf activities, either. The Beach Club is an oceanside haven for beach lovers, while the Sea Island Spa has been heralded by numerous publications including Travel & Leisure and the Robb Report as the nations finest spa facility. The Jekyll Island (Georgia) Club Hotel was once the playground of Americas elite. Names such as Vanderbilt, Pulitzer, Rockefeller and Morgan are sprinkled throughout the hotels guest register. Guests can enjoy the same unique combination of the resorts natural beauty and elegant architecture, private amenities and personal service that have been trademarks of the hotel for more than a century. Grand dining, championship golf, tennis and croquet await guests, as does the Jekyll Island Historic District, the largest restoration project in the Southeast. Another of Americas historic hotels awaits guests in St. Augustine, Florida, Americas oldest city. Built in 1888 and restored in 2000, the Casa Monica Hotel is a charming mixture of Spanish architecture and first-class service. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and recipient of the AAA Four-Diamond Award, the hotel is once again a landmark in the heart of St. Augustine. Stretched along the Atlantic, midway between St. Augustine and Jacksonville, are two luxury resorts only 112 miles apart but each boasting its own individual and unique style The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club and The Lodge & Club. The resort life at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, dates to 1928 and the celebrated opening of the newest playground for the well-heeled, the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club. From the boardrooms of Wall Street and the social registers of America, word spread quickly of the charming seaside retreat on Florida's northeast shore. The quaint inn attracted affluent guests from throughout the East and Midwest. This heritage continues today.

greyfield inn

cumberland island

Casa monica hotel

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6. Good eats

From rustic fish camps to haute cuisine, theres no shortage of dining options when it comes to coastal flavor. Whether its fried shrimp or foie gras, crab cakes or chanterelles, a cold Bud or a chardonnay, the choices make for a grand mlange of menus. But, when it comes to a true taste of the region, few foods say it better than these five coastal classics: Fried Shrimp Theres nothing better than a plateful of freshly caught shrimp eaten in sight of the shrimp boats that brought em in. Butterflied, dredged in meal and deep fried in peanut oil, theres no pretense to those little beauties just a little bit of crunch and a whole lot of savory succulence that brings the taste of the sea to the table. So good, in fact, that cocktail sauce or tartar sauce is an afterthought. Datil Peppers A pinch of datil pepper is all it takes to ignite the senses and create a pairing of pleasure and pain. Though it has remained an obscure footnote in pepper parlance around the world, the green-gold pod is a gastronomic icon in St. Augustine, Florida, and nearby Anastasia Island. Its an essential ingredient in the areas signature dishes Minorcan-inspired chowders, pilaus, seafoods and sauces all highly seasoned with thyme, tomatoes, onions and fiery datil peppers.

Minorcan Chowder Theres a subtle difference between St. Augustines signature red chowder and the one Manhattanites call their own the addition of the not-so-subtle datil pepper, a combustible culinary contribution of the ancient citys Minorcan settlers. One taste with a dash of datil and youll never forget this chunky chowder. Soft-Shell Crab More than just a not-so-pretty face, with softshell crabs, diners get a bonus claws, legs and everything in between. The whole enchilada, so to speak. Dusted in flour and sauteed whole, those crispy, clawed crustaceans beg to be bitten. Theyre something of a culinary cause celebre. You either love em or hate em. Smoked Fish Dip So you dont favor foie gras or give a whit about artistic presentation? Then tear open a twin-pack of Captains Wafers and spread on some goodness. Mullet, grouper or catch-of-the-day goes into these smoky spreads. Its about as unpretentious a dish as can be conjured up. From many fish house tables, brimming bowlfuls of the delectable dips beckon, waiting to be scraped clean by folks waiting for orders of fried shrimp or oysters. Grab a cold Bud, sit yourself down, and enjoy the wait.

5. Happenings

Minorcan chowder

Smoked fish dip

Dozens of hometown festivals favor the Southeast coast with seafood, parades, sports tournaments, concerts and art shows that help us get to know our neighbors. Often its ordinary folks members of service clubs, community and church groups and individual volunteers who work long hours over steaming vats of crawfish, pots of boiling crab and deep fryers bubbling with golden shrimp and catfish. Tens of thousands come because they delight in the sweet-talking Southern coastal celebrations where no one is a stranger. Here are a few of the events that are signature Southern for the coast: St. Augustine celebrates its Florida heritage and Spanish roots with an Easter Festival thats been observed for 45 years. The two-week event begins with a mass at the Cathedral Basilica on Palm Sunday and a procession led by the bishop to the city marina for a blessing of the fleet. When youre on the coast, theres nothing like sun, salt air, ocean waves and bluesy music in April. And all of it is free for the enjoyment at Georges Music Springing the Blues Music Festival, in its 12th year at Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The outdoor concerts attracted more than 65,000 music enthusiasts last year. The three-day festival has been praised by Down Beat magazine as one of the worlds best free musical events. For a weekend of the real Florida in an idyllic setting on the Suwannee River, theres 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 festival 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 the St. Marys (Georgia) Rock Shrimp Festival on the St. Marys River. Kiwanis Club members cook about 800

Soft-shell crab Fried shrimp

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DON BURK/THE FLORIDA TIMES-UNION

Blessing of the fleet festival

Isle of eight flags shrimp festival

4. Lure of the links

STUART TANNEHILL/THE FLORIDA TIMES-UNION

Aside from our beaches and waterways, perhaps no other attraction draws more visitors to this region or keeps locals preoccupied than golf. No fewer than 90 courses feed the need of those gung-ho golfaholics who cast our coast as a golfers Promised Land. From The Players Championship at Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, which boasts the best field and biggest purse in professional golf, to the World Golf Village at St. Augustine, Florida, golf impacts not only the mood, mind-set and economy of the area, but also reveals the incredible natural beauty at waters edge by making it accessible to all of those who are lured here by the links. Heres a rundown of a number of our favorite holes that showcase some of our regions most beautiful vistas:

The 13th green looks east-northeast over a field of sawgrass, the Intracoastal Waterway and wildlife. But part of the horizon is changing with the construction of the Wonderwood Expressway. The 18th green gives golfers a view to the east-southeast toward the harbor in the golf course community, where boats are moored beside some impressive homes.

The Golf Club at North Hampton Fernandina Beach, Florida A 40-foot elevation on the 17th tee overlooks wild marsh and Lofton Creek, with Jacksonville in the distance. Osprey Cove Golf Club St. Marys, Georgia The best view is the 15th green, which runs parallel to the marsh and a creek that flows into the St. Marys River. In the distance are the high, sandy bluffs of Florida. Sea Island Golf Club Sea Island, Georgia The 10th tee on the Plantation Course offers a panoramic view of the ocean, Jekyll Island and the new Sidney Lanier Bridge.

Long Point, Amelia Island Plantation Amelia Island, Florida Long Point is a mixture of marsh, thick stands of oak and pine and ocean. Several holes run parallel to the ocean, but the favorite for a coastal view is the 15th green, which has golfers hitting toward the ocean. Ocean Hammock Golf Club 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. Queens Harbour Yacht and Country Club Jacksonville

RYAN SPARROW/THE FLORIDA TIMES-UNION

Blue crab festival

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, theres the 20year-old Kingsland Catfish Festival, held on Labor Day weekend (Saturday through Monday). And rural Woodbine, Georgia population about 1,200 blossoms 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. Theres a Fishermens 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. Patricks 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.

Osprey cove

Oak marsh at long point

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3. Happy trails
Considered by seasoned travelers as one of the most scenic drives in the coastal South, the Buccaneer Trail along Florida A1A is a great place to unwind behind the wheel and its just minutes away from downtown Jacksonville. Perhaps the best part of the entire trail is the 20-mile stretch between Fort George Island and Fernandina Beach. The well-maintained, two-lane highway hugs the edge of the maritime forests, salt marshes and tidal creeks that characterize our Southern shores. To reach this stretch of the Buccaneer Trail, simply take Heckscher Drive out of Jacksonville, following the signs to Amelia Island, Florida, and Fernandina Beach, Florida. Or, if you want to approach by water, catch the ferry in Mayport, Florida, for a quick trip across the river. Roll off the ferry, hang a right, and youre off on whats sure to be a frequent road trip. If two wheels are more to your liking, get rolling on portions of the Rails-to-Trails bike corridor (www.railtrails.org). There are 35 trails traversing 365 miles, with many more miles being planned. The trails, built on the beds of abandoned train tracks, provide places for cyclists, hikers, walkers, runners, inline skaters and physically challenged individuals to exercise and experience the many natural and cultural wonders. One Florida trail thats literally for the birds is the Great Florida Birding Trail (www.floridabirdingtrail.com), a collection of sites throughout the state selected for their excellent birdwatching opportunities. The Great Florida Birding Trail combines special highway signs identifying sites with detailed maps showcasing the wonderful birding opportunities in Florida. Birders exploring the East Florida Bird Trail can pick up a commemorative trail map at area nature centers, state parks or tourist development councils, or simply download maps from the Web site listed above. When youre surrounded by water, a path eventually disappears. But there are plenty of trails that leave terra

firma trails perfect for paddling. Some of our favorites include Simpsons Creek on Big Talbot Island and the Fort George River to Kingsley Plantation. New to the list is Thomas Creek, near Jacksonville International Airport. The creek winds its way toward Nassau Sound on what is perhaps one of the most scenic paddles in the area. A new city park featuring a kayak and canoe launch makes Thomas Creek easily accessible. Part of Jacksonville Mayor John Delaneys Preservation Project includes the development of marked paddling trails on waterways throughout the National Park Services Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. Completion of the project is expected to establish ecotourism as an economic boon for the region. Another favorite float trip is Guana River, from the dam at Guana River State Park to the end of the peninsula. Running parallel to Florida A1A midway between Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Guana River boasts a labyrinth of tidal creeks that wind through marsh on both sides of the river. There, paddlers typically see tailing redfish, wading birds and other wildlife. Dolphin often are spotted in the main channel. For those who prefer to traipse trails, the Florida Trail (www.florida-trail.org), designated a National Scenic Trail in 1983, will when completely certified meander from the Gulf Island Seashore near Pensacola, Florida, to the Big Cypress National Preserve near Miami, Florida, and Naples, Florida. An interesting segment of the trail that cuts through portions of Northeast Florida runs for about 38 miles, from 15 miles east of Lake City, Florida on U.S. Highway 90 at the Olustee Battlefield State Historic Site to the Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center in White Springs, Florida. Thanks to the U.S. Forest Service, there are 40 small bridges and catwalks over tributary streams that hikers once had to wade. At the west end, the trail follows the Suwannee River on top of some of its steepest banks for about five miles.

Guana river
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From multimillion-dollar mansions to beachside bungalows, the architectural styles of the coastal South reflect our distinct personalities and the regions many moods. Sandblasted, wind-whipped, sun-baked and salted, homes at the waters edge oftentimes mirror our coastal environment. Architecture is, indeed, a response to locale. And the Southeasts 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 hurricane 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 did the Florida Crackers, but those homes which look

2.

A sense of style

1.

Lasting impressions

oak trees at st. simons

Like light stations, bridges, too, become part of a citys charm. St. Augustines Bridge of Lions is a national treasure. The Mediterranean-style drawbridge spans 1,500 feet of the Matanzas River with arches, tile-roofed towers and marble lion statues. The 1927 bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1997, the bridge was added to the National Trust for Historic Preservations list of Americas 11 Most Endangered Structures. Though some commuters grumble about its archaic design and traffic congestion, the bridge has plenty of supporters in the Save Our Bridge committee, which wants the bridge preserved and protected for its second century of service. As modern and clean-lined as the Bridge of Lions is old and quaint, is the Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge, popularly called the Dames Point bridge, over

Drive past them frequently, and you tend to take them for granted the landmarks and the symbols that weave lifes fabric on the Southeast coast. They tell about our distant past, our recent history, our daily experience. If they disappeared, thered be a rip in the fabric, something missing from all of us. The St. Augustine (Florida) Light, majestic in its black-and-white spiral-band tower, reaches 165 feet skyward on Anastasia Island, Florida. The Fresnel lens in the red lantern flashes every 30 seconds over St. Augustine, Salt Run and the Atlantic Ocean. The St. Augustine Light was built in 1874, but it had several predecessors, including a 16th century watchtower for pirates and other invaders. In 1824, the watchtower was fitted with a lens and became Floridas first lighthouse to safeguard navigation.

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 large rooms. The more urban Charleston Single House, on the other hand, is a single room wide, with high windows on either side of the rooms. Piazzas cover the facades, no matter how many stories the homes are. In those houses, the veranda seems to be both inside and outside, a harmony architects still strive for. Architects usually dont like to think in terms of this or that style. Thats 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.

Lifeguard station Dames point bridge

Bridge of lions

the St. Johns River in Jacksonville. The cable-stayed bridge gracefully spans two miles, arching 175 feet above the main channel. Its upright, diagonal supports look like the filled sails of a clipper ship. When it was built in 1989, it was the longest cable-stayed span in the nation and the third-longest in the world. The bridges namesake was Floridas 19th governor, a Jacksonville native known for smuggling arms to Cuban patriots fighting for independence from Spain. Some landmarks are humble in appearance, such as the American Red Cross Volunteer Life Saving Station at Jacksonville Beach, Florida. But it has a place in history as the home of the first and only volunteer ocean lifeguard organization in the United States. The lifeguard station dates to 1912, and the present white building and tower with bright red trim has been a beacon to safety since the 1940s. Another icon thats a link to Floridas recent history is the St. Johns River ferry, which takes automobiles and bicycles and their passengers across the river between Mayport village and Fort George Island, Florida. The ferry trip is a segment of the 52-mile-long Buccaneer Trail (Florida A1A) that parallels the ocean from Amelia Island to St. Augustine. A symbol of Jacksonvilles Navy community is the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy. Its hard to miss at 23 stories high and more than 1,000 feet long. The carrier came to Mayport Naval Station in 1995, replacing earlier carriers, the USS Saratoga and the USS Forrestal. Its battle group includes destroyers, frigates, cruisers and an air wing of F-14 Tomcats, FA-18 Hornets and antisubmarine warfare and surveillance aircraft. Making a lower, more stealthy profile in the water are the Trident submarines, seen on the surface coming and going through the St. Marys (Georgia) River entrance channel between Cumberland Island, Georgia, and Amelia Island, Florida. Much smaller, but more picturesque, are the shrimp trawlers that grace the skyline on the beaches and in sea-

port communities. They drag massive nets from outrigger booms to scoop up fresh shrimp. At sea, flocks of seagulls and pelicans tag along in the trawler wake, hoping for handouts when the crew separates fish from shrimp. Also plying the waters on the Southeast coast are boxy container ships, massive and stacked high with freight, including new cars for U.S. distribution. Theyre a steady, economically invigorating fleet that pulls into ports in Jacksonville, Fernandina Beach, Florida, Colonels Island in Brunswick, Georgia, and Savannah, Georgia. A prominent landmark for St. Simons Island, Georgia, is the St. Simons Light. Visitors can climb the 129 steps to the top of the working lighthouse, which is part of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society and museum. One of the coastal Souths abiding icons is the live oak, a spreading, majestic tree with a height of 60 feet and an outreach of 100 feet. Small plaques and monuments praise the largest of the trees, which have survived centuries or mark famous sites, such as the 400-year-old Treaty Oak in Jacksonville or the 900-year-old Middleton Oak near Charleston, South Carolina. Their age-old strength lives on in antebellum houses and in the underpinnings of such national heirlooms as the USS Constitution, or as lofty reminders of the remarkable beauty and timelessness of the Southern coast from Virginia to Florida. The shrimpers also are on the watch for sea turtles, which come to our shores to lay their eggs but sometimes get caught in the shrimpers nets. Sea turtles command a lot of respect at sea, where area shrimpers outfit their net rigs with turtle excluder devices that let the prehistoric creatures escape. Most boaters on our waterways have seen the manatee signs, which designate U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manatee refuges and sanctuaries. The signs regulate speed and set no wake and idle zones to protect the plant-eating, endangered mammals that winter in Florida

and Georgia waters. Researchers estimate that watercraft collisions and propeller strikes account for about 25 percent of all manatee deaths. Another coastal creature is undeniably an icon, but its not a beauty, nor is it cute. It lurks in our swamps, lakes and brackish rivers and creeks. The alligator is the official state reptile of Florida and the mascot for the University of Florida. But a potential encounter with the big lizard is not to be taken lightly. The males can reach about 15 feet in length, pack 80 teeth in their jaws and weigh up to 1,000 pounds. In drought times, they look for water, including backyard swimming pools, and shade, such as under your pickup truck. They also like small mammals, even yappy pet dogs, for a meal. And, if youre boating and spy a floating log, keep your distance, especially during nesting season in mid to late summer. Some of those logs have jaws and a testy disposition.

St. Augustine alligator farm

Big Party? We Can Help!

Social Events Private Affairs Party Planning Event Planning Home Entertaining
Come see our extensive collection of traditional and contemporary rugs with an emphasis on todays colors and designs. Something for Everyone Even Yourself
Jewelry Giftware Baby Goods Estate Jewelry

SALES CLEANING RESTORATION APPRAISALS 7999 Philips Highway Suite 307

202 Centre Street Fernandina Beach, Florida 904.277.4880

Full-service coordination for worry-free parties

F C E P
Entertaining Jacksonville, One Event at a Time

904.730.2121
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2002

(904) 739-2044
firstcoasteventsplanners.com

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MAMMA MIA!
Favorite Italian Restaurant Benitos Pizza & Pastabilities 180 Vilano Road Vilano Beach, Florida (904) 827-1000

Shrimply the best

From food to fashion, here are more reasons to covet our coast.

Favorite Fish Camp Restaurant Clarks Fish Camp 12903 Hood Landing Road Jacksonville (904) 268-3474

FISHY BUSINESS
Favorite Seafood Market The Seafood Gourmet 5043 San Jose Blvd. Jacksonville (904) 730-0077

THAI FOR TWO

Favorite Thai Restaurant Old Siam 1716 N. Third St. Jacksonville Beach, Florida (904) 247-7763

SEAFOOD
JUST FOR THE HALIBUT
Favorite Seafood Restaurant Marker 32 14549 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville (904) 223-1534

205 Anastasia Blvd. St. Augustine, Florida (904) 829-6974

HALF-SHELL HAVEN
Favorite Oyster Bar The Moon Grille & Oyster Bar 1396 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville Beach, Florida (904) 241-1894

TO DINE FOR
PIECE DE RESISTANCE
Favorite Overall Fine Dining Restaurant Matthews 2107 Hendricks Ave. Jacksonville (904) 396-9922

SAKI TO ME
Favorite Japanese Restaurant KoKos 1560-14 Business Center Drive Orange Park, Florida (904) 264-5700

INCREDIBLE CRUSTACEANS
Favorite Fried Shrimp Dinner OSteens 205 Anastasia Blvd. St. Augustine, Florida (904) 829-6974

WOK, WOK. WHOS THERE?

Favorite Chinese Takeout Hot Wok (4 locations) 7628 103rd St. Jacksonville (904) 778-9898 14333 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville (904) 223-3738 1014-7B Margaret St. Jacksonville (904) 339-0888 2151 Loch Rane Orange Park, Florida (904) 298-8080

CREATIVE LOAFING
Favorite Fish Sandwich Chowder Teds 5215 Heckscher Drive Jacksonville (904) 714-6900

NOVEL NOUVELLE
Favorite Cutting Edge Restaurant LOrient Chez Guy 1540 Atlantic Blvd. Jacksonville (904) 348-2440

BETTER THAN BALTIMORE

Favorite Crab Cakes Dwights Mediterranean Style Bistro 1527 Penman Road Jacksonville Beach, Florida (904) 241-4496

TASTES LIKE CHICKEN

Favorite Fried Gator Tail Caps Seafood Restaurant 4325 Myrtle St. (off A1A) Vilano Beach, Florida (904) 824-8794

PARISIAN PERFECTION
Favorite French Restaurant JJs Cuisine and Wine (The Shoppes at Ponte Vedra) 330 A1A N. Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (904) 273-7980

MAKE MINE MINORCAN

Favorite Minorcan Chowder OSteens

The Finishing Touch

Your Store for Personalized Decor and Kitchenware, Home Accessories and Fine Antiques
626 12 S. 8th St.-Corner of South 8th & Gum St.

Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034

904.491.1231

RayWare Hardware has exactly what you have been looking for. Not only do we have thousands of knobs and pulls in every shape, size and finish, but here youll find the entire collection from Baldwin locksets, latchsets, bath accessories, home decor and exterior lighting. The Lifetime FinishTM of Baldwin brass is guaranteed to remain tarnish free for a lifetime. RayWare Hardware offering the largest selection of fine home hardware in Northeast Florida.

100-foot gaff-rigged 1840s replica

2 hour day time and sunset cruises for schedule and rates Downtown Fernandina City Marina
Available for private charters

904-321-1244

Established 1939

Contact us for a brochure and product information. 4048 Herschel St. Jacksonville, FL 904-389-6659 Mon - Fri, 8 - 5 886 A1A Blvd. N., Suite 3 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 904-273-4181 Mon - Fri, 10 - 4 www.rayware.com 1-800-344-9273 Saturdays by appointment
Cabinet Hardware Door Hardware Bathroom Accessories Exterior Lighting Metal Doors

V OYA G E R V E N T U R E S

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SOUTH OF THE BORDER

Favorite Mexican Restaurant Castillo de Mexico (2 locations) 12620-19 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville (904) 998-7006 1222 S. Third St. Jacksonville Beach, Florida (904) 339-0007

LUCK OF THE IRISH

Favorite Irish Pub Lynchs 514 N. First St. Jacksonville Beach, Florida (904) 249-5181

A SHORE THING
Favorite Restaurant With an Ocean View The Grill The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island 4750 Amelia Island Pkwy. Amelia Island, Florida (904) 277-1100

A1A and Intracoastal Waterway Fernandina Beach, Florida (904) 261-1001

APHRODITE APPETITE
Favorite Romantic Restaurant Restaurant Medure 818 A1A N. Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (904) 543-3797

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST
Favorite Southwestern Fare The Mossfire Grill 1537 Margaret St. Jacksonville (904) 355-4434

A RIVER RUNS BAYOU

Favorite Restaurant With a River View Barbara Jeans 15 S. Roscoe Blvd. Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (904) 280-7522

HAVN A HEAT WAVE

Favorite Cuban Restaurant Habana Village Cafe 1 King St. (Inside A1A Ale Works building) St. Augustine, Florida (904) 827-1700

LETS DO BRUNCH
Favorite Sunday Brunch Cortesses Bistro & Flamingo Room 17212 San Marco Ave. St. Augustine, Florida (904) 825-6775

MANGO MADNESS
Favorite Floribbean Restaurant Plantains (Sea Turtle Inn) 1 Ocean Blvd. Atlantic Beach, Florida (904) 249-1037

HIT THE DECK

Favorite Deckside Dining Down Under Restaurant

LOTSA RASTA
Favorite Caribbean Restaurant De Real Ting Cafe 128 W. Adams St. Jacksonville (904) 633-9738

CELERYBRATE
Favorite Vegetarian Restaurant Heartworks Cafe 820 Lomax St. Jacksonville (904) 355-6210

FIT FOR A MAHARAJA

Favorite Indian Restaurant Indias 9802-8 Baymeadows Road Jacksonville (904) 620-0777

PRIME TIME
Favorite Steakhouse Ruths Chris Steak House (2 locations) 1201 River Place Blvd. Jacksonville (904) 396-6200 814 A1A N. Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (904) 285-0014

MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS

Favorite Middle Eastern Restaurant The Casbah Cafe 3628 St. Johns Ave. Jacksonville (904) 981-9966

Barbara jeans

C O L U M N S M A N T E L S B A L U S T R A D I N G F O U N TA I N S COPING WINDOW SILLS DOOR SURROUNDS

I N T E R I O R D E S I G N

See us for your complete interior design services.

ARCHITECTURAL CAST STONE

GALLERY & SHOWROOM

Featuring a unique collection of international fine furnishings, antiques, reproductions, gifts & more. 7999-206 Philips Hwy., #206 (in Scan Design shopping center) Jacksonville, FL 32256 (904) 739-6655

The Fully-Upholstered Cricket Club Chair

Available through Bauer dealers and at Vibha Hutchins Design

HAND-CRAFTED MANTELS
CHILDRENS APPAREL
Infants Toddlers Girls 4-6x 7-16 Preteens

CLASSICALLY STYLED, LO C A L LY CR A F T E D .
123 Wamsley Road Jacksonville, Florida 32254 904-378-5525 www.tabbystone.com
CARRIE CARDIGAN in HARVEST PINK, GIRLS TURTLENECK in LEAF ME ALONE and CAITLIN JUMPER in NUTS.

ACCESSORIES GIFTS DANCEWEAR

Shops of Avondale 3567 St. Johns Avenue Jacksonville, Florida 32205 (904) 384-3664

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IBC0000750

Visit our web sites at www.neweastindiaco.com or www.vibhahutchins.com

Jacksonville (904) 353-6388

1721 University Blvd. N. Jacksonville (904) 743-1844

PITA PARTY
Favorite Taboulleh Rider Goal Post Sandwich Shop 3984 Herschel St. Jacksonville (904) 384-9262

FUNNY, YOU DONT LOOK JEWISH

Favorite Bagels The Healthy Bagel Company 1500 University Blvd. W. Jacksonville (904) 730-3322

DELI DELIGHTS
Favorite Delicatessen Publix Super Markets Located throughout Jacksonville and the surrounding areas

THIS BREWS FOR YOU

Favorite Brew Pub Ragtime Taproom & Seafood Grill 207 Atlantic Blvd. Atlantic Beach, Florida (904) 241-7877

DESSERT ISLAND

Moon river pizza

SALAD DAYS
Favorite Salads Bistro Aix 1440 San Marco Blvd. Jacksonville (904) 398-1949 (Inside the Exxon station) 202 S. Eighth St. Fernandina Beach, Florida (904) 261-6310

Favorite Desserts bbs 1019 Hendricks Ave. Jacksonville (904) 306-0100 Biscottis 3556 St. Johns Ave. Jacksonville (904) 387-2060

CENTRAL PERK
Favorite Coffee Shop Daily Grind 332 S. Second St. Jacksonville Beach, Florida (904) 247-9554

PIZZA WITH PIZAZZ

Favorite Pizza Moon River Pizza 925 S. 14th St. Fernandina Beach, Florida (904) 321-3400

UPPER CRUST
Favorite Breadery The French Pantry 6301 Powers Ave. Jacksonville (904) 730-8696

FINE WINE
Favorite Wine Selection The Wine Warehouse (2 locations) 645 Atlantic Blvd. Atlantic Beach, Florida (904) 246-6450 1188 S. Edgewood Ave. Jacksonville (904) 389-9997

TASTES LIKE GATOR

Favorite Fried Chicken Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken & Biscuits Located throughout Jacksonville and the surrounding areas

RIBBIT ITS A GRILL!

Favorite Burgers T-Rays Burger Station Favorite Ribs Jenkins Quality Bar-B-Que 830 Pearl St.

THE HOLE THING

Favorite Doughnuts The Donut Shoppe

Simply Irresistible!

Piling Pizzas High Since 1996. 2000 & 2001 Waters Edge Editors Choice for Best Pizza Restaurant

EX OFFICIO

925 s. 14th street fernandina beach, florida 904-321-3400

JACKSONVILLE

10051 SKINNER LAKE DR.

corner Butler Blvd. and Gate Pkwy.

(904) 645-7003
www.blackcreekoutfitters.com YOUR HEADQUARTERS FOR TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE

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MORE FAVORITES
AHOY THERE!
Favorite Nautical Notions Pier 17 4619 Roosevelt Blvd. Jacksonville (904) 387-4669

THE SHOE THING

Favorite Footwear Carla Shoes & Accessories (2 locations) 9978 Baymeadows Road Jacksonville (904) 641-8447 330 A1A N. Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (904) 543-1566

BEACH BUGGY
Favorite Coastal Car Woody version of Chryslers PT Cruiser

(912) 635-2600 or 1-800-535-9547

GREENERY FOR YOUR SCENERY

Favorite Garden Center Plant Ranch Nursery 14108 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville (904) 223-4546

THE SPA WHO LOVES ME

Favorite Spa The Sea Island Spa The Cloister Sea Island, Georgia 1-800-732-4752

BOARDROOM
Favorite Surf Shop The Surf Station 1020 Anastasia Blvd. St. Augustine, Florida (800) 471-9463

GO PLAY OUTSIDE
Favorite Outdoor Outfitter Black Creek Outfitters 10051 Skinner Lake Drive Jacksonville (904) 645-7003

SWEAT SHOP ROMANCE ON THE RISE

Favorite Romantic Getaway Jekyll Island Club Hotel 371 Riverview Drive Jekyll Island, Georgia Favorite Fitness Center Claude J. Yates YMCA 221 Riverside Ave. Jacksonville (904) 355-1436

GUYS TIES
Favorite Mens Clothing Store Karls Clothiers (2 locations) 3579 St. Johns Ave. Jacksonville (904) 389-1900 240 A1A N. Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (904) 280-1345

LET THE RIVER RUN

Favorite Running Event Gate River Run (904) 731-3676 www1stplacesports.com

FILM PHANTOM
Favorite Movie Monster Underwater gill-man in Revenge of the Creature Portions of the 50s flick were filmed in North Florida, including scenes at the Lobster House, which was at the foot of the old Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, and Marineland, south of St. Augustine, Florida.

WONDERFUL WRAPS
Favorite Womens Clothing Store Krista Eberle (2 locations) 2020 San Marco Blvd. Jacksonville (904) 396-2711 240 A1A N. Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (904) 280-6944

Gate river run

Where Excellence is Raised to a New Standard

WINGING IT
Favorite First Coast Resident Brown Pelican

I see life, I hear colors, I feel music... I enjoy it all.

r AM You

ELIA ISLAND A gen t

Contemporary French Cuisine

Anita Cooper Cares

about your real estate needs.
(904) 261-5571, ext.22 (800) 940-8951, ext.22
CENTURY 21 John T. Ferreira & Son 500 Centre St. Amelia Island, FL www.anitacooper.com AVL Jacksonville Installation

E MILY H ELMLY LAMONT

one of a kind creations considered more works of art than simple cabinetry. We are extremely sensitive to the leading role that media and entertainment centers play in todays home. In addition to aesthetic beauty and interior design integration, good design with the systems performance in mind, is a key element to well built and user friendly furniture crafted specifically for each customers lifestyle.
Realtor

From rich and luxurious room designs, to high-tech contemporary themes, Audio Video Lifestyles has the knowledge and the experience to make your dream system a reality. Our expertise in the installation of sophisticated audio and video systems provides an excellent background to design furniture specifically for home theaters and media rooms. We partner with top cabinet artisans and home builders in the production of
Official home theater provider of the 2002 Symphony Showhouse.

Recipient of the 2001 DiRoNa Award and the 2001 Wine Spectator Award

Audio Video Lifestyles

home theater and audio systems
Please call 904.733.2856 for a private appointment 7999-211 phillips highway, jacksonville florida 32256

Open for Dinner Seven Days a Week at 5 Brunch from 11-3 Saturday & Sunday

Visit us on-line at www.audiovideolifestyles.com

904.829.0055
60 Hypolita Street, St. Augustine
www.laparisienne.net

Giving you the attention you deserve.

(904) 886-1246
emilylamont@watson-realty.com

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