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Ours is a region blessed with a bounty of beaches from untamed barrier islands to oceanfront strands flankedby arcades. Especially inviting are the miles of undeveoped beachfront still remaining along our Southeasterncoast. Just to the south of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

where multimillion-dollar mansions rub shoulders with theshore, the undeveloped beachfront at Guana River StatePark offers the same view and the best of beachsideamenities (sun, sand and surf), without a million-dollarmortgage.

A bit farther south in historic St. Augustine, Florida,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 alagoon provide birders with ample opportunities to observeresident populations of pelicans, gulls, terns, sandpipersand wading birds.

Swing around and take flight on a pelican path, gliding north to JacksonvillesHanna Park , with its backdroof high dunes, sea oats and ancient maritime forest.Comfortable campsites including four newly completecabins invite beachseekers to stick around and enjoyNortheast Florida at its beachy best.

A short hop over the St. Johns River jetties takes yopast Huguenot Park where four-wheelers and pickupsprowl the wide, hard-packed sands and on to LittlTalbot Island State Park . There, five miles of unspoileuncrowded beach awaits. Right next door is Big TalboIsland State Park . Park under live oaks and take a shor

walk down a wide path to the edge of the 15-foot-highbluffs on Nassau Sound. Head down the steps and youreon the beach. Lured here by sun, surf and shells, mostbeachcombers would never imagine theyre treading overremnants of our last ice age. The area harbors the remainsof such prehistoric creatures as mastodons, giant groundsloths, ancient whales, sharks, jaguars and armadillos.

Leaving Big Talbot Island, Florida, A1A crosses Nassau Sound bridge to Amelia Island, Florida, where string of resort properties has turned the island into afavorite hideaway for the hurried and hassled. Just downthe road is American Beach , a historically black beaccommunity, which, in recent years, has been at the centerof a heated duel between preservationists and developers.

Resort development has bypassed Georgias Cumberland Island , thanks to decades of steadfast resistance bythe islands handful of private landowners and designationas a national seashore in 1972. Though landowners and theNational Park Service have often been at odds primarilyover ownership rights and public access both have man-aged to fend off developers, who fancied Cumberland asanother Hilton Head, South Carolina.

From the Harbor Marina at Fernandina Beach, Floridguests and daytrippers to Cumberlands historic GreyfielInn can catch the inns private launch, Lucy Fergusonthough most visitors to the island opt for the 45-minuteferry trip from the National Park Services dock at SMarys, Georgia.

When it comes to our coast, how do we love thee? Let us count the waves.

10.

The 2002 EditorsChoice Awards

10 reasons to covet our coastBY THE EDITORS OF WATERS EDGE MAGAZINE P HOTOGRAPHY BY ED HALL

For some, its the beach. Others are drawn by the lure of the links, winding waterways or pathways to the past. Theappeal is real, and for those of us fortunate enough to call this place home, sharing a slice of our coastal pie is theleast 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 spelland capture the imaginations of those who come here. Many stay; others vow to return, and do.

Heres why:

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oastalcountdown

Beautifulbeaches

Big talbot island state park

Cumberland island

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Here on the waters edge, we dont always walk thesame paths, but our surrounding waters the ocean,rivers, tidal creeks and marshes create a geographicalbond that we in this region feel and understand.

The Atlantic Ocean is the highway of explorationand commerce that brought the first Europeans to our

shores. But that splendid sea carver of coastlines andconnector of continents in many minds plays secondfiddle to the magnificent St. Johns River , the waterway responsible for opening Floridas interior and designat-ed a National Heritage River in 2000.

In his highly acclaimed book, River of Lakes: A Jour- ney on Floridas St. Johns R iver (University of GeorgiaPress, 2000), author Bill Belleville calls the St. Johns ariver of infinite potential, a place to indulge myths, toevoke shards of timeless magic, to search for the natur-al realities that are sublime instead of merely virtualand safe.

At 310 miles long, the St. Johns is the longest river

wholly within Florida. It is also one of the few rivers thatflows north. Early promoters of the river capitalized onthis, dubbing it the Nile of America.

Twenty bridges and three ferries span the St. Johns,lending to its image of accessibility. Though the river remainsa 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 riverbecame the domain of boaters, anglers and others seekingrelease on the river. That distinction remains and, in fact, con-tinues to expand.

Perhaps nowhere is the rivers impact felt as much asin Jacksonville, where Mayor John Delaney delights inleading excursions on the St. Johns and its tributaries

waterways he often uses to showcase his city and sur-roundings. The river affords an unobstructed view of All-tel Stadium, the port, a rebounding downtown, as wellas the culturally rich and diverse neighborhoods of Avon-dale, 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 water-

ways. Some $25 million in improvements is planned forthe National Park Services Timucuan Ecological and His-toric Preserve, which will feature paddling trails and dock-ing facilities. An additional $20 million will be spent for

water quality improvements, including $5 million for therestoration of Mill Cove in Jacksonvilles Arlington area.Mill Cove, a part of the St. Johns River, was once a bounti-ful fishing area, noted for record tarpon and attractingsuch fishing notables as writer and outdoorsman ErnestHemingway 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 nodoubt our greatest natural, recreational and economicresource.

From St. Augustine, Florida, to Savannah, Georgia, thereare sturdy fortresses with cannon mounts, watch towersand moats to repel invaders, and settlements and smallerforts lost to time or covered by shifting sands and seas.

Visiting our regions historic sites some ghostly silent,others gregarious with tourists and interpreters makesreal the early struggle for supremacy by the sea.

Among the earliest New World adventurers to theSoutheast 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 deLeon had claimed Florida for Spain about 50 years earlier.When the French returned to the St. Johns River with 200settlers and soldiers and built Fort de la Caroline , Spanishsoldiers, based 40 miles south in St. Augustine, overranthe settlement and killed most of the defenders.

The Fort Caroline National Memorial exhibits anearly full-scale rendering of the French fort and tells thestory of the failed colony.

But destroying the French community didnt assurepeace to the Spanish. British colonization of Georgia and the Carolinas, a short sail tothe north, prompted Spain to build theCastillo de San Marcos in 1672 to protectSt. Augustine.

In 1742, Spain also built a watchtowerfortress, Fort Matanzas , 14 miles south of St. Augustine on the Matanzas River. FortMatanzas and the Castillo, both NationalPark Service sites, are remarkably intact formodern-day invaders to explore.

Sixteen miles east of Jacksonville is FortGeorge Island, where the British construct-ed a fort in 1736. Though researchers arentcertain exactly where the waterfront fort

was built, visitors to the islands Kingsley Plantation , which dates to 1813, can tourthe plantation house of Zephaniah Kingsley and his wife, Anna Jai, whom he purchased

9. Waterways

8. History

St. Johns river

Mayport ferry

Kingsley plantation


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Need an escape from the workaday world? Our littlepiece of the coastal South offers great getaways withresorts and accommodations catering to even the mostdiscerning traveler.

Amid the natural beauty of Amelia Island on North-east Floridas scenic coast stands The Ritz-Carlton,Amelia Island , a resort whose impeccable five-diamondservice, relaxed elegance and pampering staff are as dis-tinctive as the island itself. Just down the beach is AmeliaIsland Plantation , a complete island resort in perfectharmony with nature. The 1,350-acre property overlooksthe Atlantic on the east and salt marshes and the Intra-coastal Waterway on the west.

Hop aboard the private launch Lucy Ferguson at theHarbor Marina in Fernandina Beach, Florida, and be trans-ported to another era at the Greyfield Inn on GeorgiasCumberland Island. Once a Carnegie family retreat, thegraceful mansion and grounds provide a 200-acre refugeof 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 atLittle St. Simons Island (Georgia), where nature is thestar attraction and guests can lose themselves amid thebeauty of the 10,000-acre private paradise.

Seven miles of deserted, undeveloped beach, extra-ordinary regional cuisine and five charming cottages

with 13 gracious guest rooms await no more than 30guests a day.

Legendary pleasures and gracious service awaitguests at The Cloister , an exclusive seaside enclave atanother Georgia gem, Sea Island.

Golf reigns supreme at The Cloister, with 54 holesshaped by some of the greatest architects the game has

known. And theres no shortage of non-golf activitieeither. The Beach Club is an oceanside haven for beachlovers, while the Sea Island Spa has been heralded bynumerous publications including Travel & Leisureanthe Robb Report as the nations finest spa facility.

The Jekyll Island (Georgia) Club Hotel was oncthe playground of Americas elite. Names such as Vanderbilt, Pulitzer, Rockefeller and Morgan are sprinklethroughout the hotels guest register. Guests can enjoythe same unique combination of the resorts naturalbeauty and elegant architecture, private amenities andpersonal service that have been trademarks of the hotelfor more than a century. Grand dining, championshipgolf, tennis and croquet await guests, as does the JekylIsland Historic District, the largest restoration project the Southeast.

Another of Americas historic hotels awaits guests iSt. Augustine, Florida, Americas oldest city. Built in 18and restored in 2000, the Casa Monica Hotel is a charming mixture of Spanish architecture and first-class servicListed on the National Register of Historic Places anrecipient of the AAA Four-Diamond Award, the hotel once again a landmark in the heart of St. Augustine.

Stretched along the Atlantic, midway between StAugustine and Jacksonville, are two luxury resorts only miles apart but each boasting its own individual andunique style The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club and ThLodge & Club.

The resort life at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, dates t1928 and the celebrated opening of the newest play-ground for the well-heeled, the Ponte Vedra Inn & ClubFrom the boardrooms of Wall Street and the social regis-ters of America, word spread quickly of the charminseaside retreat on Florida's northeast shore. The quaintinn attracted affluent guests from throughout the Eastand Midwest. This heritage continues today.

as a slave and freed. Theres also a kitchen house, barnand the ruins of about 25 of the original slave cabins.

A few miles north is Amelia Island, Florida, whereFortClinch has overlooked the mouth of the St. Marys River,the ocean and the south end of Georgias CumberlandIsland since the fort walls began going up in 1847. Onceused for coastal defense, the forts towering brick walls atFort 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 fromKings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia.

By boat, the trip from the fort to Cumberland Islandtakes only minutes. Visitors to Cumberland IslandNational Seashore , via the National Park Service ferry from St. Marys, Georgia, usually take a walking tour to theruins of Dungeness, a grand mansion built in 1885 by Lucy Coleman Carnegie, sister-in-law of industrialistAndrew Carnegie.

Farther north on the Georgia coast is St. Simons Islandand Fort Frederica , another British fort built by Oglethor-pe in 1736 on the island. The settlements history is retoldat Fort Frederica National Monument .

A few miles north of St. Simons Island is the British-built Fort King George , Georgias first colonial garrison.

This stronghold at Darien, at the mouth of the AltamahaRiver, 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 itstype, commands the approach to the Savannah River atCockspur Island and was built between 1829 and 1847

with solid brick walls nearly 8 feet thick. About 200 fortslike Pulaski were envisioned in the early 1800s to guardthe Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Only 30 were built becausethe rifled cannon proved the design obsolete.

7. Great escapes

greyfield inn

Casa monica hotelcumberland island

Castillo de san Marcos



From rustic fish camps to haute cuisine, theres noshortage of dining options when it comes to coastal flavor.Whether its fried shrimp or foie gras, crab cakes orchanterelles, a cold Bud or a chardonnay, the choicesmake for a grand mlange of menus. But, when it comesto a true taste of the region, few foods say it better thanthese five coastal classics:

Fried Shrimp Theres nothing better than a plateful of freshly caught

shrimp eaten in sight of the shrimp boats that brought emin. Butterflied, dredged in meal and deep fried in peanutoil, theres no pretense to those little beauties just a littlebit of crunch and a whole lot of savory succulence thatbrings the taste of the sea to the table. So good, in fact,that cocktail sauce or tartar sauce is an afterthought.

Datil PeppersA pinch of datil pepper is all it

takes to ignite the senses and create apairing of pleasure and pain. Though ithas remained an obscure footnote inpepper parlance around the world,

the green-gold pod is a gastronomicicon in St. Augustine, Florida, andnearby Anastasia Island. Its anessential ingredient in the areas sig-nature dishes Minorcan-inspiredchowders, pilaus, seafoods andsauces all highly seasoned withthyme, tomatoes, onions and fiery datil peppers.

Dozens of hometown festivals favor the Southeastcoast with seafood, parades, sports tournaments, con-

certs and art shows that help us get to know ourneighbors. Often its ordinary folks members of ser-

vice clubs, community and church groups andindividual volunteers who work long hours oversteaming vats of crawfish, pots of boiling crab anddeep fryers bubbling with golden shrimp and catfish.

Tens of thousands come because they delight inthe sweet-talking Southern coastal celebrations whereno one is a stranger.

Here are a few of the events that are signatureSouthern for the coast:

St. Augustine celebrates its Florida heritage andSpanish roots with an Easter Festival thats beenobserved for 45 years. The two-week event begins witha mass at the Cathedral Basilica on Palm Sunday and aprocession led by the bishop to the city marina for ablessing of the fleet.

When youre on the coast, theres nothing like sun,salt air, ocean waves and bluesy music in April. And allof it is free for the enjoyment at Georges MusicSpringing 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 hasbeen 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 theStephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in WhiteSprings. Held the last weekend in May, the heritage fes-tival attracts 30,000 who come to see 600 performersand artists from numerous ethnic groups that settled inFlorida. Multiple stages offer 200 concerts a day.

Also on Memorial Day weekend (Saturday morningto Monday night), the crab is king in Palatka, Florida, atthe Palatka Blue Crab Festival , in its 14th year.

For swashbuckler sightings, try the Isle of EightFlags Shrimp Festival in downtown FernandinaBeach, Florida.

The first weekend in October attracts thousands tothe St. Marys (Georgia) Rock Shrimp Festival on theSt. Marys River. Kiwanis Club members cook about 800

Minorcan Chowder Theres a subtle difference between St. Augustines

signature red chowder and the one Manhattanites calltheir own the addition of the not-so-subtle datil pep-per, a combustible culinary contribution of the ancientcitys Minorcan settlers. One taste with a dash of datil and youll never forget this chunky chowder.

Soft-Shell CrabMore than just a not-so-pretty face, with soft-

shell crabs, diners get a bonus claws, legs andeverything in between. The whole enchilada, so tospeak. Dusted in flour and sauteed whole, thosecrispy, clawed crustaceans beg to be bitten. Theyresomething of a culinary cause celebre. You eitherlove em or hate em.

Smoked Fish DipSo 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. Mul-let, 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, brimmingbowlfuls of the delectable dips beckon, waiting to bescraped clean by folks waiting for orders of fried shrimpor oysters. Grab a cold Bud, sit yourself down, andenjoy the wait.

6. Good eats 5. Happenings

Fried shrimp

Smoked fish dip

Minorcan chowder

Soft-shell crab

Blessing of thefleet festival

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Aside from our beaches and waterways, perhaps noother attraction draws more visitors to this region orkeeps locals preoccupied than golf. No fewer than 90courses feed the need of those gung-ho golfaholics whocast our coast as a golfers Promised Land.

From The Players Championship at Sawgrass in

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, which boasts the best fieldand biggest purse in professional golf, to the World Golf Village at St. Augustine, Florida, golf impacts not only themood, mind-set and economy of the area, but alsoreveals 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 holesthat showcase some of our regions most beautiful vistas:

Long Point, Amelia Island PlantationAmelia Island, Florida

Long Point is a mixture of marsh, thick stands of oak and pine and ocean. Several holes run parallel to theocean, but the favorite for a coastal view is the 15thgreen, which has golfers hitting toward the ocean.

Ocean Hammock Golf ClubPalm Coast, Florida

The course has six holes along the ocean, includingthe 17th green, which runs mostly east with a view of the ocean and a lake.

Ocean Links, Amelia Island PlantationAmelia Island, Florida

Winding along a coastal Atlantic dune ridge, OceanLinks has five tees on the oceanfront. A favorite is the16th tee, which is parallel to the ocean.

The Ponte Vedra Inn & ClubPonte Vedra Beach, FloridaFour tees on the ocean course have ocean views, but thebest is from the 18th tee.

Queens Harbour Yacht and Country Club Jacksonville

The 13th green looks east-northeast over a field osawgrass, the Intracoastal Waterway and wildlife. Bupart of the horizon is changing with the construction othe Wonderwood Expressway. The 18th green givegolfers a view to the east-southeast toward the harbor inthe golf course community, where boats are moored

beside some impressive homes.

The Golf Club at North HamptonFernandina Beach, Florida

A 40-foot elevation on the 17th tee overlooks wildmarsh and Lofton Creek, with Jacksonville in the distanc

Osprey Cove Golf ClubSt. Marys, Georgia

The best view is the 15th green, which runs paralleto the marsh and a creek that flows into the St. MarysRiver. In the distance are the high, sandy bluffs of Florid

Sea Island Golf ClubSea Island, Georgia

The 10th tee on the Plantation Course offers apanoramic view of the ocean, Jekyll Island and the newSidney Lanier Bridge.

pounds of rock shrimp for the seafood dinners. Thereare arts and crafts along the riverfront, a fine arts exhibitin the city's welcome center at Orange Hall, family games and an outdoor concert.

In neighboring Kingsland, Georgia, theres the 20- year-old Kingsland Catfish Festival , held on Labor Day weekend (Saturday through Monday). And ruralWoodbine, 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 Festivalthe first weekend in April. Theres a Fishermens PrayerService 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 theSt. Patricks Day Parade on March 17. The celebrantsstart a few days early, though, crowding onto River Streetfor live entertainment and at other sites for pre-paradepartying. About 300,000 people come to town for thefestivities.

4. Lure of the links

Oak marsh at long point

Osprey cove

Isle of eight flagsshrimp festival

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Blue crab festival R Y A N

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Considered by seasoned travelers as one of themost scenic drives in the coastal South, the BuccaneerTrail along Florida A1A is a great place to unwindbehind the wheel and its just minutes away fromdowntown Jacksonville. Perhaps the best part of the

entire trail is the 20-mile stretch between Fort GeorgeIsland and Fernandina Beach. The well-maintained, two-lane highway hugs the

edge of the maritime forests, salt marshes and tidalcreeks that characterize our Southern shores. To reachthis stretch of the Buccaneer Trail, simply take HeckscherDrive out of Jacksonville, following the signs to AmeliaIsland, Florida, and Fernandina Beach, Florida. Or, if

you want to approach by water, catch the ferry in May-port, Florida, for a quick trip across the river. Roll off the ferry, hang a right, and youre off on whats sure tobe a frequent road trip.

If two wheels are more to your liking, get rolling onportions of the Rails-to-Trails bike corridor (www.rail-trails.org). There are 35 trails traversing 365 miles, withmany more miles being planned. The trails, built on thebeds of abandoned train tracks, provide places forcyclists, hikers, walkers, runners, inline skaters and physi-cally challenged individuals to exercise and experiencethe many natural and cultural wonders.

One Florida trail thats literally for the birds is theGreatFlorida Birding Trail (www.floridabirdingtrail.com), a col-lection of sites throughout the state selected for theirexcellent birdwatching opportunities. The Great FloridaBirding Trail combines special highway signs identifyingsites with detailed maps showcasing the wonderful bird-ing opportunities in Florida. Birders exploring the EastFlorida Bird Trail can pick up a commemorative trail mapat area nature centers, state parks or tourist developmentcouncils, or simply download maps from the Web sitelisted 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 favoritesinclude Simpsons Creek on Big Talbot Island and theFort George River to Kingsley Plantation. New to the listis 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. Anew city park featuring a kayak and canoe launch makes Thomas Creek easily accessible.

Part of Jacksonville Mayor John Delaneys Preserva-tion Project includes the development of marked pad-dling trails on waterways throughout the National Park Services Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.Completion of the project is expected to establish eco-tourism as an economic boon for the region.

Another favorite float trip is Guana River , from thedam at Guana River State Park to the end of the penin-sula. Running parallel to Florida A1A midway between

Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Guana River boasts alabyrinth of tidal creeks that wind through marsh onboth sides of the river. There, paddlers typically see tail-ing redfish, wading birds and other wildlife. Dolphinoften are spotted in the main channel.

For those who prefer to traipse trails, the Florida Trail(www.florida-trail.org), designated a National Scenic Trailin 1983, will when completely certified meanderfrom the Gulf Island Seashore near Pensacola, Florida, tothe Big Cypress National Preserve near Miami, Florida,and Naples, Florida.

An interesting segment of the trail that cuts throughportions 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 theStephen Foster State Folk Culture Center in WhiteSprings, Florida. Thanks to the U.S. Forest Service, thereare 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.

From multimillion-dollar mansions to beachside bun-galows, the architectural styles of the coastal South reflectour distinct personalities and the regions many moods.Sandblasted, wind-whipped, sun-baked and salted,homes at the waters edge oftentimes mirror our coastalenvironment.

Architecture is, indeed, a response to locale. And theSoutheasts Atlantic coast is a region that places extremedemands 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, whileits 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 theAtlantic Ocean have led to distinctive styles of homes. In themuggy high temperatures of the coastal South, pioneersdeveloped the Cracker Style cabin. The early residents of Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia,thought a bit more about architectural philosophies thandid the Florida Crackers, but those homes which look

3. Happy trails

2. A senseof style

Guana river


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Drive past them frequently, and you tend to takethem for granted the landmarks and the symbols that

weave lifes fabric on the Southeast coast. They tellabout 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 itsblack-and-white spiral-band tower, reaches 165 feetskyward on Anastasia Island, Florida. The Fresnel lens inthe red lantern flashes every 30 seconds over St. Augus-tine, Salt Run and the Atlantic Ocean. The St. AugustineLight was built in 1874, but it had several predecessors,including a 16th century watchtower for pirates andother invaders. In 1824, the watchtower was fitted witha lens and became Floridas first lighthouse to safe-guard navigation.

Like light stations, bridges, too, become part of acitys charm.

St. AugustinesBridge of Lions is a national trea-sure. The Mediterranean-style drawbridge spans 1,500feet of the Matanzas River with arches, tile-roofed towers and marble lion statues. The 1927 bridge is on theNational Register of Historic Places. In 1997, the bridg

was added to the National Trust for Historic Preservations list of Americas 11 Most Endangered Structures.

Though some commuters grumble about itsarchaic design and traffic congestion, the bridge hasplenty of supporters in the Save Our Bridge committee,

which wants the bridge preserved and protected for itssecond century of service.

As modern and clean-lined as the Bridge of Lionsis old and quaint, is the Napoleon Bonaparte BrowardBridge, popularly called the Dames Point bridge, over

almost more porch than house have been dubbedeverything from Low Country and Charleston Style toCharleston Single House .

The vernacular or Cracker Style home was usually logand had at least one porch and a breezeway linking twolarge 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 thefacades, no matter how many stories the homes are. Inthose houses, the veranda seems to be both inside andoutside, a harmony architects still strive for.

Architects usually dont like to think in terms of thisor that style. Thats for historians. Yet we have enoughhistory to look at the styles that were born here on ourcoast, as well as blending with those styles imported andthose adapted.

On our shores mingle bungalows , turreted QueenAnnes , Neoclassical columns , Mediterranean villas andshingled beach houses . Each responds differently to the

ancient call of the sun and tide.

1.Lasting

impressions

Lifeguard station

Dames point bridge

oak trees at st. simons

Bridge of lions



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the St. Johns River in Jacksonville. The cable-stayed bridge gracefully spans two miles,

arching 175 feet above the main channel. Its upright, diago-nal supports look like the filled sails of a clipper ship. Whenit was built in 1989, it was the longest cable-stayed span inthe nation and the third-longest in the world.

The bridges namesake was Floridas 19th governor, a Jacksonville native known for smuggling arms to Cubanpatriots fighting for independence from Spain.

Some landmarks are humble in appearance, such asthe 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 lifeguardorganization in the United States. The lifeguard station datesto 1912, and the present white building and tower withbright red trim has been a beacon to safety since the 1940s.

Another icon thats a link to Floridas recent history isthe St. Johns River ferry , which takes automobiles and bicy-cles and their passengers across the river between Mayport

village and Fort George Island, Florida. The ferry trip is a seg-ment of the 52-mile-long Buccaneer Trail (Florida A1A) thatparallels the ocean from Amelia Island to St. Augustine.

A symbol of Jacksonvilles Navy community is the air-craft carrier USS John F. Kennedy . Its hard to miss at 23stories high and more than 1,000 feet long. The carriercame to Mayport Naval Station in 1995, replacing earliercarriers, the USS Saratoga and the USS Forrestal . Its battlegroup includes destroyers, frigates, cruisers and an air wingof F-14 Tomcats, FA-18 Hornets and antisubmarine warfareand surveillance aircraft.

Making a lower, more stealthy profile in the water arethe Trident submarines , seen on the surface coming andgoing through the St. Marys (Georgia) River entrancechannel between Cumberland Island, Georgia, and AmeliaIsland, Florida.

Much smaller, but more picturesque, are the shrimptrawlers that grace the skyline on the beaches and in sea-

port communities. They drag massive nets from outriggerbooms to scoop up fresh shrimp. At sea, flocks of seagullsand pelicans tag along in the trawler wake, hoping forhandouts when the crew separates fish from shrimp.

Also plying the waters on the Southeast coast areboxy container ships , massive and stacked high withfreight, including new cars for U.S. distribution. Theyre asteady, economically invigorating fleet that pulls into portsin Jacksonville, Fernandina Beach, Florida, Colonels Islandin 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 theCoastal 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 andan outreach of 100 feet. Small plaques and monumentspraise the largest of the trees, which have survived cen-turies or mark famous sites, such as the 400-year-oldTreaty Oak in Jacksonville or the 900-year-old MiddletonOak near Charleston, South Carolina.

Their age-old strength lives on in antebellum housesand in the underpinnings of such national heirlooms asthe USS Constitution, or as lofty reminders of the remark-able beauty and timelessness of the Southern coast fromVirginia to Florida.

The shrimpers also are on the watch for sea turtles , which come to our shores to lay their eggs but sometimesget caught in the shrimpers nets. Sea turtles command alot of respect at sea, where area shrimpers outfit their netrigs with turtle excluder devices that let the prehistoriccreatures escape.

Most boaters on our waterways have seen themanatee signs, which designate U.S. Fish and WildlifeService manatee refuges and sanctuaries. The signs regu-late speed and set no wake and idle zones to protect theplant-eating, endangered mammals that winter in Florida

and Georgia waters. Researchers estimate that watercraftcollisions and propeller strikes account for about 25 per-cent of all manatee deaths.

Another coastal creature is undeniably an icon, but itsnot a beauty, nor is it cute. It lurks in our swamps, lakes andbrackish rivers and creeks.

The alligator is the official state reptile of Florida andthe mascot for the University of Florida. But a potentialencounter with the big lizard is not to be taken lightly. Themales can reach about 15 feet in length, pack 80 teeth intheir jaws and weigh up to 1,000 pounds. In drought t imes,they look for water, including backyard swimming pools,

and shade, such as under your pickup truck. They also likesmall 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 sum-mer. Some of those logs have jaws and a testy disposition.

St. Augustinealligator farm



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SEAFOOD JUST FOR THE HALIBUTFavorite Seafood Restaurant Marker 3214549 Beach Blvd.

Jacksonville(904) 223-1534

INCREDIBLE CRUSTACEANSFavorite Fried Shrimp Dinner OSteens205 Anastasia Blvd.St. Augustine, Florida(904) 829-6974

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Favorite Crab CakesDwights Mediterranean Style Bistro1527 Penman Road

Jacksonville Beach, Florida(904) 241-4496

MAKE MINE MINORCANFavorite Minorcan Chowder OSteens

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

HALF-SHELL HAVENFavorite Oyster Bar

The Moon Grille & Oyster Bar1396 Beach Blvd.

Jacksonville Beach, Florida(904) 241-1894

CREATIVE LOAFINGFavorite Fish SandwichChowder Teds5215 Heckscher Drive


TASTES LIKECHICKENFavorite Fried Gator Tail Caps Seafood Restaurant4325 Myrtle St. (off A1A)Vilano Beach, Florida(904) 824-8794

CRAB CAUSEFavorite Fish Camp Restaurant Clarks Fish Camp12903 Hood Landing Road


FISHY BUSINESSFavorite Seafood Market

The Seafood Gourmet5043 San Jose Blvd.

Jacksonville

(904) 730-0077

TO DINE FORPIECE DE RESISTANCEFavorite Overall Fine Dining Restaurant Matthews2107 Hendricks Ave.


NOVEL NOUVELLEFavorite Cutting Edge Restaurant LOrient Chez Guy 1540 Atlantic Blvd.


PARISIAN PERFECTIONFavorite French Restaurant

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

MAMMA MIA!Favorite Italian Restaurant Benitos Pizza & Pastabilities180 Vilano RoadVilano Beach, Florida(904) 827-1000

THAI FOR TWOFavorite Thai Restaurant Old Siam1716 N. Third St.

Jacksonville Beach, Florida

(904) 247-7763

SAKI TO MEFavorite Japanese Restaurant KoKos1560-14 Business Center DriveOrange Park, Florida(904) 264-5700

WOK, WOK. WHOS THERE?Favorite Chinese Takeout Hot Wok (4 locations)7628 103rd St.


14333 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville(904) 223-37381014-7B Margaret St.

Jacksonville(904) 339-08882151 Loch RaneOrange Park, Florida(904) 298-8080

From food to fashion, here are morereasons to covet our coast.

Shrimply the best


10/12


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MORE FAVORITES

AHOY THERE!

Favorite Nautical NotionsPier 174619 Roosevelt Blvd.


BOARDROOM

Favorite Surf Shop The Surf Station

1020 Anastasia Blvd.St. Augustine, Florida(800) 471-9463

GUYS TIES

Favorite Mens Clothing StoreKarls Clothiers(2 locations)3579 St. Johns Ave.

Jacksonville(904) 389-1900240 A1A N.Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida(904) 280-1345

WONDERFUL WRAPS

Favorite Womens Clothing StoreKrista Eberle(2 locations)2020 San Marco Blvd.


THE SHOE THING

Favorite Footwear Carla Shoes & Accessories(2 locations)9978 Baymeadows Road


GO PLAY OUTSIDE

Favorite Outdoor Outfitter Black Creek Outfitters10051 Skinner Lake Drive


BEACH BUGGY

Favorite Coastal Car Woody version of Chryslers PT Cruiser

GREENERY FOR YOUR SCENERY

Favorite Garden Center Plant Ranch Nursery 14108 Beach Blvd.


ROMANCE ON THE RISEFavorite Romantic Getaway

Jekyll Island Club Hotel371 Riverview Drive

Jekyll Island, Georgia

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

THE SPA WHOLOVES ME

Favorite Spa The Sea Island Spa The CloisterSea Island, Georgia1-800-732-4752

SWEAT SHOP

Favorite Fitness Center Claude J. Yates YMCA221 Riverside Ave.


LET THE RIVER RUN

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

www1stplacesports.com

FILM PHANTOM

Favorite Movie Monster Underwater gill-man inRevenge of the Creature

Portions of the 50s flick were filmed inNorth Florida, including scenes at theLobster House, which was at the foot of the old Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, andMarineland, south of St. Augustine, Florida.

WINGING IT

Favorite First Coast Resident Brown Pelican

Gate river run

eca_02 coastal beaches

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