Two Moro's Travels

“At the beach, life is different. A day moves not from hour to hour but leaps from mood to moment. We go with the currents, plan around the tides, follow the sun.”

White sandy beaches spanning 14 miles along clear, blue water of the Atlantic Ocean awaits you on Florida’s Anastasia Island located about an hour southeast of Jacksonville.  If you want a beach that’s hard-packed making walking a pure delight, St Augustine Beach is the place for you; no uncomfortable walking at an angle to accommodate the slant of the shoreline. No more sinking in the sand. Vehicles are allowed on the beach. (Check for up-to-date stipulations)

Continuing beyond the pier was inaccessible due to high tide, but that is where Anastasia State Park starts- north of the pier right off Pope Rd. A farmer’s market is held in the pier parking lot every Wednesday from 8:30 to 12:30 every Wednesday. Available are local produce, arts and crafts, music, and food for breakfast lunch, or snacks. The location is at 350 A1A Beach Blvd. Parking is very limited.  We were lucky enough to be able to walk less than a mile. It was a cool breezy morning making the walk quite enjoyable. 

You can also walk on the pier provided you pay a small entrance fee.  Read signs carefully. One states,” Pier admission is paid through the gift shop only. Violators will be trespassed.”  Hmmmm     You had one job; proofread the sign. Major fail there, Florida.

If you are looking to sunbathe on the beach and spend the day, there is a small lot for public parking on 10^thSt. right off coastal highway A1A allowing you to access the beach.. Due to it being a small lot, it is recommended you get their early and bring lots of sunscreen.  There is no shade areas on the beach. 

There are local eateries close by. One of our favorite spots was The Kookaburra located at 647 A1A Beach Blvd. Aussie pies, scones and other sweet treats are made fresh daily. Think of mini quiches and that’s an aussie pie. My husband like the CORKER, made with Sausage, Egg, Cheddar and Pepper Jack; I preferred the VEJJO, containing Sweet Potato, Spinach, Broccoli, Egg and Cheddar.  We even took a couple of pies to eat on the road trip back home they were that good. They are a small establishment, so when they run out, they run out; get there early. https://thekookaburracoffee.com/menu . People rave about their coffee; we opted for the Alaskan hot chocolate. Think creme Frappuccino made out of hot chocolate cooled off as the base. 

A must see is on Anastasia Island is the St Augustine Lighthouse which the oldest permanent navigation aid located in North America. It dates back to a Spanish watchtower built around the late 1500s. Due to beach erosion and damage during the Civil War, the original tower was replaced in 1874. Located on the north end of the island, it is a beautiful black and white striped, 165-foot beauty complimented with red accent colors.  The lens sits in the striking red crown at the top.  As far as lighthouses go, she is a beauty.  It stands overlooking Matanzas Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, but it is difficult to get a good picture of it as it sits in the middle of a residential area. The lighthouse itself is located next to a maritime museum. You can climb up the 219 stairs but must pay the entrance fee to the museum.  The cost is $12.95 for adults and $10.95 for kids. Go to their site for more info:  staugustinelighthouse.org   Since the lighting was not the best, we opted not to go in and my husband was able to get far-away drone shots from the marina as drones are not permitted on the lighthouse property. Flying it above 88 feet from the ground is legal and permitted unless it’s restricted air space, such airports, military bases, etc. So, we were good.

plusses: Since this was spring break, the weather was not typical hot Florida. Humidity was very low around the low 50’s. The temperature was unseasonably cool around low 60’s to high 70’s. The ocean breeze was a constant 12-15 mph keeping it very comfortable. Beaches were not crowded. We experienced no rain while there which is surprising  for this area that averages 50 inches of rain a year. More rain than even rainy Seattle that gets 39 inches a year.  

minuses:  Hotels are expensive near the beach. The area is still feeling the pandemic shortages as far as workers are concerned so don’t expect daily room service; but be neat, and you’ll survive. Places to eat are limited if you are used to miles of restaurants to choose from. The restaurants that are available there tend to be slightly expensive.  

Quote by — Sandy Gingras