We entered Fort Clinch State Park through a tunnel of live oak trees draped in moss – a similar biome to Jekyll Island. We stayed at Atlantic Beach Campground which was indeed on the Atlantic with a boardwalk to the beach. It’s open and sunny with a few palm trees. The other campground in the park is Amelia River CG which is very wooded and shaded – a good spot in the summer.
This park offered great bicycling on the paved roads through the “oak tunnel,” and we rode to the old Civil War fort whose cannons still overlook the Atlantic, now guarding the pass through which nuclear submarines enter Kings Bay Submarine Base. We had hoped to see a submarine there, and the ranger advised us to look for helicopters and navy patrol boats, but none came while we were there.
Tuesday was a warm sunny day and we had a great bike ride into Fernandina. We enjoyed exploring the historic district which consists of 50 blocks of historic buildings.
The area was prosperous in the 1800’s and many Victorian homes and businesses were built. When Flagler’s railroad bypassed Fernandina, the town became less prosperous and the buildings were repaired instead of being replaced. So they were saved from “progress” and that’s why there’s such a large historic district. We biked along several streets of huge old homes which were well maintained and beautiful with Christmas decorations still up.
We ate lunch at the Marina Restaurant, a family-owned restaurant located in a historic building downtown since 1960. Irene ordered the shrimp basket with fries and slaw, and George ordered from the day’s specials menu choosing two broiled crab cakes and three sides: butternut squash with honey and walnuts, navy beans with rice and onion, and carrot and raisin salad – all for $9.95. The walls were lined with framed “Best of” awards from the local newspaper. The restaurant appeared to be the locals’ choice, and the service was welcoming and friendly.
On returning to the park, we’d ridden 17 miles. We took the short boardwalk to the beach and enjoyed the view there and visiting with other campers – a good conclusion to a good day.
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