Fireworks at Naples Pier and a very happy New Year to all!

Tonight we had a wonderful new years watching the fireworks at the Naples pier. The beach was full of people, eating, drinking and finally, enjoying the fireworks that were over the water at the end of the pier. In the harbor the boats enjoyed the same show as those stationed on the sand. And for me a first, many people sent candle balloons up into the sky for all the spectators to enjoy. I was amazed to see how long these special balloons stayed within view and just when I thought the candle was out, a flicker, or is that a star?

New years forecast, sorry to all you in the north!

Building a road through the Everglades

It was said that a highway across the Everglades could not be built, until Barron Collier came down to southwest Florida and found a way to build the Tamiami trail in 1928. He set aside Collier Seminol State Park for people to rest and enjoy the wilderness. The Bay City Walking Dredge now sits quietly in the park, near the highway that it helped construct many years ago. People can see the old dredges and learn about the construction of Tamiami Trail while visiting Collier Seminol State Park.

Naples and surrounding area

The old town in Naples is very nice with lots of little shops galleries and places to eat and just a short walk to one of the most beautiful beaches in southwest Florida. Gary and I had a wonderful dinner with his uncle Paul while staying in the campground a few miles up the road from his winter home.

Party on the beach

If you know me, you know that I can't go too long without at least a few bird pictures. These young gulls and terns were not giving up their spot on the beach. Kids, what are you going to do!

Collier Seminol State Park

Before we head into the Keys, we will spend a few weeks in Collier Seminol SP for the holidays. Gary has an uncle that lives by in Naples so we look forward to spending some time with Paul. This afternoon the park put on a Christmas concert. The music was an interesting mix of Blue Grass and Gospel with a very heavy Swiss Accent. Not the usual but that is OK, any live music during the holidays is nice.

Hidden Gems like WP Franklin Damn

One of the little gems that we have learned from experienced RVers is that the Corp of Engineers parks along many of the waterways are a good bet for a nice park, without all the hoopla that many other parks have. They are smaller parks, built prior to WW2 with charm and quality (if they have been well kept). We stayed at WP Franklin which sits on the inland water way through the south central part of Florida. It provides a short cut for water craft. A little to small for many of today's large tankers but big enough for a barge and sailboats. This campground sites on the last lock before you hit the gulf coast going west. The river is full of both fresh and salt water fish. Our favorite site is 9 or 10.

Koreshan State Park

Koreshan SP is located in what once housed a rather strange religious group around the turn of the century. The fonder, Dr. Teed, once a Civil War medic had a vision after he was working with electricity and took a strong shock that knocked him out. This was based on religious and scientific theory that the Universe was a round globe and the surface we live on was on the inside of this sphere. After his death when he did not return from death, many of his followers lost faith and left the settlement they had built. Strange park but nice for a few days and the buildings and grounds take you back in time.

Highland Hammock State Park

A few days into our stay in Highland Hammock we found a nice cat walk through the swamp. It is hard to imagine a swamp as beautiful, but this one is. While it has gators and snakes, there were none on our walk which I found comforting. The cat walk rides just above the water with a rickety railing on one side only. Worth the concerns however. Another one of the parks trails takes you a short way into the Hammock to a tree that is thought to be over 1000 years old. Back in the 40s they tried to save the tree by placing cement in the center cavity to keep the tree from rotting out. The top of the tree was blown off in a hurricane but the tree lives on.

This little piggy

Driving through central Florida you see lots of wildlife, and a few that are wild but not that long ago, destined for the breakfast platter. Well these lean residents were not afraid of us, and I must admit, even little baby pigs are cute! Our campground for the next few days is the oldest in Florida and was built by the CCC. Highlands Hammock is a very nice campground with lots to do and see. Last night we took the hour ride through the park on a trolley (open trailer pulled by a pick-up truck) and enjoyed the evening with other campers shinning deer and looking for gators eyes in the swamps around the park. It was a beautiful evening and we had fun.

The Manatees at Blue Spring State Park

Despite the warm weather we've seen the last two days, it's been cool in central Florida which brings the gentle giant's into the warm springs along the St. John River. Sea Cows grow up to 12 feet and can weigh up to 3900 lbs, if they can survive all the challenges they face. Human presence means danger to these docile mammals and the scares across the backs from boats is found on many of the adults. If the water temps drop below 68 degrees for an extended length of time, the stress can kill them as well. The last time we were in Florida a cold spell killed hundreds of Manatee, very hard on an already stressed population. But Blue Springs State Park is a shelter for these exceptional creatures. We got up early this morning to walk the boardwalk along the spring, our reward, spotting over 25 Manatees, best of all, the little calf, a new addition to the family this year. They share the springs with several species of fish, like the Gar and Tarpon, even an occasional Alligator can be spotted fishing the springs.

Gamble Rogers 50K 25K run

Over the Hammock and through the woods at Gamble Rogers they run. This morning along the Intracoastal side of the park, a group of 30+ runners enjoyed the trail through the park as their place to run this memorial marathon. Having walked the trial I know that this is out of the ordinary with a narrow path the winds over many palm roots and low branches. But it is a nature filled place to enjoy the run.

Skys over Flagler Beach

From rainbows out over the Atlantic to Paramotor-sailing over the beaches, the sky is the limit.

Legends of the golden sand

There's something magical about the golden sand near Flagler Beach. As I lay my head down each evening to sleep I can hear the sounds the ocean makes as it grows and recedes with the tides. As sleep takes me I can imagine how stories of sea monsters start with the swelling surf, the larger waves rise high above the water line and like a giant angry mouth the jagged dripping teeth take a bite out of the beach. Water shooting out the sides of the wave explode with an exhale reminiscent of a cannon report. As the night wanes, the furry changes from an explosive battle to a rolling rumble of thunder in retreat for yet another night. The moon sparkles on the surface shimmering like liquid scales on the monsters back. The angry exchange leaves evidence each morning of a battle lost with broken shards of shells and spikes of sea grass strewn through the dunes like bones from the sea monsters victims. During the day, it's a different story as people walk and jog the beach, sand between their toes. Fishermen wet their lines with the hopes of catching a Whiting or Blue. Wave and paddle borders enjoy the swells with little care of the potential hazards just below the surface that will rise again each evening after the sun sets.

New favorite?

Well it is hard to say for sure, but Gamble Roggers sits at the top of list for Florida. It has all the beautiful beach you could possible want, it is a small campground with nice spaces and it has lots to do as a state parks with kayaking, walks on the beach and even classes on how to catch Blue Crabs. No luck so far but sooner or later we should have a crab cake at the least.

Gambles Rogers State Park

Just a short drive south we landed along Flagler Beach in the next state park, Gamble Rogers. What a change a few miles can make, the sand is now a glimmering gold color and the waves large enough to support surfing. While the sites are closer together, not as good for cat walks, we are on the beach with the sound of the waves crashing into the dunes. Ahhhhh, four fabulous days.

Faver Dykes State Park and St. Augustine

Just south of St. Augustine sits the quietest park we have ever stayed in. Between the Manatanazs River (part of the intracoastal water way) and the Atlantic the park was a great place to stay with several nice walks for Blue through the palm and pine forest. At night as we sat by the fire we had a visit from a group of raccoons that kept our cat up most of the first night. There were several large spiders along the nature trail as seen in the one photo. Our second day was spent in our favorite FL town, St. Augustine. Our second visit, we enjoy the history of the oldest city in the US, even the local resting spot which is the start of the ghost tour in this charming little city. Along the white sand beaches are some nice places to walk along the shore and see how the other half lives.

St Marys Georgia and Walkabout Campground

We found a nice little campground (Passport America) near the sleepy little town of St. Marys Georgia. Our ritual when we pull into a new place is to stop at the checkin, pull into the site and I go outside to watch as Gary backs in and drops the levelers. As soon as this happens, Blue pokes head head out from under my chair to see if it is secure for him to venture out. ALL CLEAR BLUE! The town of St. Marys sits at the southern most point of Georgia, protected by the barrier island known as Cumberland Island National Seashore, the largest of Georgia's barrier islands. St. Marys is the second oldest continuously inhabited city in the US, next to St. Augustine in FL. The Cumberland Island is protected and can be visited by ferry for walks and bike rides around the island to enjoy nature and a few wild horses. The area is filled with legends of historic battles, daring pirates, antebellum mansions, live oaks dripping with moss and succulent native rock shrimp.

Sunrise on Hunting Beach with Blue

Blue and I woke a little early our last day at Hunting beach, so I captured this shot as the two of us watched the sunrise. Our site was one of the best we've enjoyed in our travels. I'm afraid that site 48 will be gone in two years as we head this way again with the erosion that is consuming the campground. Sad, but true as many of the once beach front sites are already gone including a few of the cabins and this site already has waves at high tide entering the site.

Hunting Island Holiday

As we move into the low country we experience the warmer weather that makes sleeping so much better and the warmth of the local hospitality as we had our thanksgiving on the beach with 200 of our close camping friends. A few days on Hunting Island in a great campsite gives us lots to do over the Thanksgiving holiday. Walks on the beach, a visit to the historic town of Beaufort with its antebellum mansions and exploring the lighthouse, well almost, it was closed for painting. Over the Thanksgiving holiday? Really?