Southern Camping Trip 2024 / Day 17

St. Mary's KOA Campground

St. Mary's, Georgia

February 16, 2024

Home in mill town of Fernandina Beach, Florida.  The tree is an Eastern Redbud.

Marc-   Today is my birthday and I wished to return to Fernandina Beach for a visit and some of their excellent ice cream.  On arrival we immediately noticed flowers in bloom and a thriving downtown.  Most of the shops and homes are in great condition and occupied.  Sue and I walked around town from the Marina on the Intracoastal Waterway side of town to the shops and Park in the Center of town and eventually to some hiking trails near the Atlantic Ocean side of town.  We spotted some beautiful birds while walking the trails.

                                                                            Nasturtium

Bottle Brush Tree

Looking up Atlantic Avenue, the main shopping district.

A beautiful home in town.

Fernandina philosophy

Sue's favorite shop in town.

Small fishing boat very popular with the resident pelicans.

Sea shell beach.

The trees seem to be growing birds around here.

Great Egret

Anhinga

Great Egret out fishing before he moved to his tree.

After lunch we headed South touring Big Talbot Island and Little Talbot Island (mostly consisting of white sand beaches and connecting bridges).  We ended up on St. George Island to visit Kingsley Plantation, now owned by the National Park Service.  This Island was controlled by the French, then the Spanish, then the British, then the Spanish again, and finally the United States.  Kingsley, a Brit, came over and established a cotton plantation.  He imported slaves including one that would become his future wife.  Kingsley married Anna his slave and freed her and her children.  She would become the owner of the plantation under Spanish control.  Spanish Florida had liberal racial policies that allowed her to own land and conduct business.  This all changed in 1821 when the United States took control of Florida and placed severe restrictions on people of color.  Anna and her children were forced to leave the country in order to maintain their freedom.

The main house of the Kingsley Plantation.

The main Plantation docks.

Turnips above and Garlic below at the Plantation gardens.