Day 133, Dec 5. Neptune Beach, FL to St Augustine, FL

We left Neptune Beach feeling foot loose and fancy free. At 9 AM it was already a sunny 70 degrees and St Augustine was a mere 35 miles away. We were in no hurry, which was a good thing since we had a hellacious head wind.

The vast majority of the time we road on Florida A1A Scenic and Historical Coastal Hwy, a straight flat road that was built on a barrier island just off mainland Florida. We had the Atlantic ocean on one side and the Guana River on the other. The views were fantastic thanks in part to Hurricane Mathew. Apparently there was supposed to be a berm on the Atlantic side of the road that prevented a good view of the water, but Mathew swept it away.

This home was "condemned" but appeared occupied.

Of course, Mathew also damaged a lot of homes. We passed many homes with orange squares and the date 10/08/16 written on them. According to a local, it was the  Army Corp of Engineers that marked homes.  The  orange square with the x through it means the house is condemned. A plain square means the home must be repaired before folks move back in and a partial square means the house may be occupied while repairs are being done. They were a lot of repair crews out, but here were also homes that had painted over the orange.

John and I obviously chose the wrong professions.

Along the way we stopped at the spot where Juan Ponce de Leon landed in Florida in 1515. It is a preserve that the plaque claims looks the same as it did when Leon arrived. This stop is nestled in the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, a 30 mile 73,352 acres reserve. There is a public beach and viewing area. It is a great spot to see the vast ocean on one side and the
reserve on the other. Quite a view.

On the left is the Guana river basin; on the right is the Atlantic Ocean. 

The beach was covered with shells

and shark teeth.

For me, walking a beach is where I find my bliss, so John and I went for a stroll. The locals say that every beach has it own unique aspects and we have found that to be largely true. This beach had an inordinate amount of shells along the shoreline. Most were tiny, no bigger than my pinky nail. It was odd walking in deep deposits of shells. This beach, we were told, was known for its shark teeth. If you wanted to collect teeth, looking along this beach was your best bet. I have to admit, it gave me pause. I had been lamenting about wanting to swim, but after that tidbit, not so much.

Eventually, we had to get back on the road. Not a hardship since the views continued to be spectacular. Next time you find yourself traveling on the east side of Florida near Jacksonville, do yourself a favor and trade US 95 for Florida A1A. Stop at a couple beaches. Take a stroll. Yes, it will take longer, but it be well worth it in the end.