The Golden Hours, And In Between

Brunswick to Fernandina Beach  |  6.3 Hours  |  41 Miles  

Plain and simple: it was cold. In fact, it was the coldest morning we've had and I'm just talking about the 51 degrees in the master cabin when the alarm clock went off at 6:00. Barry started the generator and Crossroads warmed up quickly. By 7:00 I was bundled up in my standard four layers and ready to raise the anchor. This morning, I also pulled out my scarf, beanie, and gloves for extra warmth. There are no pictures of the simple yet colorful sunrise because my hands were frozen. The first shot came a bit later in the Golden Hour as the rising sun cast an orange glow over the seagrass. The bigger story in that photo is the exposed high water mark and mud flats. We were departing at low tide, but had plenty of water. The best news was the strong winds of yesterday were no more and the water was much calmer. Along the way we passed the Lanier Bridge from another perspective and then caught far-off glimpses of the St. Simons Lighthouse and the Little Cumberland Island Lighthouse. Boat activity was back to a normal level and crabbers were out checking their pots.

Dolphins were frequent visitors to our bow wave. The sun was strong and eventually raised the temperature enough for me to go out and watch them from the foredeck. Barry was counting down the miles until we reached the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay located at the Florida-Georgia state line. The base is home for the Atlantic Fleet's eight ballistic missile nuclear submarines. One submarine was in port for maintenance. The degaussing facility stood empty, awaiting its opportunity to demagnetize a ship's hull upon its return from sea. We crossed the St. Mary's River and entered Florida. At the tip of Amelia Island, the cannons of Fort Clinch came into view. There were even a few brave souls walking the beach.

We tied up at Fernandina Harbor Marina and I quickly washed the salt spray off the windows and stainless steel. We both took showers and then we headed out for a walk through the Fernandina Beach Historic District. First up was the Welcome Center in the Historic Train Depot where we picked up our walking tour map. The statue of Peg Leg Pete stood at the welcome center. It was carved from a single 10-foot piece of live oak and has stood as a symbol of fellowship since 1978. We started our walk down Centre Street and were struck by the classic architecture. The historic buildings are occupied by restaurants and retail outlets of every kind. We did a bit of window shopping and enjoyed seeing the latest editions of whimsical T-shirt designs. 

The Post Office dates back to 1909 and also served as a customs house and courtroom. The Nassau County Courthouse was built in 1891 and is the oldest Florida county courthouse in continuous use. Once out of the retail area, we turned along 6th Street to stroll through the historic homes. Each Victorian home had a story to tell, either through its architecture or landscaping. Gardens of poinsettias were planted in the beds surrounding the Presbyterian Church proving that today's chill was a definite anomaly. 

Daylight was fleeting as we made our return to the welcome center. I made a quick stop to say, "Hey," to the pirate in front of Palace Saloon. Dating to 1903, this is the oldest operating saloon in Florida. The evening's Golden Hour illuminated the depot building and the Chandlery Building. We stopped for dinner and to watch some of the football game. While inside, the sun set on our first day in Florida. The trees along Centre Street were illuminated and brightened our walk across the train tracks and back to the marina for the night.