Kathryn Abbey Hanna Campground Jacksonville FL 4-2015

Kathryn Abbey Hanna

A Jacksonville city park. It is a multi use park with a very large campground. The cost of a nights stay with our senior discount came to $31.25. It is a good place to stay for visiting Jacksonville and the area, and being on the beach. I say being on the beach, but from our site it was a one mile drive. The campgound  is about a mile from the check in station.   Because of the narrow roads with tight turns and a lot of  vegetation it is best to unhook your car, if in a motor home and finding your site and the best way to it. Many of the narrow roads are two way and could pose a problem if meeting a large rig coming from the opposite direction.  All the roads are paved.  There are some pull thru sites. The sites are mostly sand. About 290  sites. Many of the sites have vegetation between them.  We had a full hook up site with 50amp electric. The sewer hookup is odd in that it is a side hookup rather then from the top, and you will need a screw in connector. There are cross country bike trails and playground equipment.  We received quit a few over the air TV stations.  It is quite during the week, but very busy on weekends.  The beach is 5 to 6 miles long and uncrowned.  We drove to the beach as it is to far to walk carrying chairs etc. There is a lot of area to walk  a dog.  All this being said it is A GREAT PLACE TO STAY FOR THE BEACH AND  VISITING THE JACKSONVILLE AREA, and at a reasonable price.  Yes we would stay here again. I believe there was a $5. reservation fee

Our site, backed up to the woods, the perimeter sites are better. We were also at the end of a road on a turn.

 

Looking  one way and then(see  next photo)

the other

Looking back into our site

The very odd seer hookup, from the side, you need a screw in tight fitting connection.

The empty beach

one of a bout 6 or 7 boardwalks that cross the sand dunes

The sand dunes

Just chilling out.

 

 

Amelia Island FL 2015

The next day we left the  Walkabout RV Park for Amelia Island. The trip was about a half hour from the rv park . On the advice of our golf cart tour guide in ST Mary's we sign up for a boat tour to and partly around Cumberland National  Seashore.    We check in and paid for the tour. 

This is our tour boat

The tour went out the intercoastal   waterway toward Cumberland Island, Georgia. The tour was very very informative. We learned a lot about the history of the area and island.  We saw some of the remaining structures, and learned about the lavish lifestyle that went on with  the rich and famous.  On the way out and back we did see dolphins frolicking  close to the boat. We did get to see some of the wild horse that life on the island. The trip was about two and a half hours. This is a trip we recommend .

 

 

Shrimping is a big industry in this area.

having a bad day

 

      

After the boat trip we had lunch at a restaurant  that was about 10 to 15 feet off an active railroad track. While we were eating two trains passed by. It is a little intimidating  seeing train cars pass so close and feelin the vibrations.

 

 

At the visitor bureau  we receive a great walking guide of the Fernandina Historic District. There are 43 buildings listed in 50 block area. It is very easy walking as most of it is very flat.The only problem we had was the heat.  Fernandian Beach is the north end of Amelia Island.  43 homes are listed on the National Historic Register, but there are many more old homes. 

The Palace Saloon is the oldest operating saloon in Florida

Just a sampling of some of the beautiful homes on the walking tour.

The oldest county courthouse in continuous use.

     We did make our way back to the car and then drove the area looking at other homes not listed, but beautiful. The walk in the heat and sun did tire us out, so we made our way back to the RV park. While here at the Walkabout RV Park we did want to visit the Okefenokee swamp and surrounding area. But we will have to save this for another trip. We choose the Walkabout RV park as it was central to Amelia Island, St Mary's and Okefenokee area. It is also a little longer drive  to Brunswick  and the Golden Isles. The RV Park is a Coast To Coast Park and Also accepts Passport America.  So the next day we headed for home with a two day stop in ST Augustine. We used this stop to break up the trip home. We will be not posting again until our next trip unless something unusual happens or for a short trip around home.

Till the next time, thanks for following along  and safe travels and stay well. We love to hear from you.

    

ST Marys GA. August 2015

 One place we wanted to visit was St. Mary’s  GA., while staying at Walkabout RV Park. We stopped at the visitor center were we met a wonderful 85 year old volunteer. More about her later.  At the center there is a small but interesting GA state Radio  Museum. 

We sign up  for golf cart tour of the historic part of the town.

   

         The tour was given to us by the visitors  bureau manager as she had no volunteers that day.  We also visited the Cumberland Island museum.

    Our plan was to visit Cumberland Island National Seashore, but because of the extreme heat we decided to put it off for another time on the advice of a park ranger. Of course we had to find a good restaurant, as a good road trip includes FOOD. When in a Small fishing town, seafood is on the menu

   Then it was back to the RV. The next day we visited Orange Hall.  Orange Hall House Museum circa 1830-38. 9,500 square feet on 3 floors with 12 fireplaces.

 

    The tour was given to us by the same 85 year old volunteer we met the day before. She was wonderful. She told us so many things about the mansion and the area history.  She said we were like family listening to her. 

     We then took a walking/ driving tour of the town.  There is also a small Submarine Museum in town that we didn't get to visit. There is also  a large submarine base in town which employs 9,000, the towns largest employer.  

The fishing fleet is in for the day.

We came across a few of the old churches in the area. 

     Then again it was time for Food.  There was a old sail boat docked that we were told was open from 5 to 9 so visitors  could go aboard. So after dinner we went down to the dock. As soon as we stepped on we had that feeling we had been here before. When we took a few steps we knew we were on her before, but where. We started walking around and met the captain and told him we were on the ship before, but not sure were. Then it came to me. It was in 2007 in Brunswick GA. Sure enough, the ship was there being refurbished. Talk about coincident

 

 

On our driving tour we came across The Tabby Sugars Works. Tabby was a type of building material made from burning oyster shells to create line, then mixing the ash with sand water and oyster shells. These remnants still standing unprotected since 1825.

We saw building supplies being taken to the island. The pontoon barge is being pushed by a pontoon boat,

On the road to Pennsylvaina

Finally on the road. It is a trip back to Pennsylvania  to visit with Family and friends. We left on July 4^th. We figured most folks would be where they wanted to be for the holiday. We stayed 2 days at The Oaks(review in a earlier post)  and left on Monday. It was just a hoe-hum drive up I 95. We spent the next night at Carolina Crossing RV Park, review also in a earlier post. Drove about 30 miles and headed east on route 58, in Virginia. The reason for the turnoff from I 95 was to take the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.  We never took this route home so it was a little bit of a change.  The charge for us was $31.00. We enjoyed the change, but not the fee.  The bridge/tunnel brought us to the other side of Virginia  on the Eastern shore.

Is it safe, we are going under that large container ship.

Down we go.

 

Clear sailing till the next tunnel

Large bridge ahead

It was a smooth flat ride which we hope to explore some day. We then crossed the border of Maryland and soon into Delaware.  Our next planned stop was to stay at the Delaware State Fairgrounds. The state fair was the next week and all empty 100 or so sites were being held for vendors, so we couldn’t stay, even for an overnight.  The fairgrounds is attached to a race track and casino. So we checked with security at the casino to see if it would be ok to stay in the parking lot over night. No problem, so we stayed in the back of the large paved flat lot. Sorry no pictures. Of course we spent time in the casino and ate at their good buffet. We did have to run the generated several times during the night  to run the AC.  The next morning we headed to PA. Our next stop was in the Amish country at Spring Gulch RV park.  See the review in a earlier post. The reason for our 4 day stay was to visit Linda’s brother.

The pace got a little slower.

A giant marshmallow farm

   While visiting with the kids we had a great picnic, it was more like a feast with clams, shrimp, steak, corn on the cob and all the fixings. 

 

 

After  everyone’s  bellies were full we were introduced to a new outdoor game called “stump”. Move over corn hole. The stump is a tree stump. All players are given a large nail. The object of the game is to be the last nail standing. You get the hammer and flip it into the air and catch it and hit an opponents  nail. However  you catch it is how you use it to strike a nail. So if you catch it by the head you use the handle to hit a nail. There are many other little rules of the game so search it out on line if interested. It is listed on Wikipedia  Amazing the game lasted into dark and grabed everyone’s attention.  Now we aren’t backwoods folks, but I think this is were the game originated, or a bunch of carpenters on their lunch break.  

Our son Erik explaining the game

 

Our three sons with Linda looking on. Just two out of ten left, our oldest son and Linda

Linda checking to make sure it is a fair hit. You'd think he let her win. But no, he hit his mothers nail in.

 

      After a wonderful visit with our kids of 2 plus weeks of mooch docking at our sons it was time to head back to Florida and a few doctor visits. 

     For non Rver’s, mooch docking is staying for free at  a friends or relatives  driveway , as opposed to a RV park. While There we did attend a regional Camping club rally.  We also had a get together at our favorite buffet, Shady Maple. Next it was down the all to often traveled route  I 95. But we  planned to make a few stops.  On the way  south we found a great little RV park only 5 miles off the interstate.  The park was Jolly Acres; see the review in a earlier post.  Along the way we stopped for a brake at JR’s, a large retail store/cigar outlet/cigarette store. We usually stop  here just to walk around and stretch our legs and check out the merchandise.. Then it was off to the Walkabout RV park in Woodbind GA.  Again a review in a earlier post. We choose this park because it was central to some areas we wanted to visit.  We ran out of time, so we didn’t get to visit them all.

Check back shortly for the “rest of the story” stops in ST Mary GA, ST Augustine FL and Amelia Island FL.  Thanks for following along.