Day 16 - An Eight Mile Sunday Stroll

We've been waiting on the completion of the boardwalk along the Timucuan multi use pathway and today was the day to check it out. 

For this walk we began at Sawpit boat ramp and took a four mile walk to Big Pine Trailhead. Ate our PB&J sandwiches and backtracked to the car for a total of eight miles. 

The boardwalk portion was only 1/2 miles but it gave us a beautiful view of the water. This is where the Nassau Sound dumps into the Atlantic Ocean. The tide was higher than I've ever seen it probably due to Hurricane Matthew that passed by the coast last week. 

After the boardwalk ended the trail was a nice even paved trail that made walking easy. Most of the trail was shaded by big beautiful Oak trees.

We took a side trip at The Bluffs Trailhead and enjoyed a view of the beach. This area is called the boneyard because of the dead and weathered trees that liter the sand. A beautiful sight but not really pretty because it's caused by erosion.

The view of the ocean was spectacular! You can't really tell in the picture below but it's about an eight foot drop down to the beach. Even though it's fenced off because of the erosion people still slide down the small cliff and walk the beach. 

About a third of the trail is in the open sun and boy was it hot! I mean for Pete's sake it's October and the temp is still in the eighties...Will cool weather ever come to Florida?

The walkway ends at Big Pine Trailhead. After lunch we turned around and headed back to the car. This made for an eight mile round trip walk along some of the most beautiful scenery around. 

Location

The Timucuan Multi Use Pathway is located in Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. The Sawpit boat ramp is on the south end of the George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier State Park on A1A south of Fernandina Beach Florida.

To see my post on the George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier State Park click here.

Analysis of my walk:

Distance      8.0 miles

Duration      2:57:56              

Avg pace     22:15 (min/mile)

Steps           19335

Calories       900

(I burned 900 calories on this walk which I promptly ate at the Mexican restaurant!)

For the month of October I'm going to be writing everyday mostly about walking. I hope I might encourage someone to get outside and take a walk!

George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier State Park

This bridge has been on my walk list for quiet a while. We pass it every time we come to Amelia Island but we're usually going somewhere and don't have the time. 

Today we made the time. After eating two hot dogs and lots of cake at my nephew's birthday party we needed a good long walk!

At one time this bridge was one of the many narrow bridges for cars along A1A between Jacksonville and Fernandina  until several years ago when new bridges were built to replace the outdated ones. When I look at this tiny two lane bridge it's hard to believe it carried all the auto traffic along this busy road. Not only cars but this was a popular fishing bridge so people would be lined up along the edge with their fishing poles in the water. 

When the new bridges were built the old bridges were torn down except for this one. Thanks in part to George Crady who was a Florida State Representative, supporter of State Parks and a bait and tackle shop owner, it was left in tact and turned in to a pedestrian only fishing bridge. I'm not a fisherman but this bridge spans the Nassau Sound and according to the Florida State Parks website it's suppose to be the best fishing in Northeast Florida. 

I can't vouch for the fishing but I can tell you it makes a wonderful place to walk. 

You may have to dodge a few sea gulls and fishing poles but there are NO CARS! Walking is safe and the view is outstanding.

A beautiful day to be alive and walking!

The fishing bridge is actually two bridges connected by a road on a small island of land. You can park at either end of the bridge and walk the entire length. 

(The bridge you see on the right in the picture above is the new bridge.)

Gorgeous white sandy beaches. 

A few things to know if you walk this bridge.

• From one parking lot to the other it was almost 1.5 miles. A nice 3 mile round trip. 
• Wear a hat and sunscreen- there is no shade!
• Bring water
• Entrance to the fishing pier is on the honor system. The fee is $2 per person and that includes entrance to Amelia Island State Park. 
• Restrooms are located at the north end of the bridge.
• The bridge is part of  Amelia Island State Park and is 8 miles south of Fernandina Beach on A1A
• No pets are allowed on the bridge.

The Great Florida Birding Trail at Ft Clinch State Park

On the way home from Tallahassee I saw several signs for the Florida Birding Trail. Had they always been there and I just never noticed? A quick search on the Internet when we got home and I had all the info I needed. 

"The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail (GFBWT) is a program of the Florida Fish and Wildlife conservation Commission. AT its core is a network of 515 sites throughout Florida selected for their excellent birdwatching, wildlife viewing or educational opportunities." From the  Great Florida Birding Trail website.

I just knew that one of these 515 sites would have to become our next walk. Since we are very close to Fernandina we decided to check out the trail at Ft. Clinch State Park. 

The trail begins at the parking lot for the fishing pier. A neat little kiosk provided plenty of information about Florida birds and the birding trail. 

It's a half mile walk from the parking lot to the end of the fishing pier. We were there pretty early so we decided to get walking before the noon day sun started bearing down. There were lots of people fishing from the pier. Even one guy who had a good size shark on his line. It made me glad I was walking on the pier and not swimming. You never know what might be swimming right by your ankles...Yikes!

Under the pier

On the pier

Above the pier

The walk on the fishing pier was pleasant. There was a nice cool breeze coming off the water. Several flocks of birds flew overhead while we were on the pier. I believe these are pelicans. OK I've lived in Florida my whole life with the exception of two long years in Texas. I'm ashamed to say I don't really know much about Florida birds...


 The rest of our walk wasn't quite as enjoyable. After a nice lunch in the picnic area by the fort we took the walking trail through the woods.  Not a breath of air was stirring. It was HOT! Even the birds and squirrels were smart and stayed quite in the shade. 

But that's summer in Florida...

For more information on the Great Florida Birding Trail check out their website.

The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail

Lace up and learn something new about your area.