Jacksonville Beach to Marineland

We have plans to make it to Marineland today.  Anyone remember Marineland from those visits to St. Augustine as a child? 

Before we could get to Marineland we had to pass through Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine. Beautiful homes (mansiona), interesting docks, beautiful flora and fauna line the waters.

Getting around in St. Augustine can be tricky but we made it in just fine.  The Bridge of Lions was closed so we had to wait about 15 minutes for an opening to pass on through.  

Fort Matanzas National Monument lies between the ICW and the ocean.  It was built in 1742 by the Spanish in order to protect the Matanzas inlet which could be used as a rear entrance to St. Agustine and bypassing its main defense of Castilla de San Marcos.  It is made from coquina, a shellstone found in the area.  The Matanzas inlet is named  after the executions, or matanzas  which is spanish for slaughters on its north shore, of Jean Ribault  and his band of Hugenot  Frenchmen, the last of the Fort Caroline colonists, by the Spanish in 1565.