Gliding by the Marshlands

The terrain changes drastically once we turned off the St. John’s River.  No more city life.   Sister’s Creek passes through the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.  On the east of the river is Little Talbot Island which is home to Fort George Island Cultural State Park and Kingsley Plantation.  At some point Sister’s Creek changes names to Clapboard Creek which separates Black Hammock Island and Big Talbot Island.  Clapboard Creek empties into the Nassau River at the south end of Amelia Island where we cross the Nassau sound and enter the south end of the Amelia River.  The ICW passes through mostly marshland on this 50 mile trip from Lamb’s Yacht Center to the north end of Amelia Island. 

The beautiful area is briefly interrupted at the North end of Amelia Island by paper plants.

The northernmost tip of Amelia Island was first fortified by the Spanish who had colonies in Florida in 1736.  After this time, several nations controlled the territory to protect the entrance at the Cumberland Sound to the St. Marys River.  The United States  constructed Fort Clinch on this site in 1846 named in honor of General Duncan Lamont Clinch.  The fort was abandoned in 1898 and fell into disrepair.  It was placed on the National Register of Historical Places in 1972 and became a Florida State Park. 

Many of the rooms, galleries and grounds of the fort are open to explore.  Park staff offer historical interpretations of life as a soldier.  Once a month demonstrations are held of skills like blacksmithing, small arms demonstrations, and masonry which were in high demand at the time the fort was fully operable.  The park has campsites, three miles of beach for exploring, and an oak canopy drive for bicycling.  Sounds like a perfect place to get a taste of old Florida.  

As we pass the fort and travel through the Cumberland Sound, it is time to put away our Florida Charts and pull out the Georgia Charts.  

I haven’t forgotten to give the answer to the pirate riddle joke from the last post.  No one posted the answer in the comments section so it must have been a tough one.  

Why couldn’t the pirate crew play cards?  Because the Captain was standing on the deck!  

Hoping you have a day filled with laughter!

Joy