North to Atlanta - 2/25/2011

We drove northwest from Jekyll Island to Atlanta, stopping only for snacks and gasoline. We met Marsha and had a great dinner with her at the Texas Roadhouse in Marietta, GA. It was fun talking and catching up. As the sun set, we continued north, and stopped for the night in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Jekyll Island, Georgia - 2/24/2011

Before we left St. Augustine and headed north out of Florida, we took some pictures of its historic lighthouse, we had lunch and we visited some beach souvenir shops. Then we discovered Jekyll Island as we drove north this afternoon. It is a resort island about 75 miles south of Savannah, Georgia. While we were checking into our hotel room, other guests were looking down the beach, awaiting the launch of the space shuttle Discovery. We took a power walk through a tropical woods, and then had a nice dinner at the Driftwood Inn. In the morning, we walked on the beach, fed the seagulls, and left just as a sprinkling of rain began.

PICTURE UPLOADING DIFFICULTIES. WE'LL ADD PICTURES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

St. Augustine - Wednesday, 2/23/2011

The first cool and cloudy day we've experienced in Florida this year! After a visit to the Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest example of a Spanish masonry fort in the U. S., we took a nice walk through old St. Augustine and its many shops and restaurants. We're leaving Florida in the morning!

One view from the fort

The artist at work

Foggy St. Augustine Beach

You can barely see the bridge

Carol and and an artilleryman

A view inside the fort

One of the larger mortars

16-pounder - Range: 3 miles

Up the Coast - Tuesday, 2/22/2011

The first stop today was Delray Beach, a little north of Fort Lauderdale. It was very busy due to east coast vacationers enjoying President's week and a break from school. We got as far north as Sebastion by sundown, and we stopped at Sebastion Inlet State Park to walk on the fishing pier and take some pictures. Dinner was at Bones Fire Grill in Melbourne, before continuing up to St. Augustine where we are spending the night.

Breakers at Delray Beach

Some winter break boys

On the way to China?

Unidentified male, age: indeterminate

Wave impressions - Sebastion State Park

Happy to be on the beach - in Florida!

Heading in from a day of fishing

Lots of fishing on the pier

Jungle Island/Miami Beach - Monday, 2/21/2011

After a late lunch at a Wendy's just east of Miami, we arrived at Jungle Island in plenty of time to see some animal shows and take lots of pictures. Carol remembers "Parrot Jungle" (relocated and renamed about 8 years ago) from her early childhood. The flamingos were outstanding - the best setting for them that we have ever seen. Next, we drove over to the Art Deco/South Beach area and walked on the beach at sunset. We were amazed by the amount of trash that people had abandoned on Nikki Beach. Before heading north to find a motel, we slowly drove up Collins Avenue to get a glance at the rest of South Beach and the other Miami Beach hotels. We spent the night at a nice La Quinta in Deerfield Beach.

Tortoise up close and personal

One of MANY parrots on display

Very nice flamingo exhibit

Sundown at the Miami Beach Marina

Pretty Macaws

Baby LIGER (part lion, part tiger)

Interesting flora

In for a swim

The beach at dusk

This doesn't do the trash justice! There was LOTS of it...

Our Last Night in Naples - Sunday, 2/20/2011

Today we just took it easy. After a while, Bill and Rick took a long walk around the Fiddler's Creek complex, where Rick and Trish live. The grounds are beautifully landscaped. Around four in the afternoon, we took some appetizers and drinks across the street to the pool, and enjoyed the beautiful weather as we relaxed and talked. Soon it was time to go to the beach for the sunset. We thought it would be different today, as the sky was filled with fluffy white clouds, but they were nowhere to be seen at the beach. Trish and Carol walked down the beach before and after the sunset, since they hadn't taken a walk earlier. We came back for a late dinner of sandwiches and key lime pie.

Sundown at Marco Island

Waiting for food

Silhouettes

Almost gone

Bill,Carol, Trish and Rick

Passing by the sinking Sun

Fakahatchee Preserve - Saturday, 2/19/2011

Today's field trip was an excursion to the Fakahatchee Preserve, in the western Everglades. We photographed lots of wildlife, including great snowy egrets, butterflies, eagles, alligators and more. Next, we drove further east to Everglades City, and had a nice lunch at the Seafood Depot. We had a nice table on the the deck, near the bayou.

 

 

 

 

On to Naples

We left Larry and Pat's condo after a great four days of exploring and eating, and headed south toward our next destination, Rick and Trish Nash's place in Naples. We stopped along the way to visit a manatee/nature preserve in Lee County, and we arrived in Naples around 5:00 p.m. - Just enough time to unpack and get to the beach at Marco Island for the sunset.

Spanish Moss

High 7 figure condos, now available in the low 7's!

Pelican at Marco Island Sunset

Almost down

Bill on the beach

Buffet on the beach with music

Bill's butterfly