Gemini Loop: Jacksonville Beach and Fernandina Beach

I am writing from one of our favorite places. We are in familiar territory now and have been to Fernandina before. We left St. Augustine for a marina at Jacksonville Beach - not really close to anything. The next day we cruised to Fernandina. There were some fairly shallow spots and it was pretty windy. As we approached the dock, the wind was blowing us hard onto the dock. Steve handled it well and managed to get us there without banging hard. We watched folks later in the afternoon as they pounded their boats against it. So glad I travel with someone who knows what they are doing!

This is a very cool little town! The main streets run to the water, so it is easy to walk around and see the sights. Fernandina sits right at the border between Georgia and Florida. Right after the Revolution, Florida belonged to Spain and was by default the border between two countries. It became a haven for pirates, so there are lots of pirate references around here. Fernandina also has a really big shrimp industry. They have a Shrimp Festival each year (this year the 4, 5 & 6 of May). I found three shrimp sculptures painted by local artists. I assume there are more, but they are maybe in different areas of the island.

We browsed the shops and have eaten wonderful food here. Last night we treated ourselves to dinner at Le Clos, a fabulous French restaurant here. Today we head for Jekyll Island. We're starting to get really excited about being home with family and friends again. Just a few more blog entries and we will be home Thursday!