Fort Matanzas and the Matanzas Inlet

***** TRIP COMPLETED *****


TRIP REPORT:

Two members, Frank and Lisa enjoyed this trip. It was a beautiful day. We decided to skip the tour of the fort and just hit the water. The launch from the National Park was very easy and convenient. We first paddled out of the inlet into the Atlantic Ocean to a sand bar and enjoyed a rest and the view. The outgoing current was very strong and we expected a difficult paddle back into the Matanzas River. We were pleasantly surprised to have an easy paddle back. Once inside the inlet, we headed across the mouth and took a lunch break on a small beach. A storm cell was passing to the south, then one formed just to the north of us. We decided to wait out the weather on the beach. After our shower, thanks Mother Nature, we paddled from the inlet past the fort to the Intracoastal. We concluded the trip after 4 or so hours. It was an enjoyable day.

Getting ready to go.




The launch site was just across from the fort.

A view from our Atlantic Ocean sand bar.

A "Private Island".

The beach we had lunch on and waited out the storms.

Heading to the Fort.

Fort Matanzas.


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Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2007 -- Dated changed!

Time: 9:15 am for those wishing to attend the Fort Tour at 9:30 am. **10:30 am for those wishing to Kayak only.

Length: 4-6 hours; 1 hour for a tour of the Fort

Difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate: Easy to Moderate

Location:Fort Matanzas National Monument Park

Leader: Lisa Beardsley

Cost: Free. Yes free, even for the tour of the Fort.

Gear: Be sure to bring plenty of fluids, sun screen, bug spray, a bathing suit and don't forget a hat and lunch. Also have your Coast Guard regulated PFD and whistle!

TRIP INFORMATION:

This is an exploration trip as we have not been here before.... so be ready for some adventure.

We can car pool from Queen's Harbour or meet at the launch site.

We will tour Fort Matanzas taking the 9:30 am ferry to Rattlesnake Island, before we begin the kayak trip (I think the guides will appreciate a "fresh" group). The tour lasts about 45 minutes. Afterwards, we will unload our gear, launch from a beach in the Park and kayak around the Inlet. We should be ready to launch by 10:45 am with a plan to return around 3:00-ish.

If you want to tour Fort Matanzas with the group, plan to arrive at the launch site at 9:15 am. If you wish to tour the fort following the kayak trip on your own, or skip the fort tour all together, plan to arrive at 10:30 am. The last Fort tour is at 4:30 pm so you should have time to pack your gear and "clean up" following the kayak trip.

The float plan is to paddle around the Inlet with a pass by of Rattlesnake Island and if winds and tide permit, paddle out of the inlet into the Atlantic Ocean for a beach stop. We will then re-enter the inlet and head south down the Matanzas River along a barrier island breaking for lunch on a beach. Following lunch we will paddle back to our put in site at Fort Matanzas National Monument Park. We will be taking some beach stops and swim breaks along the way, to escape the July heat, so be sure to wear a bating suit and have a change of clothes for the ride home.

Kayak Rentals: There are rental kayaks available from an outfitter near the park and from Aqua East. If you are interested in partaking in this trip and need to rent a kayak, e-mail me at backcountrykayakadventures@yahoo.com and we can discuss your options. Also, sometimes there are members that have an extra kayak available and offer it for use.

SITE FACTS/INFORMATION:

The Matanzas River is a body of water located in St. Johns and Flagler Counties. Contrary to its name, it is not actually a river at all but a narrow saltwater bar-bounded estuary sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by Anastasia Island. It is roughly 20 miles in length and extends from St. Augustine Inlet in St. Augustine, southward to approximately 8 miles south of the Matanzas Inlet on the southern tip of Anastasia Island. The river is part of the Intracoastal Waterway.

The Matanzas inlet is one of the few remaining "inlets" in northeast Florida not protected by a jetty, thus presenting an easy study of what an inlet might have looked like in the past. Today's inlet is significantly south of the inlet which existed in 1740 when the Spanish began construction of Ft. Matanzas on Rattlesnake Island to protect the southern approach to their "Castillo de San Marcos" in St. Augustine.

In the 18th Century, the Matanzas River was considered the "backdoor" to the city of St. Augustine and control of the river was considered a strategic necessity. The Spanish build Fort Matanzas to monitor and limit access to the river.

"Matanzas" means "massacre" in Spanish. The river derives its name from the massacre of a group of 250 shipwrecked French Huguenots from Fort Caroline, lead by Jean Ribault, (the name of the St. Johns Ferry) by Spanish settlers led by Pedro Menénde de Avilés. The Huguenots were executed near the present site of the Matanzas Inlet in 1565. Menéndez had been ordered to kill all Protestants he found in the New World by the King and Queen of Spain - (This was the height of the Spanish Inquisition).

Today, this area supports an extensive tidal marsh habitat and conservation efforts have been established to preserve the ecosystem. The preserved areas include salt marshes, mangrove tidal wetlands, oyster bars, estuarine lagoons, upland habitat, and marine environments. As a result of the conservation efforts, wildlife is abundant.

WILDLIFE:

Dolphin and Manatee are common in this area and hopefully we will see some. Migrating and resident birds abound and we should see Great Blue Herons, Egrets, Ibis, Pelicans, Cormorants, and many others.

DIRECTIONS:

The park is about 62 miles from Queen's Harbour if you take I-95. It will take about an hour and a half to reach the park from Queen's Harbour.

The launch site is located just north of the Matanzas Inlet Bridge on the west side of A1A. If you cross the bridge, you have gone too far.

The Parks address and phone number are:

8635 A1A South, St. Augustine, FL 32080.

904-471-0116

Via A1A:

Take A1A south to St. Augustine, cross the Lions Bridge and continue down A1A through Anastasia. Once you pass State Road 206 and A1A intersection; the park is about 4 miles south. There is a sign "Fort Matanzas National Monument" on the west (right) side of the road.

Via I-95:

Take I-95 south to Exit 305 to State Road 206.Turn left heading East on 206 to A1A.Turn right onto A1A heading south.About 4 miles south, you will see the National Monument sign on the right.

Please click on "comment" below and leave a message if you are interested in participating.

See you on the water.

Princess Place Preserve

***** TRIP COMPLETED *****

TRIP REPORT:

It was a wonderful day....or rather weekend. The Beardsley's were the only members to go on this trip, and boy did you all miss a good one. We modified the trip as no one else signed up and camped out Friday and Saturday nights, paddling on Saturday morning and evening. Following the morning paddle we grilled hot dogs for lunch and rested in the July heat. We then headed back out into the marsh at 6 pm when it was much cooler. We paddled around the Pellicer Creek Preserve and enjoyed the views, the splashing of jumping fish and shrimp and a glimpse of a lone alligator. We even stumbled across a heard of deer lead by a buck. It was a fun, but hot weekend. As you can see from the photos, this is a very private place with few other people around. We essentially had the place to ourselves.

=======================================

Date: Saturday, July 21, 2007

Time: Meet at 9 am

Length: 5-6 hours on the water

Difficulty: Moderate/Intermediate

Location: Princess Place Preserve, Flagler County

Leader: Lisa and Shannon Beardsley

Gear: Be sure to bring plenty of fluids, sun screen, bug spray and don't forget a hat and lunch. Also have your Coast Guard regulated PFD and whistle!

Costs: Free. There are no fees for launching kayaks at this time.

TRIP INFORMATION:

The park itself is a little confusing to navigate, so we will meet at the large fruit stand on US 1 just north of the I-95 overpass at 9:00 am. If you come via I-95 it is the fruit stand off of exit 298. We will then follow one another to the launch site at Dock #2 (D2 campsite on the Map) inside Princess Place Preserve. We will unload our boats at Dock #2 and be ready to paddle by 10 am, we will then paddle out into the Pellicer Creek Aquatic Preserve taking a lunch break mid day. We will return to the launch site around 3 to 4 pm so we can be out of the park by closing at 6 pm. You may access a map of the park at the following website: http://www.flaglerparks.com/

July is the height of alligator nesting season and this location is in alligator country, so some diligence will need to be practiced during this trip. Hopefully, we will be lucky to see a few nesting sights and some alligators. A note on alligator behavior: a nesting female will defend her nest with hisses and aggressive posturing. Simply backing away will allow her to relax. An aggressive attack is rare unless the "predator" (ie: you), continues to invade the nesting area.

Rental kayaks are available onsite from Tropical Kayaks. They have one tandem, one sit on top and two sit inside kayaks available. Prices are as follows-Tandem = $50 for all day and $60 for 24 hours.Singles = $35 for all day and $40 for 24 hours.Arrangements need to be made in advance by calling - 386-445-0506

Rental kayaks are also available from Aqua East (see the blog post). You will have to transport the kayak to the park.

SITE FACTS/INFORMATION:

Princes Place Preserve is one of the Flagler County Parks. It is encompassed by the Pellicer Creek Aquatic Preserve which covers approximately 505 acres, and is adjacent to the Matanzas River. Wild, serene and beautiful, the Princess Place is the crown jewel in Flagler County’s setting of parks. Home to nesting bald eagles and situated on a knoll overlooking the confluence of Pellicer Creek and the Intracoastal Waterway, the estate was once home to a Russian Prince. It was built as a hunting lodge in 1886 by Henry Cutting and is the oldest standing structure in the county. After his death, Cutting’s wife Angela, married Boris Sherbatof a Prince in the Russian royal family and she became known as the Princess. This area is considered one of the most pristine estuarine/riverine systems along Florida's east coast and should prove to be an excellent trip.

LOCATION:

2500 Princess Place Road.
Approximately 16 miles south of St. Augustine.

DIRECTIONS:

Princess Place Preserve is about 64 miles from Queen's Harbour. It will take about an hour and a half to get to the preserve and about an hour and twenty minutes to get to the fruit stand on US 1.

From I-95.
Take I-95 South to Exit 298 (Old Exit 92). Take US 1 north to meet at the fruit stand, just off of the highway.

If you miss the group at the fruit stand:
Take US 1 south into Flagler County to Old Kings Road (approximately 1.5 miles south of the I-95 overpass). Old Kings Road is on the left, it is an unpaved grade road and is well marked. Turn left onto Old Kings Road. Take Old Kings Road to Princess Place Road (approximately 1.5 miles). Turn left on to Princess Place Road. Continue straight until you see a small wooden bridge. The road to the dock launch site is to the left, just before the bridge. Follow the road to the end, arriving at Dock #2.

From A1A.
Take A1A South through Ponte Vedra Beach. At the intersection of A1A and US 1 in St. Augustine, head south on US 1. (stop at the Fruit Stand on the left hand side of US 1 just north of the I-95 overpass to meet the group.

If you miss the group at the fruit stand:
Continue on US 1 south into Flagler County to Old Kings Road (approximately 1.5 miles south of the I-95 overpass). Old Kings Road is on the left, it is an unpaved grade road and is well marked. Turn left onto Old Kings Road. Take Old Kings Road to Princess Place Road (approximately 1.5 miles). Turn left on to Princess Place Road. Continue straight until you see a small wooden bridge. The road to the dock launch site is to the left, just before the bridge. Follow the road to the end, arriving at Dock #2.

Please click on "comment" and leave a message if you are interested in participating.

See you on the water!

Little Talbot Island Trip - July

***** TRIP CANCELED *****


Date: Wednesday, July 25

Time: 11:00 am

Length: 4 hours on the water

Difficulty: Easy/Beginner

Location: Kayak Amelia

Leader: Frank Holsenbeck

Gear:
Be sure to bring plenty of fluids, sun screen, a hat, lunch, a bathing suit and towel and don't forget your binoculars. Also, be sure to have your Coast Guard regulated PFD and whistle!

Cost:
Ferry Charge = $3.25 each way.
Launch fee if you have your own kayak = $1.00.
Single/Tandem Kayak Rental = $30.00/$40.00.

TRIP INFORMATION:

Due to this month being the height of alligator nesting season and the increased diligence mother alligators have over their nests at this time - we will stay clear of the freshwater rivers and swamps and will offer another trip to the Little Talbot Island area where there is no threat of alligators and we can swim to our hearts content. The trip will last 4 hours. We will meet at Kayak Amelia at 11:00 am and be ready to launch at 11:30 am. The tide will be low at the start of this trip, so we will have to launch from the floating dock and negotiate some sand bars along the way. Low tide is at 11:30-ish so we will also be leaving against an incoming tide, thus having some current to contend with on the way out. We will paddle south towards Ft. George Island and have lunch on one of the beaches there, returning with the incoming, rising tide, following lunch and a swim.

We will launch from "Kayak Amelia" located at 13030 Heckscher Drive.

If you need to rent a kayak one may be rented on site from Kayak Amelia Outfitters.

Their phone number is 251-0016 and their web site is http://www.kayakamelia.com/

Rental Costs are as follows:
Single Kayak = $30 for up to four hours and $45 for over four hours.
Tandem Kayak = $45 for up to four hours and $60 for over four hours.

If you have your own kayak -- there is a launch fee of $1.00

SITE FACTS/INFORMATION:

We will be paddling around the area of Little Talbot Island, Long Island and Big Talbot Island. This area provides a wonderful example of how the many barrier islands of Florida originally appeared before they were developed. This area is located 17 miles northeast of Jacksonville and contains maritime forests, dunes, and salt marshes (where we will be paddling). Wildlife includes river otters, marsh rabbits, bobcats, and a variety of native and migrating birds.

DIRECTIONS:

The easiest way to get there from Queen's Harbour is to take the St. John's Ferry from Mayport to cross the St. Johns River. (It leaves Mayport on the hour and half hour, so plan accordingly) Make a right out of the ferry docks and drive towards Amelia Island. You will pass Huguenot Park, then Little Talbot Island State Park. Kayak Amelia is located just past Little Talbot State Park on the Left (west) side of the road. There is a sign; "Kayak Amelia", with an actual kayak above it.

Please click on "comment" below and leave a message if you are interested in participating.

See you on the water.

Full Moon Marsh Paddle for July

***** CANCELED *****
No one has signed up for this trip, so it has been canceled.


Date: Sunday, July 29, 2007

Time: 7:45 pm

Length: 2-4 hours on the water

Difficulty: Moderate/Intermediate - due to crossing the Intracoastal and being out at night.

Location: Queen's Harbour Lock Dock

Leader: Shannon Beardsley

Gear: Be sure to bring some insect repellent. And as always, everyone will need to have a flashlight in their kayak (required by Coast Guard Regulations), in addition to your PFD and whistle.

TRIP INFORMATION:

A full moon kayak trip will be offered on July 29th. The trip will leave from the Queen's Harbour Lock Dock just before sunset and will cross the Intracoastal and venture into the Marsh to the east of Queen's Harbour, just south of the Wonderwood Bridge. We will meet at 7:45 pm to have everyone in the water and paddling by 8:15 pm to see sunset at 8:23 pm. Moon rise will be at 8:29 pm.

Please click on "comment" below and leave a message if you are interested in participating.

See you on the water!