The very first time we took our daughter camping, many years ago, was to Anastasia Island. We had a glorious trip, and I’ve always loved returning to that pristine beach and just watching the surf pound the shore. When I was able to reserve a campsite earlier this year, I was thrilled. I was looking forward to some hard-charging days of exploring, but that’s not the way it worked out.
A couple of days before my trip, I had my second COVID-19 vaccine . I was feeling tired but not too tired to camp, so I loaded up and headed out. I made camp quickly. There was time to spare before the sun went down, so I did a bit of exploring before getting dinner made.
Island Beach Shop and Grill
I stopped at the Island Beach Shop and Grill, which is located in the parking lot for the beach. It was a very windy day, and quite cool, so I did not walk to the beach. I was looking for state park stickers or trinkets to add to our campsite Hiking Stick. Out of luck! The only stickers they had were for sea turtles, and that’s not what I was looking for.
Anastasia Island Trails
I easily found the trailheads for the Ancient Dunes, Marsh, and Gopher Tortoise Trails , and made plans to hike each of them. I also located the path to the Spanish quarries, right inside the park gate. Set up my camp chair by the fire ring in anticipation of a lovely campfire on the next few nights, and enjoyed a bit of reading. After a quick dinner of grilled cheese and hot tea, I rinsed my dishes and tucked myself snug into my tent.
Fatigue is Not A Camper’s Friend
To make a long story short, I did not hike any of these trails. I spent my first day in camp just . . . well, staying in camp! I didn’t even get out of the tent until after 9, unusually late for me. I ate a late breakfast of a fried egg sandwich and puttered a bit. Then I carried my trash to the single trash receptacle. I found the trash can a good long walk from the campsite, and I then felt quite ready for a nap. Yes. You heard that correctly.
A NAP
I don’t take naps while I’m camping because, you know, FOMO (fear of missing out)! Nonetheless, nap I did, and didn’t wake up late afternoon. It was too late for an adventure. It must have been the COVID-19 shot because my body ached, I felt chilled, and I was so very tired! I considered not eating dinner because washing the dishes was nearly more than I could manage.
Even a simple campfire, which might have warmed my poor bones was out of the question. I heated a can of green beans and made my salad. Tea was too much trouble so I ate my dinner and went to bed without doing my dishes. I also forgot to plug my phone into the charger.
Boneyard Beach
Despite a leak in my air mattress, I slept well. I woke up late again the next morning but determined that I was not going to waste another day. After my second fried egg sandwich of the trip, I made plans. I’d run up to Jacksonville and visit Boneyard Beach on Big Talbot Island, On my way back to camp, I’d stop at Fort Mose. After I got the dishes caught up, I headed out for a day of exploring.
When I lived in Duval County, I loved all the bridges that cross the St. Johns River. The Dames Point Bridge (on the north side of town) was not built when I moved to central Florida. It is one of the most beautiful bridges I’ve ever seen! I easily found Boneyard Beach and was glad to see that the parking lot was not crowded.
The trail to the beach is lovely, mostly shaded and a very pleasant walk of perhaps a quarter mile. There are a couple of overlooks at the top of the bluff. These are nice spots to preview the sights.
The Beach
After this perfectly lovely walk, the trail deposits you onto the beach. Here, fallen trees give testimony to the insidiousness of beach erosion. As the trees lay on the beach, the sun and water bleach them. Windblown sand smooths them, and children (and grown-ups who haven’t forgotten how to play) climb and hide among them. The beautiful “bones” of these trees provide a somewhat otherworldly atmosphere. It’s easy to feel like you are the only person on a strange planet.
Eventually, all the trees will end up on the beach, but in the meantime, the fallen trees provide what protection they can from erosion for their comrades up on the bluff.
Oh, you’d like to see more pictures? So would I. But my phone went dead as soon as I started snapping shots on the beach. I had forgotten my camera at the campsite. I was clearly not operating at my full capacity during this trip! My phone could have fully charged on the drive from St. Augustine to Jacksonville – if I had remembered to plug it in. I will go back another time to get more pictures.
Enough is Enough!
I probably spent a couple of hours just walking the beach and enjoying the beautiful scenery. When it was time to head back to camp, I realized I was really tired and my feet were really cold.
Bypassing Fort Mose on my way back into St. Augustine, I realized I could not avoid a trip to a big box store. I needed a replacement air mattress (if you use an air mattress, don’t leave home without your patch kit)! Yogurt and frozen veggies were tossed into the cart, easier to cook than anything else I had on hand.
By the time I got back to the car, I felt like I had run a marathon. When I made it to my campsite, I wolfed down a cup of yogurt and inflated my new mattress. As soon as it was fitted with sheets and blankets, I got horizontal on it. Not even a cup of hot tea was enough to tempt me to stay up another minute.
I fell asleep wondering if I would get to any of the trails I’d hoped to investigate. When I woke, I knew I wouldn’t need to put on my hiking boots. Enough! After drinking enough hot tea to warm myself, I decided to break camp and head home.
Normally I can break camp in a couple of hours, but not on this morning. It seems that every time I accomplished a task, I needed to rest afterward. Thank goodness I had another night paid for – I did not use it but I was not ready to check out by check out time. It was about 3:00 before I did my final check to make sure the site was tidy and ready for the next campers.
Takeaways from a Shortened Trip
So, I cut short my trip and did not see much of what I wanted to see. But this trip was not wasted. I learned that even when I’m not at my best, sleeping in my little tent is cozy and comfortable. I like spending time in camp, whether with a book or good friend or a loving spouse. It’s is the best time there is! I’ve decided that an extra blanket is never a bad idea. I’m not going to be disappointed in myself if I don’t see EVERYTHING and learn about EVERYTHING in a single trip.
We are surrounded by Goodness when we’re outdoors; there can be no wrong in just taking some time to be in it without a particular agenda
And now I know that I need to set aside a full day to visit all the Anastasia trails and a half day for Fort Mose, and that yogurt is terrific camping food.