Fall is Here!

Looking north along the Atlantic Ocean.  Notice the hotels?  Nope.

Finally the fall weather has arrived in central Florida!
Last Sunday it was 62 degrees when I got going.  There was a cool breeze and the sky was crystal clear.  It even sounded different, like it does when the weather first changes temperature.
I drove to meet my friend Walt who cooked both of us a delicious breakfast with lots of hot coffee. Then we headed east to New Smyrna Beach where we raised a drink to the surf before driving south to Canaveral National Seashore.  Walt had just turned 62 this year and got us into the park for free with his new pass.  We drove in free and cruised along the coastal dune to the turnaround at the end of 6 paved miles.

And looking south, no hotels here either!

The car windows were open and we sat enjoying the cool wind waiting on a parking space, listening to the waves crash below.  After a few minutes waiting we drove back north to the next available parking space and walked down to the beach on the boardwalk.  Just watching the waves rush in and out was fine for me.  We waved at the Park Rangers and the people walking by, watched the surf fishermen cast lines about and followed the gulls as they flew overhead in the breeze.  This was nice.  No bugs, no heat and actually the wind was a bit chilly without a second shirt on.  I could stand here all day, leaning against the dry wooden rails and just stare out to sea.

The State House

Comfortable rockers!

An explosion of plant life above with Resurrection Ferns in the Live Oaks

The view from the rocking chairs.

Coral Honeysuckle, a Florida variety.  It doesn't smell as strong as northern varieties.

We drove up to the restored State House where we sat in the porch rockers watching the boat traffic and fishing people along the Intracoastal Waterway in Mosquito Lagoon.  Crowds came and went.  More birds flew by.  I noticed our conversation had gone quiet as we contemplated life's details.  I could also sit here, rocking all day, quietly.  It was nice to get peaceful.   One of the neatest things about using the free entrance pass is you don't feel you have to spend your every moment living to the fullest anymore.  You don't have to hike all the trails or get a line in the water to fish or see all the museums and displays.  You can slow down and just enjoy a short drive in a cool place that you probably wouldn't take before.

Intracoastal Waterway looking north from JB's

After a couple hours, a couple conversations and talking about a couple of dreams, we left and drove north to have lunch at JB's, a favorite eating stop along the barrier island. We waited a while after lunch on the dock, again just watching and listening.  There are some days I need to do just that and nothing else and today was that day.  I celebrated the end of summer's heat and bugs by leaning back and doing very little.  To end today with a quote, that made all the difference.

River Breeze Park

The view looking south along the Indian River

River Breeze is a Volusia County park along US 1, south of New Smyrna.  The popular boat launching ramp is heavily used by fishing boats in the Mosquito Lagoon with access on the Indian River.  The 37 acre park offers restrooms, picnic tables and a playground.  The pier extends into the river along the Intercoastal Waterway along one of the most diverse water areas in America.  Check out the park brochure here..
This location is great for enjoying the outdoors, launching your fishing vessel or kayak, a picnic lunch or just spending a day with a fishing line in the water.  Canaveral National Seashore is across the lagoon and there is camping on some of the spoils islands you can see from the pier. Seminole Rest, a portion of the Canaveral National Seashore is just a couple miles down the road.
A few years ago, the Boy Scout Troop I was with camped in the woods on the north side of the property,  We visited NASA, fished and enjoyed being on the water and spent 2 nights beneath the clearest skies and stars I have ever seen in Florida.  A hiking trail runs through the old grove site there today.
If you are into birding, Merrit Island is just a short way down the road.  You can also reach the lower end of the Canveral National Seashore beaches there.
The park is not close to a large city and it is rural in nature.  I mention it because of the kayak launching, nearby National Parks and on-the-water-camping close by.  To get there, go south from New Smyrna or north from Titusville on US 1.

Shallow water by the dock and ramp

Seminole Rest

View of Seminole Rest from the Indian River portion of Mosquito Lagoon

Seminole Rest is the mainland portion of the Canaveral National Seashore.  This small spot of heaven is located in rural Oak Hill, Florida, about 10 miles south of New Smyrna Beach on US Highway 1.  Once you get to Oak Hill, turn left onto Canal Road and follow it around a right hand curve to River Road.  Seminole Rest is on your left just ahead.
This is a small National Park section which was saved from destruction by the previous owners decades ago.  In the Florida past, highway and railroad departments would back up to huge piles of shells, load them into dump trucks and cart them off to use as road beds.  Some of us Florida kids remember walking along the crushed-glass texture of shell roads in the past.  With all the sugar sand down here, it made good sense for the Florida roads, plus it was free.  The problem was those innocuous piles of shells were middens, the only remains of the Timucuan native Americans who lived here more than 500 years ago.

The walkway gives views of the mounds

A very inviting canoe launch

Lots of cedar trees are here

A half-mile hiking trail leads you from the parking lot around the waterfront side of the property, by a canoe launch, and through some trees with lots of light colored butterflies flitting about.  The water is the Indian River portion of the Mosquito Lagoon and Intercoastal Waterway.  Weekend motorboat and sailboat traffic was moving by and people were casting fishing lines where they could.

The stories they could tell us...

Here the sign tells us about the middens that were removed from this area by 2000 railroad cars

Note the almost white butterfly in the top right third of the bush.  These butterflies were everywhere.

My favorite photo of the restored house on the midden

A nice peaceful stroll

You have to imagine how many generations pitched their shells here to create this midden

And the story of the preservation of these mounds

Enjoy your short tour of this site with a great amount of lost history!