The pier has become a Flagler Beach landmark since 1925 with its large “Flagler Beach” sign that’s become a staple of Florida travel guides throughout the years.
The Flagler Beach Municipal Pier also offers pretty good fishing, with good catches of croakers, black drum, sheepshead, flounder, bluefish, a few large kingfish and the occasional tarpon. Originally the pier was about 1,000 feet long, but after being knocked down a few times, it’s currently over 800.
Flagler Beach a unique among Northeast Florida Beaches in that it’s frequented by endangered Right Whales. The Right Whale is frequently sighted during winter months, I’ve seen them just north of the pier once and they’re quite a site.
The Flagler Pier Restaurant offers a great view of the Atlantic and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and of course Florida seafood.
The first beach on Florida’s east coast is Amelia Island making it popular with visitors from Georgia and the Carolinas. Amelia Island Plantation, located on the south end of the island, is well known as a world class golf resort.
You’re allowed to drive on parts of Amelia Island, the sand is soft and a 4-wheel drive vehicle is recommended and even necessary on most beaches. One place you can drive is the south end of the Island at Amelia Island State Park.
The beaches are clean and the water is warm during the summer months, kayaking, fishing and surfing make this a great place to visit.
Shrimp Boats entering through inlet in St. Augustine.
I’ve always loved shrimp boats almost as much as I love the taste of wild native shrimp. When I see shrimp boats in the Gulf scooping up oil from BP’s Deepwater Horizon disaster, my heart sinks as the environmental and economic disaster unfolds and wonder how the oil spill will affect Florida beaches and coastal waters.
Shrimping off northeast Florida beaches starts off Ortega River Inlet near Jacksonville Beach.
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Long Key, like other places in the Florida Keys is popular for it’s fishing, diving and a state park. The Long Key Viaduct, located around MM 65 is nearly 2.5 miles across and has a pedestrian bridge along side that makes it popular with fishermen, pedestrians and bicyclist. The bridge connects Duck Key to the west and Long Key on the east.
This Yellow Crowned Night Heron was photographed in Destin, FL on the south side of Destin Pass. The bird stands about two feet tall and feeds on crabs, fish, snails and bugs. The Yellow Crowned Night Heron is common in the southeast and the eastern seaboard.
I recently shot these two Great Horned Owls at Fort Matanzas near St. Augustine. The male was about 25 yards from the female. The Great Horned Owl is one of North America’s most common and widespread owls.
The first time I heard owls mating was during a duck hunting/camping trip as a teenager nearly thirty years ago in a remote area of Palm Beach County. Myself and a couple of friends had never heard such howls and screeches piercing the quiet, cold December air. We thought someone was being killed in a satanic ritual. We slept with one eye open and our hands on our shotguns. The next day we were told they were owls mating.
