Bummer! (Not Really)

A live oak and the fort in the distance.  Photos taken by and the property of FourWalls.
@FourWalls (70994)
United States
February 4, 2025 8:39am CST
While cruising down the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway (“strolling down the avenue that’s known as A1A”) I saw a sign for Fort Matanzas National Monument. Hey, I’ve never been there, so in I went! Fort Matanzas was a Spanish outpost for the Castillo de San Marcos. (Quite tiny, manned by six soldiers and one officer, and small enough to fit four times into the courtyard of the Castillo de San Marcos.) Located south of St. Augustine, it was, as the park ranger described it, like a police car on the side of the road: if anyone with unpleasant ideas came up the river toward St. Augustine, they’d see this fort, with three cannons pointing out into the water, and hopefully think twice (much like you slow down when you see a state trooper). It was abandoned, to the point where not even the Union or Confederacy bothered with it during the Civil War. In the 1920s it was reclaimed, restored, and declared a national monument. I learned all of this from the dock. The ferry going out to the fort (which is on an island in the Intracoastal Waterway) isn’t running, due to dock damage sustained from either Helene or Milton (or maybe both). BUMMER! Well, not really. As you can see from the other picture (the sprawling live oak), there was still plenty of nature to enjoy. The highlight was a half-mile nature walk through the vegetation. (If you’re wondering, they’re called “live oaks” because they’re evergreens. IF they shed their leaves they replace them in a few weeks instead of the long months in “regular” oak trees.) So it really wasn’t that bad of a “bummer.” PHOTOS: (Left) Live oak tree with picnic tables underneath (Right) The Fort, taken from the damaged dock that prevents the ferry from taking visitors to it.
10 people like this
6 responses
@shaggin (73687)
• United States
4 Feb
That is a beautiful walk under those trees. I would love to tour that fort.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (70994)
• United States
5 Feb
Guess I’ll get it later, but the nature walk more than compensated for not being able to go to the fort.
2 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (51207)
• United States
4 Feb
What a magnificent tree.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (70994)
• United States
5 Feb
It’s gorgeous, isn’t it!!!
1 person likes this
@much2say (56974)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Feb
A teeny place, but still historical - you found that by chance? Are they planning to restore that dock? It's always neat to explore a new place no matter what the size. That tree - woh!
2 people like this
@FourWalls (70994)
• United States
5 Feb
Yes, I saw the sign while driving along. That’s how I find most of my detours, the brown informational signs. Yes, they are working on repairing the dock, if nothing else than to do some temporary measures before “tourist season” hits.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (110933)
• Marion, Ohio
4 Feb
Great pictures. Glad it wasn't a total bummer
3 people like this
@FourWalls (70994)
• United States
5 Feb
I rarely get totally disappointed in something.
2 people like this
@Fleura (30928)
• United Kingdom
4 Feb
It really is just a glorified sentry box isn't it? And what an enormous tree!
2 people like this
@FourWalls (70994)
• United States
5 Feb
Truth be told, I think “glorified sentry box” is a little too kind.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (345279)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Feb
That looks a very pleasant place to take a walk.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (70994)
• United States
5 Feb
It was a terrific walk, although I’m paying for it today with my allergies.
2 people like this