Camping in the campground of Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine, Florida

Tent camping in Anastasia State Park, North Florida - Photo: Still Gravity.
Back to the tent for a week in a state park close to the city of St. Augustine - License our images here.         

Anastasia State Park is a bike ride away from the action of old St. Augustine, Florida. In winter, camping here is a delight, especially for the absence of insects and the lonely beach.

One night, a smart raccoon assaulted our cooler in the gazebo. The unit felt from the picnic table and woke us. We ended giving the troublemaker a big scare. This worked well. It didn't try again. 

The hike to Cape Francis in the St. Augustine Inlet was nice. We found many birds on the Atlantic shores pushed by strong winds and furious waves. There were also illusions of ships sailing on the sand - the beach hiding the inlet. 

Boat sailing on sand in the St. Augustine Inlet, Florida - Photo: Still Gravity.
Someone was sailing on the sands of Cape Francis.        

The city with its old castle, old houses, and... old, old, old smell of Spanish times, was a daily destination. We rode our bikes there and got food at some restaurants. 

This was our fourth time here. Once again visiting The Fountain of Youth with its tale of a Ponce de Leon fighting age, the Big Cross of Menendez de Aviles, and the St. Augustine lighthouse with its ghostly whispers. 

The oldest house of St. Augustine, Florida - Photo: Still Gravity.
         The oldest house of St. Augustine. 

But this time we also visited new places. We went to Fort Mose - the escaped slaves fort from 1738 -, the small Fort Matanzas near the dying place of 200 French soldiers executed by the Spaniards - "matanzas" means slaughter in Spanish -, and the world first oceanarium - we learned a couple of things about dolphins at Marineland Dolphin Adventure. 

Driving north from St. Augustine, we found Guana Tolomato National Preserve and the brown sands of South Ponte Vedra Beach with the remains of a boat destroyed by a hurricane.   

Boat wrecked in South Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida - Photo: Still Gravity
Broken by a storm.        

Busy week enjoying the simplicity of tent camping.

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