Category Archives: Florida Beaches

February 8, 2012 · 2:21 am

A Day At The Beach With Matty

Some days I just need to spend a little one on one time with one of my love bugs. Matty skipped preschool today to spend the day with me at Fort De Soto Beach. We picked up lunch at Subway in Terra Verde and picnicked at the playground on the North Beach. Matty ran and played. He even made friends with a man by the name of Mr. Martin who was fishing for speckled trout. Matty showed him how well he swims and the man showed him his ‘live shrimp’ and fish when he caught them. We had so much fun and of course the weather was beautiful…love him!

Bean Point and Fishing on the Pier

August 2: Tuesday

Today we started our day with some scrambled eggs and bacon for the children. Afterwards, I ran over to Ginny and Jane’s and picked Kelly and I up a couple of Latte’s. About 30 minutes later Brandie and Laurence stopped by and said, “Let’s go to Bean Point!” We stopped by Beach Bums to find out exactly where the foot path was, and we were off. I had to park the golf cart at the Rod and Reel pier, but the views and solitude were worth it.

This picture is so funny to me…. For some reason we have had terrible AT&T service today and poor Brandie has been constantly checking her phone just hoping that her work emails are coming through.

Me and my Matty Bear….

After dinner we decided to take the boys fishing; with the sun setting on the west side and it being a little later in the day we were hoping that it wouldn’t be too hot. In retrospect, this is something that definitely needs to be done with the daddy’s here….there are just to many little people wanting help with baiting their hook, casting, and pulling off the caught fish. We bought some bait over at the General Store and went down to the Anna Maria pier. The boys were so excited when uncle Laurence showed up to help them. All of the big boys caught fish, they were so happy!

I love this picture because Emma’s face is just classic….

Canaveral National Seashore, New Symrna Beach

So it is Thursday morning, and I get a text from Andy that says…”I know what we are doing on Saturday, it’s a surprise, date day…but you have to be ready bright and early…and I’ll take care of everything!” I was so excited! We love having our weekends planned and not wasted. We love taking the boys to new places and doing new things.

Andy decided that he wanted to take the boys to see the ocean, Matty’s first trip to the ocean. There are so many beaches that we haven’t been too, so he decided on New Symrna Beach. He packed the car for us, got us up nice and early, stopped for donuts on the way out, and we were off. The drive didn’t take us long at all, and actually when we got there it was sprinkling a little bit (a typical summer shower that passes in 15 minutes) so we decided to just go for a drive. And low and behold…what did we find??? Canaveral National Seashore. Now if you know us, then you know that we LOVE National Parks.

Canaveral National Seashore is located on a barrier island off the east coast of Florida and NASA holds the title to the land, but not all of it is used for the operation of Kennedy Space Center.

Here’s a little information that I found on the National Parks website. The earliest evidence of man at Canaveral is found in the numerous mounds and middens within its boundaries. More than 14,000 years ago, small nomadic bands of Indians entered Florida. As time passed, regional cultures evolved in response to local environmental conditions. By the time the Europeans came various distinct Indian groups were distributed throughout Florida and southeast Georgia. Living in the vicinity of Turtle Mound were the Timucuan people, the first known inhabitants. In their 2,000 years of occupation along the coast, the Timucuans did little to alter the natural landscape. Their few remaining burial mounds and shell middens (Castle Windy) are like an unwritten book about the people who lived here. By protecting it, we are assuring that future generations will learn of the Timucuan people. The large shell mounds hold undisclosed information to their way of life. From 800 to 1400 A.D., generation after generation left evidence behind to tell of their lifestyle at Turtle Mound.

The NPS has provided a nice boardwalk so visitors can walk up the 50 foot high mound to see the gorgeous views of the Atlantic Ocean and Mosquito Lagoon. What surprised us the most…were the Banana Spriders… EEKKK!!!! They were everywhere!!!

For lunch we stopped at a hole in the wall place off of the side of the road called J Bs Fish Camp and Restaurant. The weather was so gorgeous today that we sat outside and enjoyed some of the best peel-n-eat shrimp we have ever had. Andy also ordered some blackened gator bites and we bought a container of the shrimp spice to take home…. Yum Yum!

All in all we had a wonderful day. After lunch we headed back to the beach for a little while longer. The boys went for a walk and then we packed up for the drive home. We were home by dinner, the boys swam in the pool, and we were grateful for the beautiful day.