South Flagler Beach, Florida

[wendisplantation]

Hey Everybody- I thought you might like to see some pics of a place here in Florida called Highbridge.

This is less than a mile from the east coast, near the Flagler / Volusia County Line. Basically about half way between DAytona Beach and St Augustine.

This road winds through a marshy area that is lined with CIDPs on this part. All of these pictures are on the south side of the road.

This drive is awesome, the road is really narrow, and there's trees hanging over in in places. Very 'Wild Florida'!

These look like ladies with ferny skirts...

[wendisplantation]

here's 3 leaning out over the water.....

[wendisplantation]

and another.... I ahve collected and germed seeds of these, they are about a year old now...........

[wendisplantation]

and this one I made more colorful because it came out nearly black and white......

[wendisplantation]

Looking up......

[wendisplantation]

This is another interesting tree in the area, though not a palm. It is called the Fairchild Oak. This thing is HUGE! I went to a wedding there once.......

[wendisplantation]

and another.... This guy is taking a picture of the ruins that you will see in the next shot

[wendisplantation]

Here's the ruins....there's lots of ruins of old plantations and sugar mills here, in fact, a place called Bulow Plantation is just to the north a couple miles, State park, really beautiful!

[wendisplantation]

And here is one of my babies from the seeds collected from the CIDPs....I have about 15 of these. they are just starting to get their first split leaf!!

Hope you enjoyed my short tour. I will add more to this post the next time I go somewhere interesting :cool:

[Jeff Searle]

Wendi,

  Enjoyed the tour, thanks. Are there not any other palms growing in this area? And I liked to know where's the pic. of you climbing one of the trunks after the seed. Surely there must be one of you.    You know, zip-loc baggies in one hand, clippers and suntan lotion in the other.......  Nothing?????  OK, I'll wait until tommorrow.

Jeff

[Kris]

Dear Wendi  

Thanks a Lot ! my friend for those stills.and also remembering

that iam a can can fan_I meant the skirts of female CIDP !

you want belive that i have chased these babes right from my

schooling days.but i was told time and time again that they are nothing more than common date palm.

so when nursery guys and garderners here were of that opnion.so begain to eat dates and collect date seeds from

around the world.and they all germinated quite easily due to

our hot climate.but the color of the leaves were very silver

grey than greenish.but once again i was told that if placed in ground they will resemble the CIDP's that i have

stills that were cut from time & life magazine.(these features in these magazines were of life styles of rich &

famous living in floridia,L.A,hollyhood,baverlyhills,santa babra,sandiyago,las vegas...the streets,villas,the playboy

mansions,5 star delux hotels in las vegas_usually the tyson bout takes place here..i think its cesear's palace !

here in our garden the date palms got lots of fert and

pampering.since they were mistaken as CIDP.all visiters

used to admire it,since i have lots of useless so called

blood relatives there in U.S.both mother side & Father's

side.whever i asked for those seeds of those trees that

were swept away as garbage in L.A.these relatives used

to tell me they forgot to carry it along with them when they

visit us in india !

them finally i realised that my palm tree in my garden is

nothing more than a regular date palm,i felt like a flat

tyre.but i when i told this to my friends they told its their

turn to find it for me.they have sent me hell a lot of seeds

all perished since i did not know the germination technique.so when i complained this to online seeds company they recomanded me this site.and after some

interaction with our esteemed members.iam able to walk

now instead of crawling.

and one terrefic friend knowing my desire & admiration for this perticular phoenix species.sent me 2 box full of

germinated seeds the size of a box was some what

similar to a dvd player box...and his new friend is from

italy and he is also a member of this forum.

at present my stocks of CIDP and exocitic cycas is enough

to supply the entire township  

And dear wendi its really very...sweet of you to remember

what palms i like the most and also post stills of the same.

just a word thanks will not make justice to you guys.

Lots of love,

Kris(India)  

[wendisplantation]

Jeff....LOL, actually I sent my Steve into the alligator infested marsh water to get them....Just kidding....

No climbing, got them off the ground under the ones that have the fern skirts. Most had bug holes, very few good seeds when I got there to collect.. As for other trees, there are sabals there too...I know, you see them all the time though!

I will start carrying my camera with me more and try to get snaps of some that look good and healthy.

We have had so much rapid growth in this community, most of the trees of any size have been planted within the last few years, and are still recovering.....uh, I mean, they look like s&*%.......

Mine all look good , but they are tiny still.....However, there is this little tree down the road that will soon be looking better and better..... :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:

Kris-

These pictures aren't that great, I took them as the sun was getting low in the sky, so they don't seem as colorful as they normally are. But these trees have definately played a role in fueling my palm desires!!!

Especially the ones out over the water. They are very commanding in their presence, don't you think?!

It is hard to tell from these pictures how large the trunks are on these, but I tried to get things in the pics to show scale as much as possible.

Woodpeckers love these trees, and in some you can see holes .....some the size of a baseball.

I have asked many people about the history of these trees, as they were obviously planted here, but all I could find out was that one person thought that the original owner of this area planted them a long time ago......not much info, I'm afraid.

Glad you enjoyed them, I thought of you many times while taking these pics!!

I'll post more the next time I go over in that area, hopefully during the full sun hours.

[wendisplantation]

Here's more trees Jeff, but not palms- these are baby Neem Trees, mine

[Kris]

Dear wendi  

those neem saplings are great ! these are the same that we

have in india.why iam saying so is many of the eucalyptus

trees show my members in this forum is not what we have

in india.its very different.

wish you all the best in making those saplings into lovely and

useful trees..

Love,

Kris  

[SubTropicRay]

Great photos Wendi.

[wendisplantation]

Thanks!

I also have some video that I shot during this jaunt with my cheap little dig vid camera, if anyone is interested. It is in ASF format, what ever that is.

PM me if you want to see the drive from the driver's seat.

[bubba]

Wendi, Is that Washington Oaks State Park? At one time, they had the furthest North Banyan tree in the state of Florida at the foot of a spring in the park. Do you know if it is still there?

[palmmermaid]

Bubba,

That's what I thought.  I lived in Daytona for about 5 years and went to Bulow, Washington Oaks, and Tomoka parks all the time.  I also liked Matanzas and the fort there.  Used to take the park boat over and stay for a while, just enjoying the peace and quiet.  not many people visited any of these parks.  I fished at Bulow a lot.  

There are many small parks around the state that are largely unvisited but great.  I hate Disney but if it keeps the tourists away from the great places, I am OK with that.  If you are already in Florida, why go to the fake Key West in Disney?  Why not experience the real thing?  Ohm wait, they might get dirty!  Egads!

[wendisplantation]

Hi Bubba, Kitty-

No, this is quite a ways south of Washington Oaks, but on A1A. This area is just north of the Volusia county line. The Fairchild Oak pics are actually in Tomoka State Park that Kitty referenced-Very beautiful area!!

Have either of you ever been to Princess Place Reserve? It is in Northern Flagler County, but on the west side of the Intercoastal, basically across the IC from Washington Oaks- Beautiful.....has the very first in ground swimming pool in Florida, some ruins, and free camping- beautiful place!!

Not sure about the Banyan tree, but I will look next time I go there- I haven't been there in quite a few years, but i guess it is about time.

Tomoka is also beautiful, and Bulow is totally awesome if you like ruins. I spent 2 summers with my dad in St Thomas, USVI when I was a kid (Thanks Dad), and Bulow reminds me so much of the old sugar mill plantations all over St John, which is mostly designated as Federal Park land, and for good reason. Annaberg ruins there is especially awesome, if you ever get a chance to visit there. I used to have many pics of that area, but unfortunately, my ex destroyed all my pics from when I was a kid. Freakin Jerk- Oh well, can't destroy all the wonderful memories!!

Anyway, I will check on the Banyan, and when I go will try to borrow my mom's digital camera to take pics (mine just got broken a month or so ago), will post in this thread when that happens.

So nice to find someone that has been to this area- such a small unknown county in Florida, but lots of Nature to offer!! I guess that's really why I stay here, I also can't stand the big tourist traps (except I do love roller coasters)!

Kitty, this road, Highbridge- is just north of Tomoka and just south of Bulow, I'm sure you have travelled it,very winding and narrow coming through the swampy part, then mostly straight going out to A1A. Draw bridge just west of A1A...

[palmmermaid]

Wendi,

I am not familiar with Princess Place Reserve.  It may not have been a reserve when I lived up that way.  

I know the road now.  I couldn't remember the name.  An old boyfriend and I used to ride his Harley on that road, stopping along the way.  Is there a fish camp with a restaurant or just a restaurant somewhere along it?  I seem to remember one.  

There also used to be a hotel and restaurant along the beach south of Flagler.  Can't remember the name.  It was an old style house with a fabulous restaurant in it.  We found it by accident one day on the way from West Palm to Jacksonville and stayed there.

I miss the old Florida.  I am just a cracker from Perry up in the panhandle and love the small quiet out-of-the-way places.  So many are gone now after being "discovered" and "civilized".  Such a shame.

I used to spend many weekends on a friend's houseboat off of Shell Point, catching crabs and fish and shrimp and scallops, camping on small islands, standing on an oyster bar in knee-deep water and eating the oysters right off the bar.   Ahhhhhhh!

[wendisplantation]

Kitty, I believe the motel you are referring to is the Topaz. That was a private mansion originally. Now the mansion part is a museum and yes, there is a restaraunt in there as well...really beautiful place with tons of 'old Florida' photos and whatnot.

I figured you had travelled Highbridge- if you come out of Tomoka Park and head North, it is the first road on the right. when you turn there, that part is all covered with tree branches. After you cross a small bridge, you take a right (south) and that is the windey part- swamp on one side and a hill on the other (probably the only natural hill in the whole county) with 2 large old southern houses on  it. When you come to the curve that heads back out east to A1A, there is a little shack that on the right (literally on the corner between the road and water) that used to be a bar and maybe restaraunt and fish camp as well. The pic in post # 1 is looking East just maybe 100 yards from the corner and shack. (now closed and fenced off). I always thought that was a horrible place for a bar, as the road is very dangerous, and narrow.

From there, if you continue out to the beach and go north on A1A a few miles is the Topaz. I won't swear to it, but I think that place is on the Historic register. I will try to borrow my mom's digital next time I go over there and get a few pics of it for you.

When I first moved to this area in '94, there were only 2 stop lights in the whole county. boy has it changed!!!

Did you ever visit Marineland? Now has also changed. A man named Jim Jacoby bought it and has  been doing extensive renovations. The 2 HUGE fish tanks are now gone, as are all the animals and small exhibit tanks, except the dolphins. It has now been turned into an interactive dolphin center. My Steve used to work there nights manning the huge pump systems. What a chore that was. Nellie, the oldest captive dolphin in the world is still alive and well there, as well as Lily, a beautiful blonde dolphin. I used to get to pet them and talk with them on the nights when I would go pick Steve up from work. Some of the changes are good, but those old tanks were very historic in their own right. Many Tarzan shots were filmed there, and I believe that the first underwater motion camera was developed there.

But, the tanks were made of steel and concrete, and were rusting badly. It was kind of scarry walking through the halls around the outside of the tanks, as you could see the rust and knew that they could burst at any moment...

I will try to get pics of all that as well. Maybe tomorrow, as I have to work today.

[palmmermaid]

Wendi,

That old spot on the corner sounds just like what I remember.  Wasn't much to look at but the fried catfish and hush puppies were to die for!  It was before 1994 - late 70's if memory serves correctly.

I've been to Marineland several times.  I always loved it.  I am glad it is still in use but sad also that the big tanks are gone.

We used to go crabbing in the Matanzas Inlet not far from Marineland.  Just put old chicken necks on a string and bring the crabs in.  Yum!!

I miss those times.  We would just hang out at the beach all day.

Photos would be super!

[wendisplantation]

Here's more pics...

This is the place on the corner ....

this is looking west, coming from the beach

[wendisplantation]

this is looking south after the corner. Notice the little shack on the corner

[wendisplantation]

Here is looking to the north from the same point as last pic

[wendisplantation]

There are many new mansions along A1A, this is an example (best pic I could get while driving ). This is in Ormond by the Sea.

[bubba]

Great pictures! It is good to hear Marineland is still around. Any news on that Banyan tree near the spring at Washington Oaks?

[wendisplantation]

Here is the Topaz Motel and Mansion.

[wendisplantation]

These paintings are on the side of the mansion

[wendisplantation]

another shot, from southern side

[wendisplantation]

Heading north on A1A from the topaz, approaching Flagler Beach Pier

[wendisplantation]

closer....Much of this pier was destroyed a few years back during hurricane season. The part that was lost was never replaced, just the damaged end got fixed.

[wendisplantation]

Just north of the pier at the stoplight is Finnegan's Restaraunt and Bar.

The deck on top was just built within about the last 3 years, but the bar has been there for many years

[wendisplantation]

Continuing north on A1A, this little area is known as Flagler by th Sea.

[wendisplantation]

These huge houses are mostly all new right along the beach all the way up from Flagler Beach to Marineland, through the area known as The Hammock......

[wendisplantation]

Now in the Hammock, looking from the beach end of Jungle Hut Rd. This used to all be just natural barrier island dunes, looking north

[wendisplantation]

Now south

[wendisplantation]

Southwest

[wendisplantation]

West, toward Palm Coast which is across the Intercoastal from the Hammock

[wendisplantation]

This is a little farther North in the Hammock, the end of 16th street, right on the beach