Fort Clinch State Park, Amelia Island, FL - Site #18
Yesterday was a do-nothing day. The temperature stayed in the low 40s, the northeasterly winds were sharp and it spit rain on and off. Ellen took her usual five-mile fast walk before breakfast but then we pretty much stayed in Speedy. A few short forays around the campground were enough to say it was too damp, windy and cold to bother. The electric heater didn't stop all day.
Just for something to do, we drove into downtown Fernandina Beach for dinner. After extensive pre-drive research, we decided to try Timoti's Seafood Shack. It turned out to be just a bit above take-out (order from the counter), with a large area for outside dining and just a couple of tables inside. Needless to say, it was an inside dining day. I had the oyster plate and Ellen had the fish taco. We both started out with New England clam chowder.
What were we thinking? There may be many New Englanders in Florida, but it is still Florida. The chowder had a good helping of clams but also was chock-full of carrots and celery but the kicker was that it had the consistency of pudding—not due to potatoes and cream. It had a shiny, wallpaper paste look and a greyish color.
The oysters were just so-so, about a dozen, mostly smallish. The breading was a bit heavy for my taste and the plate was overwhelmingly french fries, good crisp fries though. The hush puppies were, however, burnt! Ellen's fish taco was small and didn't have much fish. It also had an odd undertaste. Timoti's was generally rated 4.5 or better online: Google, Facebook, Yelp, Urbanspoon, Tripadvisor, etc., but I'd only give it a 3.
Today has been a better day, dawning grey and cold but quickly improving. The winds are still out of the north, but the sun shone a bit and the temperature rose to the mid-50s. It was our day to change sites at the campground. I finally off-loaded and set up my bike. Rather than drive out to the gate to check out of the old site and then check in to the new one, I just rode the bike. It was good to get out on it. It was the first time in months that I actually rode outside and the first ride for new tires and rear gear cassette. It was just an 8.3-mile ride, but the bike worked well. I, on the other hand, was a bit stiff, having not ridden, even on the trainer, for a couple of weeks.
We are now ensconced in campsite #18 for the next two nights, surrounded by big Class A RVs. The one to the right is owned by a couple from Dennis, MA. There seem to be four or five RVs at the beach campground from Massachusetts.
In our opinion, the best sites at the beach side campground are #6 through 11, near the beach itself and on the dark side of the ablutions building. Sites 6, 7 and 11 back up to bushes, so they are the most private. At site 11, where we spent the last two nights, the vegetation also blocks the north wind. Sites #7-10 have ocean views. Site 7, which we had on our first trip to Florida in Speedy, is our favorite. As a side note, the best sites on the river side campground are #38-40, which have river views.
Not much else to report today. Ellen did a 5.6 mile bird walk this afternoon. Not many species, but a Red-shouldered Hawk was the highlight. Oh yeah, we also did laundry mostly to get the sand out of the sheets. I did mention that it blew like stink for two days, didn't I?
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