East Coast Adventure

For awhile now I have been wanting to check out some of the State Parks along the east coast between Flagler Beach and St. Augustine. I bought a State Park Pass this year and thought I should take advantage of it. Despite the hot weather I drove to Flagler and then went north on A1A. First stop was at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. This park is located along the Matanzas River and was once owned by a distant relative of George Washington. I think I was the only person at the park and seemed to attract all of the mosquitos. The park has some formal rose gardens and other ponds, flowers and of course large oaks. Mostly shaded walkways and paths lead through the park. I tried some lensbaby shots with the new macro lens attached. Shooting in the sun was a little difficult due to the heat and I ended up over exposing most of the flower shots. The camera has to be set on manual so I have to learn to pick the proper exposures.

One of the large live oaks at Washington Oaks Gardens SP

Lens Baby shot with macro attachment

The gardens are on the river side of A1A. Leaving the gardens, there is another part of the park on the ocean. I walked up to the beach and was surprised to see the beach covered with cocina rocks. This is an unusual sight for a Florida beach. It was mid-morning so the light was harsh but I took several shots and plan to return for a sunrise in the near future.

Next stop was the St. Augustine Light Station. The view was spectacular from the top and the breezes were welcomed after the climb in an unairconditioned lighthouse.

Spiral staircases always make an interesting shot - ISO 1250!