A Rainy Day Visit With A $3,000 Florida Pelican

Just across the Georgia state line, heading south, take a quick left turn onto Florida’s A1A, drive 15 miles, cross the Intracoastal Waterway, and you’ll wind up at Amelia Island’s Fernandina Beach.

Unlike the beach near our home, parking at Fernandina Beach is plentiful and FREE. Beach access is also easy.

The beach here on Amelia Island, even during the week of July 4th, was surprisingly deserted.

A lone shrimp boat heading south, ahead of the approaching storm.

A couple of families and three sets of horse hoof prints in the sand were the only signs of beach intruders.

A military helicopter made a couple of passes.

Oddly, this was the only water bird on the entire beach.

A gopher tortoise must’ve sensed the coming rain and headed home.

Another tortoise sitting on his front porch watching the humans pass by.

Downtown clock tower.

Walking in the rain, enjoying the sights, and doing a little window shopping and browsing. But, walking in the rain, holding an umbrella, while lightning sizzled and popped overhead was probably not the smartest thing I’ve ever done.

Why buy the painting when you can capture the image with your cell phone? Sort of like reading an entire book while in a bookstore, though. Doesn’t really help the authors or artists pay their bills. Okay, now I feel guilty. Still, the painting was really good.

Of course, there was the traditional beach t-shirt shop.

I snapped this photo with Wally Lind (crimescenewriter guru) in mind.

Fernandina Beach, the town, is charming and quaint.

The warm scent of chocolate drew me to this candy shop. Unfortunately, candy is not on my diet.

Neither is ice cream.

But I can read all the books I want and I’ll still have a happy liver.

The rain was coming down in boat loads, so we ducked into this very nice two-story bookstore, where we found many of your books on the shelves. This was the upper level, where we also discovered the rare and elusive $3,000 solid copper pelican.