Washington Oaks State Park

   We drove about 20 miles south of St. Augustine on highway A1A and visited Washington Oaks State Park. This park holds a special place with Barbara and I. It was 30 years ago that we first visited the park when we were dating so it was a nostalgic day for us. The thing I remembered most about the first visit was when we were walking down a trail when I came within inches of the biggest spider web I had ever seen. The web stretched from head high all the way to the ground and in the middle of the web was the largest spider I ever saw. It's body was as large as my index finger with legs stretching the diameter of a small plate. I do not like spiders so we made a quick about face and headed back where we came from!
   The park used to be part of an old plantation that changed hands a couple of times until Owen D. Young bought it as a wedding gift for his wife Louise. They used the property for many years as a winter retreat. Young helped found the RCA Corporation and became CEO in 1922. Mrs. Young donated the property to the State of Florida in 1964 following the death of Mr. Young. One of the unique aspects of the park is a section of the coast where coquina rock formations are found. 

 

 

Several orange trees were in the gardens...this is the time of year oranges are picked

 

 

 

The Young house

 

 

Just down from the house was a dock for fishing. The dock sits directly on the intercostal waterway

 

 

Coquina rock on the beach. Coquina rock is a type of sedimentary rock formed by the cementing of shells and sand. There are only 7 areas in the world where this rock type is found