UPDATE-SE Lazy Daze Group
November 27, 2005.
Carol & I spent the Friday & Saturday after Thanksgiving at Hanna Park. This update reflects our visit.
Here is where we stand at this point.
The mailing by Lazy Daze on their letterhead about the new SE group has gone out to all buyers during the last three years who live in AL, FL, GA, SC and NC. Thanks goes to Ron Von Soosten for making this happen.
Location:
The City of Jacksonville operates a 300 unit campground with full hookups. It’s the Kathryn Abby Hanna Park. It’s located on the ocean, just south and east of the Mayport Naval Station. It’s a family orientated campground. Ocean front, has a lake for kayaking and fishing, hiking and dirt biking trails, playgrounds, etc. The beach is a five minute walk from the campground. Some pictures we took are at http://ldse.shutterfly.com/action/
Here is the website for Hanna Park.
http://www.coj.net/Departments/Parks+and+Recreation/Recreation+Activities/Hanna+Park/default.htm
Date: January 13-16, 2006 ; the Martin Luther King holiday weekend. This will allow families with school age children to participate. You don’t have to stay for the entire time period if that doesn’t meet with your plans.
The Office has set aside a group of contiguous campsites for us to use but cannot guarantee there will not be an unrelated camper in our midst. Reservations are first come, first served. The earlier we all reserve a site the better our chances of all being able to camp together. The manager urges people to make reservations by December 1st to be reasonably certain of getting a nearby spot. A covered pavilion will be available for our communal Saturday night pot luck supper, morning coffee, etc. As long as we get ten reserved sites, we can also reserve, for free, the pavilion. Look on the on-line map of the campground. The “pavilion” is called the Amphitheater and it’s located between sites 162 and 176. I have made arrangements to temporarily assign sites 177 through 187 to our Lazy Daze group. These sites back onto a beautiful wooded area. Additional nearby sites 188 through 193 are also available. All sites are dirt and require leveling. Sites 188 through 193 are large pull-thru sites. I would suggest reserving one of these sites if you have not already registered. Some of these sites look large enough to be used for our morning coffee if the people occupying the site are agreeable ( need electric power for the coffee pots). As of this date, as best I know, sites 177 through 185 have been reserved. When you call for reservations, (904) 249-4700. Fax (904) 247-8688, be sure to tell them you’re with the Lazy Daze group so they assign you to one of “our” campsites. No on-line reservations. Phone call only. You are free to chose any non-reserved site.
Once you have reserved your site please let me know the site number. In early January I will send an e-mail with everyone’s name and site number.
General plan:
Friday. Check in. Ice cream social at 7 pm.
Saturday: morning coffee and finger foods. Evening Pot Luck supper. Details to follow. If anyone would like to coordinate the pot luck dinner, raise you electronic hand.
Sunday: morning coffee. Sunday night. We talked to the campground hosts and office staff about ideas & nearby good food places. There is a good Bar-B-Que place that has takeout, a good Wings place and the usual number of pizza joints. We saw one place that advertised fresh shrimp. Still in the idea stage. If someone has one of those big outdoor propane cookers we might be able to boil up some fresh shrimp and have shrimp and leftovers? There is also a Publix nearby where we could get a variety of carry-out foods. Ideas??
Monday: morning coffee. Brief meeting to discuss the Golden Caravan in Cheyenne and future meeting of the SE Lazy Daze Group. Give some thought to if you would like to host the next campout someplace in your neighborhood. Two per year? Three? Need to decide where we want to go from here.
Biographies:
When I attended the Northeast Group campout the hostess solicited a brief biography from all who would be there. What a great idea. Everyone got to know everyone in advance. Just your basic info: name, where from, kids/grandkids, pets, hobbies, retired, working for a living, special interests or any other generally interesting tidbits. If you have decided you’re coming, please e-mail me the bio. before January 1st so I’ll have time to put them into one document and e-mail it to everyone in a timely manner. My computer skills are minimal. If anyone wants to do this part let me know and everyone can e-mail their bios to you for distribution.
Carol & I will make simple name tags for all participants to wear. If you have name tag expertise, let me know and you’re welcomed to the job. J
Cost:
Everyone pays for their campsite of course. I was quoted a rate of $25.43/night based on a three night stay.
Modest donations for ice cream, coffee, etc. accepted. The daily morning coffee will consist of donated baked goods, fruit salad, or whatever you think appropriate. Make it or buy it; doesn’t matter.
Things we learned during our visit:
No alcoholic beverages are permitted in the campground. At least no public consumption thereof. Enforced.
Pets allowed. The official limit is two dogs per site. This rule is completely ignored and not enforced as best we could tell. Dogs are allowed on the beach. The leash law on the beach is ignored but it is enforced in the rest of the park.
If you have a fat tire bike, bring it. At low tide the sand is exposed and quite hard. You can ride along the beach for many miles.
This is a family campground. Bring the kids & grandkids. The sound of happy children and barking dogs can be heard well into the evening. J
If you are coming from north of Jacksonville via I-95, there is a ferry that crosses the St. John’s River. Called the Mayport Ferry. From I-95 go east on 9A to Heckscher Drive(Hwy 105) to the ferry. Saves drive time plus it’s probably a pretty ride. It will drop you off a few miles from Hanna Park.
If you’re coming in via Highway 10 (Atlantic Blvd.) you will pass an area with all the Big Box stores including a Super WalMart/gas station. Cheapest gas, $2.08/gal, we came across, plus a good area for supplies should you need any.
Bike helmets are required for kids under 16 by State law. Not enforced as best I could tell.
If you have never seen Florida ,BC (Before Condos), you will be amazed by Hanna Park. To get there, you drive through a very commercial part of Jacksonville. As soon as you turn into Hanna Park, you’re in the most beautiful area of mature oaks, palms, palmettos, etc. Wonderful bike and hiking trails wind through the hammocks.
If you like surf fishing, bring your stick. The beach is lined with fishermen.
Nearby Points of Interest:
St. Augustine is about 30 miles south.
Take the Mayport Ferry across the St. John’s River and visit Huguenot Memorial Park or Big and Little Talbot State Parks, Amelia Island S.P. or Fort Clinch S.P.
Web site/Yahoo SE LD Group?
If someone with the know how would like to setup and moderate a web site and/or a new Yahoo group, much like the existing LifeWithLazyDaze group, that would be super. We could use that site/group to coordinate and communicate about our meetings. Any volunteers?
Hope to see you there:
Ed & Carol Daniels
Questions?
My cell phone is 772-579-8130
etdcaw@yahoo.com
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