A Photographic Jaunt Through Big Talbot and Fort George Island, Jacksonville, Florida

It’s day 2 of my photographic tour through Jacksonville, Florida. I’ve had four hours of sleep, and I’m moving quite slowly. I make my way downstairs in the hotel, and head out the front door to meet my tour guide, Will Dickey. Will is late, but this is not a problem since it is 4:45 AM, and I revel at the prospect of enjoying the serenity of this ungodly hour alone for a few minutes. However, instead of a peaceful, easy feeling as espoused by the Eagles, I find a car out in front with this dude blasting raucous, loud, and obnoxious rap music! He is gyrating in the front seat to an over-powering bass beat, while my head starts pounding. After about five minutes, he pulls away, and I am left in blessed relief. Subsequently, Will pulls up, and we are off on another photographic adventure.

We drive in the dark to Big Talbot Island State Park. This is a unique sea island, a preserve for nature study, bird-watching, and photography. As we pull into the parking lot, it is just starting to get light, the perfect time to get ready for our shoot. There is one car parked, a good indication that we will have the beach to ourselves. After a half-mile hike to the beach, we arrive with about 20 minutes until sunrise.

Big Talbot Island

This is Black Rock Beach, rife with gorgeous geologic formations and tree skeletons, having formed at the end of the last ice age about ten thousand years ago. The soil found on this beach is unique, being found in only three-four percent of land in this country. The black rock formations are composed of decayed leaves and compressed sand, some of the oldest in the world.

I set up and take my first photo as the sun rises. Time is of the essence, while the light and cloud formations are this good. However, my photographic bliss is just about to get adulterated by a photographer with a couple who have come on the scene to get wedding photos on this exquisite beach. They set up approximately thirty yards in front of me, quite presumptuous and a little irritating. Not to worry. Few things can ruin my good time here. I pick up and move down the beach to finish the shoot with about thirty minutes of good light to spare.

After downtime during the middle of the day, we wrap up in Fort George Island Cultural State Park. This area has been occupied by humans for five thousand years. Named for a garrison that was built in Seventeen Thirty-Six, Fort George Island became an area in which Native Americans feasted, and the opulent vacationed in the nineteen-twenties. The fort was built to defend Georgia’s southern flank when it was a colony.

The late afternoon sun is getting low in the sky, and we make our way to the Fort George Inlet.

Fort George Inlet

This is an access point for the Atlantic Intra-Coastal Waterway via the Fort George River. After surveying several sites, we settle on an area near a bridge as the sun is peaking underneath a cloud in its descent towards the horizon. Gentle rays of light line up across a sandbar in front of us. We take multiple shots before the sun disappears completely.

So ends my first full day in Jacksonville. After a beer and some dinner, I have to download my photos, recharge my camera batteries, count my insect bites, and get some sleep before my alarm rings for our morning shoot. I can only hope that rap psychopath sleeps in tomorrow morning.

A Trip to the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Jacksonville, Florida

SARS-COV-2 has run rough-shod over my photographic travels over the last 15 months! In January of 2020, I planned trips to Scotland and Jacksonville, Florida for photography trips. However, in March of 2020, all plans were curtailed as Covid-19 spread, and I spent most of the time in isolation at home with my wife, or the office doing tele-visits with patients. However, I received the Pfizer vaccine at the end of December and again in January. At its peak, 3 million Americans a day were getting vaccinated, and the number of hospitalizations and deaths started to decline. My inclination towards travel resumed.

In April of 2021, I contacted Will Dickey, a professional photographer who lives in Jacksonville, Florida for the first time since the pandemic hit. I had read with interest an article that he had written in Outdoor Photographer Magazine about the many great sites to shoot around Jacksonville. After chatting with him on the phone, I made hotel reservations and went up there for a three day weekend.

Huguenot Pelican

It’s Friday in the late afternoon, and we arrive at the Huguenot Memorial Park. This area is a large beach on Black Hammock Island in the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve in which archaeologists date human habitation to 2500 BC.

Will motors his 4-wheel drive vehicle for a fair distance down the beach to where no other cars are parked. While there are few people, numerous birds are frolicking around. This park was designated a Great Florida Birding Trail by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It is an important habitat for terns, shorebirds, and bar-tailed god-wits. We see gannets, loons, and sea ducks. My favorite species here are pelicans, one of which I photographed as shown above.

The sun is getting lower in the sky, so we hit the car and head to Saw Pit Creek. This area is very near to the George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier State Park. Some fishermen are calling it a day, and are hauling in their boats near the pier. Will and I are in luck. There are beautiful clouds in the sky, as the sun starts to set. This area is a marsh. I made the mistake of not bringing rubber boots, but not to worry, Will has an extra pair. We wade into the creek, set up our tripods and start to shoot.

Saw Pit Creek

We get several shots from different perspectives. All in all, I’ll have to say that the locations and weather have been excellent! We pull our tripods out of the mud, pack our cameras back up in our bags, and start to trudge out of the creek. There is one problem. My right foot sinks one foot into the marsh. This is just like quicksand as far as i am concerned. I can’t extricate my foot. Will has gotten ahead of me at this point, and has to make his way back to help pull me out of the muck. My jeans have now had it for the rest of the trip!

I love nature, travel, and photography. However, I can do without mud, ruined clothes and about one hundred insect bites all over my body! I guess this is just the cost of doing business in the world of outdoor photography. I’m looking forward to another shoot tomorrow with extra insect repellant applied.

Leesburg Bike-fest, Not to be Missed

View fullsize

Vroooom! There are not many things louder and more disruptive than multiple motorcycles passing me as I innocently drive down 441/27 on my way to Leesburg, Fl. I’m in Leesburg heading to work at Leesburg Regional Medical Center on a Friday late in April, but traffic is not moving. Strange looking people attired in bandanas, leather jackets, bearded men with tattoos, and women with piercings in various body parts, are all on the most incredible bikes Harley Davidson has to offer. They are all lined up, ready to enter the main drag into downtown Leesburg. I can’t wait to get out of work, grab my camera, and head to the Leesburg Bike-fest!

View fullsize

I make my way on foot towards the city center as choppers cruise past me in single-file, while parked bikes line the street on both sides. This is billed as “the World’s Largest 3-Day Motorcycle and Music Event.”

View fullsize

The festival had humble beginnings in 1997 when a community association consisting of Leesburg residents, business owners and government officials coalesced to form the Leesburg Partnership. They created a one-day event that was intended to attract visitors from all over Florida, with intent to promote local business. The 1997 venue was considered a success with 5000 motorcyclists, a few bands and vendors. By 2002, the event was expanded to 3 days and was gaining momentum. As of 2009, the festival had become the largest 3-day motorcycle and music event in the country. This extravaganza now brings in $286 million, attracting thousands of visitors to the area. The venue now encompasses 30 blocks with 55+ concerts, 200+ Vendors, and 6 Hot-body Contests.

Frankly, my senses are being stimulated on overload, Not knowing where to start, I decided to start cruising the side streets. Within one minute I come across three girls that are hard to miss. Having decided that I would like to photograph them, I start following them from behind, hoping to get a candid shot. With no warning, they stop, turn around, and ask me if I would like to grab a picture of them posing. Let me think. This is a no-brainer.

I go out on Main Street, park myself at a corner, and start shooting away. This is the most fun I’ve had since doing something similar in Madurai, India. Within five minutes, a guy on a bike pulls over to start talking to me. With his helmet and leather jacket on, I’m unprepared to see one of my fellow cardiologists, and yes, a biker, from Leesburg Regional Medical Center. He tells me, “There is more to life than cardiology.”

View fullsize

It’s now time to head to the Towne Square Stage where Twinkle Rock & Soul Radio have started their first set. I’ll have to say, it’s pretty loud around here'; my ears are ringing. This is one of at least 55 bands that will play at this festival over 3 days. At various squares and bars throughout Leesburg, there is no dearth of raucous rock and R&B to be heard.

View fullsize

After checking the event listings, I decided to come back Sunday morning for one of the Hot-body contests. Arriving early, I procure a spot right next to the stage which will allow me to photograph the girls as they appear. These ladies have won other competitions throughout the country, and are ready to try their luck at the Leesburg Bike-fest. Some of the contestants are Ms. Gator Harley, Ms. Pin-up, Ms. Ratmate and Ms. Budweiser. Each has a prescribed routine as they assume the stage individually. Walking to the front, they throw front and back poses to the crowd of onlookers who are drinking beer at 11:30 AM. From the front of the stage, they head towards the three judges at the back of the stage. I’ll have to say, this is more than my normal amount of entertainment on a Sunday morning.

I’ve reached the conclusion of the Leesburg Bike-fest for me this year. The sheer numbers of amazing motorcycles, bikers from all over the country, and locals having a good time eating, drinking and listening to live music has been quite a scene. I will be sure to mark the date of next year’s bike-fest on my calendar when I get home.