‘Keep the Ferry’ Float a Hit at the Beaches Parade!
The annual Opening of the Beaches Parade on Sunday was held under beautiful skies and a great group of floats, and terrific, beaches-lovin’ crowd.
Here’s just a few of the many floats and Parade marchers that delighted the crowds and kids who lined the route of this annual Parade, now in its 66th year.
We’re all about keeping the ferry, so check out this short video of the float that was created for that very purpose: to raise awareness of the need to keep that vital link between our island and those to the north. To keep that valuable section of Florida’s historic A1A. To help all of us who use that ferry to go back and forth and keep A1A uninterrupted all the way to Key West.
This is a quick, 52-second video of the Keep The Ferry parade float as it passed us by:
Kudos to the Beaches Hospitality Network and to Mike Kaufmann who chaired the effort to build this awesome float in tribute to the Ferry.
And check it! There is B.J. himself, up there on the float with Mike Kaufmann and Hank Watson.
This great photo comes to us from Jim at Surfdog Photography. Thanks!
We love this man and look forward to his being there whenever we drive the onto the Ferry. He’s delighted everyone we’ve taken across the river on the Ferry, because in our world, no visit to the beaches is complete without ferrying across the St. John’s and showing our guests the natural beauty of the unspoiled barrier islands to the north. So many things to do – Kingsley Plantation, Kayak Amelia*, driving on the beach at Huguenot Park, climbing trees or doing a photo shoot at Boneyard Beach on the lovely Big Talbot Island, a trip to Fort Clinch or heading to Fernandina and enjoying a stroll in their town.
We’ve done all these things regularly and we’ve been able to enjoy these little trips ‘off the island’ because we have the convenience of the ferry. So remember that – and get involved to ensure that this important link of highway (because that’s what the ferry is); it’s not a pleasure boat, but a continuation of A1A.
It’s the people who work on the ferry, who welcome the cars and line ’em up, who make us all smile and there’s no one like B.J.! Just look at how B.J. swipes his cap for our camera as the float rolled past. Just one of his signature moves that welcome ferry passengers.
It was a great parade, and let’s have another memorable and safe warm weather season at the beach. It’s summertime!
*of course people may bring their own kayaks and explore the salt marshes…we just don’t have one so we enjoyed using their services!
