Winter Escape! Day 16: Even Farther South!

After Peggy and I exchanged Valentine's Day greetings this morning, I departed from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA, at 10:32 a.m. The outside weather was sunny and 50 degrees.  I have SO enjoyed these past two weeks here on the island of soft brown grassy marshes with their gray-green waters.  I thought the tide must be out as I passed over the high bridge to the Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge.

The State of Georgia isn't far; I passed the state line at 11:15.  Some interesting names in Georgia are Pooler (town), Bulltown Swamp, Cathead Creek, Fort King George, Hofwyl Plantation, Turtle River - very, very wide, near Brunswick, Horse Stamp Church Road, Canoe Swamp Creek and Crooked River.

At 1:15 p.m., I reached the huge, busy Florida Welcome Center, shortly after passing the state line. They welcome guests with free orange juice or grapefruit juice, maps, and lots of information about attractions in the state.   In the forest adjacent to the Welcome Center I noticed the dense palmetto palms again, hundreds of them, very small.  Interstate-95 also was very busy today.

Another State Welcome Center: Florida.

Destination: Jacksonville, Florida, reached at 1:55 p.m. I passed over what must be the tallest of bridges so far on this trip, the Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge.

The impressive suspension bridge leading to the Jacksonville, FL area.

It did my heart good to see all the sand and water everywhere in Florida!  I reached my daughter #6, Patty, and her husband, Raj's home at 2:30 after a most easy trip south.  It was bright and a sunny 66 degrees, feeling almost like summer!  We had a pleasant evening with dinner in a local Italian restaurant and watched the Men's Skating competition at the Olympics.

Patty and daughter, Mallory, dressed for dinner.

Raj and son, Johnny, waiting for our table to be ready for dinner.

Mallory is very graceful and entertains me with a bedtime dance and hug, "Good night!"