A Visit in New Smyrna Beach, Florida

The beach in New Smyrna Beach - park your car right on the beach

The beach where people are driving their cars out on the sandy beach

View trough the fence

The perfect match: an old Studebaker car and the typical old beach town Motel, 

say "Hello" to Nostalgia.

History about New Smyrna Beach

The area was settled in 1768, when Scottish physician Dr. Andrew Turnbull established the colony of "New Smyrna." The colony occupies a notable place in history by being the single largest attempt by a member of the British Crown at colonization in the New World. Turnbull transplanted around 1500 settlers, from Minorca, Majorca, Ibiza, Smyrna, Crete, Mani Peninsula, and Sicily, to grow hemp, sugarcane, indigo, and to produce rum.

The colony suffered major losses due to insect-borne diseases and Native American raids; and tensions grew due to mistreatment by Turnbull. Due to these complications, the remaining colonists marched north to St. Augustine along the Old King's Highway, to claim mistreatment by Turnbull to the Governor of Florida in St. Augustine in 1777; then a British protectorate..

Soon after, St. Augustine was returned to the Spanish, and Turnbull abandoned his colony for life in Charleston, South Carolina.

The St. Photios National Shrine on St. John's Street in St. Augustine, Florida, honors the settlers of New Smyrna, who were the first Greek Orthodox followers in North America. The historical exhibit adjoining the Chapel tells the moving story of their plight in great detail, with accompanying exhibits.


The area was then only sparsely populated due to the frequent raids by Seminole Indians. During the American Civil War in the 1860s the still-standing "Stone Wharf" was shelled by Union gunboats. In 1887, the Town of New Smyrna was incorporated with a population of 150. In 1892, the arrival of Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway lead to an increase in the area's population and a boom in its economy, which was based on tourism, citrus, and commercial fishing industries.

During prohibition in the 1920s the city and its river islands were popular sites for moonshine stills and hideouts for rumrunners coming in from the Bahamas through Mosquito Inlet, now Ponce de León Inlet. "New Smyrna" became "New Smyrna Beach" in 1947, when the city annexed the seaside community of Coronado Beach. Today, it is a bustling resort town of over 20,000 permanent residents, with over 1,000,000 visitors annually.

Like its Spanish partner to the north, St. Augustine, New Smyrna has stood under four flags: first the British, then the Spanish, then the American flag in 1845, followed by the Confederate Jack, and finally replaced the Stars and Stripes again.


Hi my friends,
we took a ride to New Smyrna Beach, located close to Daytona Beach - just for fun and to get out of the house for a little bit. It's wonderful warm now, it's really springtime also here. We have visited the beach with all that activities going on. A lot of younger people were there, it must be springbreak-time too.

I hope you'll enjoy the pictures and have a wonderful Friday. Weekend....yeah!
Susanne

Visit my website:

http://susanne-van-hulst.artistwebsites.com

Just another day in paradise...

At the beach, just another day in paradise!



Hello my friends,

This is a picture to warm up your hearts, to enjoy and to dream about your next vacation. I have captured this photo at one of the beaches in Key West on a perfect day.

Actually, all the days are perfect down there - or almost perfect if there are no Hurricanes and other bad weather. I loved Key West very much, I was living there for more than 7 years and I've enjoyed my life on the island.

Thank you so much for your comments to my post of that Capricorn from yesterday.
See you here again tomorrow?

Susanne


Buy my photography printed, framed or stretched on Canvas here

In case of...

A tsunami (津波^?) (English pronunciation: /(t)suːˈnɑːmi/)

is a series of water waves (called a tsunami wave train) that is caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, such as an ocean. The original Japanese term literally translates as "harbor wave." Tsunamis are a frequent occurrence in Japan; approximately 195 events have been recorded. Due to the immense volumes of water and energy involved, tsunamis can devastate coastal regions. Casualties can be high because the waves move faster than humans can run.

Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions (detonations of nuclear devices at sea), landslides and other mass movements, bolide impacts, and other disturbances above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami.

The Greek historian Thucydides was the first to relate tsunami to submarine earthquakes, but understanding of tsunami's nature remained slim until the 20th century and is the subject of ongoing research. Many early geological, geographical, and oceanographic texts refer to tsunamis as "seismic sea waves."

Some meteorological conditions, such as deep depressions that cause tropical cyclones, can generate a storm surge, called a meteotsunami, which can raise tides several meters above normal levels. The displacement comes from low atmospheric pressure within the center of the depression. As these storm surges reach shore, they may resemble (though are not) tsunamis, inundating vast areas of land. Such a storm surge inundated Burma (Myanmar) in May 2008.

Hi my friends,

today we are learning something about Tsunamis. I have photographed the sign above at one of the pretty beaches here at the Space Coast in Florida. I've discovered recently that sign and for seconds I had all those sad pictures in my mind we got to see on TV, when that catastrophically big Tsunami hit Myanmar in 2008. And I realized in seconds, that it can happen here the same too, anytime. We hope and pray it will never happen!

Thank you my friends for all your wonderful comments to my "Wordless Sunday" yesterday, and for all comments ever. I'm happy you like my photos.

I wish you a wonderful day and as we say here in Florida:
Sunshine's to you! See you....

Susanne

Pretty close to the ground

It's pretty close....!

This is the spot where the air plains in training are landing - and also starting - to their training flights. It's impressive and also scary looking, to see them fly so close to the ground.

Patrick Air Force Base
(IATA: COF, ICAO: KCOF, FAA LID: COF)
is a United States Air Force Base located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It was named in honor of Major General Mason Patrick. An Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) base, it is home to the 45th Space Wing. Additional tenant activities include the 920th Rescue Wing, the Air Force Technical Applications Center and the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute.

(If you are interested, read more about PAFB on Wiki here)

*****

My last CLENDARS 2010, still available. Hurry up and get one!

Footprints on the sands of time

While it is well enough to leave footprints on the sands of time, it is even more important to make sure they point in a commendable direction.
James Branch Cabell



Hi my friends,
I'm so glad you liked my nostalgia picture from yesterday. Your comments made my day too and I appreciate every single one, thank you so much!How do you like this one today?

Thank you also for all your concerns and well wishes for my still bad feeling husband.
He will be well soon again, I know that.
Time is a great therapist.

See you tomorrow - big hug to all of you.
Susanne



btw, CALENDARS 2010 anyone...???? There are 2 or 3 still left.

Strange growth...

I didn't know those things grew around here - especially on the beach.



Hi my friends,

thanks for all the wonderful comments to my last posts.
You make always my day with your comments.

We have only some days left in this old year 2009.
For lot of us is this the time to look back, to reorganize your life
and to make new resolutions that only makes you guilty for the rest of the year
and you'll be off of them after 3 days anyway, is that right? ....*smile*.... me too.... :)

I have some pictures more to share with you until 2010.
Come back visiting, see you here tomorrow?
Susanne


Some CALENDARS 2010 anybody....?

Christmas Day at the Beach

stormy weather conditions at the beach

kids had to try out their new Christmas gifts

To the left side were dark clouds and to the right it was a blue sunny sky

Big breaking waves are rolling in to the shores

Hi my friends,

I hope you had all a nice and peaceful Christmas Day! Thank you so much for all your kind comments or thanks also for just visiting ;)

Dave and I went down to the beach yesterday and we was not expecting to see so much activity going on there. People were swimming and surfing in the big braking waves and over all it was more stormy and dark looking weather conditions than it was sunshine. I've enjoyed that afternoon and I made a lot of wave pictures and some other ones too. I'll share it with you over the next days.

The Holidays are over and the next big step to celebrate will be coming new years eve to welcome 2010. I'm hoping it will bring for all of us peace on this earth!

Tomorrow it will be my last "Wordless Sunday" in 2009, don't miss it.... :)
See you there,

Susanne


There are still some CALENDARS 2010 left... do you need one?

They're too busy....

Animals arrived, liked the look of the place, took up their quarters, settled down, spread, and flourished.
They didn't bother themselves about the past - they never do; they're too busy.
Kenneth Grahame



Hi my friends,

thanks for all your kind comments to my post yesterday, I appreciate every single one.
Have a wonderful and a good "busy" day, see you tomorrow!
Susanne


Yes, my CALENDARS 2010.... it's still NOT to late to buy some.
Hurry up and buy one or two as a nice gift for Christmas.
You wont regret, I promise!

2 Minutes of Excitement!

Dave and I went down to the beach to see the Launch of the Shuttle at Cape Canaveral and we were not the only one waiting for that spectacular event.

And then... wow, there was the Shuttle already, high up in the sky
before I even could point and focus my camera to the right spot.
I was almost to late with clicking the shutter :)

O.M.G., that was quiet the most exciting 2 minutes in my life - and I almost missed it...LOL...

And a full view of the whole scenery
btw, all the pics are click able to see it a little bit bigger, so you get the idea what I try to show you here :)

Can you see that big white puffy cloud on the horizon? It looks almost like an atomic blast, but that was THE spot where the Shuttle started

And there were also kids, I guess, they don't cared to much about the Shuttle, about space and flying high up to the stars :)



Hi my friends,

It was an experience, it was a very short and intense experience with this space-stuff!
I admit, I was to slow and I have pointed my camera first in the wrong direction.

I'm a newbie...hey.. what's up...? Coming from the "good old country", how the heck should I have photographic experience with catching Shuttles on a digital media? ...LOL...
Anyway, however....there will be more launches coming up next year
and I will be there again and I'll be better, I promise!...LOL...

P.S. if you want to see the REAL pictures, click here

Thanks for all your comments, love you all! :)
Susanne


And now, back to Earth:
Buy my NEW CALENDARS 2010 - make someone happy for Christmas!

Let's go to the beach...

Cocoa Beach, Florida


Someday they
let's go to the beach
the sun is my way
going to the sea by the sunset highway
driving my car
going to the sea by the sunset highway
driving my car

See you at the night awake
in downtown making some friends
good to see you so alive
good to see you so alive
smoke some junks
drink some beers
and make love under the sun

Let's go to the beach
and swim away
let's go to the beach
and swim away

Source

I had yesterday a visitor record of 306 people on my blog - and that's a LOT for my blog!! Thank you ALL for stopping by and for the nice comments too.

I wish you all a wonderful day today - let's go to the beach! :)
Susanne

My NEW CALENDARS 2010 are available to buy here!

The Song of the Ocean

We have visited the beach yesterday

Hot sand under your feet and sunshine on your skin and in front of your eyes the endless view of the Atlantic Ocean

I LOVE to listen to the waves!

Don't talk, don't say anything, just listen!

There were also some surfers enjoying the braking waves

Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.

Saint Augustine

Hi my friends,

I hope you'll enjoy these wave photos like I did it for real yesterday. Watching them it's for me like meditation, like medicine for the soul. Next time I'll make a video, so you will be able to hear the song of the ocean too.

Thank you all for your wonderful comments to my post yesterday :)

Don't forget my CALENDARS 2010 are ready to buy NOW - Christmas is coming soon!

See you tomorrow, at the same spot, at the same time....
Susanne

My Wordless Sunday in Florida #3

A afternoon at Panama City Beach, FL

He just simply enjoys the colors of the water

Family fun at the beach

These are the beach chairs and umbrellas reserved for the guests of the high raise hotels at Panama City Beach

It's "Happy Hour" time - I'm sure, somebody is waiting for her.... :)

It was a nice afternoon at the beach!

To know more about an exciting place to be for your next vacation click here:

http://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com/
http://www.pcbeach.org/

Hi my friends,

We are heading back to Florida's Peninsula. We loved the emerald green water of the Gulf of Mexico - and we had a good time there. We were even thinking to settle down in Panama City and went out looking at some houses already. But, we didn't liked anything we have seen. Yep, I know it.... probably we are not that easy people if it comes to living accommodations, we have a certain taste and a lot of expectations for our new future home! But I'm optimistic, one day we will find THAT pretty little house to call it our new home :)

Thank you so much for all your kind comments to my last post. Love you all! :)

Stay with me, see ya' tomorrow in Florida again!
Susanne

Girls, Girls, Girls...

Young girls chatting, walking together in the white sand and enjoying
the hot summer sun at the beach. Tomorrow I'll show you more beach scene photos.

Hi my friends,

thanks for all the wonderful comments and compliments to my last photo! :)

We've enjoyed today Panama City Beach - and it was HOT, HOT, HOT!

It felt like it was one of the hottest days today! But it was a very nice, relaxed afternoon, we both had fun watching all the beach people going by and looking out to the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. And we get sunburned too :)

I'll show you some pictures tomorrow, if I'll have Internet, o.k.? :)

Stay with us, we will be on the road again tomorrow.
See you there!

Susanne

Let's go to the beach.....!

I'm not so sure what this boy is really cooling off...LOL.... :)

Family fun on the beach.
If you click in the picture to see it bigger, you'll see a young athletic sprinter running down to the water, have a closer look.

People, people, people...as far as you can see - and it was HOT today afternoon!

Saint Augustin Beach in Florida - a pretty view down from the pier

And, I'm back again to my palm tree photos, I missed them so much :)

Hi my friends,

it was a VERY hot summer day today in Saint Augustin. After our visit to the beach (and to the light house, pictures about that will follow tomorrow) we had to run back "home" because of the coming up afternoon thunderstorm. The sky went BLACK and in seconds we had a heavy rain pouring down. And it's still raining....

Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments and compliments to my last recent posts, your words are very much appreciated! :)

Stay tuned with me, tomorrow will be our last day here in the Sunshine State and then it's time to travel again. Any suggestions where to go...?....LOL... we decided, not to settle down here, it's way to hot and way to humid in Florida - we can not stand this anymore :)

See y'all tomorrow!
Susanne

My Wordless Sunday #44

It's Written in the Sand...

Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love.

~ Albert Einstein, 03/14/1879 - 04/18/1955 ~
Nobel Prize Laureate (Physics)

*******

My NEW CALENDARS 2009 are available now to buy now!

* KEY WEST CALENDARS 2009

* CHARLESTON CALENDARS 2009

* FLORIDA CALENDARS 2009

* FLOWER CALENDARS 2009

Don't be late for a nice Christmas present!

Someday, after mastering the winds....

“Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.”


Teilhard de Chardin quotes
(French Geologist, Priest, Philosopher and Mystic, 1881-1955)

********

My NEW CALENDARS 2009 are available now to buy now!

* KEY WEST CALENDARS 2009

* CHARLESTON CALENDARS 2009

* FLORIDA CALENDARS 2009

* FLOWER CALENDARS 2009

Don't be late for a nice Christmas present!

Tidal Treasures...

Sea Shell by Amy Lowell

Sea Shell, Sea Shell,
Sing me a song, O Please!
A song of ships, and sailor men,
And parrots, and tropical trees,
Of islands lost in the Spanish Main
Which no man ever may find again,
Of fishes and corals under the waves,
And seahorses stabled in great green caves.
Sea Shell, Sea Shell,
Sing of the things you know so well.

Come walk with me...

Come walk with me
Along the sea
Where dusk sits on the land
And search with me
For shells are free,
And treasures hide in sand.

THE TIDE

The tide recedes, but leaves behind
bright seashells on the sand.
The sun goes down, but gentle warmth
still lingers on the land.

The music stops, yet echoes on
in sweet, soulful refrains.
For every joy that passes,
something beautiful remains."

Author: Unknown

********

My NEW CALENDARS 2009 are available now to buy now!

* KEY WEST CALENDARS 2009

* CHARLESTON CALENDARS 2009

* FLORIDA CALENDARS 2009

* FLOWER CALENDARS 2009

Don't be late for a nice Christmas present!

A cold afternoon at Folly Beach

The lighthouse at Folly Beach

Dave and I spent some time at the beach, we took a great walk and listen to the sound of the waves rolling to the shores - that's what I love to do on a crispy, cool December afternoon :)

Folly Beach Lighthouse

Folly Beach, or Morris Island lighthouse stands all alone about 300 yards off shore from the island of Folly Beach. It can be viewed from the northeast end of Folly Island and from the bridge coming on to Folly Beach.

The Morris Island lighthouse is now completely surrounded by water but was once sitting on a good sized island with numerous buildings around it. The lighthouse was completed in 1876 and was the second lighthouse to be built on the island.

In the 1700s there were three islands that stretched for four miles between Folly Island and Sullivan’s Island. They were named Middle Bay Island, Morrison Island, and Cummings Point. The first Charleston lighthouse was built on Middle Bay Island in 1767. The lighthouse was designed by Samuel Cardy and built by Adam Miller and Thomas Young. The tower was cylindrical and stood 102 feet tall. The lantern room had a revolving lamp that had a range of about 12 miles. In 1858 a Fresnel lens was installed.

In the early 1800s the channel leading to Charleston began to shift causing a change in the tidal currents. Sand began to build up between the islands and this resulted in the three islands merging into a single island. Since Morrison Island was the central of the three earlier islands, the now single island was called Morrison Island. Later the name was shortened to Morris Island.

The first Charleston lighthouse continued to provide service up to the Civil War. In 1861 the fleeing Confederate soldiers blew up the lighthouse so northern troops could not use it.

Following the civil war, in 1873, Congress appropriated money for the rebuilding of the Morris Island Lighthouse (then referred to as the Charleston Main Light). The lighthouse was completed in 1876 approximately 400 yards from the earlier tower. It stood 161 feet tall and was patterned after the Bodie Light of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. It even used the same paint scheme as a day mark – black and white horizontal stripes. There were a total of 15 buildings on the island besides the lighthouse tower. Included in these were the keeper’s quarters, various outbuildings, and a one-room schoolhouse (the school teacher came over from the mainland on Monday, taught the children during the week and returned to the mainland on Friday).

Toward the end of the 1800s the channel had again shifted, but this time the change threatened the Charleston Harbor. In order to keep the channel open several jetties had to be built. These were completed in 1889. Although the channel into Charleston was saved, the changing tidal currents resulting from the jetties caused severe erosion on Morris Island. The island began to shrink. By 1938 many of the buildings were destroyed and others moved. The light was automated in 1938 and the Fresnel lens was removed.

Since 1938 over 1600 feet of land surrounding the tower has been lost. Today it stands alone, completely surrounded by water. In 1962 the Sullivan’s Island lighthouse was built to replace the Morris Island Light, which was decommissioned. The U.S. Coast Guard had plans to demolish the tower but petitions from local residents saved the structure. The Coast Guard built an underground steel wall around the tower to protect it from further erosion damage. The lighthouse is now privately owned and efforts are underway to preserve the Morris Island Light.

Read more about the lighthouse at Folly here