Anastasia State Park (Earthcache)
Welcome to Anastasia State Park: Anastasia State Park welcomes hundreds of thousands visitors from all over the world to enjoy the natural and cultural treasures. At Anastasia you can enjoy camping, nature trails, beach time, water sports, and an archaeological site where coquina rock was mined to create the nearby fortress, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. Anastasia State Park, located just south of historic St. Augustine on Anastasia Island, has 4 miles of pristine beach, a tidal salt marsh, and maritime and upland hammock.
Hours of Operation Anastasia State Park is open 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 a year, including holidays. Passes and information can be obtained at the gate any time the park is open.
Admission Fees – $4.00 Single occupant vehicle entrance $8.00 per vehicle 2 to 8 people $2.00 for pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers & passengers in vehicles with holder of annual individual entrance permit.
Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries. For Information about Anastasia State Park, please call 904-461-2033.
A little info about the costal dunes at Anastasia State Park: Dunes form where constructive waves encourage the accumulation of sand, and where prevailing onshore winds blow this sand inland. There need to be obstacles e.g. vegetation, pebbles etc. to trap the moving sand grains. As the sand grains get trapped they start to accumulate, this is the start of dune formation. The wind then starts to affect the mound of sand by eroding sand particles from the windward side and depositing them on the leeward side. Gradually this action causes the dune to “migrate” inland, as it does so it accumulates more and more sand. Dunes provide privacy and shelter from the wind.
A little info about the Anastasia Island beach mice that live in these dunes: Crisscrossing the dunes are tracks so tiny only a mouse could make them. They are signs of a small native rodent called the Anastasia Island beach mouse. Anastasia Island beach mice live only in the St. Johns County dunes. Their habitat is becoming reduced and fragmented as building replace sand dunes. The mice are listed as endangered by the Florida fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.
To Claim Credit For This Cache:
First requirement - For educational purposes, you will need to walk to the following cords: N29 52.063 W081 16.150. (Do not walk on the dunes, you will be on a boardwalk).
At this location you will see the beach dunes that run the entire length of the beach. You will need to observe these dunes.
Tell me in your own calculation how far are these dunes from the shore line and what keeps them intact?
What is the slope of these dunes, Gradual or Steep?
At this site you will need to take note of your elevation as you will need it for the next stage.
Second requirement - You will need to visit the following cords: N29 51.934 W081 16.154. At this location you will find a information billboard explaining about the Sea Birds of the Atlantic. (Very informative).
You will then need to do the following:
What is the difference in elevation here compared to stage one?
Name two of these Atlantic Sea Birds.
What months are the Atlantic Sea Birds seen in this area?
It would be great but Not Required to take a photo of you and your GPS at this billboard and post your picture with your log.
Third requirement - but agin Not Required a photo of your Favorite place within the park. There are many cool locations within this park so spend the day and enjoy yourself.
The above requirements must be completed to properly log this cache. If you choose to take photos they should be posted to the cache page at time of logging. (Photos are no longer required for logging Earthcaches)
If you wish to op out of posting your photo, please tell me in your e-mail the one thing that stood out within these dunes the most to you while visiting the park.
Special Thanks To: Mitch Clark - Park Ranger
Geocaching.com for having EarthCache style caches.
geoaware and Geosociety.org for making this possible.
The Florida State Parks System for the information they supplied on the internet.
Thanks to Wikipedia for the information on dunes.