Last week, I took what is becoming my annual Space Coast Road Trip. I left Savannah going south on Tuesday and returned on Saturday. On the way to Titusville on Tuesday, I stopped in Ponce Inlet and visited the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum and then continued on to visit the Merritt Island NWR before checking into the hotel. I spent Wednesday at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex, catching a SpaceX launch while I was there. On Thursday, I spent the morning at the Merritt Island NWR and Canaveral National Seashore then visited the American Space Museum and Hall of Fame and the Valiant Air Command Museum in the afternoon. On Friday, I headed back up I-95 to St Augustine where I visited the St Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, Castillo de San Marco, Colonial Quarter, and the Fort Mose Historic Site. I overnighted in St Augustine Beach so I wouldn't have to drive through Jacksonville on a Friday afternoon/evening and drove back to Savannah on Saturday morning. Temperatures in Florida were below normal and winds were high throughout the trip, but with the exception of Saturday morning, there wasn't any rain to deal with. Some excellent meals were had along the way and it was also good to catch up with radio friends at several of them.
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| Space Shuttle Atlantis on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex. Atlantis holds a soft spot for me and I love to visit it at KSC because it was the shuttle I saw launch on its STS-125 mission on 11 April 2009 - the only Shuttle launch I got to see launch in person. |
Amateur Radio/GMRS
145.3700- (PL 156.7) - Cocoa
146.5200 - National Call
146.6250+ (CSQ) - St Augustine
146.7000- (PL 127.3) - Jacksonville
147.1500+ (PL 127.3) - Daytona Beach
147.3300+ (PL 107.2) - Titusville
147.3750+ (PL 103.5) - Daytona Beach
442.8000+ (PL 127.3) - St Augustine (SARNet)
442.8750+ (DMR CC1) - St Augustine
442.8750+ (PL 123.0) - Christmas (SARNet)
443.1375+ (DMR CC1) - Orlando
443.2125+ (DMR CC1) - Daytona
444.4000+ (PL 127.3) - Jacksonville
444.5750+ (DMR CC3) - KSC Cocoa
444.6750+ (DMR CC3) - KSC Titusville
444.7000+ (PL 127.3) - Jacksonville (SARNet)
462.6750+ (PL 141.3) - Jacksonville (GMRS)
MilCom/Aerospace/Aviation
There is plenty of interesting military, aerospace, and aviation related radio traffic to listen to on Florida's Space Coast and on the way to and from it along I-95. I didn't hear quite as much MilCom as on previous Space Coast Road Trips, but that can be chalked up to Thursday's National Day of Mourning for President Carter's State Funeral (it's also why the US flag is at half staff in photos below). On the other hand, there was plenty of aerospace related communications to listen to. Three talkgroups on the Kennedy Space Center TRS that I hadn't heard before were active with what sounded like SLS related operations at the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building). While encrypted, both the Blue Origin and SpaceX DMR radio systems were active with what were likely communications related to the scheduled New Glenn launch and multiple SpaceX Falcon 9 launches during the week. The KSC system was active with other types of safety and support communications related to the launches and other programs and the USAF 157 radio system was also active with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Patrick Space Force Base related communications. Notable during the week was the arrival of an Antonov An-124 at the Kennedy Space Center SLF, delivering a satellite for future launch into orbit. Note: For more information on some of the radio systems I listened to, click on the orange linked system names and it will take you to their pages at Radioreference.com
Jacksonville
124.900/127.000/127.775/132.775 - Jacksonville TRACON
269.900/284.600/292.150/377.075 - Jacksonville TRACON
118.300 - Jacksonville IAP Tower
125.150/340.200 - NAS Jacksonville Tower
118.750 - NS Mayport Tower
310.200 - NAS Jacksonville Base Ops
264.200 - VP-8/VP-45 Base
271.400 - VP-5/VP-10 Base
361.300 - VP-62/VR-58/VR-62 Base
285.000 - TSC Jacksonville/W-497 Common
303.000 - P-8A Air-to-Air
122.700 - Fernandina Beach Municipal CTAF
126.100 - Cecil Field Tower
275.200 - Grumman St Augustine Echo Base
TIGER ## (P-8A, VP-8)
LANCER ## (P-8A, VP-10)
PELICAN ## (P-8A, VP-45)
NAVY LL ## (P-8A, VP-30)
GRUMMAN 04 (E-2D, Grumman St Augustine)
GITMO ### (UC-12, Guantanamo Bay)
US DOD TRS (NS Mayport & NAS Jax sites)
TG 29090 - Unknown (NAS Jax 2-001); encrypted
TG 29095 - Unknown (NAS Jax 2-001); encrypted
TG 28118 - NAS Jacksonville Tower; unencrypted
TG 28146 - NAS Jacksonville FD Dispatch; encrypted
TG 28148 - NAS Jax Crash Net; unencrypted
TG 28173 - VP-30; unencrypted
TG 28192 - VR-58; unencrypted
TG 28241 - VP-62; unencrypted
TG 28557 - Regional Fire Dispatch Southeast 1; encrypted
Camp Blanding
141.5125 ($0DA) - Camp Blanding Range Control
Daytona Beach
118.850/125.350/125.800/127.075 - Daytona Approach/Departure
269.075/322.300/353.825 - Daytona Approach/Departure
118.100/120.700/257.800 - Daytona Beach IAP Tower
118.950 - Flagler Executive Tower
119.075 - Ormond Beach Tower
119.675 - New Smyrna Beach Tower
Space Coast
During my visit to the Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, I was lucky enough to catch SpaceX's Falcon 9 Starlink 12-11 launch. I watched the launch from the bleachers by the Shuttle Atlantis exhibit building at the Visitors Center Complex and took the Explore More bus tour shortly thereafter, seeing SpaceX's Transporter Erector for launching the Falcon 9 still at LC-39A where the Falcon 9 had launched from.
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| SpaceX Falcon 9 B1086 launching the Starlink 12-11 mission to orbit on 8 January 2025 from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center |
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| SpaceX Falcon 9 B1086 disappearing above the clouds over the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex |
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| Kennedy Space Center's LC-39A about an hour after SpaceX Falcon 9 B1086 launched from it; the Transporter Erector it launched from is still on the pad (the white structure to the left of the black tower) |
124.800/128.375/132.650/134.950 - Orlando TRACON
128.550/284.000 - KSC SLF Tower
133.800/264.800 - Cape Advisory
118.625 - Cape Canaveral SFS Tower
225.050 - Cape Metro
298.200 - Eastern Range Range Safety
349.600 - Eastern Range Range Safety
133.750/269.375 - Patrick SFB Tower
139.300 - Patrick SFB PTD
349.400 - Patrick SFB CP
150.600 (PL 100.0) - 301st RQS JOLLY Maintenance
NASA 442 (EC35, N927NA, NASA)
KING 44 (HC-130J, 39th RQS)
JOLLY ## (HH-60G, 301st RQS)
COAST GUARD 8178 (USCG Auxiliary flight)
KING 11 (HC-130J, 102nd RQS)
ADB 3918 (An-124, UR-82007, Antonov Airlines) (into KSC SLF)
TG 54 - NASA Unknown (SLS related Ops in VAB)
TG 55 - NASA Unknown (SLS related Ops in VAB)
TG 56 - NASA Unknown (SLS related Ops in VAB)
TG 104 - NASA Comm Net 107
TG 105 - NASA Comm Net 207
TG 107 - NASA Comm Net 307
TG 185 - Canaveral NS 911 Call Boxes
TG 221 - NASA Fire Net 116
TG 229 - KSC FD Mutual Aid
TG 241 - KSC FD Station 1 Paging
TG 245 - KSC FD Fire Tac 1
TG 250 - KSC FD Training
TG 281 - NASA Flight Ops 1
TG 295 - NASA FSA 1
TG 411 - CCSFS Photo/Timing
TG 451 - NASA LETF 1
TG 452 - NASA LETF 2
TG 453 - NASA LETF 3
TG 557 - SLF Tower
TG 582 - Unknown
TG 583 - Unknown
TG 598 - KSC Coordination Net
TG 664 - NASA PS Alarm 1
TG 665 - NASA PS Alarm 2
TG 666 - NASA PS Talk
TG 675 - CCSFS EH Base Y Net
TG 735 - NASA Safety Net 105
TG 736 - NASA Safety Net 110
TG 737 - NASA Safety Net 205
TG 842 - KSC Unknown
TG 855 - NASA Support Net 104
TG 879 - Test Net 5
TG 923 - Safety Net 1
TG 937 - NASA Transportation Net 206
TG 948 - NASA TV
TG 963 - NASA Utilities Net 301
TG 995 - KSC Weather Alert
USAF (157) TRS (Cape Canaveral & Patrick SFB sites)
TG 48011 - PSFB FD Dispatch
TG 48015 - PSFB FD Alert
TG 48062 - PSFB FD 4
TG 48084 - PFSB Unknown; encrypted
TG 48311 - CCSFS FD 1
TG 48323 - CCSFS Fire Alerts
TG 48323 - CCSFS Unknown
TG 48351 - CCSFS Safety 1
TG 48352 - CCSFS Safety 2
TG 48353 - CCSFS Unknown
TG 48368 - CCSFS Unknown
TG 48379 - CCSFS Unknown
TG 48381 - CCSFS Range Safety
TG 48388 - CCSFS Unknown
TG 48393 - CCSFS Unknown
TG 48402 - CCSFS Range Ops
TG 48407 - CCSFS Support
Blue Origin DMR TRS (encrypted)
TG 1 - Blue Origin Unknown
TG 2 - Blue Origin Unknown
TG 5 - Blue Origin Unknown
TG 7 - Blue Origin Unknown
TG 15 - Blue Origin Unknown
TG 16 - Blue Origin Unknown
SpaceX CapMax DMR TRS (encrypted)
TG 600017 - SpaceX Unknown
TG 600103 - SpaceX Unknown
TG 600109 - SpaceX Unknown
TG 600115 - SpaceX Unknown
TG 4 - ULA Unknown
SEALORD & AUTEC Range
120.950 - SEALORD North Primary
120.950 - SEALORD North Primary
284.500 - SEALORD North Primary
267.500 - SEALORD South Primary
270.600 - SEALORD South Secondary
349.600 - W-137 Discrete
355.000 - WR3/WR4 Primary
Avon Park Range
126.150 - Avon Park Range Ops
Miscellaneous MilCom
311.000 - MacDill AFB "LIGHTNING Ops"
324.600 - AR-207 Primary
234.075 - VMFA-533 Air-to-Air
148.1250 ($430/PL 107.2) - FL CAP Repeater R25 Orlando
HAWK ## (F-35B, VMFA-533)
KBAR ## (UC-12W, MCAS New River)
MANATEE ### (Florida Civil Air Patrol)
MUSTANG 1 (P-51, Stallion 51 Corp)
Jacksonville ARTCC
124.675/282.200 - Jekyll Low
126.125/285.650 - Statesboro High
126.350/307.250 - St. Augustine High
126.750/277.400 - Brunswick Low
127.475/346.250 - Green Cove High
127.575/269.025 - Waycross Low
127.875/319.200 - Aiken High
132.425 - Hunter Ultra High
132.825 - Lawtey Ultra High
132.925/363.200 - Allendale/Savannah Low
133.300 - Moultrie Ultra High
134.000/273.550 - St Johns Low
134.850/327.100- Torry Low/High
135.450/256.875 - Keystone Ultra High
135.975/282.300 - Alma High
Miami ARTCC
119.825 - Hobee Low/High
123.675 - Nucar Low/High
125.075 - Boyel High
125.325 - Permit High
126.525 - Avon High
126.950 - Stoop Low
127.200 - Lakeland High
128.650 - Apolo High
132.150 - Palm Beach Low
132.250 - Melbourne Low
132.450/307.100 - Winco Low
133.475 - Bairn Low
134.550 - Lakeland Low
FedCom
US Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville covers the area from Jacksonville down to the Space Coast and they were active throughout my visit. The Canaveral National Seashore and Merritt Island NWR repeaters are also worth listening to. On this visit, I also heard some communications on Marine VHF Ch 82 that seemed to be coming from contractors for NOAA doing Right Whale surveys and research.
156.8000 - Marine VHF Ch 16
157.1000 - Marine VHF Ch 1022/22A
162.3250 (NAC 293) - CG 111, Sector Jacksonville
412.9750 (NAC 293) - CG 409, Sector Jacksonville
169.7875 (NAC 407) - Canaveral National Seashore KSC Repeater
170.0750 (NAC 065) - USFWS Merritt Island NWR Repeater
157.1250 - Marine VHF Ch 82 (NOAA Contractor Right Whale survey)
Public Safety
Most all of the public safety communications from Jacksonville down to the Space Coast are on 700/800 MHz P25 or EDACS trunked radio systems. Florida Forestry Service is using conventional repeaters, but they recently switched those repeaters from analog to P25 digital. Volusia County is using both an EDACS system and a P25 system, but there is not as much traffic on the P25 system (Fire dispatch seems to be multicast between the two) and the P25 system doesn't seem to cover quite as wide an area as the EDACS system does. Note: For more information on some of the radio systems I listened to, click on the orange linked system names and it will take you to their pages at Radioreference.com
159.2250 (NAC 06E) - FFS Withlacoochee
159.2400 (NAC 046) - FFS Jacksonville
159.2700 (NAC 078) - FFS Orlando
159.4500 (NAC 064) - FFS Bunnell
First Coast P25 TRS (Jacksonville)
TG 1087 - Jacksonville Fire/Rescue A2 Dispatch
TG 149 - Jacksonville Fire/Rescue A-4 Suppression
TG 1113 - Jacksonville Fire/Rescue Fireground B1
TG 300 - Clay County Fire/Rescue Dispatch
TG 310 - Clay County Fire/Rescue Tac 10
TG 10000 - St Johns County Fire/Rescue A1 Dispatch
TG 10020 - St Johns County Fire/Rescue A5 Tac 2
TG 10025 - St Johns County Fire/Rescue A6 Tac 3
TG 10030 - St Johns County Fire/Rescue A7 Tac 4
TG 10120 - ATU-1 (Medevac helicopter Air-to-Ground)
TG 10615 - NPS Castillo de San Marcos
TG 10640 - Trauma 1 South
TG 2057 - Flagler Fire/Rescue Talk
TG 2059 - Flagler Fire/Rescue Primary
TG 02-041 - Volusia Co Fire Services 1 East Dispatch
TG 02-043 - Volusia Co Fire Services Tac 3
TG 02-045 - Volusia Co Fire Services Tac 5
TG 02-046 - Volusia Co Fire Services Tac 6
TG 02-047 - Volusia Co Fire Services Tac 7
TG 02-050 - Volusia Co Fire Services Tac 8
TG 02-051 - Volusia Co Fire Services Tac 9
TG 02-052 - Volusia Co Fire Services Tac 10
TG 02-053 - Volusia Co Fire Services Tac 11
TG 06-104 - Volusia Co Fire Services Training
TG 08-105 - Edgewater FD Talk
TG 08-122 - Edgewater CW/Event 2
TG 09-157 - Volusia County County Wide 2
TG 10-101 - Daytona Beach IAP PS 1
TG 10-102 - Daytona Beach IAP C5
TG 301 - Volusia Co Fire Services 1 East Dispatch
TG 03-011 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Dispatch 1
TG 03-012 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Dispatch 2
TG 03-013 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Dispatch 3
TG 03-027 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Dispatch 4
TG 03-101 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Paging 20
TG 03-097 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Paging 45
TG 03-103 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Paging 60
TG 03-017 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Paging 80
TG 03-031 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Tac 1
TG 03-054 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Tac 8
TG 03-045 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Tac 53
TG 03-127 - Brevard County Fire/Rescue Admin
TG 07-031 - Titusville FD Station 10
TG 07-035 - Titusville FD HQ Dispatch
TG 07-011 - Titusville FD Tac 11
TG 08-075 - Brevard SO/USCG (patched to Marine VHF 16)
TG 11-051 - Cocoa FD Primary
TG 11-052 - Cocoa FD Tac 30
TG 12-011 - Cocoa Beach FD Primary
TG 04-156 - First Flight
TG 8225 - Seminole Fire/Rescue FR 1 Dispatch
TG 8228 - Seminole Fire/Rescue FR 4 Fireground
TG 131 - Orange Fire/Rescue 1 Dispatch
TG 135 - Orange Fire/Rescue 3 East Primary
TG 139 - Orange Fire/Rescue 5 South Primary
TG 143 - Orange Fire/Rescue 7 North Primary
TG 147 - Orange Fire/Rescue 9 Overflow
TG 151 - Orange Fire/Rescue 11 Rural FD Dispatch
TG 7201 - Winter Park FD T1
TG 7202 - Winter Park FD T2
TG 20351 - Orlando FD 1 Dispatch
TG 20363 - Orlando FD 10D Dispatch Patch Nights
TG 20355 - Orlando FD 2 Medical
TG 28172 - Orlando IAP Patch
TG 21873 - Orlando IAP FD 1 Dispatch
TG 21874 - Orlando IAP FD 2 Tac
TG 115 - Osceola Fire/Rescue 1 Dispatch
TG 117 - Osceola Fire/Rescue 2 East Fireground
TG 119 - Osceola Fire/Rescue 3 West Fireground
TG 125 - Osceola Fire/Rescue 5 Major Incidents
TG 227 - Kissimmee Fire/Rescue Tactical 1 East
Marine/Port/Railroad
On this Space Coast Rod Trip, I didn't go down to Port Canaveral or Melbourne, so I didn't hear much port traffic. On my way back through Jacksonville on Saturday I did hear what sounded like Tugboats working on Marine VHF 1018/18A.
In the Jacksonville area, I could hear both CSX and the Florida East Coast Railway, but as I got farther south I only heard the Florida East Coast Railway, and in the Space Coast, the Brightline high speed railway that uses the Florida East Coast Railway's tracks.
156.9000 - Marine VHF Ch 1018/18A; Tugs at Jacksonville Port?
CSX
160.5900 - AAR 32, CSX Road (Some stations with PL 250.3)
160.2900 - AAR 12, CSX Moncrief C Yard
160.4850 - AAR 25, CSX Moncrief B Yard
161.3400 - AAR 82, CSX Montcrief Yard H-Yard (Jacksonville)
161.1000 - AAR 66, CSX/FEC Taft Yard
Florida East Coast Railway
160.5300 - AAR 28 out /160.7700 - AAR 44 in, FEC/Brightline Dispatch
160.6800 - AAR 38, Yard 1
161.0100 - AAR 60, FEC Engineering
Places Visited
Ponce Lighthouse and Museum and Pacetti Hotel Museum
The first stop of the road trip was the Ponce Lighthouse and Museum and Pacetti Hotel Museum in Ponce Inlet. Originally known as the Mosquito Inlet Lighthouse, the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse was first lit in 1887. In 1970, the lighthouse was abandoned by the Coast Guard, but the property was deeded to the Town of Ponce Inlet and in 1972 a non-profit organization was founded to restore the lighthouse and light station and operate it as a museum. It is registered on the National List of Historic Places because all of its original buildings are still intact and it's also listed as an operational private aid to navigation. The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum also restored the first order Fresnel Lens from the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse and it is on display at the museum. The Pacetti Hotel operated from the 1880s through the 1910s as a destination for northern tourists coming down to Florida for fishing and outdoor recreation. From 1929 to 1936 it was abandoned, but it was purchased and renovated as a private property. It was acquired by the Ponce Lighthouse and Museum in 2019, restored, and opened as a museum in 2024.
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| The Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station |
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| The Principal Light Keeper's Residence |
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| The Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station |
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| Fresnel Lens and Light display at the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum; the large lens to the left is the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse First Order Fresnel Lens |
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| The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse |
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| The Pacetti Hotel Museum |
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| An 1890-1910 guest room at the Pacetti Hotel |
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| The Pacetti Hotel Museum with the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse in the background to the right |
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore
I visited the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on Tuesday afternoon after I left Ponce Inlet then visited again on Thursday morning along with the north end of the Canaveral National Seashore. In addition to the usual population of Tricolor Herons, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Roseate Spoonbills, Anhingas, Wood Storks, and Reddish Egrets, there were also plenty of migratory waterfowl like ducks and White Pelicans. On the Thursday visit, I saw a Coyote on the Merritt Island NWR's Black Point Wildlife Drive.
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| Great Egrets |
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| Immature White Ibis |
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| Reddish Egret |
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| Great Blue Heron |
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| Wood Storks, Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, Glossy Ibis, and Roseate Spoonbills |
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| Snowy Egret and White Ibis |
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| Glossy Ibis |
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| Little Blue Heron |
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| Green Heron |
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| Ducks landing at the Merritt Island NWR |
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| Ducks landing at the Merritt Island NWR |
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| White Pelicans |
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| Wood Storks |
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| Coyote |
Kennedy Space Center
I spent Wednesday at the Kennedy Space Center, touring the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and taking their Explore More bus tour around the Space Center. I always add on the Explore More tour when I visit the KSC Visitor Complex, but on this visit I also decided to add on a Chat With an Astronaut session. The Explore More tour goes from the Visitors Complex to the Apollo Center like the free bus ride does, but adds stops at the KSC Media Site facing LC-39A and LC-39B, the camera location between 39A and 39B, and the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The tour also goes around LC-39A and LC-39B, allowing you a close up look at both. On this trip, it meant we got to see LC-39A about an hour after SpaceX had launched a Falcon 9 from it. The Astronaut of the Week for the Chat With an Astronaut session was Julie Payette; it was fascinating to listen to her talk about her two Shuttle missions and answer our questions about her career and the space program in general.
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| Space Shuttle Atlantis |
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| Space Shuttle Atlantis |
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| The Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex |
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| Astronaut Julie Payette |
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| The Astronaut Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex |
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| The Countdown Clock used for Apollo, Skylab, and Space Shuttle launches is now on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex; the Rocket Garden is visible behind |
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| Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, currently used by SpaceX for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches; a Super Heavy/Spaceship launch pad is being built at 39A as well |
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| The SpaceX Super Heavy/Starship launch tower at LC-39A |
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| The "Chop Sticks" on the Super Heavy/Starship Tower at LC-39A, used to stack the Super Heavy Booster and Starship for launch and to recover the Super Heavy Booster after launch. |
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| The "Chop Sticks" on the Super Heavy/Starship Tower at LC-39A, used to stack the Super Heavy Booster and Starship for launch and to recover the Super Heavy Booster after launch. |
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| Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center, currently used by NASA for the SLS/Artemis program |
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| The Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and Launch Control Center (LCC) at Kennedy Space Center |
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| The LCC at Kennedy Space Center |
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| The new Countdown Clock at the Kennedy Space Center Media Site (the flag is half staff due to President Carter's State Funeral) |
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| Mobile Launcher 2 under construction for use with the SLS/Artemis program by the VAB |
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| Crawler Transporter 2, one of the two used for moving the mobile launch platforms from the VAB to LC-39B, next to the VAB |
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| The Orbiter Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center, now used by the US Space Force and Boeing for the X-37B program |
Valiant Air Command
On Thursday, I visited the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum in Titusville after visiting the Merritt Island NWR and Canaveral National Seashore. It's been at least a year since I visited the museum, so it was good to see the Fouga Magister and the RU-21 restorations were completed. There were also two new aircraft there since my last visit: a US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle and a US Navy MH-53E Sea Dragon. Two aircraft on the museum's ramp piqued my interest: an F-140 Starfighter that appears recently painted but with no markings and a Lear LJ23 with NASA markings and Buzz Aldrin's name on it (although it seems it was never in NASA service). Both aircraft curiously have US Marshals No Trespassing signs on them.
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| Fouga CM.170 Magister |
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| Valiant Air Command's recently acquired MH-53E Sea Dragon (BuNo 163066) |
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| MQ-1C Gray Eagle (07-00115) |
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| F-14A Tomcat (BuNo 161134) |
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| FM-1 Wildcat (BuNo 14994) |
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| SBD5N Dauntless (BuNo 36291) |
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| C-47 Skytrain "Tico Belle" (42-100591) |
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| A-6E Intruder (BuNo 162182) |
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| F-4J Phantom II (BuNo 155563) |
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| F-5E SSBD (BuNo 741519) |
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| XP-82 Twin Mustang (44-83887) |
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| RU-21A Ute (67-18113) |
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| I don't know what the story is on this F-104 Starfighter; it appears recently painted and has no markings on it. There's also a US Marshals No Trespassing sign on it. |
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| I also don't know what the story is on this LJ23; it has NASA markings and Buzz Aldrin's name on it, but it doesn't seem to actually have been a NASA aircraft. It also has a US Marshals No Trespassing sign on it. |
St Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum
On Friday, my first stop was at the St Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum. A watch tower or lighthouse of some sort has stood on the site since 1586, but the existing lighthouse was built between 1871-1874. The Keepers' House features exhibits on the lives of the Lighthouse Keepers, shipwrecks in the St Augustine area, and St Augustine's boat building and shrimping industries. Other buildings contain exhibits on the US Coast Guard at the Lighthouse during World War II and the archaeological work done at the Maritime Center. Next to the lighthouse is the Heritage Boatworks, where volunteers build small boats used throughout St Augustine's history.
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| The St Augustine Lighthouse, and to the right the Garage/Boat House used by the US Coast Guard during World War II |
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| The rear of the Keepers' House, which faces the lighthouse |
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| The front of the Keepers' House |
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| World War II US Coast Guard quarters |
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| This buildings contains more exhibits; to the left lighthouse and ship exhibits and to the right, the Archaeological Lab where you can watch artifacts from shipwrecks being conserved |
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| Boat under construction at the Museum's Heritage Boatworks |
Castillo de San Marcos
While in St Augustine, I also visited the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. St Augustine was founded by the Spanish in 1565, Castillo de San Marcos was built between 1672 and 1695 to defend Spain's colony in Florida and the route their fleets used to transport treasure from the Central and Southern American colonies back to Spain. The fort is made of locally quarried Coquina stone, which was easy to work and build with and absorbed cannon fire. Throughout the fort's history, it would be occupied by Spanish, Great Britain, and the United States and each would make modifications and additions to it. Fought over by the Spanish and British several times, St Augustine played a pivotal role in both Spanish Colonial and British Colonial history in Florida.
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| Castillo de San Marcos in St Augustine |
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| How the interior of Castillo de San Marcos appeared during Spanish occupation |
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| How the interior of Castillo de San Marcos appeared during British occupation |
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| Castillo de San Marcos' Courtyard and living history demonstration |
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| Castillo de San Marcos' exterior Coquina walls |
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| The view of Matanzas Bay from Castillo de San Marcos' Terreplein |
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| A view of St Augustine from Castillo de San Marcos's Terreplein |
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| The Water Battery, added to the Castillo in 1842 by the US Army |
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| Gun positions in the Castillo's Water Battery facing Matanzas Bay |
Food and Lodging
Once again, I stayed at the Holiday Inn Titusville - Kennedy Space Center off of I-95 Exit 215 in Titusville. The rooms are comfortable, the staff is always friendly and helpful, and they have a restaurant that serves a good breakfast and dinner. This time around, they were doing a breakfast bar instead of a breakfast menu and they had some outstanding smoked sausage on it. Both the breakfast bar and their dinner menu featured diabetic friendly items. I also had my annual meal at Dixie Crossroads in Titusville, once again this year with friends. I tried their Grilled Mahi and Broiled Shrimp (both with Key West Seasoning) with vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower) and a salad. Dixie Crossroads never seems to disappoint - both the Mahi and Shrimp were terrific. Between breakfasts and a dinner at the hotel and meals elsewhere through the week, I actually managed to keep my blood sugar at an acceptable level while on vacation!
Hidden Treasure Rum Bar & Grill
Hidden Treasure Rum Bar & Grill is located along the Halifax River across the street from the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, so it was a convenient spot to grab lunch after my visit on Tuesday. It turned out to not only be a convenient choice, but a terrific choice. It was a chilly afternoon and they had the wood stove in the dining area going to keep things nice and toasty warm. They had a special on tacos, so I ordered Blackened Mahi Tacos with Green Beans; the blackened mahi was outstanding, the cream sauce they put on the tacos was delicious, and the green beans were just as good.
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| Blackened Mahi Tacos with Green Beans at Hidden Treasure Rum Bar & Grill in Ponce Inlet |
BB Rad's Coastal BBQ
On Thursday, between visits to the Merrit Island NWR and Canaveral National Seashore and a visit to the Valiant Air Command Museum, I found a BBQ restaurant nearby: BB Rad's Coastal BBQ. Once again, a convenient choice turned out to be a terrific choice. I ordered the Twin Fin Platter with Pulled Pork and Smoked Sausage with Green Beans and BBQ Beans as the sides. The Pulled Pork was moist and flavorful and was outstanding with their "Hot" BBQ sauce (it wasn't that spicy) and the Smoked Sausage was made with peppers and cheese in it and went great with their mustard based "Gold" BBQ sauce. BB Rad's will definitely be a regular stop on future Space Coast Road Trips!
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| The Twin Fin Platter with Pulled Pork, Smoked Sausage, Green Beans, and BBQ Beans at BB Rad's Coastal BBQ in Titusville |
Mojo's Tacos
For lunch between visits to the St Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum and Castillo de San Marcos on Friday, I stopped for lunch at Mojo's Tacos in St Augustine. A few years back on a previous trip to St Augustine I stopped for lunch there and remembered it well on this trip. When I walked in, I noticed that there was a Fire Department crew, several St Johns County SO Deputies, and some Coast Guardsman there; anytime you have the FD, SO, and USCG eating lunch somewhere, you know you're in the right place! I ordered a Mahi Taco and a Shrimp Taco and both were absolutely delicious; the seasoning was wonderfully savory and the combination of hard and soft taco with cheddar cheese between them made for a nice texture. They seem to stay busy and you might have to wait, but the tacos are well worth it!
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| Mahi Taco from Mojo's Tacos in St Augustine |
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| Shrimp Taco from Mojo's Tacos in St Augustine |
Playa Chac-Mool Mexican Restaurant
Instead of driving through Jacksonville on a Friday afternoon/evening, I spent the night in St Augustine Beach and returned to Savannah on Saturday morning. I didn't feel like going all that far away for dinner, so I decided on a Mom & Pop Mexican Restaurant just down the street from the hotel: Playa Chac-Mool. What a decision that was, it was one of the best Mexican meals I've had in quite awhile. I ordered their Shrimp Chac-Mool, which was shrimp in a savory chipotle pepper type sauce (although I really don't know what was in it) with rice, beans, and tortillas (I skipped the rice to help keep my blood sugar down). It looks kind of like what some restaurants call Shrimp Diablo, but it wasn't has hot or spicy. If you're ever in St Augustine Beach, you've got to give this family run restaurant a try! If you're curious about what Chac-Mool means, take a look at the "Our Story" page on their website.
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| Shrimp Chac-Mool at Playa Chac-Mool Mexican Restaurant in St Augustine Beach |
Anastasia Diner
Before heading back to Savannah on Saturday morning, I stopped at the Anastasia Diner in St Augustine Beach. It's not all that different from Sunny Side Up or Loc's Chicken and Waffles in Savannah, but they had something I'd never seen on a diner menu before and I decided to try it: a Pastrami Omelet. The pastrami and grilled onions were a delicious combination with the eggs and a side of fresh fruit. I'd have never thought about making an omelet with pastrami, but I'm glad I tried it!
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| The Pastrami Omelet at the Anastasia Diner in St Augustine Beach |
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