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Media Kit: Watersports
TAKE TO THE WATER AT ST. AUGUSTINE, PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA; WATER SPORTS AND RECREATION SITES APLENTY FOR VISITORS
Visitors to Florida in search of aquatic adventures can splash and play to their hearts' content on the beaches of St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra in northeast Florida. With a 42-mile-long shoreline and plenty of inland waterways, rivers and inlets, the St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra area offers plenty of space and a myriad of water sports and recreational opportunities for visitors.
The Atlantic Ocean
Along the Atlantic, wide, fine-grained beaches stretch from Ponte Vedra Beach, just south of Jacksonville, southward to Marineland of Florida. Guarded by sand dunes covered with palmettos and sea oats, the beaches are easily accessible from scenic A1A.
Public beaches, including state parks and public recreation areas, are found along the entirety of the 42 miles of beachfront. Ponte Vedra Beach, Vilano Beach, Anastasia Island, St. Augustine Beach and Crescent Beach are all located on the Atlantic. Shops in these communities and along A1A sell or rent necessary accessories for virtually any kind of water sport from speedy, personal watercraft to fishing equipment.
Swimming, surfing, bodysurfing, windsurfing, boogie-boarding and volleyball are among the most popular active sports along the shore. Surfers can be spotted atop the waves year-round and compete in tournaments like the Maitland Surf Classic, held each April. Swimmers can count on warm water during spring, summer and late into autumn. For the less active, sunning, shell collecting and bird watching are as enjoyable as more action-packed forms of recreation on the Atlantic beaches.
Onshore and offshore fishing in the Atlantic waters offer some of the best angling along the Eastern Seaboard. The St. Johns County Pier, Lighthouse Pier and Vilano Beach Pier all are popular-and productive-fishing sites. Charter boat operators take anglers as far out to sea as 60 miles to pursue sought-after gamefish. Six fishing tournaments, with prizes up to $50,000, are held each year in the St. Augustine area.
The Intracoastal Waterway And Inland Waters
The interior waters around Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine and the area range from the wide St. Johns River (one of the few rivers in the world that flows northward) and the Intracoastal Waterway to slow-flowing inlets, streams and lakes. The different kinds of inland water venues offer recreational opportunities different from those enjoyed along the Atlantic.
Water-skiing, boating and fishing are popular along the busy Intracoastal Waterway. On Matanzas Bay, between St. Augustine and Anastasia Island, visitors aboard sightseeing cruise vessels can spot playful dolphins.
Boaters can launch from numerous boat docks along the Intracoastal, and visitors can rent small boats, personal watercraft, canoes and kayaks. For the more adventurous, parasailing is an exciting way to get a bird's-eye view of the area.
Information On St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra And The Beaches
For free information on watersports, lodging, shopping and dining in Ponte Vedra Beach and St. Augustine, including a colorful 40-page travel planner, contact the St. Johns County Visitors & Convention Bureau, 88 Riberia Street, #400, St. Augustine, FL 32084 or call, toll-free, 1-800-OLD CITY (1-800-653-2489), 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekdays.
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Media contact:
Jay Humphreys, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches VCB. 904.829.1711 ext. 306, jhumphreys@getaway4florida.com
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