Canaveral National Seashore

Just south of the city of New Smyrna Beach is the Apollo Beach or North District of Canaveral National Seashore.  The park was established in 1975 to protect and preserve 24 miles of pristine seashore along a barrier island.  We visited the park in mid-February, 2013.  The entrance fee is $5 per vehicle per day.  A new visitor center with a theater, gift shop, offices and rest rooms opened in November 2012.  The movie about the seashore was excellent as usual and highlighted some of the more unique aspects of the park such as the nesting area for sea turtles.  

Apollo Visitor Center

Beach

We decided to start our tour with a drive to the southern end of the 6.5 mile park road.  At this point the island is fairly narrow which allowed views of Mosquito Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean from the same location.  After parking at area 5, we crossed the dune on the provided boardwalk.  Recent storms had damaged the accessible ramp on the beach end of the boardwalk, but the stairs remained in service.

Mosquito Lagoon

Looking up the beach from the boardwalk

Atlantic Ocean from the boardwalk

Looking down the beach from the boardwalk

Royal Terns

Sanderling chased by waves

Driving north, we stopped at parking area 4 for a closeup view of the vegetation on the dunes.

Prickly Pear and Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto atop the dune

Turtle Mound

Continuing our journey north, we stopped at Turtle Mound.  This prehistoric site is believed to  consist mostly of discarded oyster shells, although no extensive archaeological excavations have been conducted.  Several theories have been offered as to why the TImucuan would build a mound of refuse that was about 50 feet high and 600 feet long.  One theory is that it was a navigational landmark and another is that it provided limited protection from hurricanes.  At one point, a commercial orange grove was planted here.  The few trees remaining produce a bitter orange compared with the Indian River groves across Mosquito Lagoon.  

Boardwalk from parking area through the saw palmetto

Elevated boardwalk allows access without destroying the mound

Mosquito Lagoon with Visitor Center buildings on left

Ocean view from atop the mound

The mound consists of millions of oyster shells

The elevated boardwalk climbs to the top of the mound

Bitter oranges along the boardwalk

Timucuans launched their canoes on Mosquito Lagoon near here

Eldora

The Eldora loop road is one-way with four parking areas.  We stopped at parking area 6 and walked the trail to the fishing dock near parking area 7.  

Trail to the fishing pier

Fishing pier on Mosquito Lagoon

Mosquito Lagoon shoreline

Brown Pelican

Another view of the lagoon

We then drove to parking area 8 near the community of Eldora.  The village was founded around 1877 as a steamboat stop.  The agricultural and fishing community struggled for years due to a variety of environmental conditions including hurricanes and winter frosts.  By 1900, the village was shifting from farming and fishing to winter seasonal homes for the wealthy.  Today, the foundations are all that is left of most of the village.  In 1980, the park service determined that the Eldora House was beyond repair and demolished the structure.  Today, the site has been completely reclaimed by native vegetation.  Fortunately, the State House did not meet the same fate due to the dedicated work of the Friends of Canaveral.  Today it stands as a museum to the community and is usually open on weekends depending on the availability of volunteers to staff the site.  One of the back rooms has been converted into a small theater for viewing an 18 minute video depicting the history of the community.

Broad walkway to Eldora

Side road to the former site of the Eldora House

Northern end of the Eldora State House

View of Mosquito Lagoon from the State House

Front of the Eldora State House

Rear of the Eldora State House

Trail back to the parking area

Our short stay at Canaveral National Seashore did not allow time to visit Castle Windy, another shell midden nor did we have time to stroll along much of the beach.
The park website is http://www.nps.gov/cana/index.htm.