"Bridge of Lions" Saint Augustine Travelogue by grandmaR
Saint Augustine Travel Guide: 810 reviews and 1,903 photos
The Bridge of Lions is the signature bridge of St. Augustine. Not only that it is a vital link between the two halves of the town and carries US 1. It is also across a very busy section of the Intercoastal Waterway. St. Augustine inlet is not suitable unless one has local knowledge, so one either goes out the inlet and down to Ft. Pierce, or goes under the bridge.
St. Augustine is a destination or stopover for many boats coming south for the winter. A great number of these boats anchor either north or south of the bridge. The big boat in front of the bridge in this photo taken from our boat belongs to friends of ours who spend the winter here at anchor.
One year, I walked up onto the bridge and took a photo of the anchorage on the other side. We've never anchored on this side of the bridge.
This is designated the south anchorage but the river actually goes more east west at this point.
The bridge schedule allows openings every half hour unless it is rush hour when it doesn't open at all. If you miss the opening (as we did once) and it is coming into rush hour, then you have over an hour to wait for the next opening. You might as well stop and anchor and have breakfast or something.
This is how the bridge appears to traffic on the bridge when it opens.
When the bridge is all the way up, the traffic light on the side of the bridge shows green to the boats waiting to go through.
It is risky for a sailboat to go through the bridge before it is all the way up because the gap is smaller, and the mast and rigging may hit the bascule (opening part) of the bridge.
If the drivers in the cars were to get out of their cars, and look over the side of the bridge, this is what they would see. There's plenty of time - the bridge takes at least 5 minutes to open and then close.
This is from our boat after we went through the bridge with the bridge closing. The light has turned red, indicating that boats should not attempt to pass through the opening while the bridge is closing because it might close on them.
Boats that are smaller and are not sailboats don't have to have the bridge opened - they can go under without needing that.
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Comments (14)
We'll be staying in St.A again this month attending a race in Daytona. Thanks for the tips on the resturants!
St.Augustine is worth the visit. Great to walk, or take the horse drawn crriage ... enjoy the old buildings. It's like a mirage in the desert. Special spot.
I like it when the waitresses at Gypsy Cab Company give you specials orally!
Really nice page here... :) I miss St. A very much and hope to go back one day. The Lighthouse was a real treat... I remember only catching glimpses of it through trees and brush as a wee kid... Hopefully next time I can have time to see more.
Just walking down memory lane... Great page!
Judging by the number of restaurant tips we can see where you spend your time! Nice page.
Excellent page !
I love your view from the bow as you get ready to sail through the bridge.
$1.50 a session is outrageous. Save the Bridge. Save the Bridge. Save the Bridge.
Nice pictures, hope to visit again one day. Eva
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