Visitors and my real estate prospects always ask me if Palm Coast has a beach. We don’t, really but we always claim we have. Because of Flagler Beach, Beverly Beach, Hammock Beach, Ocean Beach…because we function as a dysfunctional family with the whole string of communities that line the ocean from AIA to the John’s County line at Marineland.
Like a family, we have great differences and strongly held opinions that give us each our own character and personality. I went to the Farmers Market in Flagler Beach this morning, had breakfast overlooking the ocean. So I decided to write a thread about this peculiar place.
FB is not like a New York or Jersey or even a Florida beach community. I understand way back it was a gay destination like Key West and Provincetown. Still has some remnants. It is widely known among the New Age community as having a major energy meridian intersection about thirty miles into the ocean off Beverly Beach. You will see two large dome shaped buildings; ‘The Domes’ where my wife and I have gone for Course of Miracles and White Eagle classes and other eccentric spiritual ideas we brought with us to Palm Coast from our home in Key West. Like meditation, Full Moon celebrations, and all kinds of studying about ‘Eastern Religions’. No Islamic stuff though. I will have to cover my Allah Akbar inquiries in another thread soon to come.
Alas, the Domes kook died. His wishes were that it would always remain a spiritual center. But a couple of guys bought them real cheap as an investment. They live in one. The other lanquishes sort of empty. Don't know what is going on...zoning and ordinances or our friend reaching from beyond and messing up their energy meridians?
Anyway, if you like to surf, lay on the beach, walk the boardwalk, drink and party, sing Karaoke, ride a bike, have sex with your own sex the other sex or both sexes, eat at good restaurants, fish from piers, swim, surf, lay on beaches or boat and fish the Intracoastal…almost anything-it’s here or its ok to bring it with you. Except for diseases.
Long run politically by a bunch of nut jobs, these radically independent types are struggling to hold on to power as they age and the town grows; grows more expensive anyway. (Look up Lambert Avenue on your GPS. It has some of the most beautiful houses on the Intracoastal. In FB it has, at least since 1996, always cost more to buy a older house than a similar newer one in PC. That says a lot, right?
PC has a major retired police and retired firefighter community. PC is more of a Law and Order place. PC likes to tell you what you can and cannot do. However, read the news; even the Flagler Beach police and firemen aren’t always heavy on the law and order bit. Tolerant of others; tolerant of themselves.
I’d like to live there. View of the ocean. Boat on the intracoastal. I grew up at the Jersey Shore. Asbury Park area. Well, almost grew up. Never quite made it. Sand in FB is coarse and red, though. And for now we rent up in St. Augustine on Crescent Beach immediately north of Marine Land where the sand is very soft and the water gets deep much more gradually. Not good for surfing but great for small grandkids.
One thing different, though. The whole Flagler County oceanside is a bit behind on the racial integration thing. Way behind us in Palm Coast. Not so much intolerance of blacks as non-existence of blacks. Few live there. There is probably an interesting history of blacks going to the beach that I will have to look into. Yeah, they don’t need tans. But eye candy is eye candy and partying is partying, and water is wet and cool.
Write me something interesting about Flagler Beach. Talk To Ted!
1 comment:
I have been visiting Flagler Beach and Palm Coast since the late 60's. This is the most relaxing and beautiful area in all of Florida. Palm Coast might not have a beach per say, but it's right up the road to get to the beach. I also love going to Pier Restaurant for breakfast, right before I fish off the pier. The view is spectacular at both places. Great blog. All the best.
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