Scott Fais: Florida on a tankful

Old is relative. There is Washington, D.C. old. Then there is St. Augustine old.

(There’s not a tank big enough for a Tankful to Egypt… yet. That may be in the works.)

The nation’s oldest city dates back to 1513 when treasure hunter Ponce de Leon arrived on Florida’s eastern shore.

In 1672, the Spanish began to construct the Castillo de San Marcos from the ground up. Eventually, the fort would grow to 20.5 acres and several levels.

Centuries later, the National Park Service has done a fantastic job preserving this early treasure.

Today, you can climb every inch of the fort. From upstairs in the lookout towers to downstairs inside the crew quarters, the fort is yours to conquer (don’t ask me about the restrooms. I never went, but I have to imagine it’s more than a hole-in-the-ground. Visit and then send me an e-mail).

What’s also rough, the folks who wear period costumes. While they look authentic, they’re also hotter than blazes. The realism adds to the experience.

Forts are supposed to keep good things in, and keep bad people and bad things out.

The only thing escaping the Castillo de San Marcos is the view. It’s phenomenal.

The sun dances off the water like diamonds. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch the Schooner Freedom sailing by, making this vantage point seem even more authentic. Many folks were content to just sun themselves on the wall surrounding the fort, while others packed a picnic.

I’ve made a tree fort, cardboard box fort and now fort. Looking back, I wish my castles were made from coquina rock. Wisely, the defense line is made from this strong rock, strong enough to absorb the impact of a wayward cannon ball, without harming the structure.

Today, you can still witness the cannons firing. I’ll warn you. It’s loud. Most folks plug their ears and wisely back up. I did as you can see in the photos above (no, I did not leave the camera unattended as a stellar one man band).

If you looking for something you can’t find anywhere else, this is one of Florida’s eternal treasures. At the Castillo de San Marcos, old is cool again.

Scott Fais’ weekly blog, airs on Central Florida News 13 (Brighthouse Networks) detailing discoveries made while traveling through Florida and along the road of life.

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News contributed photograph by Heather Munson