Serving in NHC Florida: Nassau County
Posted on: June 1, 2016Florida
National Health Corps Floridas host site, Barnabas, is located in Nassau County and I have the privilege of serving there. Nassau County is located directly north of Duval county and the city of Jacksonville.
Nassau County is home to a proud, predominately rural community of just over 73,000 people. Fernandina Beach, located on Amelia Island, is the largest city in the county with a population of 11,500 people. It is also where a NHC Florida host site is located.
Nestled between the Amelia River and the Atlantic Ocean, Ameila Island is a beautiful and unique area.
In addtion to Fernandina Beach, it is home to the resort communites of Amelia and Amelia City.
Fernandina Beach, or just “Fernandina” to the locals, has a rich history. Sometimes referred to as ‘The Isle of Eight Flags’, the city has had eight different countries flags flown over it, including a brief time when the island was its own nation.
If history isn’t your thing, Historic Downtown Fernandina also offers great local shops and restaurants, live music, or even the chance to go for a horse drawn carriage ride. Throughout the year, the city also hosts a variety of fun festivals downtown, which are a fantastic way to meet new people and discover cool things.
Still not sold? Well then…Fernandina is also home to miles of beautiful beaches, which lend to opportunities for water sports, exercise, shelling, shark tooth hunting, and much more.
Here, you can also easily enjoy a wildlife encounter. It’s not uncommon to see dolphins, horseshoe crabs, and crustaceans as well as a wide spectrum of shore birds. The beaches of Amelia Island are also a nesting place of loggerhead, green, and leatherback sea turtles.
For the outdoor enthusiast, there’s also a city greenway along the saltmarsh, which runs the length of the island. Egan’s greenway is a nice place for a leisurely walk, group bike rides, an afternoon of birding, or just a relaxing place to enjoy nature.
But watch out for the Alligators!
As if that wasn’t enough, there are also three state parks and a national park within a 20-minute driving distance of Fernandina. They offer hiking, camping, fishing, water sports, beachfront horseback riding, and exploring.
All in all, Fernandina Beach in Nassau County is wonderful place to live, serve, and explore. I can’t imagine spending my year of service anywhere else.