Spring Meeting

Mayport

June 17 – 18, 2016

Click here for on-line Registration

Click here to download Registration Form

 

                The Florida Lighthouse Association will hold its spring meeting on the Mayport Naval Station which has two Lighthouses, the 1859 St. Johns River Lighthouse and the 1954 Mayport Lighthouse. In addition, Mayport is home to the Navy’s Fourth Fleet which includes 15 ships, 4 Helicopter Squadrons, over 14,000 military personnel, and over 1,400 civilian personnel. Mayport Naval Station is the third largest naval concentration in the United States.

                The St. Johns Lighthouse is the third Lighthouse to stand at the mouth of the St. Johns River; the first lighthouse was build in 1830 and was demolished in 1833 because it was too close to the water. The second lighthouse was built in 1835, about a mile upriver, and by 1853 its foundation was so disturbed by erosion that plans were made to replace it. The present St Johns River lighthouse was built in 1858, higher and further from the water. The light was decommissioned in 1929 and was replaced by the St. Johns Lightship (LV-84) which was moored about 5 miles offshore from the river’s mouth and stayed on station until 1954, even during WW II when it had no armament.  

                In 1940 the US Navy acquired most of Mayport, including the area around the lighthouse, in order to establish Naval Station Mayport. The Navy demolished an attached one-story building and raised the grade of the surrounding land by about seven feet. The original door is buried and the only access is via a window eight feet off the ground. In 1954 the modern St Johns Light was built to replace the lightship and is about two miles southeast of the original lighthouse.

                Our events will begin on Friday June 17 at the Holiday inn Express & Suites Map Holiday Inn with the committees meeting at 4:30 PM, followed by the FLA Board meeting at 6:00 PM. The Social Hour will start about 7:00 PM and will include wine, soda, finger food and a chance to get reacquainted with old friends and make new friends. The check-in table, where you will get your name-tag, will be just inside the meeting room door and will be manned starting at 6:30 PM.

                Saturday’s meeting will be at the Ocean Breeze Conference Center Map on the Naval Station. All attendees are requested to arrive at the main gate prior to 8:30 AM to facilitate entry onto the base; someone will be at the gate to assist in identifying attendees. Since the meeting is on the Naval Station EVERYONE WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THEIR FULL NAME WITH MIDDLE INITIAL, DATE OF BIRTH AND LAST 4 OF THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER on the registration form.

                Lunch will be buffet style and include Chicken w/ wild mushroom ragout, Seafood Newburg w/ rice, herb roasted potatoes, medley of fresh garden vegetables, rolls, coffee, iced tea, water and cookies. There will also be vegetarian Lasagna for those who want a vegetarian meal. YOU MUST REQUEST THIS ON THE REGISTRATION FORM, AS ONLY THOSE WHO REQUEST IT WILL RECEIVE THE VEGETARIAN MEAL.

                After lunch buses will take us to both lighthouses; we will not be able to enter the original lighthouse, but we will be able to look inside through a window. We are hoping for access to climb the new lighthouse.

                The cost for the attending the Spring meeting at Mayport is $55 for members and $80 for non-members, which includes a 1 year FLA membership. The cost includes the Friday night Social, the Saturday membership meeting, lunch and transportation to both lighthouses.

HOTELS

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Jacksonville SE Med Ctr 

Map      Holiday Inn

4791 Windsor Commons Court

Jacksonville, FL 32224

Phone 904 421-7000

Rate: 2 Queens or 1 King - $99, Junior King Suite - $109, Queen Suite – 119, King Jacuzzi Suite – 129 (Ask for FLA rate)

Cut-off Date : May 23, 2016

12 Miles from the Saturday meeting place.

 

Best Western Mayport Inn & Suites 

map    Best Western Mayport

2389 Mayport Rd

Atlantic Beach, Fl 32233

Phone 904 435-3500

Rate: Standard Room - $99 (Ask for FLA rate)

Cut-off Date : May 17, 2016

10.8 Miles from the Friday night meeting and 3.4 miles from the Saturday meeting.

 

Hampton Inn & Suites Jacksonville Beach Blvd/Mayo Clinic Area
Map    Hampton Inn

13733 Beach Blvd.

Jacksonville, FL. 32224

Phone: 904 223-0222

Rate: Double Queen - $119 (Ask for FLA rate)
Booking Link

Cut-off: May 17, 2016

3 Miles from the Friday night meeting and 10 Miles from the Saturday meeting

Questions?

Email Ron Ecker

Meetings@Floridalighthouses.org