This is the second year in a row that we were assigned to site 5. We felt quite fortunate, for we're here for only 4 nights and made the reservation about a month ago.
Most recent visit: Dec 2010
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There have been two major changes since our visit last year. The first is the paving of the campground roads. This eliminates the dust that used to blow around during dry periods.
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The other improvement is a new laundry room located in a small pre-fab building near the bathhouse end of the clubhouse. It contains 4 washers and 8 dryers - all free! The older machines are still located inside the Roost behind the office.
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Reservations for retired folks can made no earlier than 120 days prior to visit, so we had called back in August. Your reservation does not reserve a particular site, but by calling on that first day your "window" opens, your chances of getting a front row, facing the St Johns Rver and the Navy Ship Basin, are pretty good. It's worked for us the past three years. Normally stays on the front row are limited to 14 days, and if space in the back is available, you can move back there for another 7-14 days. We got very lucky this visit and thanks to a mixup in the office, we got to stay on site up front for an additional eight days.
Last year in Dec 2009 we were also on site 5.
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In Jan 2009, we spent two weeks on site 13.
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For our first stay at Mayport in 2005, we made our reservation only about 10 days before our arrival, so we ended up in the back row on #36 - still, not a bad place to be.
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Here are the prime spots in the front row, sites 1-18, overlooking the ship channel.
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An overall view of the campground, with front-row sites 1-18 on the right, and sites 19-27 to the left.
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Sites 36-42 are in the back row behind the "Roost".
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At the west end of the park are sites 43 - 43C.
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This back view of the front row of sites 1-18 shows how closely sites are spaced. Plenty of room for slide-outs and awnings, though, and it's not really as bad as it looks in this picture.
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Behind the back row are several overflow sites. These share hookups with sites in the back row.
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"The Roost" is the office, community room, free laundry facilities, and computer. There are LAN connections for your laptop; there is also wi-fi available for use from the comfort of your RV. It also houses the modern and clean bathrooms.
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Just a short walk from the campground are miles of beach.
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The Mayport Ship Basin is just a short distance from the campground.
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Among the ships docked in the Basin during our visit was the Guided Missile Frigate FFG-58, USS Samuel B. Roberts.
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Something you don't get to see at too many campgrounds are large US warships passing by just a few yards away!
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When a ship heads out for a deployment, lots of friends and family members come to the river's edge beside the campground to wave farewell to their loved ones. I was especially taken with this display of patriotism.
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We saw an interesting variety of ship traffic during our 3-day stay in Dec of 2005, including this submarine heading out.
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Star of the show was CV-67, USS John F. Kennedy, as she returned to port.
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The early morning sun makes moored ships really stand out against the dark clouds in the distance.
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Two days before Christmas finds the destroyers and frigates in the Ship Basin decorated for the holidays.
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Amenities
49 sites with W/E(30/50A)/S/TV
15 over-flow sites with hookups
Rates: $18.00
Verizon EVDO Service
Coordinates: 81.399392 W, 30.394328 N
Local Attractions
NFL Jaguars
Jacksonville Zoo
Museum of Science and Industry
Downtown Landing
TPC Golf in Ponte Vedra Beach
Kingsley Plantation (1813)
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