Buddy's Fish Camp

The old boat house stocked with row boats.

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

30.444654, -81.462092

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Visible only at lower tides pillars in the water are reminders of the parks most recent history as Buddy’s Fish Camp. The boat ramp was gravel, shacks and small buildings surrounded the launch, small red rowboats with the name Buddy’s along the side filled a worn-down boat house. At one of the shacks, a hole was cut into the door, to allow boaters to pay the $2 boat launch fee. Fish camps were one stop shops for fishing, area workers including migrants who may not have all the needed supplies, could come to a Fish Camp, rent a boat, pay to launch, bring back their catch and have it cleaned and cooked up, all while trading stories and tips with their fellow anglers. Today many fish camps have morphed into bait shops or restaurants scattered around the St. Johns River. Buddy’s Fish Camp was in operation until the 1990s. It’s legacy of sunrise launches, shared time on the water, tales of “the biggest fish you’ve ever see” remain in this National Park site.