Oyster Bay Harbour

Oyster Bay Harbour Celebrates New Marina with a Roast and Toast

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL

Boat markers have been placed and construction is finally complete of the highly anticipated Marina at Oyster Bay Harbour’s Yacht Club. On January 26th, Oyster Bay showcased an exclusive showing of their brand new Marina with an oyster roast gathering, dubbed Roast and Toast, to celebrate the opening of the boat slips.

Oyster Bay residents, boat slip owners, and those interested in purchasing social memberships to the Yacht Club gathered on the stunning community’s Oyster Deck for the event. Guests got into the spirit of the party as they shucked their own oysters, enjoyed seafood gumbo and clam corn chowder, and stayed warm by the bonfire that crackled as children melted marshmallows and assembled s’mores.

Boat slips were available for purchase at the event, sales of which have been very successful. Many Oyster Bay residents and local yachtsmen have already claimed a number of the 76 slips the marina houses and prized vessels are currently docked at their new homes.

Tours were given every 30 minutes of the highly anticipated Yacht Club that is scheduled to have its grand opening soon. Guests were also allowed a sneak peak of two of the 68 Villas under construction that will boast unobstructed views of the Marina and marshes.

Yacht Club Manager, Tawni Fitzpatrick, was on hand at Roast and Toast leading preview tours of the Yacht Club building and answering questions about all social activities the club will host. The Yacht Club will be able to accommodate corporate meetings, parties, and weddings, the first of which is already booked for April. Tours included a walk through of the fully equipped catering kitchen that can handle preparation for large groups. The pool deck is an ideal location for such events, overlooking the pristine marsh that the club is situated on. The view from the deck will remain unblocked with no buildings or construction that will interfere with the breathtaking panorama.

Full-time Harbor Master, Sean McCarthy was engaged with guests interested in the purchase of boat slips. Sean was proud to share every detail of the incredible Marina. The facility’s five floating finger docks have 76 individual boat slips that can accommodate boats from 40’ to 65’ in length offering both port and starboard boarding. These state-of-the-art boat slips include electric, running water, high speed wireless internet, fire suppression equipment, and in-slip wastewater pumpouts.

Roast and Toast provided a great setting for guests of all ages to come out and see how Oyster Bay Harbour has come alive since the competition of the Marina. Oyster Bay residents and slip owners couldn’t stop raving about all the excitement the Marina has added to the community and the entire Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island area.

“The boat slips are the crown jewel of our community,” said Lou Goldman, Sales and Marketing Director for Oyster Bay Harbour. “It was the finishing touch to Oyster Bay. We couldn’t be more excited to officially unveil the facility and introduce Sean and Tawni. They are both so experienced and passionate about what they do, there is no doubt members are going to love working with them.”

Sean is very familiar with the area having lived in Fernandina Beach since 1967. He earned his 100 Ton Master’s License and has been a private captain on large motor vessels cruising the waters of the United States’ East Coast, Bahamas’ Chain, Florida Keys and the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, he has also been a backwater guide for many exciting adventures. With credentials like Sean’s he was the obvious choice for overseeing the Yacht Club’s Marina as Harbour Master.

Planning special events, parties, and grand openings is nothing new for Tawni as she has a solid background in that area of expertise. Tawni will also manage the Yacht Club that features a large, elegant clubroom with walls of glass that provide unrestricted views of the marina and gleaming waterways. The Oyster Bay Yacht Club will also boast open and covered sundecks bordering a sparkling swimming pool, a poolside island grill and tiki bar, game and card lounge, fitness center, full catering kitchen and covered parking for golf cart access.

Be among the first to become a member of Oyster Bay Harbour’s exclusive Yacht Club. A boater’s dream, Oyster Bay Harbour is the only Northeast Florida yacht club community that is only two miles to the peaceful Intracoastal Waterway and just two miles further from the open seas of the Atlantic Ocean.

Oyster Bay Harbour - It’s More than a Lifestyle, It’s a Legacy

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Oyster Bay Harbour’s Legacy in Northeast Florida Continues to Grow

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL -

Oyster Bay Harbour, Northeast Florida’s premier yacht club community is ready to launch and its beauty is something to behold. Significant effort and planning has gone into keeping the community rich with its natural resources yet, exciting with modern day sophistication for the contemporary homeowner. The results of the labor that has gone into the community are simply amazing. Existing homeowners can’t stop raving about the changes that have taken place in Oyster Bay Harbour.

Located in historic Fernandina Beach, just 45 minutes from bustling Jacksonville, Oyster Bay Harbour is the only Northeast Florida yacht club community that can boast the close proximity to the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean. From the Marina at Oyster Bay Harbour it is only two miles to the peaceful Intracoastal Waterway and just two miles further awaits the open seas of the Atlantic Ocean.

The community is a boater’s dream with a brand new marina that is home to five floating docks that feature 76 individual boat slips. The docking slips are now available and can accommodate boats from 40’ to 65’ in length offering both port and starboard fingers. These state-of-the-art boat slips include electric, running water, high speed wireless internet, fire suppression equipment, and in-slip wastewater pumpouts.

In early 2008, residents will be celebrating the grand opening of the brand new Oyster Bay Yacht Club. The Clubhouse will feature a large, elegant clubroom with walls of glass that provide gracious views of the marina and the sweeping marsh and waterways. The clubhouse will boast a professional catering kitchen, open and covered decks bordering a sparkling swimming pool, island grill, tiki bar, and will also offer a modern fitness center and covered parking for golf cart access.

Oyster Bay Yacht Club and Marina will employ a full-time Club Manager / Social Director to organize social activities, events, weddings, and parties. A full-time Harbormaster is already on staff to care for and oversee the incredible dockage facility.

With a promising future and a rich history, Oyster Bay Harbour is situated on the site of the New Hope Plantation, which was founded by the O'Neil family in the late eighteenth century. The land was passed down through four generations beginning with Henry O’Neil who was killed in 1791 while trying to fight off a mob attempting to invade Spanish Florida via the St. Mary’s River. Throughout the many years New Hope Plantation belonged to the O’Neil’s, it survived a great deal including two tragic fires; the first in 1812, destroying the original home built by Henry O’Neil. The land also saw occupations by English Red Coats, Buccaneers, Union Troops, and endured the devastating effects of the Great Depression.

Although the land that once belonged to the O’Neil family has long been sold, it is a tender coincidence that when Henry O’Neil and wife Margaret were searching for property for their new home, their priorities were beauty and productivity, much like Oyster Bay Harbour has ensured for its residents today.

“We are very proud that Oyster Bay Harbour has been able to share in such a great part of the area’s history,” said Lou Goldman, Sales and Marketing Director for Oyster Bay Harbour. “We only hope that as Oyster Bay continues to grow with new residents and innovation that we will also leave a legacy which will carry on for years to come.”

The former New Hope Plantation site has provided Oyster Bay with picturesque homesites on 900 acres of unspoiled marshfront, lakefront, and wooded preserves. The natural undisturbed backdrop offers stunning panoramic views of tidal waters and pristine wetlands and marshes. Nature’s sustained beauty has added to the desire and appeal of Oyster Bay Harbour to both homebuyers and builders.

The O’Neil’s would appreciate that the vast majority of the 325-home yacht club community has been marked for permanent conservation by developer, Canterra Interests, who is leading the way for more economically and environmentally friendly development practices. The main priority for Canterra was maintaining Oyster Bay Harbour’s natural environment, which Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island are celebrated for.

The exclusive yacht club community has marshfront, lakefront, and wooded homesites still available but all are selling quickly. Oyster Bay is the perfect blend of small-town charm and upscale elegance. Inspired by the low-coastal architecture of the South, an emphasis has been placed on vital design elements such as traditional front porches, landscaping that compliments the area’s Spanish-moss draped live oaks, and floorplans that highlight the breathtaking views of the marshlands and lakes. Lot and boat slip packages start from $390,000 and include a Social Membership to the Yacht Club.

At Oyster Bay Harbor, homeowner’s enjoy the nearby eclectic shops and restaurants of downtown Fernandina, where it’s a local legend that pirates’ treasure and Spanish galleons are still buried below the streets. With celebrated Amelia Island also nearby it offers the perfect escape with world-class golf courses and tennis facilities and spectacular beaches. And whether it’s by land or by sea, the lively city of Jacksonville is also nearby.

Oyster Bay Harbour - It’s More than a Lifestyle, It’s a Legacy

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Oyster Bay Receives Financial Support to Complete Infrastructure

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

Oyster Bay Harbour, one of Northeast Florida’s most desirable yacht club communities in Fernandina Beach, Fla., is setting sail with the final phase of development with financial backing from its lender, Bank Atlantic.

This final phase will connect the Marina and Yacht Club to the existing residential community with paved roadways, as well as provide utilities for The Villas at Oyster Bay Harbour, new luxury townhomes in the community. The infrastructure will be completed by fall 2009.

“Many developments are struggling due to the economy,” said Chandler Brownlee, Broker, Oyster Bay Realty. “Buyers are purchasing homes and property based on the developer’s ability to complete phases during this uncertain time. Oyster Bay Harbour is dedicated to finishing the vision we had for the community, which includes the final infrastructure project.”

The final infrastructure of the 320-home community provides connectivity essential to a close-knit community like Oyster Bay Harbour. Many of the residents spend the weekends at the Yacht Club or Marina and enjoy the member activities that bring the community together.

At the Yacht Club, residents enjoy expansive waterfront views overlooking the Marina and lush natural surroundings. Sundecks border a sparkling swimming pool, where members can also indulge in a savory meal from the poolside island grill and tiki bar. An expansive covered lanai surrounds an outdoor fireplace, which provides an ambient glow and extra warmth on cool nights.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the Yacht Club is the spacious, elegant clubroom, with its grand fireplace and glass walls that showcase breathtaking, unrestricted views of the marina and gleaming waterways. The Yacht Club also features a state-of-the-art fitness center and a cozy game and card lounge with sleek card tables and flat-screened high-definition televisions.

Since opening, the Yacht Club earned a reputation as being the central gathering point in the community, as well as serving as the home for numerous parties and events for members. Additionally, a resident chef is on staff to serve lunch and dinner, offered Thursday through Sunday. Combined with the luxury offerings of the Marina, members find that Oyster Bay Harbour is everything they are looking for.

“The Yacht Club’s social component and the boating lifestyle are a huge draw for real estate buyers,” said Sean McCarthy, Harbour Master, Oyster Bay. “The Yacht Club is just steps away from our first-class Marina. The Marina is unique in that it offers convenient and unrestricted access to both the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.”

Oyster Bay’s Marina also opened in 2008 and boat slip sales have been strong since. Residents are now seeing both power and sail boats in the slips, which accommodate boats from 40 to 65 feet in length and offer dockside docking. The Florida certified Clean Water Marina offers a total of 76 individual boat slips.

“We have made great strides in the development this year,” said Marc Footlik, managing partner. “It is exciting to see our vision come to life after so many years of planning. Oyster Bay Harbour is a unique community that has numerous offerings for our residents. It embraces and epitomizes Florida living.”

Additionally, the community recently unveiled their new models for The Villas, a stunning collection of extraordinary townhouse units designed by nationally acclaimed architect Keith Summerour. The townhomes range in size from 2,400 to 3,079 square feet and offer luxury living at its finest with unbelievable craftsmanship and detail while offering a superior view of the natural view of Northeast Florida.

Homesite sales will only continue to excel with the completion of the infrastructure. Additionally, Oyster Bay Harbour is currently offering special financing packages through the spring on both lots and slips. Oyster Bay has a one-acre marsh-front lot and 40’ deepwater slip package available for just $399,990. The community is also offering membership package specials, with social memberships available for the Oyster Bay Yacht Club.

“We have dedicated ourselves to creating a community where residents feel so close to nature and immediate access to a waterfront amenity.,” said Footlik. “It has been our priority to complete the infrastructure and establish the Oyster Bay Yacht Club as the premier marina community in Northeast Florida..

Oyster Bay boasts more than 900 tree-canopied acres and four miles of stunning waterfront. The community is rich in history, as it is situated on the site of an eighteenth century plantation. Additionally, the beautiful landscape is teaming with Florida wildlife and creates a serene ambiance for residents and visitors. Oyster Bay Harbour is also the only Northeast Florida Yacht Club community that lies only two miles from the Intracoastal, with the open seas of the Atlantic Ocean just two miles further.

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

Directions to Oyster Bay Harbour, from Jacksonville, travel I-95 NORTH and exit onto A1A (EXIT 373). Continue east on A1A toward Amelia Island for eight miles. Turn left onto Barnwell Road and follow until it meets Oyster Bay Harbour's entrance gates. For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please call (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Oyster Bay Harbour Focused on Preserving Community’s Natural Beauty

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR – FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

When it comes to land development, builders and developers have a wide array of options on how best to use the available natural features, topography, and landscaping of the area. These careful considerations often distinguish developers like Canterra Interests and communities like Oyster Bay Harbour from any another.

That's because a vast majority of the 900 acres that make up the upscale, 325-home yacht club community have been marked for permanent conservation easement by Canterra; who is leading the charge for more attractive, economically and environmentally friendly development practices.

The conservation efforts at Oyster Bay Harbour were a collaborative undertaking between the community’s developer and Selvig Tree Appraisal – a renowned tree mitigation and traditional arboriculture service firm whose client list also includes Disney World (Orlando, FL), Busch Gardens (Tampa, FL), and Amelia Island Plantation. Additionally, Selvig worked closely with the Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA) to develop Duval County’s Tree Ordinance and Preservation Codes, which are widely considered some of the nation’s best.

Priority number one for Canterra was the preservation of Oyster Bay Harbour’s natural environment, which is meant to mirror Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island’s rich heritage and lush organic surroundings, while still finding the space to map out the community’s picturesque marshfront, lakefront, and wooded preserve homesites.

Without the conservation efforts, Canterra could have easily plotted many more lots, known as “clustering,” and bunched homesites together to take full monetary advantage of the natural topography of the land. However, Canterra was overly willing to sacrifice short-term revenue in exchange for a property as rare and beautiful as Oyster Bay Harbour.

Oyster Bay Harbour has worked closely with approved builders to develop a cohesive, yet unique look. Inspired by low-country architecture found throughout the South, an emphasis has been placed on vital design elements such as front porches, landscaping that preserves the community’s live arbors, and floorplans that maximize the breathtaking panoramic views of the tidal waters and pristine wetlands.

“At Oyster Bay Harbour, we have a remarkably unique habitat and our ‘minimalist design’ approach complements the terrain and preserves more of the old growth oak, palm and cedar trees on the property,” explained Marc Footlik, Managing Partner for Oyster Bay Harbour. “Being a residential developer, it is our responsibility to be a steward to the environment; to work with what’s there and fit the community into the footprint that nature has provided.”

Additionally, Canterra has invested a significant amount of time and money to save Oyster Bay Harbour’s natural landscape and tree canopy, which was severely threatened with damage from saltwater intrusion. Using some of the most advanced and costly bio-technology in the world, a photosynthetic bacterium was introduced, which allowed the trees, which normally convert 6% of sunlight, to convert 95% of sunlight to useful material while significantly reducing water consumption and promoting growth.

According to Tom Selvig, founder of Selvig Tree Appraisal, the development team at Oyster Bay Harbour has done a tremendous job preserving nature’s integrity and character throughout the heavily wooded community.

“The Oyster Bay Harbour peninsula is absolutely gorgeous; one of the most beautiful in the entire state,” said Selvig. “The planning, time, effort and money that Canterra has put into preserving, nurturing and ensuring the long-term survival of the community’s natural habitat and tree canopy is quite commendable and should be applauded.”

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

ABOUT CANTERRA INTERESTS (Oyster Bay Harbour’s Developer)
Canterra Interests is a diversified real estate investment, development, and management company headquartered in Dallas, TX. The company’s president, Marc Footlik, manages all real estate activities for its principal partners who have cooperated Canterra since 1993. The company has worked with more than 25 homebuilders – from national leaders to local custom builders – and specializes in the development of large-scale, master-planned residential communities like Oyster Bay Harbour, Bridlewood, The Preserve at Pecan Creek, and Chadwick Farms. In addition, Canterra has developed and currently manages over 900 residential apartment units, retail shopping centers, and mid-rise office buildings.

Shore To Please
Oyster Bay Harbour offers small-town charm and upscale elegance

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR - FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

For those who dream of salt air and sea mist, of First Coast charm, Atlantic breezes, and sunsets on the beach, Oyster Bay Harbour is ready and waiting to cast its spell on you. Walk along the dunes and watch your neighbors sail their yachts into the horizon. Relax with a glass of wine and dine on some of the world’s best seafood. If you long for breezy, sun-washed mornings, for unstructured, unhurried afternoons, for a place where simplicity is a style unto itself, then dream on with Oyster Bay Harbour.

Located just two miles west of the Intracoastal Waterway, near Fernandina Beach, Oyster Bay Harbour lies on an enchanting cove formed where the waters of Lanceford Creek and Soap Creek meet. Hope, promise, and luxurious living seem to be eternally bound to this charming peninsula that is filled with a rich, vibrant past and equally brilliant future.

Nestled on 900-acres of unspoiled marshfront, lakefront, and wooded preservers, Oyster Bay Harbour is a unique, upscale 325-home yacht club community located on the site of the New Hope Plantation

With 125 families already enjoying the pleasures of living in the beautiful gated yacht club community, the new Waterway Oaks at Oyster Bay Harbour offers an additional 94 picturesque single-family homesites that provide breathtaking panoramic views of the tidal waters and pristine wetlands.

Atlanta-based architects Summerour and Associates Architects, Inc. envisioned the exclusive yacht club community as a marriage of small-town charm and upscale elegance within a unique, low country-inspired architectural setting. Oyster Bay Harbour's three preferred builders, Watson Custom Home Builders, W.G. Pitts Company, and Plantation Housing Corporation - Arthur Rutenberg Homes, were chosen to bring that vision to fruition.

“Our builders will demonstrate that Oyster Bay Harbour features some of the most spectacular custom homes found anywhere on the First Coast,” said Louis Goldman, Director of Sales and Marketing for Oyster Bay Harbour. “They will help us in creating a wonderful sense of community that is at the heart of the Oyster Bay Harbour experience.”

The development team at Oyster Bay Harbour is working closely with the preferred builders to develop a cohesive look. Inspired by low-coastal architecture found throughout the South, an emphasis has been placed on vital design elements such as large front porches, landscaping that preserves the area’s Spanish-moss draped live oaks, and floorplans that maximize the stunning views of the marshlands and tidal estuaries.

Builder designs within the community start around 2,300 square feet with home-and-lot package prices ranging from the mid-$500's to over $1 million. Oyster Bay Harbour's preferred builders offer a wide array of custom floorplans that compliment the community's charm, upscale elegance, and unique, Old Florida Coastal-inspired architectural setting.

Plans are being finalized and reservations accepted for the Villas at Oyster Bay Harbour, a unique townhome product designed by Summerour and Associates. Individual Villa units will range in size from 2,500 to 3,100 square feet of living space and offer three-story layouts, two-car garages, huge balconies, private elevators, inclusive Equity Social Memberships to Oyster Bay Yacht Club, and possess unobstructed panoramas of marshes and tidal estuaries of Soap and Lanceford Creeks.

Oyster Bay Harbour’s Yacht Club will offer world-class features and amenities unique in Northeast Florida. Residents of the prestigious boating community will have the opportunity to purchase Equity Social and Marina Slip Memberships, which entitle them to the use of the exclusive Yacht Club and Marina facilities.

The Yacht Club will offer a clubhouse featuring a large, elegant clubroom with expansive views over the Marina to the Intracoastal Waterway and downtown Fernandina Beach; a members-only, fully equipped, catering kitchen; open and covered decks adjacent to a sparkling swimming pool. The clubhouse complex will also feature a state-of-the-art fitness center and covered parking for golf cart access.

The Marina at Oyster Bay Harbour will have five floating docks that feature 76 individual boat slips, which offer both port and starboard full-length fingers and accommodate boats up to 65' in length. Oyster Bay Harbour's Marina facility will most certainly appeal to any yachtsman concerned with the convenience and safety of their prized vessel. The community also offers a rare feature in that the Intracoastal Waterway lies only two miles away with the Atlantic Ocean just two miles further.

Additionally, the Marina at Oyster Bay Harbour will include: 30 and 50 amp electrical service to each slip; individual dock boxes, power pedestals, and marina appointments; Internet, cable, and telephone services; restroom and shower facilities; and ice and vending machines.

Oyster Bay Yacht Club and Marina will employ a full-time Club Manager / Social Director to organize social activities, events, and parties as well as a full-time Marina Harbormaster to oversee the community's dockage facility.

“Living at Oyster Bay Harbour is more than an experience - it’s a way of life,” added Goldman. “Our community offers residents serenity and harmony within its naturally picturesque surroundings.”

Residents of Oyster Bay Harbour reap all the benefits of living in Northeast Florida's most desirable yachting community while relaxing in a stunning environment that is luxury coastal living at its finest.

Financing for the Oyster Bay Yacht Club and the Oyster Bay Harbour community has been provided by BankAtlantic.

To find Oyster Bay Harbour (from Jacksonville) travel north on I-95, exiting east onto A1A (Exit 373). Continue east on A1A toward Amelia Island for eight miles, turning left onto Barnwell Road. Continue on Barnwell Road until it meets Oyster Bay Harbour's entrance gates.

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit OysterBayHarbour.com.

Lifestyle and Legacy
Oyster Bay Harbour offers small-town charm and affordable elegance

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR - FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

Originally settled by Native Americans, Amelia Island and its surrounding areas have been flown under eight different flags over the last 300-plus years. Amelia Island and Fernandina's fascinating past has drawn countless numbers to its sandy shores and secluded waterways in search of treasure. Legends and folklore of ancient riches still lying unclaimed are eternally bound to this enchanting area.

With an undeniably rich and mysterious past, and an equally vibrant and brilliant future forever attached to the peninsula, it is only fitting that Oyster Bay Harbour become the crown jewel of Florida’s historic First Coast.

Nestled on 900-acres of unspoiled marshfront, lakefront, and wooded preservers, Oyster Bay Harbour is a unique, upscale 325-home yacht club community located on an enchanting cove formed where the waters of Lanceford Creek and Soap Creek meet.

With 125 families already enjoying the pleasures of living in the beautiful gated yacht club community, the new Waterway Oaks at Oyster Bay Harbour offers additional picturesque single-family homesites that provide breathtaking panoramic views of the tidal waters and pristine wetlands. The mixture of waterfront, marshfront, and wooded lots range in price from the $160’s to the $470’s and in size from one-quarter acre to over one full acre. In order to make sure buyers have ample opportunity to construct the home of their dreams, Oyster Bay Harbour does not place a timeframe to built, but they must hurry as homesites are in limited supply.

Oyster Bay Harbour has worked closely with the approved builders to develop a cohesive look. Inspired by low-country architecture found throughout the South, an emphasis has been placed on vital design elements such as large front porches, landscaping that preserves the area’s Spanish-moss draped live oaks, and floorplans that maximize the stunning views of the marshlands and tidal estuaries. Builder designs within Oyster Bay Harbour range from the mid-$500's to over $1 million.
Construction is well underway on the Yacht Club at Oyster Bay Harbour, which is currently on-schedule for its highly anticipated Grand Opening in early-January 2008. Recently, the in-progress Yacht Club at Oyster Bay Harbour played host to a lovely owner appreciation event that gave over 140 families, club members, and Marina slip owners a preview into all the facilities will have to offer.

Designed by Summerour and Associates Architects, Inc., Oyster Bay Harbour's membership Yacht Club will offer world-class features and amenities unique in Northeast Florida. The Yacht Club’s Clubhouse will feature a large, elegant clubroom with expansive views over the Marina to the Intracoastal Waterway and downtown Fernandina Beach, and open and covered decks adjacent to a sparkling swimming pool. The clubhouse complex will also feature a fitness center and covered parking for golf cart access.

The Marina will boast five floating docks that feature 76 individual boat slips, which offer both port and starboard full-length fingers and accommodate watercraft from 40’ up to 65' in length. Oyster Bay Harbour's Marina facility will most certainly appeal to any yachtsman concerned with the convenience and safety of their prized vessel. The Marina’s boat slips include 30 and 50 amp electrical service, freshwater connections and in-slip wastewater cleanouts, high speed wireless Internet, and emergency fire suppression equipment. To keep exclusivity within the community, Marina boat slips are only available to Oyster Bay Harbour property owners.

The community also offers a rare feature; the Intracoastal Waterway lies only two miles away with the Atlantic Ocean just two miles further. Oyster Bay Yacht Club and Marina will also employ a full-time Club Manager / Social Director to organize social activities, events, and parties as well as a full-time Marina Harbormaster to oversee the community's dockage facility.

Residents of the prestigious community will have the opportunity to purchase Equity Social and Marina Slip Memberships, which entitle them to the use of the exclusive Yacht Club and Marina facilities.

Oyster Bay Harbour also offers interested homebuyers a wide variety of financing options, which make buying a home in the upscale yachting community an appealing choice.

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterBayHarbour.com.

Oyster Bay Harbour Offers Special Pricing on Marina Boat Slips

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL -

Pre-release pricing is currently being offered on the 40’ to 65’ boat slips at Oyster Bay Harbour, a unique 900-acre marshfront yacht club community located in Fernandina Beach. For a limited time only, boat slip/lot packages at this gorgeous community are specially priced to start from the mid-$300’s.

“Oyster Bay Harbour is an amazing community and we are offering an unbeatable deal right now,” said Lou Goldman, Sales and Marketing Director for Oyster Bay Harbour. “With beautiful homesites, deep water boat slips, close proximity to the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean, and incredible amenities, this is a wonderful opportunity for interested boaters and homebuyers to become a part of our premier yacht club community.”

The Oyster Bay Yacht Club at Oyster Bay Harbour has five floating docks that feature 76 individual boat slips, which offer both port and starboard full-length fingers to accommodate boats from 40’ up to 65' in length. These state-of-the-art boat slips include electric, water, high speed wireless internet, fire suppression equipment, and in-slip wastewater cleanouts. This yacht club also offers a rare feature; in that, the Intracoastal Waterway lies only two miles away and the Atlantic Ocean is just two miles further – with no fixed overhead bridges.

The Oyster Bay Yacht Club will employ a full-time Harbormaster to oversee the community's dockage facility, as well as a full-time Club Manager / Social Director to organize social activities, events, and parties.

This stunning yacht club will offer a clubhouse featuring a large, elegant clubroom with expansive views over the Marina to the Intracoastal Waterway and downtown Fernandina Beach; a fully equipped, catering kitchen; open and covered decks adjacent to a sparkling swimming pool, island grill, and tiki bar. The clubhouse complex will also feature a state-of-the-art fitness center and covered parking for golf cart access.

Oyster Bay Harbour offers picturesque homesites nestled amidst a beautiful, undisturbed, and natural backdrop that provides stunning panoramic views of tidal waters, pristine wetlands, and marshes. This exclusive yacht club community is a marriage of small-town charm and upscale elegance within a unique, low country-inspired architectural setting. Homes within the community emphasize vital design elements such as landscaping that preserves the area’s Spanish moss-draped live oaks, large front porches, and floorplans that highlight all of the stunning views.

Marshfront, lakefront, and wooded lots are still available but are selling at a rapid rate and the last phase of single-family homes within Waterway Oaks at Oyster Bay Harbour recently opened for sales. The community features three preferred builders; Watson Custom Home Builders, W.G. Pitts Company, and Plantation Housing Corporation - Arthur Rutenberg Homes combined with a program to allow other contractors to become approved builders.

Residents of Oyster Bay Harbour reap all the benefits of living in Northeast Florida's most desirable yachting community while relaxing in a stunning environment of sun-washed mornings, richly painted evening skies, and invigorating Atlantic seabreezes that is luxury coastal living at its finest.

For those who dream of salt air and sea mist, of First Coast charm and Atlantic breezes, Oyster Bay Harbour is ready and waiting to cast its spell on you. Walk along the dock to your own boat or watch your neighbors sail their yachts into the horizon. Relax on the pool deck or in the nearby hot tub. If you long for breezy, sun-washed mornings, for unstructured, unhurried afternoons, for a place where simplicity is a style unto itself, then dream on with Oyster Bay Harbour.

Financing for the development of both the Oyster Bay Yacht Club and the Oyster Bay Harbour community has been provided by Bank Atlantic.

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Oyster Bay Harbour Welcomes Tiffany Chesson Aboard

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

Oyster Bay Harbour, Northeast Florida’s premier yacht club community in historic Fernandina Beach, is proud to announce Tiffany Chesson as the newest member of their sales team.

Prior to joining Oyster Bay Harbour, Tiffany gained a wide array of sales experience ranging from managing an art gallery to skin care sales and finally to four years in the construction industry which steered her to an easy transition into real estate.

Originally from Wisconsin, Tiffany along with her husband Dave and their 8-year-old daughter Jaelynn have had a busy two years leading up to their move to Northeast Florida. Tiffany and family previously resided in Charleston and Colorado Springs before settling in Yulee, just outside beautiful Fernandina where Oyster Bay Harbour is situated.

In her free time Tiffany enjoys sports, especially baseball and softball. She is a member of a Jacksonville adult league softball team and has coached her daughter’s little league team. Tiffany is also a talented painter having graduated from Marian College with a degree in Art Education and Art Therapy.

“I couldn’t be happier to be at Oyster Bay, this is such an incredible community,” said Chesson. “The beauty and elegance of Oyster Bay is unlike any other community in this area. It’s exciting to be part of a place that offers buyers amazing homes and one of a kind amenities.”

Oyster Bay boasts more than 900 tree-canopied acres and four miles of stunning waterfront. The community offers residents a luxurious yacht club with endless amenities and a state of the art marina. Oyster Bay Harbour is also the only Northeast Florida Yacht Club community that lies only two miles from the Intracoastal, with the open seas of the Atlantic Ocean is just two miles further.

On top of a first rate sales team including newest addition, Tiffany Chesson, Oyster Bay Harbour has a full-time Yacht Club Manager / Social Director to organize social activities, events, and parties as well as a full-time Harbormaster to oversee the community's incredible marina.

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please call (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Residents Celebrate Independence Day with Family, Friends and Fun at Oyster Bay Harbour

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

Over 100 residents from Oyster Bay Harbour gathered together on Friday, July 4 to celebrate Independence Day at the magnificent Oyster Bay Yacht Club, located in Northeast Florida’s most desirable yachting community.

The celebration kicked off with a buffet dinner, prepared by Oyster Bay’s Executive Chef Albert Gonzalez. Pulled pork, corn on the cob, baked beans, fresh fruit and homemade brownies were just a few of the crowd favorites. Residents were also invited to cozy up to the new outdoor bar and enjoy a few drinks while viewing the picturesque beauty of the Oyster Bay Marina and nearby waterways.

“The Independence Day celebration also served as an exclusive pre-grand opening for the Yacht Club members and guests,” said Lou Goldman, Sales and Marketing Director for Oyster Bay Harbour. “We wanted to bring the community together to enjoy delicious summer food and relax in the beauty of Oyster Bay while meeting new friends and spending time with family.”

Throughout the evening, members were invited to tour the Oyster Bay Yacht Club. The swimming pool is only steps away from the popular poolside island grill and tiki bar, which will serve lunch once the Yacht Club opens later this month. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the Yacht Club is the spacious, elegant clubroom, with its grand fireplace and glass walls that showcase breathtaking, unrestricted views of the marina and gleaming waterways. A state-of-the-art fitness center and game and card lounge are also available to members.

“Our members enjoyed seeing the changes and finishing touches we’ve put on the Yacht Club in the past few weeks,” said Goldman. “The ‘sneak peek’ tours really increased the excitement among everyone about the new facility.”

The celebration concluded with the fireworks show in Fernandina Beach. The Yacht Club deck provided a perfect view of the spectacular show over the Intracoastal Waterway, located just two miles from the new Marina.

Located steps away from the Yacht Club, the Oyster Bay Harbour Marina features five floating docks with 76 individual boat slips that can accommodate boats from 40 to 65 feet in length and offer alongside docking. As a Florida certified “Clean Water Marina,” the state-of-the-art docking facility features electric, water, fire suppression equipment and in-slip waster water cleanouts. Boat slip sales are off to a good start and residents are now seeing both power and sail boats in the slips.

Oyster Bay Harbour is a unique marshfront yacht club community located in Fernandina Beach. Picturesque homesites, nestled amidst a beautiful, undisturbed, natural backdrop provide stunning panoramic views of tidal waters, pristine wetlands and marshes. Offering the marriage of small-town charm and upscale elegance within a unique, low country-inspired architectural setting, residents find Oyster Bay Harbour is a place they love calling home.

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

Directions to Oyster Bay Harbour, from Jacksonville, travel I-95 NORTH and exit onto A1A (EXIT 373). Continue east on A1A toward Amelia Island for eight miles. Turn left (north) onto Barnwell Road and follow until it meets Oyster Bay Harbour's entrance gates.

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Premier Luxury Yacht Club Open at Oyster Bay Harbour

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

Residents of Oyster Bay Harbour are now enjoying their new 7,500 square foot Yacht Club, which opened in July. Embraced by ancient Florida live oaks and featuring expansive waterfront views overlooking the marina and lush natural surroundings, the private Yacht Club is yet another luxury at Oyster Bay Harbour, Northeast Florida’s most desirable yachting community.

Sundecks border a sparkling swimming pool, where members can also indulge in a savory meal from the poolside island grill and tiki bar. An expansive covered lanai surrounds an outdoor fireplace, which provides an ambient glow and extra warmth on cool nights. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the Yacht Club is the spacious, elegant clubroom, with its grand fireplace and glass walls that showcase breathtaking, unrestricted views of the marina and gleaming waterways.

The fitness center is an athlete’s haven, with state-of-the-art equipment, locker rooms and nearby tennis courts. Nature lovers can meander to the fishing pier and take pleasure in miles of unbelievable water and marsh views. Kayaks and canoes will be available for members to explore the waterways and get an even more intimate view of nature.

Sleek card tables and flat-screened high-definition televisions in the game and card lounge promise members an evening of fun and laughter while weekly club activities bring the Oyster Bay community together. This month, for instance, members are invited to Wednesday evening social hours to celebrate the completion of the Yacht Club, as well as meet other members, tour the club and enjoy the stunning views.

Additionally, the Oyster Bay Yacht Club is the perfect location for hosting weddings and receptions, corporate events, meetings, birthday parties and anniversaries. Gracious staterooms offer breathtaking settings for petite get-togethers, large galas and everything in between. The fully equipped catering kitchen is capable of serving events of all sizes.

Oyster Bay recently opened their brand new Marina, featuring five floating finger docks with 76 individual boat slips that can accommodate boats from 40 to 65 feet in length and offer alongside docking. As a Florida certified “Clean Water Marina,” the state-of-the-art docking facility features electric, water, fire suppression equipment and in-slip wastewater pumpouts. Boat slips are selling well and residents are now seeing both power and sail boats in the slips.

Be among the first to become a member of Oyster Bay Harbour’s exclusive Yacht Club. A boater’s dream, Oyster Bay Harbour is the only Northeast Florida yacht club community that is within two miles of the Intracoastal Waterway and just two miles further to the open seas of the Atlantic Ocean.

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Oyster Bay Harbour Welcomes New Sales Manager

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

Oyster Bay Harbour, Northeast Florida’s premier yacht club community in historic Fernandina Beach, is proud to announce the addition of Chandler Brownlee to their outstanding sales team. Chandler Brownlee will manage the sales team at Oyster Bay Harbour, as well as direct marketing and advertising activities for the most desirable yacht club community in Northeast Florida.

Brownlee previously sold real estate for Oyster Bay Harbour during his time as a Realtor in southeast Georgia and northeast Florida. He focused on serving the luxury real estate segment as well as land, oceanfront homes, commercial office space, condos and single-family residences.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in human and organizational development, with a focus on business administration, from Vanderbilt University. He also received a Master of Arts in organizational leadership from Regent University in Virginia.

“I am very excited to be part of the Oyster Bay Harbour team,” said Brownlee. “Oyster Bay Harbour has an old Florida charm. It is absolutely beautiful and rich in history. There’s nothing like Oyster Bay in Northeast Florida.”

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

Residents Enjoying Life at Oyster Bay Harbour

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

At Oyster Bay Harbour in Fernandina Beach, residents are enjoying luxurious amenities just steps from their homes. With a private Yacht Club, extravagant Marina and numerous activities, it’s no wonder why Oyster Bay Harbour is Northeast Florida’s most desirable yachting community. Oyster Bay has been enjoying ongoing sales with their best advertising being the residents who live there and love it.

At the Yacht Club, which opened in July, residents enjoy expansive waterfront views overlooking the marina and lush natural surroundings. Sundecks border a sparkling swimming pool, where members can also indulge in a savory meal from the poolside island grill and tiki bar. An expansive covered lanai surrounds an outdoor fireplace, which provides an ambient glow and extra warmth on cool nights. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the Yacht Club is the spacious, elegant clubroom, with its grand fireplace and glass walls that showcase breathtaking, unrestricted views of the marina and gleaming waterways.

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Residents Host Dine Around to Celebrate Holidays at Oyster Bay Harbour

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

Residents at Oyster Bay Harbour celebrated the holiday season early with a Dine Around on Saturday, December 6. Six houses in the Oyster Bay community hosted the event, with each featuring festive decorations and delicious holiday food.

The group enjoyed wine and hor’douvres at each of the houses with a dessert buffet at the Oyster Bay Yacht Club, which opened earlier this year. Residents were invited to cozy up in the grand clubroom and enjoy some time with each other in the newly decorated game room.

As part of the Dine Around, residents were also asked to bring a donation for the Salvation Army. The Oyster Bay Harbour residents adopted a family and are looking forward to dropping off their collection of gift cards, gifts and nonperishable food items to their family before the holidays.

The Dine Around is the most recent event that residents have enjoyed at Oyster Bay Harbour. Throughout the year, the yacht club community has hosted a variety of events, from an Independence Day celebration to Labor Day festivities.

Oyster Bay Harbour has earned a reputation for being Northeast Florida’s most desirable yacht club. This year has been extremely successful for the community, who opened both their Yacht Club and Marina this summer. In 2009, the community hopes to complete the infrastructure in the community and continue selling lots and boat packages to future residents.

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Oyster Bay Harbour Adds New Chef to Yacht Club

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

Oyster Bay Harbour, Northeast Florida’s premier yacht club community in historic Fernandina Beach, is proud to announce the addition of Michelle Sharpe to their outstanding staff. Sharpe will serve as the executive chef at the Oyster Bay Harbour Yacht Club, where she will be in charge of the Yacht Club restaurant serving lunch through dinner, as well as catering for Oyster Bay Harbour events.

Sharpe has worked in the food industry for several years. She started her career with Walt Disney World as a culinary apprentice. From there, she worked as a wedding and party coordinator for a catering company in Fernandina Beach. Most recently, Sharpe has been the owner and operator for her own catering company,

Oyster Bay opened their Yacht Club earlier this year. It serves as a central gathering place for the community. Featuring a pool, state-of-the-art fitness center, cozy game room and lavish clubhouse, the Yacht Club defines luxury in Oyster Bay Harbour. With the talent of Sharpe, Oyster Bay will be able to continue its popular lunch and dinner menus, as well as provide delicious food at events held at the Yacht Club.

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

Premier Yacht Club Community Financially Secure in Turbulent Times

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

“Steady as she goes” was the watchword of Northeast Florida’s premiere yacht club community Oyster Bay Harbour, as it today, launched the final phase of development with strong financial backing from Bank Atlantic of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. At a time when many regional waterfront developments have stalled or failed, the lender’s fiscal vote of confidence in the Amelia Island development is a bright spot on Florida’s real estate horizon. “This phase will deliver on our promise to complete the roads and other connective elements of a thriving community,” said Marc Footlik, president of Oyster Bay Island Homes, responsible for the project’s management.

Oyster Bay Realty broker Chandler Brownlee explained the good news this way: “Lenders today are rightfully cautious. They want to support developers with a track record and financial depth. However, they must be equally confident that the property is worth substantially more than the loan amount. Oyster Bay Harbour is in the class known as ‘heirloom properties’ whose assets are exclusive and rare.”

Standing at the confluence of Lanceford and Soap Creeks, it is easy to understand what Brownlee means. The assets he refers to begin on this peninsular finger jutting into the green-gold spartina, comprising one of the most fought-over pieces of real estate in the New World. Here, 325 homes will share a four-mile wetland waterfront and 900-acre maritime forest dappled with cedars and branching oaks.

Today’s announcement connects more than 130 homes already established with another heirloom-class asset: the Oyster Bay Harbour Yacht Club and Marina completed in 2008. Explaining the significance of this facility, Footlik said, “This is the last strand of an Old Florida lifestyle coexisting with the estuarine ecosystem. Oyster Bay Harbour could not be built again today.”
Designed by Atlanta’s visionary architect Keith Summerour, the new Oyster Bay Harbour Yacht Club overlooks the Georgia islands where the Vanderbilts and Morgans wintered their yachts in America’s fabled gilded age. Among its social and business amenities, the coastal-casual club house offers massive verandahs, a marsh-view pool, outdoor fireplace and gourmet grill and bar. Steps away, 76 state of the art slips provide sail and power boats to 65 ft. with an outlet to the ICW two miles distant and the Atlantic Ocean, another mile. The marina’s well-protected position – allowing day trips to Cumberland Island, weekends in Charleston or St. Augustine, and Bahamas bone fishing expeditions – is unique in Northeast Florida. The dock master on call “24/7” is Sean McCarthy, a former boat builder and captain widely respected for his local knowledge and fish finding skill.
In the short months since its completion, the yacht club has attracted over 80 members, among them long-time boaters Tom and Betty Anne Johnson, for whom Oyster Bay Harbour is home.

“We scoured north Florida with a back roads atlas looking for the perfect spot,” recalled Betty Anne Johnson. “We wanted a gated community as well as a marina, but with all the water around north Florida, there were surprisingly few options. Then we found Oyster Bay.”

The Johnsons and their fellow residents credit Footlik with nurturing the development to its current phase. “Marc has poured himself into this project and it’s paid off,” said Tom Johnson. “The new slips are excellent, but the yacht club actually exceeded our expectations. The food and amenities are so good that we entertain there more than at home.”

Now when prospective buyers meet Brownlee at the yacht club, they also see two new Summerour villas next door. Peeking discretely from the trees, they are the first in a special collection of exquisitely crafted homes detailed with oyster shell tabby and other natural, historically authentic materials, each enjoying a forever Prince of Tides view. As a corollary to Bank Atlantic’s financing news, Brownlee today announced special terms for home and slip buyers to help them transition to the lifestyle of their dreams. The terms include 8 percent financing and a three year window for buyers who want to sell their current homes. “Whether real estate or stock portfolios, people are seeking higher value positions. We want to make it as easy as possible for them to accomplish that,” Brownlee explained.

With the final phase set to begin, Footlik took a few minutes away from an oyster roast held at the yacht club to talk about the future: “In my 30-year career, I’ve seen four credit events of the kind we’re in now, when dreams hang in the balance waiting for developers to fulfill plans in uncertain times. Oyster Bay Harbour is dedicated to finishing the vision we had for the community, including this final infrastructure project,” he said.

Nodding toward a pair of dolphins feeding along the riverbank, Footlik continued, “After every economic storm, well-located real estate has been the best antidote to inflation. Where in Florida can you own a home and yacht in a setting equal to this?

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

ABOUT OYSTER BAY HARBOUR: Oyster Bay Harbour is a unique marshfront yacht club community located in Fernandina Beach. Picturesque homesites, nestled amidst a beautiful, undisturbed, natural backdrop provide stunning panoramic views of tidal waters, pristine wetlands and marshes. Offering the marriage of small-town charm and upscale elegance within a unique, low country-inspired architectural setting, residents find Oyster Bay Harbour is a place they love calling home. For more information, visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Members Enjoy Special Events at Oyster Bay Harbour

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

Since opening the new Yacht Club in July. Oyster Bay Harbour has been hosting events for their members to enjoy. Most recently, Oyster Bay Harbour hosted a Valentine’s Day party and a Mardi Gras celebration at the extravagant yacht club community.

“Our members enjoy our events,” said Chandler Brownlee, Broker, Oyster Bay Realty. “The events bring our community together at the new Yacht Club, while giving members a chance to mingle and meet new neighbors.”

At the events, Resident Chef Michelle Sharpe caters the food and provides outstanding service for the guests. Throughout the week, Chef Sharpe offers lunch and dinner service for residents at the Yacht Club with an extensive menu featuring several specialties.

The Yacht Club, which opened in summer 2008, features elegance combined with classic architecture features. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the Yacht Club is the spacious, elegant clubroom, with its grand fireplace and glass walls that showcase breathtaking, unrestricted views of the marina and gleaming waterways.

The clubroom is the perfect space to host member parties, and is also home to the various events that Oyster Bay Harbour hosts. Weddings, corporate parties, anniversaries and birthdays are a few events that have been popular at the Yacht Club.

“Since opening last year, the Yacht Club has become a central fixture in our community,” said Brownlee. “Our residents enjoy spending time at the Yacht Club, whether it’s working out in our fitness center, playing poker in the game room or relaxing in the sun by the pool.”

Oyster Bay Harbour plans to host an Oyster Roast on March 14, 2009. The exclusive-member event is also open to people interested in living at Oyster Bay Harbour.

“People interested in making Oyster Bay Harbour home are welcome to our events,” said Brownlee. “It’s a great way to see first-hand what its like living in a close-knit community, like Oyster Bay. Right now is the perfect time to buy, also, as Oyster Bay has several real estate and membership specials.”

Oyster Bay Harbour is currently offering special financing packages through the spring on both lots and slips. Oyster Bay has a one-acre marshfront lot and 40’ deepwater slip package available for just $399,990. The community is also offering membership package specials, with social memberships available for the Oyster Bay Yacht Club.

Oyster Bay Harbour has earned a reputation for being Northeast Florida’s most desirable yacht club. This year has been extremely successful for the community, who opened both their Yacht Club and Marina this summer. In 2009, the community will complete the infrastructure with the final roadways currently under construction.

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Florida Beaches With Genteel Southern Charm

AFTER 20 years of searching for a vacation home, Isaac and Donna Koilpillai stumbled on what they considered the perfect place last year: a duplex in Fernandina Beach, Fla., 150 feet from the Atlantic Ocean — and 1,100 miles from their primary residence in Rochester.

That distance might be daunting to some, but not the Koilpillais, who every few months pack themselves, Ms. Koilpillai’s parents and their husky into their Toyota S.U.V. and make the 16-hour drive south to Fernandina Beach, the northernmost community on the east coast of Florida.

The sole incorporated town on Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach encompasses much of the land on the 13.5-mile-long barrier island just south of the Georgia border.

With a rich history that spans ancient Indian tribes, plundering pirates and the shrimping industry, it has both a well-preserved downtown with grand Victorians, eclectic restaurants and unusual shops as well as miles of lightly developed oceanfront. It is this combination, along with a decidedly resort-free atmosphere, that attracts second-home buyers from around the country.

Throughout the island, majestic live oaks draped in Spanish moss canopy the roadways. While summers are hot, it is cooler than southern Florida, where many second-home owners come from for relief from heat and traffic.

Fernandina Beach’s proximity to Georgia not only makes it popular with people from Atlanta, a five-and-a-half-hour drive or one-hour flight away, and southern Georgia, but also contributes to more of an Old South feel than in much of modern Florida — something Midwesterners like Judy and Steve Sherman of Carmel, Ind., cite as an attraction.

The Shermans live nearly 1,000 miles away, but they choose to take advantage of the nearby Jacksonville airport, making the hour-and-40-minute flight there from Indianapolis several times a year for long weekends at their town house in Fernandina Beach.

“We didn’t want the hustle-bustle, or the crowds,” said Ms. Sherman, 60, a former training director for Junior Achievement. “We were looking for a place that’s a town, not a resort.”

The Shermans are in their second vacation home in Fernandina Beach, a 2,300-square-foot town house they bought new in 2005 for $400,000. They had owned a smaller single-family house for four years.

The island gained momentum as a tourist destination in the 1970s with the development of Amelia Island Plantation, a 1,350-acre residential resort community at the southern end. The 1991 addition of a Ritz-Carlton in Summer Beach, another resort community just north of the plantation, brought a new class of vacationers and second-home buyers to luxury condos on the property.

The Scene

As a place where eight flags have been flown — including those of France, Spain, England, various insurgent groups, the United States and the Confederacy — Fernandina Beach takes great pride in its history, which dates back 4,000 years, when ancestors of the Timucua Indians lived here.

European explorers landed some 400 years ago, and the deep waters at the Port of Fernandina in the north end attracted pirates who laid in wait for ships blown off course. By the start of the 20th century, it was one of the busiest ports in the country, the place where the modern shrimping industry got its start. That heritage is celebrated with the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, which brings 150,000 people to the city the first weekend in May each year. The town’s population was 11,543 in 2007, according to a census estimate.

A 50-block area of the downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Besides Victorian homes, some of which have been converted to apartments or offices, the district has restaurants, shops, galleries, churches and two community theater groups.

There area also has numerous bed-and-breakfasts, like the Ash Street Inn (102 South Seventh Street; 800-277-6660, www.ashstreetinn.net; from $139 a night), which has 10 rooms in two Victorian homes.

A second historic district is halfway down the island at American Beach, a resort that was founded in 1935 to give blacks access to the ocean in an otherwise segregated South.

Private golf clubs can be found at the Amelia Island Plantation and the Summer Beach area, and the Fernandina Beach Golf Club is a well-regarded public course.

Mr. Koilpillai said he had been trying his hand at surf fishing, a popular pastime on the island’s 12 miles of beaches and off the pier at Fort Clinch State Park. The 1,427-acre park also provides hiking and bike trails, campsites and historic re-enactments.

Of course, the island’s white sand beaches are the biggest drawing card. The island is just two miles across at its widest point, and most homes are within walking or biking distance of the beach. And with 57 public access points, the free beaches are rarely crowded, even in the summer.

When the Koilpillais first visited Fernandina Beach in the summer of 2006, Mr. Koilpillai said the beaches were what persuaded him to buy a home. The couple bought a new 2,000-square-foot duplex in Summer Beach last January for $337,500.

“We came into town and drove down to the beach,” said Mr. Koilpillai, a 66-year-old psychiatrist. “I looked up and down and I was done. There were an equal number of dogs and human beings, and there weren’t very many of either of them.”

Pros

The genteel charm of the Deep South combined with the casual beach village atmosphere of Key West make Fernandina Beach an unusual Florida destination. It has the remote feeling of a barrier island, yet is only 30 or 40 minutes from Jacksonville International Airport. (The island has a municipal airport with three paved runways of 5,000 to 5,300 feet and can handle all general-aviation-type aircraft.)

A city law limits the heights of future beach buildings to 37 feet, which helps maintain views.

Cons

While natives appreciate the change of seasons, visitors hoping to winter in Florida might be surprised by the cool water and the occasional freezing temperatures from November through March.

The Real Estate Market

The second-home market is driven by the proximity to the ocean in Fernandina Beach, where 430 homes and 304 condos were on the market this week, according to the Nassau County Board of Realtors.

“People want to be on the ocean, or a block from the ocean, or at least able to see the ocean,” said Paul Barnes, who owned a bed-and-breakfast in town before joining the Jasinsky & Associates office of Coldwell Banker five years ago.

South Fletcher Avenue is the island’s beach road, and houses on the ocean side go for $1 million to $2 million. On the other side of the street, prices drop precipitously: a three-bedroom house was listed at $599,000.

Home prices have more than doubled since the start of the decade, with the median home value in 2008 being $335,000, compared with $134,000 in 2000. Still, real estate activity has slowed considerably, according to the county real estate board , which reported 190 homes sold by the end of 2008, compared with 312 in 2007. The total sales value dropped to $73 million last year from $158 million in 2007.

With sales down that much, Mary Caserta of Century 21 said there were “bargains to be had.”

At the south end of the island, single-family homes now on the market in Amelia Island Plantation range from $535,000 to $4.95 million, plus membership fees.

More typical are the houses that make up much of the central part of the island, where a 1,900-square-foot ranch a few blocks from the beach was recently listed for $395,000. Many of the original beach bungalows and double-deckers remain in the north end of the island, like a rustic cedar-sided four-bedroom house with decks looking out on the ocean that is on the market for $599,000.

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Oyster Bay Harbour Perfect New Home for Many

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

At the Yacht Club, residents enjoy expansive waterfront views overlooking the marina and lush natural surroundings. Sundecks border a sparkling swimming pool, where members can also indulge in a savory meal from the poolside island grill and tiki bar. An expansive covered lanai surrounds an outdoor fireplace, which provides an ambient glow and extra warmth on cool nights. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the Yacht Club is the spacious, elegant clubroom, with its grand fireplace and glass walls that showcase breathtaking, unrestricted views of the marina and gleaming waterways.

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.

Fifties-themed Sock Hop a Hit at Oyster Bay Harbour

OYSTER BAY HARBOUR, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL –

On June 20, 2009, residents at Oyster Bay Harbour broke out their poodle skirts and their dancing shoes for a 1950s-themed Sock Hop community event.

The group enjoyed a 1950’s Soda Fountain style menu with hamburgers and hot dogs with French fries, onion rings, along with an ice cream sundae station with root beer for floats. DJ Herman Nazworth provided music and gave dance lessons.

“Our resident events are very well received,” said Chandler Brownlee, broker, Oyster Bay Realty. “It’s a great way for people to meet new neighbors and converse with old friends, while enjoying the fantastic views that the Yacht Club offers. Our community is very friendly and our events are one way for residents to mingle with their neighbors.”

The Sock Hop is the most recent event that residents have enjoyed at Oyster Bay Harbour. Throughout the year, the yacht club community has hosted a variety of events, from an Independence Day celebration to Labor Day festivities.

Oyster Bay Harbour has earned a reputation for being Northeast Florida’s most desirable yacht club. This year has been extremely successful for the community, who opened both their Yacht Club and Marina last year. The developer of the community, Canterra Interests, recently announced plans to complete the infrastructure in the community.

The fitness center is an athlete’s haven, with state-of-the-art equipment, locker rooms and nearby tennis courts. Nature lovers can meander to the fishing pier and take pleasure in miles of unbelievable water and marsh views. Kayaks and canoes will soon be available for members to explore the waterways and get an even more intimate view of nature.

The Marina features five floating finger docks with 76 individual boat slips that can accommodate boats from 40 to 65 feet in length and offer alongside docking. As a Florida certified “Clean Water Marina,” the state-of-the-art docking facility features electric, water, fire suppression equipment and in-slip wastewater pumpouts. Boat slips are selling well and residents are now seeing both power and sail boats in the slips.

Oyster Bay Harbour - Coordinates for the Extraordinary 30º 39.929 N – 81º 30.325 W

For more information relating to Oyster Bay Harbour, please contact (904) 261-4759 or (800) 261-4759 or visit www.oysterbayharbour.com.