MARCH 17-26 HEADING NORTH AGAIN

March 17-18: We headed back up river to Astor for a one night stop then decided to take advantage of the Ebb tide and make a long run to Six Mile Creek.  A 73 mile run which translates into a long day for a slow boat like ours.  The weather was again cold as we crossed Lake George so that ruled out a stop at the Silver Glen Springs.  The Captain being an ex submariner noticed several P3 Orion planes conducting exercises over Lake George.  Their function is to drop sonobuoys to detect enemy submarines.  The P3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop and has a long range-it is capable of staying airborne for 3 days.

Back at Six Mile Creek, we had a rainstorm but this rainbow raised our hopes for better weather in the morning.

March 19-20:  Ortega River:  Provisioning and boat repairs saw us spending two days in the Ortega River Yacht Marina which is just north of Jacksonville.  The Captain aka "Mister Fixit" had a major repair job on his hands.  Our aft electric head (marine toilet) decided to give up the ghost.  Fortunately, there was a West Marine store within one block of the marina and they had the identical item in stock.  So out with the old and in with the new.  Took a few hours but the operation was completed successfully.  

March 21:  Back on the Loop and onto Fernandina: Taking advantage of the Ebb tide again saw us under way and cruising past Jacksonville at 9-10 knots to reconnect with the Inter Coastal Waterway (ICW).

Last Bascule Bridge for a while with Jacksonville in the background.

This section of the Inter Coastal Waterway is quite shallow and narrow.  These folks have to be very serious boaters to build such long docks out into the water.  We estimated that some of them are over 500 feet long.

March 22-26:  Fernandina Beach:  Our first night in Fernandina, we picked up a town mooring and planned to dinghy into the town the next day to explore.  However, strong winds and a forecast for severe thunderstorms over the next few days caused us to adapt our plans.  We made arrangements to move into the Fernandina Harbor Marina.  We were blessed with good weather and strolled into town.

Fernandina Beach which is located on Amelia Island is a thriving, town with lots of history, quaint shops and a plethora of good restaurants.  We had an excellent dinner at the 29 South restaurant.

According to the Amelia Island Museum of History, over the last 400 years, Amelia Island has been under 8 different flags.  First the French from 1562-1565, the Spanish from 1566-1763, the English from 1763-1783, the Spanish 1783-1821 (with 3 interruptions), Patriots who overthrew Spanish rule, Green Cross of Florida, Mexican Rebels, the United States 1821 to present with an interruption during Confederate control during the Civil War. 

The Historic District of Fernandina Beach is a 50-block area located at the north end of Amelia Island and recognized on the National Register of historic Places.  The town of Fernandina was officially established in 1811 and named for King Ferdinand VII of Spain.  In 1853, the town site moved just south to take advantage of the new Florida Railroad and the subsequent tourism boom.  The original town now called Old Town Fernandina, still remains and celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2011.

Lesesne house is built of hand-hewn timber and wooden pegs.  Judge John Friend purchased the house in 1868 and family descendants still occupy the house.

Nassau County Courthouse built in 1891 during Fernandina's Golden Era is one of the finest examples of surviving Victorian courthouses in Florida and is the oldest county courthouse in continuous use.

The US Post Office built in 1910. It was designed in the style of the Medici Palace in Florence.  On the second floor is a fully restored courtroom which served the area early in the 20th Century.

The Captain with dreams of a new car.

This tug boat was pulling a long, flat cargo....

that went on ...

and on...

and on...

until its buddy boat brought up the rear.  Good thing that the waters  were calm that day.

The weather promptly turned ugly for the next two days and severe thunderstorms and heavy rains kept us both on the boat and stuck in Fernandina for extra days.  Not a bad spot to be stuck in but we are hoping the weather improves so that we can leave for Cumberland Island tomorrow.

This is the type of weather and sea conditions that kept us in Fernandina so long.

MARCH 11-16 THE ST. JOHN'S RIVER

March 11:  Six Mile Creek:  We left Jacksonville as soon as it was light to take advantage of the flood tide.  After a short wait for a railway bridge opening, we were on our way down the St. John's River.  The flood tide gave us a 2-3 knot boost so we cruised along at top speed.

The St. John's River is the only river in the US that runs North.  The river is 310 miles long and flows from its source in the swamps west of Vero Beach to its entrance to the Atlantic Ocean at Mayport.   The river is navigable for boats our size to about Sanford which is a 150 miles.  The river flows slowly and only drops about an inch per mile.  The journey down the St. John's also incorporates a number of lakes.

"In many ways, the history of the river parallels that of the people of Florida:  the Native Americans who lived in many settlements along the river and used it for transportation; the French and Spanish who fought on the river for domination of the whole peninsula; the runaway slaves who used it to seek freedom; the early tourists  frequented the river to find relief from northern winters; the settlers along its banks looking to find a new beginning to raise their families and earn a living and the modern residents who come for the river's commerce and recreation."  St. John's River Guidebook by Kevin M. McCarthy

Our destination today is Six Mile Creek which boasts a free dock and a crab shack.  What more could we want!  We had to pay careful attention to the water depth at the entrance to the creek but once in, the depth increased dramatically.

The Duddon Pilot at the free dock-There was only one other boat there so we had the place to ourselves.

 The Outback Crab Shack-guess what we had for dinner!

We lowered the dinghy and took a spin down the creek.  The temperature was too cool for alligators to be out but we saw lots of birds.

And Spanish Moss everywhere.  According to Wikipedia, Spanish Moss, falls into the category of  epiphytes which grow on the surface of trees and other plants only for mechanical support. Unlike parasites, epiphytes do not draw nutrients from the host plant, but absorb water and food from the air directly though their stems and leaves. Through the process of photosynthesis, the chlorophyll in the epiphyte converts water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates. Other examples of epiphytes are certain tropical orchids and the resurrection fern.

March 12:  Palatka.  Our destination today is the town of Palatka.  When we looked up the weather for Palatka, a town in Russia popped up.  Intrigued, we researched further to discover that Palatka, Russia and Palatka, Florida are sister cities.  The name Palatka in Russian translates roughly into "tent" but the Floridian town was named by the Seminole Indians:   meaning "crossing over".

As we arrived in Palatka in the early afternoon, we ventured out to explore the town.

Attractive riverfront homes dot the river.

A local art shop proprietor explained that the town has not recovered from the economic slowdown.  Palatka's economy was driven by the timber industry but today the town is striving to reinvent itself as an Arts Center. 

We noticed several large murals on buildings.  Each one has historic significance to the town.

This one depicts the Battle of the Horse Landing described below.

Although some were shuttered, there were enough viable stores to draw shoppers to the downtown.

March 13:  Welaka  Today is just a short run from Palatka to Welaka as we need to do those boring boat chores:  laundry and pump out.  

March 14-15:  Astor:  Our route today takes us across Lake George.  At six miles wide and twelve miles long,  it is the second largest fresh water lake in Florida.  A strong wind can make the crossing rather rough but calm wind today made for a pleasant run.  We had originally planned to stop two thirds of the way down the lake to dinghy in to Silver Glen Springs for a dip in the springs but the cool temperatures ruled out swimming for today.  Oh well, maybe it will be warmer on the way back!

After a couple of bridge openings, we arrived in Astor.  Astor is named after William Astor of the famous Astor family.  He was the grandson of millionaire John Jacob Astor.  Originally, he named the town Manhattan and built a railroad to link the town with the Central Florida Railroad. The town prospered initially but the death of his son John Jacob Astor IV aboard the Titanic and the lack of interest of his son lead to the town's demise.  Today, only tourist keep the town alive.

The Astor Bascule Bridge.

We tied up at the dock in front of the Blackwater Inn which is our home for the next few days.

We were treated to a visit from our friends, Joan & Reg Patota.

March 16:  Blue Springs State Park:  The weather was glorious for our departure to Blue Springs.  We anchored just off the main channel in a peaceful spot and took the dinghy into the park. 

Looking back up the river from our anchorage.

The Blue Springs maintain a constant temperature of 72 F which is very attractive to Manatees.  Manatees or "Sea Cows" are mammals and adults can weigh 800 to 1,200 lbs. and reach lengths of 13 feet.  They are slow moving herbivores and very placid animals which is fortunate for us as the following photographs show, this guy came right up to our dinghy and surfaced around us for about 20 minutes.

Manatees breathe through their snouts.

He or she was definitely interested in our dinghy!  Given the dinghy is grey perhaps mating season was on its mind.

Okay!  We get the hint-time for us to push off.

We also saw dozens of birds.

And of course, this guy sunning on the banks.

MARCH 3-10: BACK ON THE LOOP

March 3:  Finally back on the Loop:  After three months of visiting the West and East Coasts of Florida, the Captain and crew were anxious to get back on our Loop adventure. So it was that on a cold (for Florida) and moderately windy day, we finally cast off from the Vero Beach marina and headed North on the Intercoastal Waterway (ICW).  The ICW is an inland waterway that stretches 3,000 miles along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts.  Parts of the ICW incorporate natural inlets, salt way rivers, bays and sounds.  Other sections are man made canals.  Our travels will take us through the Atlantic portion of the ICW up the East Coast of the United States.

The Duddon Pilot heading North on the ICW-Photograph thanks to Joan Patota who braved the cold weather to capture us passing Seaoaks.

And Samantha in her warm coat to greet us.

Our destination today is Cocoa Beach which is about 53 land miles north of Vero Beach.  The wind picked up and we had a somewhat bumpy ride to the Cocoa Village Marina.  Fortunately, the marina staff were on hand to help us tie up.  The boat was covered in salt from the sea spray and required a wash down before we sauntered in to town to enjoy a great Thai dinner.

March 4: Time off in Cocoa Beach to play tourist:  The marina is one block from downtown so we strolled around the quaint historic district and relaxed for a while.

"For  over 125 years, from the rise and fall of the river trade in the late 1800's, to the birth of the space age, and into the present, The S.F. Travis Company has been in Cocoa, Fla., providing hardware products and supplies. In 1885, my great-grandfather, Colonel S.F.Travis, who served in the American Civil War, had a sailboat going up and down the rivers, delivering items and taking orders from Jacksonville to Fort Pierce," says fourth-generation owner Travis "Mac" Osborne who took control of operations in 1983."  From the S.F. Travis website.  

Of course, the Captain had to venture inside such an exciting shopping experience-hardware stores especially ones that carry marine products are very enticing.  True to form, a purchase was made of an important item:  a c-clamp-which is needed to straighten our anchor roller housing...look it up if you are so intrigued.

The downtown historic district is composed of a number of brightly colored stores and restaurants.

Historic Theatre

March 5: An early morning start with good weather predictions set us on our next course to Rockhouse Creek.  This anchorage is about a 55 mile run from Cocoa Beach.  We arrived early and picked out a good spot to anchor for the night.  Two other trawlers came in to the anchorage later in the day.  We all had a peaceful night with good wind conditions.  The Captain even managed to use his new grill on the back deck. The steak went down well with a glass of Meerlust Cabernet Rubicon 2000 that Maureen has been saving for a special occasion.

No bridge delays today!

March 6-8:  To Marineland:  We are getting into the hang of early morning departures again so by 7:00 a.m. we had raised the anchor and were on our way to the Marineland marina which is another 55 mile run. At the start of the day, the waters were fairly calm but by the time we reached Marineland, the wind had picked up quite a lot making for a more difficult docking experience.  The Captain pulled it off though with no major mishaps.

After completing boat chores, laundry and provisioning, we hiked along the nearby nature trail which took us through indigenous Florida trees and flora to the river shore.

 

We also paid a visit to the Marineland Aquarium:  http://www.marineland.net/about_marineland.html

The Aquarium was originally established in the 1930s as a location to film dolphins for the movies.  Today, its function is to study and educate the public about these unique mammals. 

Peter had hoped to be able to swim with the dolphins-part of his bucket list-but the large pool of the aquarium was under construction so he will have to wait for another occasion.  We had to make do with observing the dolphins through the glass viewing windows.  Here is a mother with a calf-just 18 months old.  To save energy the calf swims just under his mother to glide along her stream.

Looking for treats!.

March 9:  Heading towards the St. John's River:  We plan to take a side trip off the ICW down the St. John's River which runs from Jacksonville almost to Orlando.  Before we can embark on that leg of the trip, we need to brush up on our tide and current knowledge of this area.  There is a significant current effect that must be taken into account.  The current can run up to 2-3 knots against or with us so carefully planning is required to determine the best time of the day to leave one's current location.

Therefore, we left Marineland early to take advantage of the high tide and avoid the peak of the flood tide.  Our goal was to make it to a marina just 4 miles from the turnoff to the St. John's River.  It was a gorgeous calm day until just before we reached the marina when the wind started to blow.  Fortunately, the marina staff were on hand to help us dock safely.

Our journey took us past St. Augustine which we visited earlier so we did not plan a stop there today.

 Bridge of Lions at St. Augustine

 St. Augustine Harbor

Old Spanish Fort at St. Augustine

March 10:  To Jacksonville and the St. John's River:  The wind dropped in the night and the morning dawned with virtually no wind so are departure was easy.  Our timing worked out as well as the current gave us a big boost upon reaching the St. John's River.  As we headed to the turnoff to the St. John's River we were cruising at 10 knots which is a big number of us.

All was quiet as we passed Mayport Naval Base which has a strict security zone around it.  We continued our fast run into Jacksonville which is the home to a large commercial port.  The channel is wide here and easy for the large commercial vessels to navigate.  However, as it was early Sunday morning we encountered  few of them. 

Heading up the St. John's towards this impressive bridge.  Note how calm the water is-thank goodness!

Passing by the commercial section of the Port of Jacksonville.

Busy little red tug

Passing our first barge on this leg of the Loop.

Downtown Jacksonville from the water.

After docking at the free Jacksonville Landing dock, we took a stroll downtown.  Pretty quiet as it is Sunday, we still managed to see a few sights.  This statue of Andrew Jackson who was the first Governor of Florida and for whom the city is named was a particularly impressive work of art.

An old stone church juxtapositioned between modern office buildings caught our eye.

As did this very new and monstrous County Court House.

The US Navy pulled up behind us at the dock-so we can sleep well tonight.