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.