We left St Augustine on the high tide at about 9:00 this morning while there was very little current to contend with while getting out of the marina which is crowded in by the construction underway on the Bridge of Lions. We had a little current boost for a while and then as we moved on up the waterway we gained boost from the ebbing tide moving on toward the St John’s River Inlet. We arrived at Beach Marina at Jacksonville Beach about 1:00 as the tide was ebbing. The marina is very nice, floating docks which are in excellent condition and the people are super helpful. They agreed to drive Muriel and Eileen to the Publix fro grocery shopping. Bill and Shelly and I walked over the 65 foot high bridge above the ICW to get ice cream and there was a Taco Bell nearby so Shelly and I had to stop for a taco. We are forecast to get some heavy weather tonight with fair weather in the morning, deteriorating to storms tomorrow evening. We will look at it in the morning with the idea of going on into the St John’s in the morning to find a place to hide from the weather.
With the forecast calling for severe thunder storms with damaging winds and hail, we decided to stay put today. Naturally, since we stayed here, the weather missed us and went on to the north of us. It has still been windy and overcast most of the day. I finished our income tax this morning and we walked to the nearby shops and spent most of the afternoon. We hope to move on up the river tomorrow.
Late in the evening and over night we got the strong thunderstorms. The lightning was poping very close to the boats and the winds were very strong. Sunday morning’s forecasts were for 20 to 25 mph winds with gusts to 40 mph. We stayed put again and worked most of the day on cleaning around the boat. We did walk into the Panera store for lunch and some final shopping at Publix. I stopped at the West Marine for some black caulk and re-caulked Shelly’s hatch. The winds did blow during the afternoon. We will leave here this morning after the marina office opens so that we can settle our bill for last night.
And leave we did, about 10:30 we finally got underway moving up stream in the St John’s River. We told the dockmaster that we would probably stop the first night to anchor in Black Creek. His advice was to just by pass Black Creek because it was all developed these days. As we got down toward the creek I told Bill I thought I would just stick our nose into the creek to see what it looked like. We were happy we did. There were a few houses but very few. We put the dingys down and explored a little and then enjoyed five o’clock together. There were a few boats up and down the creek but that stopped well before dark and we had a peaceful night.
We got underway again this morning to go to Murphy Creek, also described in the cruising guides and pristine and full of wildlife. It was a grey, overcast day with occasional showers but still a pleasant cruising day. We arrived at Murphy Creek about 2:45 and were greeted at the mouth of the creek by a large alligator. They were strung out all along the banks of the creek. As soon as we got anchored Bill and I got into the dingy to try to get closer to one to get some good photos. Just as we approached a large one the only boat we have seen came roaring past and spooked the gator. The sun pokes through the clouds occasionally this evening to make the clouds look darker. The forecast is for thunder showers tonight and 80% chance of rain tomorrow. We may hang out here a couple of days until the weather improves. This place has excellent protection.
It rained with lightning all off and on all night. We still got a good night’s sleep. The rain had mostly quit by morning, just a few showers left. We had a good breakfast of bacon and pancakes and finally got under way about 10:30. We had decided to head down to the north end of Lake George and anchor and then visit the springs which feed the lake and then head back north. We saw lots of alligators this morning even though it was overcast and not sunny. Just above Welaka we saw the largest alligator we have ever seen. When Muriel first pointed him out I told her I did not think it was an alligator and if it was we were probably not safe even in the big boat. When we looked through the binoculars it was certainly an alligator. We could even see the huge teeth sticking out of his mouth. Both boats circled back for another look and he stayed put. Bill said that he began to swim out toward them. He said he wandered if he thought Bill’s dingy might be lunch.
We decided to anchor in a body of water just north of Lake George because it might offer more protection from south winds which is what NOAA was forecasting with afternoon and evening thundershowers. As we were anchoring together the winds built suddenly from the north and Bill’s anchor dragged so that his line was under us. We broke up and anchored separately at least until the weather changes.
We talked about taking the dingys through the shallows between us and Lake George to explore the Salt Springs but decided the wind is probably too strong to be comfortable in the dingys. We will either Springs and then perhaps take in the Salt Srings on the way back north. This all depends on what the weather does.
On Wednesday morning we took the boats down to Silver Glen Springs and anchored in the Lake outside the small channel leading into the springs and dingyed into the springs. The water was the clearest I have seen anywhere we have been. We were amazed by the large boats which were anchored in the springs. The wind was fairly strong from the south as we ran down the lake and it was stronger as we ran back north with the wind on our sterns. The ladies were not too happy with the ride but it was not really bad. We anchored in the protection of Seven Sisters Islands. It took a little shuffling to get settled on the best location to anchor and then we could not get our anchor to set. After several attempts we decided to just anchor separately. Our anchor set on the first try. It was probably for the best because the wind really got strong during the night with thunder storms. When we got up in the morning Muriel turned on the TV and learned that we had been under a tornado warning for a couple of hours but it was just being lifted.
We have seen alligators in each of our anchorages on the St John’s River and numerous sightings along the River proper. Today, Thursday, we ran north, down the river, to Six Mile Creek in rather strong west to northwest winds. When we turned to cross the river to enter the creek the wind as on the beam and the ladies got uncomfortable again. We ran up the creek to the Outback Crab Shack which has about a quarter mile of floating dock which is free if you eat dinner with them. It is far enough up stream that it is protected from the winds and waves. As soon as we got docked we went into the Crab Shack and shared a pitcher of beer and followed that with a dingy trip up the creek. It was very pretty. We sighted many turtles and one alligator. This place just “hit the spot” after a week on the river. We are looking forward to dinner. We have called for a reservation back at the Ortega Yacht Club for tomorrow. We will probably spend a couple of nights there and get wash done and reprovision and start up the Georgia coast on Monday.
With the forecast calling for severe thunder storms with damaging winds and hail, we decided to stay put today. Naturally, since we stayed here, the weather missed us and went on to the north of us. It has still been windy and overcast most of the day. I finished our income tax this morning and we walked to the nearby shops and spent most of the afternoon. We hope to move on up the river tomorrow.
Late in the evening and over night we got the strong thunderstorms. The lightning was poping very close to the boats and the winds were very strong. Sunday morning’s forecasts were for 20 to 25 mph winds with gusts to 40 mph. We stayed put again and worked most of the day on cleaning around the boat. We did walk into the Panera store for lunch and some final shopping at Publix. I stopped at the West Marine for some black caulk and re-caulked Shelly’s hatch. The winds did blow during the afternoon. We will leave here this morning after the marina office opens so that we can settle our bill for last night.
And leave we did, about 10:30 we finally got underway moving up stream in the St John’s River. We told the dockmaster that we would probably stop the first night to anchor in Black Creek. His advice was to just by pass Black Creek because it was all developed these days. As we got down toward the creek I told Bill I thought I would just stick our nose into the creek to see what it looked like. We were happy we did. There were a few houses but very few. We put the dingys down and explored a little and then enjoyed five o’clock together. There were a few boats up and down the creek but that stopped well before dark and we had a peaceful night.
We got underway again this morning to go to Murphy Creek, also described in the cruising guides and pristine and full of wildlife. It was a grey, overcast day with occasional showers but still a pleasant cruising day. We arrived at Murphy Creek about 2:45 and were greeted at the mouth of the creek by a large alligator. They were strung out all along the banks of the creek. As soon as we got anchored Bill and I got into the dingy to try to get closer to one to get some good photos. Just as we approached a large one the only boat we have seen came roaring past and spooked the gator. The sun pokes through the clouds occasionally this evening to make the clouds look darker. The forecast is for thunder showers tonight and 80% chance of rain tomorrow. We may hang out here a couple of days until the weather improves. This place has excellent protection.
It rained with lightning all off and on all night. We still got a good night’s sleep. The rain had mostly quit by morning, just a few showers left. We had a good breakfast of bacon and pancakes and finally got under way about 10:30. We had decided to head down to the north end of Lake George and anchor and then visit the springs which feed the lake and then head back north. We saw lots of alligators this morning even though it was overcast and not sunny. Just above Welaka we saw the largest alligator we have ever seen. When Muriel first pointed him out I told her I did not think it was an alligator and if it was we were probably not safe even in the big boat. When we looked through the binoculars it was certainly an alligator. We could even see the huge teeth sticking out of his mouth. Both boats circled back for another look and he stayed put. Bill said that he began to swim out toward them. He said he wandered if he thought Bill’s dingy might be lunch.
We decided to anchor in a body of water just north of Lake George because it might offer more protection from south winds which is what NOAA was forecasting with afternoon and evening thundershowers. As we were anchoring together the winds built suddenly from the north and Bill’s anchor dragged so that his line was under us. We broke up and anchored separately at least until the weather changes.
We talked about taking the dingys through the shallows between us and Lake George to explore the Salt Springs but decided the wind is probably too strong to be comfortable in the dingys. We will either Springs and then perhaps take in the Salt Srings on the way back north. This all depends on what the weather does.
On Wednesday morning we took the boats down to Silver Glen Springs and anchored in the Lake outside the small channel leading into the springs and dingyed into the springs. The water was the clearest I have seen anywhere we have been. We were amazed by the large boats which were anchored in the springs. The wind was fairly strong from the south as we ran down the lake and it was stronger as we ran back north with the wind on our sterns. The ladies were not too happy with the ride but it was not really bad. We anchored in the protection of Seven Sisters Islands. It took a little shuffling to get settled on the best location to anchor and then we could not get our anchor to set. After several attempts we decided to just anchor separately. Our anchor set on the first try. It was probably for the best because the wind really got strong during the night with thunder storms. When we got up in the morning Muriel turned on the TV and learned that we had been under a tornado warning for a couple of hours but it was just being lifted.
We have seen alligators in each of our anchorages on the St John’s River and numerous sightings along the River proper. Today, Thursday, we ran north, down the river, to Six Mile Creek in rather strong west to northwest winds. When we turned to cross the river to enter the creek the wind as on the beam and the ladies got uncomfortable again. We ran up the creek to the Outback Crab Shack which has about a quarter mile of floating dock which is free if you eat dinner with them. It is far enough up stream that it is protected from the winds and waves. As soon as we got docked we went into the Crab Shack and shared a pitcher of beer and followed that with a dingy trip up the creek. It was very pretty. We sighted many turtles and one alligator. This place just “hit the spot” after a week on the river. We are looking forward to dinner. We have called for a reservation back at the Ortega Yacht Club for tomorrow. We will probably spend a couple of nights there and get wash done and reprovision and start up the Georgia coast on Monday.
