FLORIDA!

Jacksonville:  We left Cumberland Island on Friday, December 2 and crossed the St. Mary’s River into Florida.  We had a short trip down the ICW past Fernandia Beach to the St. Johns River.   The marina where we planned to leave the boat over the holidays was nine miles up the River in Jacksonville.  We arrived at Seafarers Marina about midday.  The cruising community is relatively small.  The boat next to us at the marina is sailed by a couple who we met in Beaufort, SC. They were also leaving their boat to fly home (Montana) for the holidays. We worked on boat projects before flying home on December 14th.

St. Augustine:  We left Jacksonville on January 18 and spent the next three nights in St. Augustine.  We anchored just north of the Bridge of Lions.  However the marble lions had been removed while the bridge was being renovated because the Florida Department of Transportation had declared the bridge “structurally deficient and functionally obsolete”.  As in Vermont the bridge is being saved as it is on National Register of Historic places.   The city is very pretty from the water as the buildings are outlined in white lights.  The city provides a very nice and friendly marina where we tied our dinghy and they provided the use of showers all for $ 10 per day.  

The city has a very well preserved Spanish  Fort with the typical star shape.  This fort also had a moat which is still quite evident.  In the downtown area the old Spanish section has had many of its building reconstructed.  There is a stone archway that marks the entry into the old city.  During one period of history, the Spaniards killed a group of French Huguenots from Jacksonville that tried to attack the city.  The Huguenots were buried outside the city gate as only Catholics could be buried inside the gate.

The City’s development also was impacted by Henry Flagler who owned the railroad in Florida.  He constructed a grand hotel in town in 1887.  There are 79 Tiffany windows in the hotel including large windows in the dining room.  The hotel complex had a large swimming pool with a retractable roof.  The pool has now been converted to a shopping area with many boutiques.  The water and electrical system was designed by Thomas Edison.  According to local legend, the use of electricity was so new that the guests were afraid of it so additional staff was hired to turn on the lights in the quests rooms.  Also, according to the locals only people on the social register could be quests.  The hotel today is now part of Flagler College.

Islands:  We have a book entitled “Managing the Waterway” that has interesting facts. Islands covered with hardwood or pinelands in sawgrass are called hummocks; an island covered in mangrove or pine is a key; an island with willow or bay is a head; an island of cypress is a dome; and islands with canals and houses are developments.

Daytona Beach, Titusville and Melbourne:  We wanted to make some time so we only anchored at these locations along the way.  We covered 141 statue miles with only nine drawbridges in three days.  Fortunately many drawbridges have been replaced by fixed high rise bridges (65 foot clearance).  In Titusville if we were two days earlier we could have watched a space launch.

Sealife:  While transiting the Indian River we had birds flying off the back of the boat and then we had dolphins swimming with the boat.  The dolphins must have been with us about 15 minutes. 

Vero Beach:  The Town of Vero Beach does not allow anchoring but they have a municipal marina with moorings for $ 10 per day. Cruisers do not need to worry about not being able to get a mooring because the city expects rafting on the moorings with up to three boats each.  We ended up on a mooring with a family from NC.  Also in harbor that night were the previous owners of our boat (who we had met in St. Simons, GA).  The marina also provides showers and the ever important trash disposal.   

The city provides free bus service that picks us up right at the marina so shopping was easy.  The bus would also take you to the beach.  We were there on a Wednesday which is the day that the cruisers meet at a restaurant for a cruisers breakfast.    30-40 cruisers were at the breakfast.  As chance would have it, the couple sitting across from us at breakfast we had met in the Dismal Swamp in North Carolina where we had rafted with them at the North Carolina Welcome Center. 

We had only planned two days in Vero Beach but could have stayed longer; that’s why some have nicknamed Vero Beach as Velcro Beach.          . 

Jenson Beach was our next stop for just an overnight anchorage.

Lake Worth:  Our last day traveling the ICW was only 33 miles but we had 8 drawbridges with 6 in the last 10 miles.  Some of the bridges are on request, some on hour and half hour and one at 15 and 45 minutes after the hour. We stopped in a marina where our fiends Steve and Joanne have their boat.  We rented a car and spent two days provisioning the boat many cases of beer and soda, caned goods and as much meat as our freezer will hold.   We spent one evening with Steve and Joann and their family. Tuesday (January 31) we left the marina and anchored near the Lake Worth inlet waiting for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream for the Bahamas.