Cruising the St. Johns River

**   Melbourne to Cruising the St. Johns River   **

Our ode to Melbourne ended with the 25^th annual St. Patrick’s Day festival, just blocks from the marina. It was a great celebration that found us enjoying being Irish for a couple of days.

We were enjoying our time in Melbourne with Hoosier friends Joan and Dave, and looper friends Ronda and Bob. A part of us inkling to stay, the other ready for adventure. Our last day was a bit overwhelming, emotional, and Irish.

The Florida weather had finally kicked in and we turned our a/c on for the first time since November our last night. We had enjoyed cool evenings perfect for sleeping with the windows open being lulled by the train horns each night. Neither of us slept well, pretty typical after we’ve been in a port for a while. We rose early finalizing our cruising plans, checking weather, and handling last minute preparations. An emotional send off from our friends on Hawkins Landing and the marina crew maybe had the first mate wiping a tear.

Fitting, we left on our journey on Tasha’s Dad Kurt’s 87^th birthday with Killarney, Ontario in mind as a summer destination. Kurt spent many summers on his boat in his happy place, Killarney, and we spent several with him there as well. We are excited to return as it has been close to twenty years since we last visited. This photo of Kurt and Dave in Killarney travels aboard with us, an ode to Kurt, and making sure he is with us on the journey he would have loved.

As soon as we headed out of the harbor and through the Melbourne bridge, dolphins showed up to lead the way. We have missed our friends. On the ICW again. This time it’s different, last year leaving we knew we would be returning in the fall, now emotions overwhelm us both, bittersweet, leaving a place we thoroughly have enjoyed knowing we may never be back. Should we return, it just won’t be the same. Adios Melbourne!

Dolphin Guiding Us

The first day was an easy journey to Titusville, about 40 miles with no major obstacles and plenty of water beneath our keel. We shoved off later than anticipated and had to make up a little time to be docked before the rains and wind came. This was our first visit to Titusville, and we enjoyed our first looper docktails in months, maybe years, good to meet up with a group of cruisers going in the same direction.

The winds kicked up overnight and were predicted to stay strong until late afternoon. We inquired early morning as to if we could stay another night and were told no, someone else was coming to the slip, and you need to leave. We delayed our departure as long as we could until the marina let us know it was time to go. It appeared we were the only boat being ejected. Watching the white caps rip through the harbor, we were a little apprehensive and asked the dock crew to help us get off the dock. Winds were coming straight out of the north pushing the stern back into the slip. The captain masterfully got us out of our slip and the harbor and in all of the hullaballoo missed marker in the channel and the depth alarm alerted us, having to back up quickly and regain our course we were thinking ugh, this is gonna be a day.

The first mate does not do well with rough water as you well know if you have been cruising along. She had gotten out her menagerie of potions for such occasions, this time with a new addition a watch like relief band added her other potions, a little motion-eaze behind the ears, the relief wrist bands right out of Xanadu, and a Bodine pill just in case. Admittedly, the cruise was not as sporty as anticipated. The waves were from the right angle and fetch not to cause too much lurching. The exercise has Tasha better prepared for the future.

Heading through Haulover Canal just North of Titusville, the manatees were back in a basin frolicking in the sunshine. The video does not depict the true feeling of watching them in person – true bliss.

Frolicking Manatees

We arrived in Daytona at Halifax around 6 with 48 miles behind us. With the dock crew gone for the day, a couple of boaters on the dock helped us in. With the winds having subsided some, it was uneventful. Now or Never was encrusted in salt from bow to stern and the captain got busy cleaning. Tasha finished getting dinner together, happy she started spaghetti in the Insta-pot during our delay earlier morning. A chilly, windy evening, and we were tired, the spaghetti with meatballs hit the spot. The departure delay, the wind, and cool air made it a long day. By 8, we were both struggling to stay awake, so we headed to bed. No route prepared for the next day, it would have to wait until morning. We still had to pick an anchorage north of St. Augustine before heading on the St. Johns River the following day.

Our third day came with blue skies, calm seas, and bright sunshine. It was one of those magical days to cruise. We wish all days were like this. Everything was calm and peaceful until we thought we were in the middle of a major police pursuit on water. Our captain felt a little too much at home zooming in on the action. A small center console went flying by starboard side close and in hot pursuit was one, no two, make it three inflatable police boats. Then came four, five, and six, all hauling ass. And then a seventh. What the heck was going on? We watched from our perch until we couldn’t see them any longer with the winding of the river. Coming around a bend, a few boats were huddled together, and a few were still in pursuit of the front boat making crazy turns. We were in a wide area of the ICW easy for the one boat to dodge them. This went on for a while and then it all just stopped. We (Captain, Sheriff, Chief) concluded it was a training mission. As we passed by, they dilly dallied after their “detainment” while we found a great anchorage nearby and continued to watch them practice their pursuit from a far. Our captain could only dream about the fun he would have had to race about in boats during his law enforcement career.

Boat CHASE Training

Our anchorage was peaceful and beautiful, by the time we were set, all policing was complete, and we had the ICW to ourselves for the evening.

Another glorious day on the water taking us to Jacksonville where we would wait out another wind storm this time with lots of rain. Engines were running before dawn and the first mate wasn’t even out of bed, her new wake up alarm! Pulling anchor in your pj’s was a tad chilly. A cruise through Jacksonville and its ports was all new to us. We docked at Friendship Park in downtown Jacksonville for lunch. In addition, we wanted to see if this would be a viable stop on our return trip to spend the night, we hear the fountain light show is wonderful, right at the top of the dock ramp. We continued down the St. Johns to the Ortega River where we would navigate through a lift bridge and railroad bridge to make it to Lambs Yacht Center for two nights waiting out weather before proceeding.

At Lambs we met loopers Betsy and Joe aboard Lady Betz, it was their third day on the loop and their home port was Sanford, FL, up the St. Johns where we were headed. We had dinner with them and gained a wealth of knowledge for the trip ahead.

The St. Johns River is a side trip on the great loop and as you may be aware, the crew of Now or Never loves side trips. This would be side trip #6. This trip will cumulate about 2700 miles in side trips for the crew. The St. Johns ends at the Atlantic Ocean near Jacksonville and is unique as it flows south to north, one of the few rivers in the U.S. to do so. The river is 310 miles long and begins in the marshy swamps just south of Melbourne (our airboat ride was on the St. Johns). The total drop of the river from the swamps in the south to its mouth at the Atlantic near Jacksonville is less than 30 feet, or about one inch per mile, making it one of the “laziest rivers” in the world.

Now or Never will be navigating to Sanford, on Lake Monroe, about 170 miles up river. That‘s as far up as boats our size can traverse this river.

After fueling up, we began the first leg of our voyage to Palatka. After a bit of rain, the sun came out and blessed us with a nice trip. Twenty miles upriver, the town of Green Cove Springs was calling our name, having a city pier we made a pit stop for lunch. The pier slips are too narrow for Now or Never, so we docked on the T-head reserved for the “cruise ship” and called the police to check in. The cruise ship would not be coming through this day, and we were given permission to dock.

We enjoyed lunch at a local joint, a walk through town, and a visit to the park where the crystal clear water of the springs headed to the river. Back on board, we still had 30 miles to our night destination, Palatka. The St. Johns River is windy and large in this area. At times it seems much more like a lake than a river. An abundance of homes and boathouses dot the shoreline. Wondering if it would be an affordable area on the river, my quick answer from realtor dot come was a big no. Empty lots are $300k and homes up to $1.7 million.

We arrived at the city dock in Palatka late in the day after 55 miles keeping a watchful eye on a storm brewing and knew we needed to be tied up before it hit. After docking, the captain noticed there was a gate on the dock. Upon checking it out, we found that we were locked in with no way to get off the dock to check out the town. Too tired to care, we made dinner, watched the storm roll through, and the captain was able to view his Svengoolie. Life was good. We slept very well at a locked secure dock.

Palatka Storm

The following morning, we motored a couple miles upriver to Corky Bell’s Restaurant which allows you to tie up all night if you dine with them. Hoosier friends, Tami and Al, would join us for lunch leaving their RV site in St. Augustine and making the jaunt over to E. Palatka. We enjoyed a great afternoon reunion with the Furlani’s. Tami and Al are part of our “chicken night” – a group of 15 friends who began eating chicken together on Thursday nights about 20 years ago. When we do venture home, we make sure to catch the Thursday night gang and we sure do miss them when we’re off cruising. It was chicken night on the St. Johns. After a great visit and full bellies, we stayed on the dock at Corky Bells for the night rather than motoring further south. It was a relaxing evening with maybe a run for the border which happened to be next door for an evening snack.

One of the special things about this trip (there are many) is our connection with family and friends along the way. With the meet up of Tami and Al, we have had a total of 76 family and friends connect with us in route. Many have met up with us more than once. It does our hearts good and means a lot to us for those to seek us out. If you think you’ll be near us as we traverse the East Coast into the Great Lakes and Canada, please reach out, we would love to meet up with you too!

Those that have joined us in more than one port

Another early departure, as we had a few miles to make up from our 1.9 mile trek the day before. Becoming the norm, the captain untied the lines, started the engines, all before the first mate arose in the dark of morning. She hustled to get up on deck to stow lines and fenders as we motored away like a thief in the night.

Just south Palatka the St. Johns River narrows and feels more like the river that it is rather than the lake in the north. We would have two lakes adjacent to the river to transit in order to get to our most southern destination of Sanford, just north of Orlando. We would transit Lake George this day, the second largest lake in Florida following Lake Okeechobee. The lakes, houses, and cottages are a throwback to our youth, simpler and happier times. Looks like a lot fun to be had before the mega houses and mega money took over most American water lined areas. Though still expensive.

We anchored near Hontoon State Park in the mouth of the Hontoon River. Spectacular. Once the day boaters left this was hands down the most beautiful, serene, quiet anchorage EVER. We were one with nature, hearing every sound the creatures were stirring up. A little slice of heaven for the night. Just us and God’s creatures. A most peaceful sleep. A most wonderful memory.

The Perfect Anchorage EVER

We lingered in the morning, taking it all in, and headed out mid-morning for our destination of Sanford, just 20 miles south. As we motored by Hontoon Island, in addition to the many birds and waterfowl, we saw gators! Lots of gators. Our little cruise garnered up a lot more gators than our air boat gator cruise where we saw one. We crept up the river keeping an eye on the banks where many were sunning along the shore and watching us with just their eyes sticking out of the water. We wouldn’t want to go ashore here. The quiet, peaceful, gator lined river led way to a couple of bridges before opening up to Lake Monroe and our journey through it to Sanford, the southern most navigable area of the St. Johns River.

We quickly assimilated to the marina and town and a two night stop became three. Winds and rain followed us but did not keep us from checking out the Visitor Center, Sanford Museum, a few downtown shops, and eateries. At the museum we learned Sanford in the 1880’s Sanford was known for its large citrus grove and experimental garden. More than 140 varieties of citrus, including the Valencia orange, were being tested for adaptability to the Florida climate.

Beautiful St. Johns River

During the winter of 1894-95, the citrus industry received a serious blow when freezing temperatures destroyed the year’s entire crop. Many citizens faced economic ruin and left the area. Those who stayed harnessed artesian wells and developed a sub-irrigation system that permitted commercial agriculture. By the first decade of the 20th century, Sanford was one of the largest vegetable shipping centers in the United States and received the nickname “Celery City” for the most successful crop. We also stumbled upon an archaic 1960’s breathalyzer display and the captain recalls using one like this in his early policing days. His first roll call was in 1977.

In between the rain and wind, we walked downtown several times and hit up the local German restaurant that everyone we spoke to mentioned we had to try. We later found out they serve over 8000 people per week, it held up to its reputation. Dave had shrimp spatzle and Tasha sausage with kraut and warm German potato salad. Yum.

Hollerbach’s German Restaurant

We also tried the Old Jailhouse, which really is an old jailhouse used from 1914 to 1959. One restuarnt touted their special as an Indiana Tenderloin, they had the size right but it was over cooked and lacked flavor. Guess they should leave the Indiana special to Hoosiers. All a wonderful experience in a fun, quirky, artsy little town in central Florida.

Sanford Eats

It was time to head north, we are on a bit of a schedule needing to traverse in total just over 900 miles north to Norfolk, VA by the 4^th of May to attend a looper rendezvous. We’ll pmost likely throw in another side trip to two. We could linger longer, we’re pretty good at it, but we must move on.

Artsy Sanford and an old time barber shop

We stopped at Hontoon Island State Park on the way back down, visiting the day dock, launching the dinghy, and searching for gators. We had intended to head to Blue Spring Park to view the springs and look for manatee, but in passing we saw the entry was cordoned off and a sign indicated access to the springs and creek were closed at this time. Glad we stopped in Green Cove Springs to see those.

Slowly creeping up the Hontoon River, gators were abundant, sunning themselves on the banks and logs. Many upon hearing our motor, slithered into the water and out of view, but many hung out and let us photograph them. Any time the captain tried to get too near; they were off into the water. Only one slithered toward us. We also were able to see all sizes of turtles and many waterfowl. Manatees on this trip were few, only saw two in downtown Sanford as they swam through the marina. This was our own gator airboat trip minus the airboat but so many gators.

Gator Hunting

Back at the state park, Dave put the dinghy back on top the aft roof, Tasha made a quick lunch to eat before we were on our way again. We wanted to cruise 20 miles (45 in all) to an anchorage before calling it quits for the day. The water was much more active on our downbound run and it slowed us down. Anchored and set by 5, all to do it again the following day.

Hontoon Island State Park

We returned to the docks of Corky Bell’s in E. Palatka with a warm, calm, beautiful cruise and another good dinner. A gorgeous day with the docks and outside tiki bar buzzing. A beautiful last night on the St. Johns ended with viewing a SpaceX rocket launch to our southeast.

Our St. Johns side trip adventure ended at Lambs Yacht Center in Jacksonville where we will meet with an electrician to look into our battery bank and an electrical issue the captain has been struggling with the last couple of weeks.

While we have 25 miles to get back to the ICW making this latest venture a 340 mile side trip off the beaten path. Anxious to resume our intracoastal waterway travels, our first stop will be a new to us visit in St. Mary’s, GA. Georgia is on our mind.