On the Ball and Through the Big City

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Sunday morning we were up early, eating a hearty breakfast at Pat’s Riverside Café at the marina. Then it was back on our way again. It was blessedly quiet all morning after Saturday afternoon’s madness, but the crazy boaters were out in force again after lunch. By the time we got to St. Augustine in the late afternoon, they’d had time to consume a few adult beverages and were having a wonderful time on the water. We stopped at the municipal marina just south of the now-finished Bridge of Lions, which looks great all renovated. St. Augustine Municipal Marina has just put in 3 mooring fields, one south of the bridge, one north, and one in Salt Run. We chose the north field and paid for our night at the marina before passing under the bridge to the north mooring field. They have a pretty nice setup, but their no wake signs are too small and too close to the bridge. They need to put nice, big NO WAKE signs at the beginnings of the mooring fields, and have the marine patrol enforce them.

We had a great spot, with a view of Fort San Marcos, the Bridge of Lions, the St. Augustine lighthouse, and the downtown businesses along the waterfront. It was a little noisy, and there was some rock and rolling, but it quieted down nicely by bedtime.

Monday morning, after buying fuel and pumping out the pooper at the marina, we followed the ICW channel almost to the ocean before the channel turned back towards Tolomato River. The trip along the Tolomato was lovely, only a few fishing boats, and the scenery was pristine and serene. We saw 4 eagles and numerous dolphins, a very good start to our day.

The current picked up near Jacksonville Beach, and by the time we reached the St. John’s River, the complexion of the boat traffic changed dramatically. Besides a few recreational boaters, we were sharing the water with tugs, freighters, barges, tankers and even a cruise ship. Of course most of them were docked.

When we reached downtown Jacksonville, we had to wait for a train to pass before the bridge opened and we continued on our way. We’re tied up for the night just inside the Ortega River at a marina. We’ve been to Publix for groceries, have eaten dinner, and are soon heading for showers.

Tomorrow we head south up the St. Johns River. Should be pretty.

More later.

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Photos

Ft. Matanzas
a national park in the Matanzas Inlet

Bridge of Lions
St. Augustine

Fort San Marcos
St. Augustine

Pirates
at the marina AARRGG

tug and barge
in the St. Johns River

2 big ships
looks like they're rafted up

Freighter
loaded with containers of freight