Florida Finale

St Augustine to Jacksonville: 9 Aug 09

Up River to Jacksonville

Having made the deep waters of St Johns River (m 740), the Motleys heaved a sigh of relief.  The tricky thing however was to navigate our way up-steam on a free newspaper chart and advice from Skipper Bob!  We finally did arrive at Jacksonville Landing, a free dock right in the heart of the city.  It is here we provided something of a light relief for the local citizenry, if not improving their knowledge of geography. 

The river water has been a dark chocolate brown so far giving both WJ3 and Bruce a bit of a brown moustache.  After clear Caribbean waters, this muddy broth looks bad but seems to team with life, especially crabs, mullet and clams –a particular local favourite.  

Docked at Jacksonville Landing

Despite being downtown, it’s all very quiet.  We did however manage to find some groceries (a corner store) and finally wifi at a bookstore café amid a vast collection of restaurants and food courts that sell huge portions of fried (and only fried, ma’am) food.  We still haven’t quite yet managed to understand the disparity between all those good fresh foods available in supermarkets to the hash that is served up – mostly fried!  Maybe we eat too cheap!!

Dodging Freighters down river

The Cap’n had someone out to check WJ3’s electronics – not looking too good I’m afraid.  But we decided not to wait around for an in-store assessment.  That could lead to waiting for parts and Jacksonville is not our end (or desired) destination.  Of course, the generator decided to leak, so we’re seeing to that too!  Our trusty Cap’n did say that cruising was a matter of sailing between ports for repairs.  GS did not laugh….

Jacksonville is to be our last port of call in Florida.  From here we are braving the Gulf Stream, cheating a little on our mile count and heading for Charleston in South Carolina.  "Ah say, has enywaan seen ma Scarlett?"

From: St Augustine, FL  Lat/Long: 29 53N  81 18W  Date/Time: 9/8/09: 0745

To: Jacksonville, FL  Lat/Long: 30 19N  81 39W Date/Time: 9/8/09: 1630

Time Taken: 57nm (9.5hrs)  Distance (this year): 2066nm (408hrs)

Distance Total (since 2008): 2915nm  (586hrs)   Fastest Speed: 5-7kts**

Weather: kts;  Seas ft;  Swell; no evening thunderstorms but insufferably hot & sticky

(** Motor sailing; 6 bridges; 2 overhead power lines on ICW; 4 bridges & 1 power line up river )