Month: April 2020

The trip from Brickill River to Jekyll Island was only twelve miles. Due to the lack of shore access, Frank would have to wait until we got to Jekyll Island to get to shore. We left early and found the anchorage, which had a few boats in it, but there was room for us across from nice sandy beach so I could land the dinghy without fear of tearing it up.

Jekyll Island: In 1733, General James Oglethorpe named Jekyll Island in honor of Sir Joseph Jekyll, his friend and financier from England. In the late 1800s, Jekyll Island became an exclusive hunting club for families with names like Rockefeller, Morgan, Vanderbilt, Pulitzer, and Baker. The once private retreat is now part of The Jekyll Island Club National Historic Landmark District, one of the largest preservation projects in the southeast. In 1947, the Governor and the Georgia state legislature established Jekyll Island as a State Park. The island is owned by the State of Georgia and run by a self-sustaining, self-governing body.

After taking Frank for his much needed shore excursion, we loaded the bikes in the dinghy and unloaded at a close by boat ramp which had a dock. We rode around the island and explored the empty beaches all the way to Driftwood Beach. Driftwood Beach is filled with dead trees and driftwood (as the name implies) that resemble a scene from another world. These gnarled and weathered trees are left behind from years of erosion. We walked along the beach, staying far away from the few other people that were also exploring. We continued on to the Historic Landmark District which comprise a 240-acre site with 34 historic structures. If you follow that link you will see some pictures and history of the buildings. We made our way back to the boat and took Frank for another long walk. We decided we would bike around in the morning again, before heading to our next destination.

Our day started with the plan to go to Fernandina Beach and anchor. There was supposed to be an anchorage with access to land via the municipal marina close by. We made about twenty five miles and came to the area we could anchor at. We had to stay outside the mooring field and there were quite a few boats anchored around the only deep water. We circled through and debated where to anchor but couldn’t really find a good spot we both agreed on, so we decided to keep going. I consulted the charts and saw more anchorages if we continue on so onward we went. We soon found ourselves out of Florida and into Georgia!

We were now cruising up the west side of Cumberland Island. We continued on and soon were forty three miles from our departure point and came upon the river we wanted to anchor in. A large boat had passed us about a mile back and was now in front of us at a dead stop. I was trying to figure out if he was going into the river we were headed for as he stopped in front of the entrance. From the charts I knew it was a tricky shallow area to enter, so I was worried they had run aground. I called them on the radio but got no response. As we were approaching them, they started to move a bit and continue down the ICW. Now I was spooked and told Lauren we were not going to enter here, there is another ‘back’ entrance to the river that is deeper and we will go there instead. We continued to follow the boat that had passed us and it was slowing again. We pulled up beside it and I yelled over to them- apparently they had just hit a rock or something and damaged their prop (been there- done that), so they were now running on one engine only. There was nothing I could do to help them so we continued on to the back entrance of Brickhill River. We wound our way back and passed another trawler that was anchored. We didn’t want to be too close to them as it is impolite and there was plenty of room. We found our spot and dropped anchor. We waited to make sure we were secure, then I took Frank to try to find land. The tides here were on the extreme side- at least ten foot difference- so the land I saw was actually mud. Very soft mud. I stepped out of the dinghy and promptly sank mid calf deep. Frank jumped out and sank too. We looked at each other like ‘oh shit!’. There was nothing we could do at this point except try to get up to firm ground. We could not get there and the beach was lined with oysters, which are super sharp and will cut and deflate our dinghy really quick if I were to leave it in contact with them. We made our way back in the dinghy and continued on down the river to see if I could find a good landing spot. We found an area I could at least get hm off and not sink too deep, all the while looking out for alligators! They are supposed to be plentiful around here, so I need to be alert to our surroundings. Frank did his business and we made it back to Klondike. I called out to Lauren and she prepared a bucket to clean him up so he doesn’t track mud all around the boat. I cleaned up off the back swim platform as best I could before coming aboard. We spent the rest of the night on the boat, eating dinner and watching the tides change. I cannot explain how amazing it is to see land disappear and look out to a large body of water- knowing the land is only a foot under water! We also planned our next stop- Jekyll Island.

Our departure from St. Augustine was not without incident. We left the mooring ball and pulled to the fuel dock so we could get our pump out and retrieve the bikes. Lauren took Frank for a walk and also get the bikes one at a time while I was attending to the business. She brought one bike back and was bringing the last one- still holding Franks leash- when a dinghy pulled up and off jumped a dog who came after Frank. Since Lauren was holding the bike and the leash she was having a hard time getting the loose dog away. Eventually the owners ran up and grabbed their dog, but it shook up Lauren and Frank. The other dog was biting at Frank and all Lauren could do was yell. I was unaware of this as it was far enough away from the fuel dock to hear the commotion. Lauren told me all about it when she got back. We loaded into the boat, had a word with the dockmaster about the people and their unleashed dog and we left. We departed about five minutes before the Bridge of Lions was set to open. The bridge opens on the hour and half hour, so we planned it just right.

Our next stop was Jim King State Park. It is in the Jacksonville area, but the city of Jacksonville is about twenty miles away up the St. John’s River. We really had no interest in going to a ‘big city’ when everyone is supposed to be staying home and everything is closed anyway. We slowly made our way up the ICW and found the state park. The park had free dock space available with a three night maximum. We pulled up the small creek to the dock and noticed two other boats there, spaced out with one on each end. We docked in the middle, far enough from either boat. The dock was nice with easy access to the park. There were a few people fishing off the walkway to the dock, so we waited until they mostly cleared out so we didn’t have to walk so close to them to take Frank. The other boats stopped by to chat but stayed well away from the boat. There was nothing around the park so it was mostly quiet except for the few people fishing. We ended up staying for four nights- one longer than ‘allowed’ but nobody was around and due to not really having anywhere to go we decided to stay that extra night. A few boats came and went in the days we were there, but everyone stayed away from each other. We had finally decided our next stop is another anchorage off of Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island which is about twenty five miles away…

We left Fort Matanzas and headed toward St. Augustine. St. Augustine was founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers and it is the oldest continually inhabited European-established settlement in the contiguous United States, so we were excited to see it and explore. Along the way the boat that was anchored with us in the Matanzas River passed us. I spoke to him on the radio and he was telling us about how he tried to go to shore where I had taken Frank and a sheriffs deputy came roaring up in a four-wheeler and told him the beach is closed and he had to leave immediately. I guess I was just lucky they didn’t see Frank and I earlier.

We made it to St. Augustine and along the way Lauren and I debated on how long we should stay and if we should get a dock slip, anchor or get a mooring ball. Anchoring is free, mooring balls are $25 a night, and docks are $78 a night. We weren’t too sure of the anchorage as I had researched and found mixed reviews about it. We decided we would get a mooring ball for one or two nights. We got close and I called the marina on the radio. They responded and told us they had a mooring ball available and directed us to it. We found our numbered ball and secured our lines. Since we got there early in the day, we took the bikes to shore so we could ride around and explore the town.

We started exploring the deserted town. There was close to zero car traffic and not very many people out. We rode around and explored the brick-lined streets and delighted in the city’s European flavor, with centuries-old buildings. As we were riding around, I noticed Lauren’s bike chain was starting to come unhinged at a link. We called a bike shop and they said they were open and we could come by as they carry replacement chains and tools. We found our way there and purchased the items needed to replace it as they couldn’t attend to it due to how busy they were. We then continued on to an AT&T store where I finally replaced my cell phone that had been broken and un-usable since December. After this long ride we went back to the marina, locked the bikes in a bike rack and retreated back to the boat. I spent the rest of the afternoon setting up the phone and taking Frank for a walk. We had decided to stay two nights, so I would try to fix her bike in the morning and we would do some more exploring.

Day 2- It took me a little bit to fix the chain. I am not a bike mechanic, and thought it would be easier than it was. After some frustration I eventually got it all re-assembled and ready to go. The bikes are becoming rusty from the salt air and getting the occasional waves over the bow in our travels. We store them on the bow where it is easiest and most out of the way. Everything is rusting and the brakes are now mostly shot on both bikes and the gears won’t adjust either, but they still are usable. We set out and did some more exploring of the town, again with not much life seen anywhere. We explored the City Gate, Castillo De San Marcos, the Colonial Area, and the Oldest House just to name a few places we rode through. It seems like we saw a lot, but absolutely nothing was open so it was all just a ‘ride by’ with the occasional stop to read a plaque or sign. We spent most of the day riding around and returned to the boat aroiund early evening. Frank was taken for another walk and we decided we would leave the bikes in the rack another night and pick them up in the morning. We wanted to get a pump out before we depart so we can load them on Klondike while I am doing that.

Tomorrow we will be leaving St. Augustine and heading to possibly our last stop in Florida…

We almost found that ‘perfect’ anchorage we are looking for. This was as close as we have been for a while. The trip today was a long one, almost fifty miles, and we did not get an early start. We cruised through Daytona Beach, but did not have a reason to stop. After that it was pretty uneventful cruising the ICW, except for holding my breath in a few shallow areas. We made it through with no issues and finally got to our destination around 6:15pm.

Per Wikipedia: “Fort Matanzas was built by the Spanish in 1742 to guard Matanzas Inlet, the southern mouth of the Matanzas River, which could be used as a rear entrance to the city of St. Augustine…It was designated a United States National Monument on October 15, 1924.” The fort is situated in the Matazas River and the anchorage was just off the ICW. We turned into the river and made our way toward the fort. We could see another boat anchored a bit farther down from the fort, so we decided to anchor before the fort. We found our spot and dropped anchor. After making sure we were holding, it was time to get Frank to land. We dinghied over to the fort and tied up to the dock. There was a sign saying the fort was closed, but Frank really needed to go potty, so we stepped around the sign and let him do his business. We were able to get up close to the fort, but not go in. After we were done, we loaded up and went back to the boat for the evening. The only thing keeping this from being the ‘perfect’ anchorage was no good land access (fort was closed and we shouldn’t be on the private land) and the last thing: we want to be able to wake up and jump in the water. Unfortunately the current and water was not conducive to this. Everything else about this was good though- serene and peaceful. There were a few fishermen around, but they all left by the time it got dark.

The next morning I took Frank a bit farther than the fort to a small sandy beach landing. We walked around and headed back. After our coffee and breakfast it was time to continue on. We decided the next stop will be St. Augustine…

We made our way on to New Smyrna where we see there is a free dock listed on our charts. The dock says no overnight docking, but we’re told it is not enforced. We pulled up and docked at their floating dock. Floating docks are nice because of the tide changes- it floats up and down on pilings so your boat is always at the same level to the dock. We are coming into areas that have major tidal changes- some as high as nine to ten feet or more difference within six hours or so! Once we were secure, I got Lauren’s bike off so she could ride around town. I stayed on the boat and hung out. After a while I heard voices and looked up to see a Zumba class forming in front of the closed conference center we were docked in front of. It amused me to hear them blasting the music and they all stayed about six feet apart from each other. Lauren returned and I secured the bike back on the boat. I walked Frank around the deserted town for some exercise and returned for dinner.

We still want to find that ‘perfect’ anchorage and we are going to continue to search for it. It is a bummer that everything is closed because we are so close to Hyde Park Daytona, but obviously they are not open either, so there will be no need to stop in Daytona. We looked at our options and determined we would head to an anchorage about fifty miles away- Fort Matanzas.

We left Cocoa Beach and continued north toward Titusville. It was a beautiful day for a boat ride, and a lot of our trip was through more ‘no wake’ zones so speed was kept to a minimum. We were approaching Titusville and noticed quite a few boats around and a large tent set up on the east shore parking lot, with the lot full of cars. Apparently there was a fishing tournament going on- virus be damned! This is not what we were looking for when we want to be secluded. Apparently Florida hasn’t received the memo and they are not taking this seriously, which is really causing Lauren some anxiety. We cannot afford to get sick living on a boat and away from home, so we will do our part to quarantine and stay away from people. We checked the charts and saw there was another anchorage about fifteen miles upstream. The anchorage was located in Mosquito Lagoon and was just off the ICW channel. There are actually two anchorages close by so we figured we would check them out.

We continued on and came upon the first anchorage. It looked strange as the ‘anchorage’ was in the middle of a large bay. It seemed to not have much protection and it was just off the channel. We could see the other anchorage ahead and there were two boats there already, so we decided this one would work. We slowly turned out of the channel and made our way in, following the chart to try to stay in deep water. All around us the water depth was between three to six feet, with a pocket of ten to fifteen feet. We made it in without incident and dropped anchor. We could see several beached across from us on the other side of the channel which will be easily accessible via the dinghy. The wind had picked up and it was a bit bumpy, but not too bad considering all the open water around us. Turns out the depth was even more shallow not too far from us, so that helped keep the waves to a minimum. We relaxed on the back deck and had a beer making sure we were secure and not dragging our anchor. Once sure, we all loaded into the dinghy and made way for the closest beach.

The rest of the afternoon was spent hanging out on the beach and the boat. Lauren has amassed an amazing collection of shells from our travels so far and she added more to it. I watched boats come past as they were heading north and relaxed. I watched a sailboat come in and anchor with us, but they stayed far enough away it didn’t bother us. The wind had settled down and we went for another beach stroll before it got dark. We decided we liked it here enough to stay another night.

Day 2: Not much to talk about when you are sitting on a boat all day with the occasional dinghy ride to shore with the dog. We spent the day much like yesterday, hanging out, lunch, swimming, and hanging loose. More shells were collected from other beaches we explored, then it was dinner time. We looked at our next destination: New Smyrna Beach. It is only about fifteen miles from here, so it will be a short ride.

We had said our good byes to everyone in Melbourne and pulled out of the marina. We were happy to be leaving the marina, as there were boats coming and going and the restrooms had stopped being cleaned due to the virus situation. We were using our own head and shower on the boat by the time we left. Before leaving we stopped at the fuel dock to get pumped out and was charged $25! We had never been charged that much since we left- it is usually free or around $5, but here they get you!

The trip was only about fifteen miles, so it wasn’t going to be a long travel day. We made our way up the ICW and found the anchorage we were looking for. It was behind another bridge, for protection. It also had access to a boat ramp so we could tie off the dinghy and walk Frank. We were trying to stay away from people, so we walked Frank and retreated back to the boat. We spent the night here and planned tomorrows journey: Titusville which is about fifteen miles away. We are not in a hurry to get anywhere and we know people are supposed to shelter in place, so we don’t mind moving in small hops and staying at anchor. We are in search of the perfect anchorage: we are looking for secluded, deep enough water and protection from wind. Hopefully we will find it soon…

This will be a recap of the week; We made it to the marina and checked in. Once settled I went about cleaning the boat and taking care of some maintenance. We were at a dock but thankfully didn’t have any neighbors directly on either side. We got the boat cleaned up and everything in order by about 5pm. Aunt Janet and Uncle Mark picked us up at the marina and brought us to their house, which wasn’t very far away at all. Addie met us there and we had dinner while visiting. Everything was fabulous and all was good. Uncle Mark even lent us his truck to use for a couple of days to go to the store and get supplies we needed. We had a few dinners with them at the house since all of the bars/restaurants are now closed in Florida too. Lauren and I did explore on our bikes, going to the beach and seeing a launch of the first ever Space Force rocket. We got to visit with Grandma White- albeit through a screened window with her sitting six feet back from it and us sitting about the same on our side- but we got to see and talk to her! That was awesome! The week seemed to go fast, and every day more and more states were shutting down and eventually the beaches in Florida would too. Unfortunately this kept brother Jeff from coming from Orlando to visit, and Dad and Denise from Ohio, but we all promised to make it up when we can.

I feel bad there isn’t more to write about here, but the most important part was seeing family and spending time with them. We were so grateful for the hospitality, graciousness and the ability to connect during these trying times.

“Family is a life jacket in the stormy sea of life.”- J.K. Rowling

We left Serenity island mid afternoon and made our way toward Melbourne Bridge. There are a lot of anchorages around bridges as they provide protection due to their pilings and structure. There is usually deep (enough) water around them too, and you can choose a side depending on the which way the wind is coming from so you are on the ‘lee side’- the sheltered side of something; the side away from the wind. Once we found a spot away from other boats, we dropped anchor and proceeded to make sure all was secure. As we were doing this I sent a text to Aunt Janet/ Uncle Mark and Addie to let them know we were ‘in town’ and would proceed to the marina tomorrow. Everyone was excited and I told Addie where we were and offered to pick her up in the dinghy if she wanted to come hang out. She agreed and we made a time to meet.

I took Frank for a walk while waiting for Addie. We waited for a bit then I brought him back to the boat. As I was approaching Lauren told me Addie had called and was looking for me. I called her back and we finally found each other. Addie came with supplies too: Wine and a bag of food to make dinner! We made our way back to the boat and caught up with each other. Eventually we all were hungry so Addie whipped up an amazing dinner of taco boats with cauliflower as the ‘meat’. Taco boats for dinner on a boat- clever! I made her watch the movie Captain Ron, then eventually it was time to say good night and get her back to shore. Frank came with us so he could have another shore break and we said good night. Tomorrow we will be moving the boat to Telemar Bay Marina where we have a reservation for the week…