St Johns trip Day 6

The beginning of Day 6 looks like this!

We decided to stay in at the dock today. The wind on the St. John's was expected to be 25 mph all day which meant very rough cruising conditions. So we took off from the dock in our rental car to Crystal Cove Marina at Palatka Florida. We wanted to get a look at a GH 37 a Great Harbour trawler which we know is for sale and it is docked at the Marina.

We walked around the boat from front to rear and it was not in very good condition. We called the sellers phone number listed but no one answered. 

Well the boat looks better in the pictures than it does in person. This dingy arrangement lowers into the water (at least it is supposes to, but is known to be a maintenance nightmare).

Well I mustered my courage and knocked on the side of boat then stepped through the door onto the boat and said "hello anybody home"?; and to my surprise (and theirs) the owners were there taking a nap in the master cabin in the bow of the boat.

They were startled as anyone would be ( I know I was), but could quickly tell we were not intruders but might be possible buyers and they were happy to show us their boat.

The boat had a hot tub on the back which the owner thought was a great improvement, but as we looked at the arrangement it's spelled trouble our minds. Boats have plenty of maintenance needs and this looked like a full time job not to mention the issues with more than a ton of water on the roof.

I was also really disappointed in the in the room. The dimensions are just way too tight to be able to adequately get around in the room to do needed service. Since I'm not partial to crawling, this boat is a no go!

Decent pilothouse..

And our mission at Crystal cove was complete. Earl and Pat were nice people..We hope they find a buyer.....

Next we arrived in St Augustine FL, the oldest city in the us....This is the plaza in the center of the old part of town.

We took a break in town to get our bearings, and this pigeon was happy to offer advice..

We got our bearings and were off to see the sights.

Don't see a chrome car everyday..

The Old Fort next to the ocean was our next stop but a rain squall rolled in as we were heading up

the rise and we high-tailed for rain cover..

The rain passed and this taxi guy asked if we wanted to ride and we jumped in...we have done this in New York City Central Park and it was fun. The drivers have a real incentive to keep you touring in their seat (more time equals more money) and we didn't want to do the tourist trolley (we have done that here before).  

So tours always show old churches, and there are lots and lots of churches in this area (lot of sinners to compete for I guess)..

Liberal Arts college right in the center of town

Next another rain squall rolled through and the driver took us a couple of blocks to get umbrellas

from where he stores his bike taxi (in his brothers horse barn, only one horse, but lots of carriages).  

Was a little spooky in the dark (all pictures needed a flash to take), but we did not feel threatened and

it turned out just fine...actually very entertaining. You would not see this stuff on a trolley tour.

I'm ready to start pulling...

Unfortunately his brother may have had a run in with city officials and they would not give him the needed permits to  be allowed on the streets with the carriages (sounded like sour grapes).

The only horse on the premises was a wooden one, (really it is all wood).

Rain is over and back to the tour...

Yes that is a pink Cadillac!

Looks like a shot from a roller coaster...

Refurbished bed and Historic houses..

All tours have to go by a grave yard...this one is for distinguished US Coast Guard soldiers..

The oldest house in St Augustine...

And the taxi driver said we should check out (and get a drink) in the oldest tavern in the oldest city....

On the way back to the marina we stopped at Outback Crab Shack on Six Mile Creek. It features a 1500 foot dock and local crabs and fish... we had a basket of alligator bites!

We sat at picnic tables under a tarp roof and watched the water coming up between the slabs of concrete. The floor was lower than the six mile creek in the background at high tide hence the flooding. If the pumps stop...our feet would be in the water.

Dock on Six Mile Creek off the St Johns river not that far from our marina

Sun setting on the 273 passenger cruise ship docked behind us in the marina. Another good day of adventure, dinner at Woody's BBQ, and a Netflix movie and sleep.......

St Johns Trip Day 5

We started day 5 with a very calm morning with the water like mirror glass and a big blue sky.

Now that is smooth...look at the clouds in the water!

As I looked over the bow, at cruise speed you can see the boat just glides through the water vs plowing through like so many big boats you see.

And as you can see no huge wake to worry about, more wake from the dingy than the boat, which is why Great Harbour boats are so fuel efficient!

The windless on the boat and the ground tackle (anchoring parts) provide much comfort when at

anchor (on the hook)...

This part of the river start widening as we move down stream. Inlets are now the prime location for docks vs the canals you see up stream

Still warnings about Manatees..

Here is a Quick Silver Ultra Light Airplane, like the one I use to fly, but this one is on pontoons so it is confined to landings and takeoffs from the water..

As we get downstream more evidence that we are back in a more populated area..

And more industry..

Down on your luck.....

Another beautiful resort

Now the sparkles are back (sunshine)...

But some businesses will likely never be back....

As we approached the dock at Corky Bells for docking practice and lunch we met these two guys 

here for shrimping...

Getting ready to throw the net...

And wow...that takes skill...especially with a net that big. Most people are throwing nets half

 that size!

Now empty the catch...

And the shrimps are ready to go into the cooler!

Here we are secure to the dock...not to hard with little wind and current...

And Viv demonstrates the proper way to tie a cleat hitch!

We are not alone......

But still have not seen a Manatee....

Great area.....

Great dock...

Great deck!

Had no trouble eating the oysters....

We had a great lunch and this place is one we would come back to again!

People enjoying the day and refreshments...

Viv likes the big porch on this one...

I liked this house...

And its boats house.....

Water getting bigger..

Captain Viv piloting along....

The N47 has extra walking width on the starboard side making for easier docking..

Lots of storage....

Looks ready to go to sea..

Neat place..

Waves are getting bigger...

Here a long way to walk to the dock....

Beautiful.....

Waves are getting bigger from 2 to 4 feet with the wind running 20-25 mph...

No problem for the N47

But the dingy transom did not survive...I have to remove the engine and with the waves this was

a challenge...rope connected to the motor just in case I drop it in the river......

Success but we drifted over a crab pot float and picked up the rope on the props or rudder

....:(

So I dawn a scuba mask to go under and  take a  look....

Cannot see much...its like diving in a river of coffee.....

But the rope came free...never felt the crab pot so it likely had the rope cut and it dropped

away..made me commit to never eating a blue crab.....as a protest to crab pots in the channel.

Big water with big markers..

We were very tired from a long day so after a challenging docking (20-mph wind blowing us into the dock) which went very well, we were back at out starting point Green Cove Springs.  We had dinner and called it a night...and again felt we have a day full good on memories!