I will be motor/sailing the St. Johns River from Lake Monroe to the ICW in Jacksonville in October. I will following the chapters of the book by Bill Belville, "River of Lakes", but would like some more detailed information about points of interest along the way. I would appreciate any local knowledge. Thanks. Mark Major, s/v Lesismor (86H23)
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Gooooooo! Mark!
Mark, I live in Sanford, Fl. and sail Lk. Monroe area. I have also been part of several races in the Jacksonville area. I hope the water level is down some before October. As you know, we are almost 6-inches away from flood stage on the river. Check your charts and make sure you are going to be able to make it under all the bridges from here to the "ICW". You are going to need your motor from Sanford to Lk. George.(you can sail across George) and poss. Palatka.( Lake George is the second largest lake in the state of florida) (Also check out "Silver Glenn Springs" on the west side of Lk. George) After that, you should be able to raise the sails and do what you do best till you reach down town Jacksonville,if the winds are in your favor. Check your charts, and depthfinder often, and you should be just fine. Bring your camera, so the rest of us can enjoy the trip also. Stay in touch, Jim S/V Dream Maker 1975 O'Day 22
Mark, I live in Sanford, Fl. and sail Lk. Monroe area. I have also been part of several races in the Jacksonville area. I hope the water level is down some before October. As you know, we are almost 6-inches away from flood stage on the river. Check your charts and make sure you are going to be able to make it under all the bridges from here to the "ICW". You are going to need your motor from Sanford to Lk. George.(you can sail across George) and poss. Palatka.( Lake George is the second largest lake in the state of florida) (Also check out "Silver Glenn Springs" on the west side of Lk. George) After that, you should be able to raise the sails and do what you do best till you reach down town Jacksonville,if the winds are in your favor. Check your charts, and depthfinder often, and you should be just fine. Bring your camera, so the rest of us can enjoy the trip also. Stay in touch, Jim S/V Dream Maker 1975 O'Day 22
Watch the tide
Mark, I sailed my O'25 from the ICW to downtown Jax several years ago. Interesting trip as Jax is a major port;lots of large ships to look at. The tide does rip though, about 2.5 to 3 knots. Be sure to time your passage with the tide or it will take you twice as long. Have a great trip, PM
Mark, I sailed my O'25 from the ICW to downtown Jax several years ago. Interesting trip as Jax is a major port;lots of large ships to look at. The tide does rip though, about 2.5 to 3 knots. Be sure to time your passage with the tide or it will take you twice as long. Have a great trip, PM
Cruising Guide
You need the "Boating and Cruising Guide to the St Johns River" (available at Bluewater Books on line). It has everything you need, including charts.
You need the "Boating and Cruising Guide to the St Johns River" (available at Bluewater Books on line). It has everything you need, including charts.
... and watch everyone else!!
Went down the Ortega River and St. Johns river with my uncle a few years ago, left about 10:00 at night to hit the tide right. I had the helm most of the way. At night, the navigation lights are hard to read, you MUST be sure you don't miss one, and DON'T TRUST ANYONE 'cause there were some big workboats and tugs doing some real strange things out there. (The problem was not my lights. I checked and they were fine.) Tom
Went down the Ortega River and St. Johns river with my uncle a few years ago, left about 10:00 at night to hit the tide right. I had the helm most of the way. At night, the navigation lights are hard to read, you MUST be sure you don't miss one, and DON'T TRUST ANYONE 'cause there were some big workboats and tugs doing some real strange things out there. (The problem was not my lights. I checked and they were fine.) Tom
All that and more
Hi Mark, I once sailed the lower St Johns once from Blount Island out into the Atlantic and the tidal current does rip through there! There is also a LOT of commercial traffic in the area, including very large container ships, aircraft carriers and barges with tugs. I wouldn't recommend being under way at night. Claiborne Young's "Cruising Guide to Eastern Florida" covers the entire St Johns from the Atlantic to Sanford pretty well. There are plenty of diagrams and anchorage/marina inormation and the charts you need are listed. Give me a call if you want to come by and look it over sometime. BTW, when are you coming over to Titusville for a sail? Raven is back in the water. Peter H23 "Raven"
Hi Mark, I once sailed the lower St Johns once from Blount Island out into the Atlantic and the tidal current does rip through there! There is also a LOT of commercial traffic in the area, including very large container ships, aircraft carriers and barges with tugs. I wouldn't recommend being under way at night. Claiborne Young's "Cruising Guide to Eastern Florida" covers the entire St Johns from the Atlantic to Sanford pretty well. There are plenty of diagrams and anchorage/marina inormation and the charts you need are listed. Give me a call if you want to come by and look it over sometime. BTW, when are you coming over to Titusville for a sail? Raven is back in the water. Peter H23 "Raven"
Mark, the tides are not much of an issue south of
downtown Jax. Make sure you ride the tides thru and east out of town, like the other posters suggested. With a 23 footer, the bridges are not an issue unless you smack a piling. Palatka has a Burger King you can dock at as well as a nice public dock with slips and the Palatka Holiday Inn has slips and free use of the pool and shower facilities with a slip. Green Cove Springs has a new city dock with slips on the west side of the river and Whitney's Marine in Orange Park is a great Hunter dealer with a beautiful marina and friendly staff. It will take about 2 hours with the tide to get to downtown Jax from Whitneys. Stop by my slip at Whitneys and say hi. Make sure you have a backup anchor light. Some idiot bass boaters love to blast thru the secluded anchorages at 5am at 40+ knots in search of god-knows-what. Have a great trip.
downtown Jax. Make sure you ride the tides thru and east out of town, like the other posters suggested. With a 23 footer, the bridges are not an issue unless you smack a piling. Palatka has a Burger King you can dock at as well as a nice public dock with slips and the Palatka Holiday Inn has slips and free use of the pool and shower facilities with a slip. Green Cove Springs has a new city dock with slips on the west side of the river and Whitney's Marine in Orange Park is a great Hunter dealer with a beautiful marina and friendly staff. It will take about 2 hours with the tide to get to downtown Jax from Whitneys. Stop by my slip at Whitneys and say hi. Make sure you have a backup anchor light. Some idiot bass boaters love to blast thru the secluded anchorages at 5am at 40+ knots in search of god-knows-what. Have a great trip.
Great Trip
Watch out for the alligators! You should have a beautiful trip. Or trawler friends did it last fall and had a great time. Stop by and see us also when you pass by Whitney's. We'll throw something on the grill and something on ice. Be sure and follow the current tables for the river between downtown and the ICW. There is sometimes over a two hour difference between high/low tides and slack currents. When you get to Whitney's we can check them on the Capt'n program for you if you do not have them.
Watch out for the alligators! You should have a beautiful trip. Or trawler friends did it last fall and had a great time. Stop by and see us also when you pass by Whitney's. We'll throw something on the grill and something on ice. Be sure and follow the current tables for the river between downtown and the ICW. There is sometimes over a two hour difference between high/low tides and slack currents. When you get to Whitney's we can check them on the Capt'n program for you if you do not have them.
Forum moderator help!
Is it just me, or is the original topic note for this thread missing? Also, why does the forum always remember my home port, but either blank my name, or put in the text "[author]?"
Is it just me, or is the original topic note for this thread missing? Also, why does the forum always remember my home port, but either blank my name, or put in the text "[author]?"
[author]! [author]!
John - you (and a few others) were unknowingly messed up by a mistake I made regarding the way your site 'cookie' is set. Here's how to fix it: Go to any forum menu, Ask An Owner will work fine. Click the link that says 'Add new topic.' Go the field where you type your name. You'll see a small link that says something about 'Change the way your name is displayed.' Click that and follow the instructions. That should do it! ph.
John - you (and a few others) were unknowingly messed up by a mistake I made regarding the way your site 'cookie' is set. Here's how to fix it: Go to any forum menu, Ask An Owner will work fine. Click the link that says 'Add new topic.' Go the field where you type your name. You'll see a small link that says something about 'Change the way your name is displayed.' Click that and follow the instructions. That should do it! ph.
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