Saturday, March 24, 2007
Home Again with a Map of our Progress
Saturday, March 24. There’s nothing that compares to being at home. Huntsville is also beautiful in the spring, and we enjoyed taking a walk down Fagan Springs Creek to see the wildflowers. Seeing friends is the best part, of course, but it’s also mighty nice to have a car, our own washer and dryer, a big refrigerator and an oven, to say nothing about having our own bathrooms!
Being home has also given us a chance to reflect on the wonder of this adventure we’ve undertaken. Bob and I both have images and moments stamped in our minds that could never be captured in words or photos. What a grand time we are having! We’ve learned a lot from the places we’ve been, the people we’ve met, and even about ourselves. How lucky we are to be able to take this incredible journey. We are thankful.
An Afternoon in Charleston
Monday, March 19. After Bob Upchurch picked up a rental car, the four of us spent the afternoon exploring. Springtime in Charleston is as delightful as I remembered from earlier trips. We ate a really fine lunch at a restaurant named Slightly North of Broad (aka SNOB), then we stopped by the Victoria House Inn, a B&B where Janet and Bob plan to stay for a few more days.
Because Bob (Stagg, of course) and I had lots of cleaning up and packing to do before we headed home in the morning, we returned to the marina early in the evening. We will be back in Charleston sometime around April 13 for the Spring Rendezvous of America’s Great Loop Cruising Association. That will give us more time in this gracious southern city. The Rendezvous will also provide us with valuable information about the journey yet to come -- and best of all, we'll get to meet other Loopers.
Because Bob (Stagg, of course) and I had lots of cleaning up and packing to do before we headed home in the morning, we returned to the marina early in the evening. We will be back in Charleston sometime around April 13 for the Spring Rendezvous of America’s Great Loop Cruising Association. That will give us more time in this gracious southern city. The Rendezvous will also provide us with valuable information about the journey yet to come -- and best of all, we'll get to meet other Loopers.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Grand Old Charleston, SC
Sunday, March 18. The cruise to Charleston was pretty easy, in spite of the cold weather. We encountered unusually strong currents as we passed points where the marshes drain into the rivers we were traveling. Once the tidal current actually changed our speed from 17.4 mph going with the current to 11.3 mph going against the current, with no change to our throttle. We also saw a fair number of large dolphin, always a treat. I loved the names of the waterways we encountered: Coosaw, Ashepoo, Dawho Rivers and Bohicket, Toogoodoo, and Wappoo Creeks. We arrived at the huge Charleston City Marina before 3 p.m. and were told to tie up on “The Megadock” along with some of the largest private yachts I’ve ever seen. We are at least a quarter of a mile from restrooms and showers! But hey, we need the exercise. Dinner at Magnolias Restaurant was excellent as always. We’ll explore Charleston with the Upchurches on Monday, then we'll start packing to head toward Huntsville by rental car. Can't believe we'll be home again by Wednesday.St. Patrick's Day in Beaufort, SC
Saturday, March 17. This beautiful day was perfect for exploring Beaufort. Shopping opportunities were calling Janet’s and my names, while the Bobs sought out a great chocolate shop. Because it was a bit cool and windy for long walks, we took a guided tour of the city in a van. Each of the antebellum homes had its own story, reminding us of Huntsville’s Twickenham district. The entire historic district was lined with sprawling live oak trees covered with Spanish moss. Flowers were in bloom (and pollen was flowing freely).
Many filmmakers have realized that Beaufort’s antebellum homes and pretty streets would make good movie settings. Numerous films such as The Big Chill, Prince of Tides, The Great Santini, and scenes from Forrest Gump were shot here. Pat Conroy, one of my favorite southern authors, is a native son of Beaufort, and we saw the home where he raised his family.
Many filmmakers have realized that Beaufort’s antebellum homes and pretty streets would make good movie settings. Numerous films such as The Big Chill, Prince of Tides, The Great Santini, and scenes from Forrest Gump were shot here. Pat Conroy, one of my favorite southern authors, is a native son of Beaufort, and we saw the home where he raised his family. We took a van tour of Beaufort's lovely antebellum homes, set among gracious live oaks and flowers. Many of the homes were built with large porches for enjoying summer breezes and raised basements in the event of flooding. After the tour Bob went with me to a shop that had wonderful wood-carved furniture and crafts from Bali. Shock – he loved what he saw and actually said he’d like to drive back and select some pieces. The Staggs and Upchurches enjoyed dinner at nearby Saltus Restaurant. I’d say this was a pretty successful day. 
We didn’t realize that Beaufort has a National Cemetery, but the tour guide showed us the rows of known and unknown soldiers from all the U.S. wars.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Statistics To Date
Saturday Morning, March 17. For those who like statistics , we have traveled 2,449 miles since we left Alred’s Marina on Lake Guntersville, Alabama, last October. We have put 237 hours on our engines for an average of 10.3 mph. We have completed approximately one-third of the Great Loop, with many of the most exciting parts still ahead.
Now that we are back in the blog business, we'll add a map and photos of our catch-up entries later. Right now I'm chomping at the bit to see more of Beaufort!
Now that we are back in the blog business, we'll add a map and photos of our catch-up entries later. Right now I'm chomping at the bit to see more of Beaufort!
Enjoying the Downtown Marina at Beautiful Beaufort, SC (Mile 536)
Friday, March 16. By noon we had tied our lines to the floating docks at the Downtown Beaufort Marina. What a lovely, lovely old city, with a shady waterfront park dotted with swings, magificant trees, and delightful mermaid statues. The entire downtown is listed on the National Register of Homes. The name of this elegant town is pronounced “byoo-fort,” never to be confused with North Carolina’s waterfront town Beaufort, pronounced “bow-fort.” Last night a cold front passed through, keeping us awake part of the night with some serious rocking and rolling. This distraction didn’t stop Janet and me from spending the afternoon shopping though. We all enjoyed a tapas dinner at Breakwater restaurant, then sat in the swings until those pesky no see-ums drove us back to the boat.
Anchoring Out with the Upchurches Off Hilton Head Island, SC. (Mile 553.5)
Thursday, March 15. Our morning was spent on the very pretty Isle of Hope looking for a new keyboard. Success (that’s why we’re back in business)! After noon we once again headed out on the ICW, heading north. This section was confusing and had lots of “no wake zones.” For some reason, the “magenta line” that we usually follow was missing on this section of the electronic chartplotter, and the marks were very widely spaced. We had to watch the paper charts really closely, which was good practice. We passed Daufuskie Island, the site of Pat Conroy’s book The Water is Wide, later made into the movie Conrac. The name of the island supposedly originated from early settlers who identified the island as “Da Fus Key.” It is still inhabited by some original Gullahs. Later we passed Hilton Head island, and we enjoyed seeing the palacial homes and condos along the shore. A portion of the Hilton Head waterfront can be seen in the photo.
We anchored around 4:30 p.m. in the salt marsh just across from Seabrook Landing on Hilton Head. We fought the no see-ums, sipped margaritas, then ate beef stew, which had been simmering all day in the crock pot.Safe at Isle of Hope Marina Near Savannah, GA (Mile 590)
Wednesday, March 14. Thank goodness for electronic chartplotters that provide a graphic view of our route, as well as boating guidebooks that describe navigation details including potential trouble spots. Names such as Skidaway Narrows and Hell’s Gate reinforced guidebook warnings that this day’s travel would include some twisty, often shallow, very challenging stretches of water. In fact, most boats can only go through Hell’s Gate at high tide. Fortunately, Second Wind draws only 2 ½ feet, and the tide was in our favor. We held our breath and made it through some mighty skinny water with room to spare. The fact that we have a depth sounder in each hull also helps us stay inside narrow channels. When one hull shows a foot’s difference in depth from the other hull, we know exactly which way to turn!
Anyway, we were really looking forward to meeting up with my (Liz’s) cousins Janet and Bob Upchurch from Knoxville. They are joining us for several days of adventure as we make our way north to Charleston, SC. After our intense morning, it was a pleasure to see them waving on the docks of the Isle of Hope Marina. The Isle of Hope is located just outside of Savannah, and the marina is in one of the prettiest locations we’ve seen, with salt marshes on one side and antebellum homes on the other. I wish we had more time to explore this area. After Janet and Bob had loaded their stuff onboard and caught us up on their lives, we piled in their rental car and did some Savannah sightseeing. They had spent the past few days in this lovely city and had made dinner reservations at the famous, historic Olde Pink House. What an exquisite meal. Janet and I are both still talking about their signature dish, Crispy Scored Flounder with Apricot Shallot Sauce. Yummmm! The two Bobs also raved about the red snapper. Yes, it's all about food!Fire and Brimstone on New Teakettle Creek, Georgia (Mile 646.5)
Tuesday, March 13. After spending the past few days in the lap of luxury on Amelia Island, we said farewell to Frank, and soon we were back on the Intercoastal Waterway again. We cruised through Cumberland Sound, carefully avoiding King’s Bay, a restricted area where U.S. submarines run in from the Atlantic Ocean. Our journey took us through miles and miles of waterways winding through salt marshes, past Jekyll Island, St. Simons, and Brunswick, Georgia. Some people find this stretch to be boring, but we’ve always been fascinated by salt marshes, finding them serene and beautiful. All of the guidebooks warn boaters about areas of shallow water, especially at the entrance to the Little Mud River. The tides in Georgia have a range of 8 or 9 feet, so we were relieved that we were near high tide when we went through this precarious spot. I don’t think we ever had less than 8 feet under us, but we heard later reports on the radio from other boats that touched bottom frequently. Whew!
We were feeling pretty lucky as we started looking for our night’s anchorage, eventually settling on a spot around a bend on New Teakettle Creek, near Doboy Sound. Bob’s new anchor set again on the first try, and this was a really pretty spot. More good fortune. At first our only problem was an attack of no-see ‘ums, those devilish tiny bugs that bite the fire out of you. Then we noticed that what had previously been a small forest fire on Sapelo Island across the salt marsh was now a big forest fire, and a strong wind was blowing the smoke right our way. Ashes and bits of black grit began to cover the boat, and it was getting harder to breathe, so we closed all windows and turned on the air conditioner. Finally the wind shifted, and we made it through the night just fine. Later we heard that this was most likely a controlled burn; the winds just weren’t in our favor for a while. At least the smoke got rid of the no see’ums.
We were feeling pretty lucky as we started looking for our night’s anchorage, eventually settling on a spot around a bend on New Teakettle Creek, near Doboy Sound. Bob’s new anchor set again on the first try, and this was a really pretty spot. More good fortune. At first our only problem was an attack of no-see ‘ums, those devilish tiny bugs that bite the fire out of you. Then we noticed that what had previously been a small forest fire on Sapelo Island across the salt marsh was now a big forest fire, and a strong wind was blowing the smoke right our way. Ashes and bits of black grit began to cover the boat, and it was getting harder to breathe, so we closed all windows and turned on the air conditioner. Finally the wind shifted, and we made it through the night just fine. Later we heard that this was most likely a controlled burn; the winds just weren’t in our favor for a while. At least the smoke got rid of the no see’ums.
Island Pleasures
Monday, March 12. We spent another delightful day on Amelia Island, this time with Frank as our tour guide. The whole morning was spent with Bob and I drooling over the gated Plantation area of the island. Most of this private community lies under a canopy of majestic live oaks and Spanish moss.
Exquisite homes and luxurious golf and tennis resorts share well over 1,000 acres of marshland and subtropical forest. The streets in this entire area blend in with the native live oaks and saw palmetto so that you feel as if you are on a nature trail running through the neighborhood. The azaleas were in full bloom. I can’t think of a more lovely area, and again we were grateful to Frank for sharing his island with us. I can’t begin to count the times we said we’d love to live here.
Afternoon brought another adventure. Frank, Bob, and I headed out on Second Wind to the Cumberland Island National Seashore. Walking down a trail through the pristine maritime forest, we learned some of the history of this barrier island, which is accessible only by boat. Native Americans, Spanish explorers, then American industrialists such as the Carnegie family have lived on this island, which is now a nature preserve. Frank led us to the ruins of Dungeness, a huge mansion built in the 1800s. Wild ponies still roam the island, and one just happened to walk by the ruins so I could snap its photo. We could have spent days exploring the rich wildlife on Cumberland Island, but our dinner reservations took priority! After a fabulous dinner at the waterfront restaurant in the city marina in the historic downtown area of Amelia Island, we called it a night. What a great visit we’ve had on this northernmost tip of Florida.
Exquisite homes and luxurious golf and tennis resorts share well over 1,000 acres of marshland and subtropical forest. The streets in this entire area blend in with the native live oaks and saw palmetto so that you feel as if you are on a nature trail running through the neighborhood. The azaleas were in full bloom. I can’t think of a more lovely area, and again we were grateful to Frank for sharing his island with us. I can’t begin to count the times we said we’d love to live here.
Afternoon brought another adventure. Frank, Bob, and I headed out on Second Wind to the Cumberland Island National Seashore. Walking down a trail through the pristine maritime forest, we learned some of the history of this barrier island, which is accessible only by boat. Native Americans, Spanish explorers, then American industrialists such as the Carnegie family have lived on this island, which is now a nature preserve. Frank led us to the ruins of Dungeness, a huge mansion built in the 1800s. Wild ponies still roam the island, and one just happened to walk by the ruins so I could snap its photo. We could have spent days exploring the rich wildlife on Cumberland Island, but our dinner reservations took priority! After a fabulous dinner at the waterfront restaurant in the city marina in the historic downtown area of Amelia Island, we called it a night. What a great visit we’ve had on this northernmost tip of Florida.
Falling in Love with Amelia Island, FL
Saturday-Sunday, March 10-11. While Bob’s cousin Frank Malone was cheering his UNC team on to victory at the ACC Basketball Nationals, Bob and I were enjoying his hospitality and the comforts of his gracious, lovely home. We were delighted when fellow Looper Gerry Clare, whose home port is Amelia Island, offered to show us around the island on Saturday. Having recently retired as a realtor, Gerry was a superb tour guide, filling us in on the history and particular points of interest and beauty of Fernandina Beach and the historic Old Town areas. Each area has its own charm and personality. Historic Victorian homes, livable beach houses, an array of galleries, shops, restaurants, luxury resorts and inns, miles of sandy beach – no wonder this is such a popular destination. We were especially enthralled with the tall, sprawling live oak trees found throughout the island, all draped with Spanish moss. While plenty of tourists can be found, there is more of a feeling of community than we’ve seen on typical coastal islands. We met Gerry’s husband Tom for a tasty lunch at a beach restaurant called Fins (formerly Sandy Bottoms). Bob and I will look forward to meeting up with the Clares later on the journey.
Frank returned home on Sunday night, and we spent the evening looking at photos and catching up with each other’s lives and that of other family members.
Frank returned home on Sunday night, and we spent the evening looking at photos and catching up with each other’s lives and that of other family members.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
OOOPS!
As much as we enjoy a glass of red wine with dinner, the computer does not. My (Liz’s) evil twin tipped over a whole glass on the keyboard last night. Quick summary: We fell in love with Amelia Island and enjoyed every minute of our time there. We are on our way to Savannah then Beauford and Charleston. Home by March 21. I’ll look forward to updating the blog when the tipsy keyboard sobers up. Hopefully it will be soon, but it may be after we get home. Just keep checking or call on our cell: 256-527-9894.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Relishing Southern Hospitality on Amelia Island, FL
Thursday and Friday, March 8-9. First, a quick catch-up. After one last beautiful anchorage on Wednesday night, we pulled ourselves away from the magnificent St. Johns River and are now enjoying the hospitality of Bob’s cousin Frank on Amelia Island. Our Wednesday anchorage was on Black Creek, a pristine, beautiful creek flowing into the St. Johns just north of Green Cove Springs. After an uneventful cruise north on Thursday, we were unsuccessfully trying to hail the River Walk Marina in Jacksonville, when we heard a familiar voice returning our call. “’Second Wind,’ this is ‘Inevitable Too.’ Where are you staying tonight? We’ll join you.” It was the welcome voice of Looper friend Bruce Elder. We had crossed part of the Gulf with Bruce and Jeanne; then we spent happy times with them in Tarpon Springs. We had a joyful reunion, met their granddaughter, and quickly deferred to Bruce’s knowledge of the best restaurants in the area. His son Dave took us all to a Cuban restaurant across the river. The mojitas, fried plantain, and a beef dish that translated into something like “Old Shirt,” hit the spot!
This morning (Friday), we continued our northbound odyssey, winding through salt marshes until we arrived at the lovely Amelia Island Plantation Marina. On our way in to the gas dock, Looper Tom Clare spotted us. The Amelia Island Marina is his home port, and he immediately made us feel welcome. Not only did Tom help us dock into tight quarters (Bob has developed amazing skill in maneuvering into impossible places), he also drove us to the gorgeous home of Bob’s cousin Frank, who has insisted that we stay in his piece of paradise until he returns next Monday. More to follow!
This morning (Friday), we continued our northbound odyssey, winding through salt marshes until we arrived at the lovely Amelia Island Plantation Marina. On our way in to the gas dock, Looper Tom Clare spotted us. The Amelia Island Marina is his home port, and he immediately made us feel welcome. Not only did Tom help us dock into tight quarters (Bob has developed amazing skill in maneuvering into impossible places), he also drove us to the gorgeous home of Bob’s cousin Frank, who has insisted that we stay in his piece of paradise until he returns next Monday. More to follow!
Thursday, March 08, 2007
The Beauty of Wooden Boats
Wednesday, March 7. Tonight we are secure in lovely Black Creek anchorage, after a long day heading north on the St. Johns River. Today’s highlight was a return trip to Welaka, where we again “parked the boat” at the well-maintained free town dock. This time the Wooden Boat Museum was open. We were awed by the artistry displayed in both the restored and built-from-scratch full-scale reproductions of classic early 1900’s wooden boats. Some were steam powered and some had vintage gasoline engines. All of the reproductions were built by Richard Speas and were in working order. His son Rand continues the tradition by restoring classic Chris Craft and other wooden runabouts. Rand waved to us as he went by in a newly restored lap-strake runabout. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of these boats. What was I thinking!As an aside, last week we met the Welaka mayor and his opponent. His “opponent,” now the new mayor, stopped to say hey as we walked to the museum. Again, we had a soup and sandwich special at the friendly Blessings of Welaka café, took the short walk back to the boat, and were soon back on the water. This time we had to wait for 30 minutes at a railroad bridge until the train arrived and crossed over. After the bridge was raised for us, we were on our way.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
A Mighty Good Day!
Tuesday, March 06, 2007. If we were to define a perfect day on the St. Johns River as waking up in a pretty anchorage to blue sky and calm water with a flock of ibis nearby, having manatee come right up to our dinghy to check us out, AND seeing three alligators sunning on the bank, then this day could hardly be matched!We also enjoyed meeting some folks this morning who are planning to start on the Great Loop in the next year or so. We are heading north again. Tonight we are anchored in a lovely cove off Buzzard’s Point just south of Welaka, FL. With no city lights to obscure the view, the stars are glorious. It doesn’t get much better than this (that is, unless we could have located a wonderful restaurant for dinner, but who’s complaining).
Monday, March 05, 2007
Still Looking for Gators in the Southern St. Johns River, Central Florida
Sunday and Monday, March 4-5. On Sunday the blue skies came out as promised, so Bob and I pulled anchor and joined thousands of Central Florida boaters on the southern reaches of the St. Johns River. In the cold rain Ssturday, we thought we were almost alone in a remote wilderness; we now realize that this must be The Mecca for boaters. The beautiful Sunday weather has brought out boats of every size and shape – from kayaks and bass boats to rowing shells, pontoons, cruisers, and huge houseboats! In spite of the crowded waterway, the river continues to be beautiful. It is well marked and has good depth. The water is dark with tannin, and the shores are often edged with water hyacinths against a backdrop of cypress trees, pines, and palms. The southern part of the river is narrow and winding, evolving as it flows up the Florida peninsula into several large lakes. (The St. Johns actually flows north.) It is rich with wildlife, including alligators and manatees, both of which tease us with distant sightings. We stopped at the Hontoon Island State Park Sunday afternoon and walked down a trail winding through hammocks of Cabbage Pines and Saw Palmetto. We then continued south through Lake Monroe until we arrived at city of Sanford, where we spent the night at Monroe Harbor Marina. This morning (Monday), we took a taxi to get groceries, did some boat chores, then began our return trip north toward Jacksonville. Tonight we are again at anchor in an oxbow loop, north of Blue Springs State Park.On another note, we’ve been amazed at the number of abandoned boats we’ve seen in the last few weeks. This photo shows two dilapidated, beached sailboats; they’ve obviously been there for a while. The result of the hurricanes of 2005 maybe?
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Blind Mosquitoes and Rainy Days on the St. Johns
Saturday, March 03, 2007. The other night when we looked up, our salon ceiling was covered with little winged black bugs. Ewwwwwww! We hadn’t even noticed them since they didn’t bite, but they were obviously attracted to our lights and were coming through a screen opening. Turns out they are Aquatic Midges, or “blind mosquitoes” in layman’s terms. They don’t bite, suck blood, or carry disease, but they are a nuisance in this area. We now button up the boat tightly at night and wash them off the hull every morning.
After spending three nights at our bird-friendly anchorage near Welaka, we headed further south across long, wide Lake George this morning. We’ve had plenty of rain but no major storms, so we joined the dedicated (perhaps crazy?) fishermen as they slogged down (actually up) the river on this cold and rainy day. We stopped for a delicious fresh seafood lunch at the highly recommended Blackwater Inn restaurant, where we’ll certainly return on our way back north. For the last three hours of our journey, we ran down narrow, twisty unpopulated channels, and we are now anchored in a wild area recommended by Claiborne Young and Skipper Bob. It is north of Lake Monroe. Alligators and turtles are our company for the evening. The sun is going to shine again tomorrow, and we look forward to seeing the wildlife in this part of the river.
After spending three nights at our bird-friendly anchorage near Welaka, we headed further south across long, wide Lake George this morning. We’ve had plenty of rain but no major storms, so we joined the dedicated (perhaps crazy?) fishermen as they slogged down (actually up) the river on this cold and rainy day. We stopped for a delicious fresh seafood lunch at the highly recommended Blackwater Inn restaurant, where we’ll certainly return on our way back north. For the last three hours of our journey, we ran down narrow, twisty unpopulated channels, and we are now anchored in a wild area recommended by Claiborne Young and Skipper Bob. It is north of Lake Monroe. Alligators and turtles are our company for the evening. The sun is going to shine again tomorrow, and we look forward to seeing the wildlife in this part of the river.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Map: Another Day at Anchor Near Welaka, FL
Thursday, March 01, 2007. A weather forecast of fierce winds and possible strong thunderstorms made us leery about continuing south across Lake George today. We understand that this is part of a terrible system that has ripped across the South. We did dock for a few hours at the free Welaka Town Dock and walked a few blocks to get some prescriptions refilled. There is definitely something to be said for small towns. The pharmacist fixed us up in short order, the kind of service that we haven’t seen in the bigger-city CVSs and Walgreens. We met the current mayor at the pharmacy and then a mayoral candidate at a café located in a Christian bookstore where we ate lunch and met other friendly folks. Unfortunately, the Wooden Boat Museum was closed. We decided that our best weather protection would be back at the anchorage behind Turkey Island, where we spent last night. Again we enjoyed watching the huge variety of birds at our favorite rookery. This time we have set a second anchor. We’ll see what the weather has in store. Meanwhile, here is a map showing where we’ve been in Florida. You can click it to make it bigger, then arrow back to the main blog.St. Johns River Near Welaka, FL -- Saw Me a Gator!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007. As we left our anchorage heading south this morning, I could have sworn we were on Lake Wilson in North Alabama (well, before all the development along the shoreline there). The St. Johns River is several miles wide, and the shores are heavily wooded, dotted occasionally with small hamlets. This would be a fabulous area for sailing – wide open spaces, deep water, nice wind. Maybe we could live here – naaahhh. Those hurricanes, and Florida’s insurance, and property taxes! Besides, we’d miss our friends!
After we passed the city of Palatka (we’ll probably stop there on our return), we noticed a large cut to the west. This channel was originally to be the northern Cross Florida Canal, a project permanently nixed by President Nixon because of environmental and right-of-way concerns. With the exception of some gulls that used our wake as a fishing ground, we had the waterway mostly to ourselves. Gradually the river narrowed and became wilder and even less populated. Was that a Bald Eagle I saw? Yes, I believe it was!
Today’s destination was an anchorage just north of the town of Welaka. Again, Bob’s new anchor set perfectly the first time we dropped it. It was 1:30 p.m., time for a great dinghy explore. I’ve wanted to see a gator for days, and sure enough, Bob found one for me. He was a baby, but it was definitely an alligator on that log! The birds in a cove were spectacular. Back on the boat we sipped our afternoon toddy as we watched the egrets, ospreys, and anhinga roost for the night.
After we passed the city of Palatka (we’ll probably stop there on our return), we noticed a large cut to the west. This channel was originally to be the northern Cross Florida Canal, a project permanently nixed by President Nixon because of environmental and right-of-way concerns. With the exception of some gulls that used our wake as a fishing ground, we had the waterway mostly to ourselves. Gradually the river narrowed and became wilder and even less populated. Was that a Bald Eagle I saw? Yes, I believe it was!
Today’s destination was an anchorage just north of the town of Welaka. Again, Bob’s new anchor set perfectly the first time we dropped it. It was 1:30 p.m., time for a great dinghy explore. I’ve wanted to see a gator for days, and sure enough, Bob found one for me. He was a baby, but it was definitely an alligator on that log! The birds in a cove were spectacular. Back on the boat we sipped our afternoon toddy as we watched the egrets, ospreys, and anhinga roost for the night.
