Second Wind on the Great Loop and Beyond

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?