We actually left at what I consider a decent hour: 8:30 am :-) Again it was the current that determined when to go. There was a bridge 28 miles down the waterway that has notorious current if you travel it at the wrong time of day. The current change was at noon so the idea was to leave 3 1/2 hours ahead of time so we would catch the bridge at slack tide while traveling 8 mph.
Worked pretty well although we arrived a bit early. It was again nice traveling with incoming tides though. Lots of water in the marshes AND the waterways.
It was a good wildlife day. There were many dolphin sightings and several times they chose to travel along our bow wave with us. It seems like as long as Steve is out on the bow and willing to watch them, the dolphins will just ride with us until they tire of us going too slow for them.
The one in the picture at right is just off the bow of the boat. Sadly, I can't see them from the flybridge as they ride right under the curve of the bow of the boat.
We also saw a flock of white pelicans along the shoreline - just south of Fernandina Beach. Seems like we saw a bunch of them along that same shoreline last year! Maybe it's an annual thing.
Loons have also finally been spotted and we even heard one of them calling - it's such a distinctive call. Reminds me of the movie "On Golden Pond".
Of course the loons are in their winter colors of grey and white rather than the distinctive black and white summer colors (which is how we always knew them in Canada on the Trent).
More evidence of our military when we neared St. John's River near Jacksonville. This is what we assume to be a navy ship in drydock. Security boats are on guard around it as we passed. Maybe Steve shouldn't have been on the front of the boat taking pictures???
The coasties didn't come and stop us though so I guess it was ok.
We arrived at our predetermined marina for the night. Joe and Joy on High Spirits arrived first and we followed them in shortly (they left 1/2 hour before we did as they don't travel quite as fast as us).
First time since 2009 that these two boats have been docked next to each other!
First thing was a bike ride around Jacksonville Beach. We've never been here before but what a nice place.
As we were riding around, we found this yard with decorations. See if you can spot what is wrong is this picture.
Joy, Steve and I (sadly Joe's bike is back in NH) rode to the Atlantic (about 2 miles). There is a pier here so we walked out. Talked with a number of guys (literally - no lady fisherpeople that I saw) who were catching small things but having a great time. Everyone was so friendly. Met one guy whose son played in the minor leagues for Cleveland. Guess he never made it to the majors though.
And finally a beach where we could ride bikes! It's fun if the sand is firm (with the tide out of course). Still harder than riding on pavement though.
Gorgeous day - warm (shorts and t-shirt for the bike ride). I think we may really be getting far enough south :-)
One last fun picture with a sculpture on the boardwalk ...
Things wrong in the picture above: flamingos with Santa hats?? Igloos in Florida?? Along with penguins?? Palm trees with Christmas bulbs??
Really??
I guess I still am a Northerner at heart. Give me Christmas with real snow and freezing weather :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment