Life Aboard: Traveling up the Florida Coast Part 4

We left heading for Fernandina at 6:10am. We know we have a long day and want to try and catch the current and tide to our favor. We know we could have some more skinny water so... We usually just anchor out or pass by Fernandina, but we are going ashore this time.

St Augustine Lighthouse as we leave.

The inlet looks calm. Maybe we should just go outside??

Already fishing

Pink glow in the sky.

We see different scenery around every bend in the waterway.

Pretty house

And another

We knew we could have a lot of current in the St John's Inlet, so we timed it just right, this time.

Barge working in the inlet

These rocks are right in the center of the waterway as you cross the St John's River. Don't want to run into these. The fishermen love to anchor near here and fish.

Huge boat in dry storage. They sink the floor, drive the boat upon it, block it up, let the water out, then work on it. Easy.

More work.

Power plant up the river toward Jacksonville.

We knew the water would be skinny when we got near Fernandina, since we were traveling at low tide, but we had to keep going. Sea Salt had passed us earlier and they were able to go thru at a higher tide.

We followed a sail boat until they went aground just south of Fernandina and then we were in front. Not the place we wanted to be. We had heard several boat call for tow boats to come rescue them. Pearl a boat that Richard and Connie knows ran aground but were able to get off on their own.

As we were rounding the bend just before Fernandina, we saw a big motorboat with a tow boat attached to it. They had ran aground earlier and were waiting for the tide to come up. We asked the tow boat where to go to stay out of its way and he told us they weren't going anywhere until the tide came up and for us to stay close to shore. We weren't sure why the guy didn't just wait for the tide to come up and get off on his own. We talked to him later and he said he had steering problems for a while after he got going. The tow boat pulled him for a while and he was able to anchor on his own. But he said he had some damage to some steering cables but had temporarily repaired it. Good luck.

We stayed close to shore and had no problems. A boat following behind us thanked us for leading the way and told us he did good, only bumped 4 or 5 times. We didn't think that didn't sounded very good to. Thanks to Shay's handling, we didn't bump at all. I think we have only bumped twice. And both times we knew better. Once we listened to some guy on the VHF radio that was wrong. And the other time a boater asked us to move over right after a bridge so he could pass us. We learned two good lessons. First, don't pay attention to everything you hear on the radio, especially when you gut is telling you different. And second, don't be too neighborly to the boat behind you. If he wants to pass in a shallow area, let him bump, not you.

Boat aground

We are very close to our destination.

I told Shay I had never noticed these pretty buildings before. Usually be are too busy or its too dark to notice.

Sea Salt at the dock getting water and giving the boat a rinse.

Fernandina.

You can see the St Mary's Inlet and the next land is in Georgia.

Dingy dock in center

We are anchored near the mooring field right in front of the city.

We got to Fernandina at 4:25 after traveling over 10 hours, at 5.2kts , for over 55nm. The next day we went to shore and really enjoyed the time. We stopped at the visitor center and met two very friendly women. They told us all about the town--where to eat, where to shop, and about the beautiful building the visitor center is in. I want that building when I move off the boat. I loved the expose brick, the wainscoting, and the old refinished wood on the benches, counters, and around the doors and windows. We could build a loft for the bedroom and it would be perfect. Except, its right beside a busy railroad track. Poo! It was a beautiful building. Don't pass by without stopping.

We ate lunch at Timoti's Seafood Shack. It was an eat outside place with picnic tables under a shelter. It was good and we will go back. We were told about the Happy Tomato and may try it out next time. We will be back.