Fort Myers FL to Burnt Store Marina FL

Moore Haven FL to Forty Myers FL

Pahokee FL to Moore Haven FL

Start time and hours                 0840                     3525.66                   MM 50 OWW Rim Route

End time and hours                  1400                     3530.51                   MM 89 OWW Rim Route

     We awoke in the luxurious confines of the Pahokee Municipal Marina to find that we were unable to locate the showers.  We found the bathrooms, but wish we didn’t.  They were serviceable at best, probably close to your worst roadside gas station men’s room.  We had good water at the dock so we got to take boat showers with extra water, what a treat.

     We paid our $1 per foot marina fee and got off th[JD1] e dock without too much trouble.  There was an old tug with someone living aboard that had lines going across the fairway blocking it completely.  This limited our room to back up and turn but we managed.

     The first few miles of the Rim Route was a little exposed to the lake.  The winds were from the Northeast at about 15mph most of the day and there was a moderate chop of about 1-2feet.  After about eight miles of this we got into the sheltered portion of the route.  It has the levee on one side and spoil islands on the other that blocked the wind. 

     The Rim Route is scenic.  The spoil islands are filled with birds, trees, mangroves, and a few alligators.  It is better than staring at open water for twenty five miles.

     There was one bridge along this route that opens manually.  It is the Torry Island Swing Bridge.  You need to call them before you get there so someone can come out and open it.  The person uses a long pole to turn a gear in the center of the bridge to make the bridge rotate.  It is fascinating to watch.

     We also had one lock to contend with today.  The Moore Haven lock is on the western edge of Lake Okeechobee and opens up into the Caloosahatchee Canal.  It was a windy day and we first entered the lock for a port tie but the wind quickly changed our decision to starboard side.  Once again we were the only boat in the lock and that helped us maneuver inside.

     After the lock we tied up at the Moore Haven town dock.  It is a convenient side tie with good power and water.  The bathrooms and showers are nothing special.  At $1 per foot it is a bargain.

     We met some folks who are just finishing up the Great Loop.  They only have to go to New Smyrna to finish but they said they might go to the Bahamas first.  It sounded like a great adventure, five thousand miles and eleven months on their boat so far.

---

 [JD1]doc

Stuart FL to Pahokee FL

Start time and hours                       0930                        3519.17                       MM  7   OWW

End time and hours                        1630                        3525.66                       MM  50  OWW

     We slept in a little anticipating a short day to Indiantown marina on the Okeechobee waterway, a scant 22 miles away.   We had planned to leave Indiantown the next day and cross the lake to Moore Haven.   In keeping with our rigid flexibility, after calling Indiantown and finding out that they were booked solid we easily altered our plans and decided to go somewhere else.  Where that somewhere else would be were not sure.

     We got under way and decided to decide along the way.  We had options depending on where we were along the waterway when.  We could anchor or try for another marina.

     We started out going through the St. Lucie lock, the first one westbound from Stuart.  As we approached the lock and called the lock master we found that our timing was not great.  He was just finishing locking through a westbound vessel and then had to lock through two eastbound vessels before he got to us.  We circled around for about 40 minutes waiting our turn and then entered the lock.

     We were the only boat in the lock for our lock through.  It was fairly easy.  After entering the lock, the lock master throws down a line to the bow person, Elaine, and then throws down a line to the stern person, me (by stern I mean the back of the boat, not a mean person).  We then hold the lines on our boat cleats while the water is let into the lock and we rise about thirteen feet. 

     After locking through, we proceeded to cruise down the Okeechobee Waterway.  It is a mostly straight, deep, narrow canal.  There are a few nice homes lining the canal and some side canals.  The scenery is mostly nice, birds and trees that we have previously seen.  The dolphin sightings stop but we had our first alligator sighting.  It was sunning itself on the south bank of a small inlet along the canal.

     There was a little bit of a current going west on the Okeechobee as it was technically up-river.  Our speed was mostly around 7knotts all day.  We were constantly doing calculations of where we were, where we wanted to be, and how fast we were going to determine if we could make it with plenty of daylight.  About halfway between the St. Lucie lock and the Port Mayaca Lock we decided that we could reasonably make it to Pahokee marina.  If we could just make it through the Port Mayaca Lock before 1530.

     We approached the lock at about 1430 and there was no traffic either way.  We were able to lock through with only a few minutes delay as they set up for us.  In the lock I asked the lockmaster how far up we were being lifted and he said about two to three inches.  I thought he was kidding but he said that they had been releasing water from the lake to get ready for the wet season.  He said it would take longer to close and open the doors than it would to raise the water level.

     After locking through, and getting out at 1455 we turned south down the rim route headed towards Pahokee Marina.  I had called the marina on the phone before we locked through to see if they had space for us.  The marina employee that I spoke with on the phone said that they did.  He asked when we would be arriving and I said about 1600-1700.  He stated that they only worked until 1600 and that if we came in after that we could take any slip we wanted.  He did not seem too interested in whether he had a customer or not.   We made it to the marina with plenty of daylight left.  As we entered the marina we chose a T-dock to tie up to.  After we tied up to this dock a live aboard told us that there was no power on that dock.  We then moved over to another dock and tied up for the night.

     I took a walk into town to get some ice.  The convenience store on google maps was out of business.  I walked towards downtown a short distance away and spied a small restaurant with an ice machine outside.  They were a little Cuban restaurant that sold beer and wine, and ICE, $1.50 for ten pounds.

     The part of Pahokee that I saw was a dump.  Every business, including City Hall, had bars or metal shutters across its windows and doors.  There were very few businesses even open.   It may be part of the reason that this marina is empty.  I think we are the only transients here.  There are about 100 slips and about 15 boats.  All of the boats look run down and like they don’t move often.

     The docks are floating and nice, we have power, and ice for drinks.  What more could we ask for in a marina.

Wabasso Beach FL to Stuart FL

Titusville FL to Wabasso Beach FL

Start time and hours               0808                          3506.66                    MM 879

End time and hours                1550                          3513.84                    MM 943

     We got up early at the Titusville Marina because we had a longer day ahead of us.  We were planning on over 60 miles today and we like to get to our stopping point with at least 60-90 minutes of sunlight to spare.  That gives an opportunity to go somewhere else If our primary spot is not available.

     We cruised down the Indian River all day.  In this portion of the ICW the river is miles wide and mostly shallow.  There are some small islands along the route but mostly the scenery is the same.  There are, of course, the obligatory dolphin and bird sightings.

     One very good turn of events today allowed us to listen to the Patriots game.  They were playing the Dolphins so we were able to find the game on the radio.  If was entertaining listening to the Dolphins home announcers call the game.  I think they knew they had no chance of winning but they tried to keep their fans interested during most of the game.  The Pats ended up winning 35-17 but it was not really that close.  The game was never in doubt.

     We got to our anchorage just south of the Wabasso bridge in Wabasso Beach.  It is a small anchorage and there was already one other boat here.  We had just enough room to anchor between that boat and the bridge.  It is a very calm night so we only let out about 70 feet of scope in about 10 feet of water.  The anchor, as always, grabbed and held tightly as we backed down.

     We sat up in the fly bridge enjoying our post cruise cocktail and watched the pelican feeding frenzy before us.  This feeding was a little than what we had seen previously with pelicans.  These pelicans were not flying high and diving into the water but were gliding only a foot or two off the water for short distances before plunging into the water to catch their prey.  It went on for over an hour until someone rang a bell or something because they all suddenly left the area and flew north together.  Watching them feed this way looked it looked like they were big birds that were learning to fly but just couldn’t get the hang of it.  They would take off from the water, fly for about 20-50 feet only one or two feet off the water and then suddenly crash head first into the water.  Their heads would remain under water for an extra five seconds or so and then they would come up with their dinner.

     After the show we retired to the salon and a tasty dinner of balsamic chicken with caramelized onions and grilled sweet potatoes.  The water in the anchorage is flat calm and we expect it to remain so throughout the night.  This should be a great spot for sleep.

Our anchorage beside Wabasso Bridge

Daytona Beach FL to Titusville FL

Start time and hours              0900                             3501.50                MM 829

End time and hours               1500                             3506.66                MM 879

     I woke up early this morning to a cool, grey, gloomy morning.  It was still a little windy and the boat was bouncing a bit.  Around 9am it had cleared up enough that we pulled up the anchor and got underway.  We were shooting for Titusville today, about 50 miles.

     With the wind behind us it was a comfortable but slightly cool ride.  We cruised down the Halifax River and past the Ponce de Leon inlet.  The tides were against us a little, but we made good progress.  The ICW took us past New Smyrna Beach and into the Indian River North.  This was a scenic portion of the route.  There were small islands, marshes, inlets, small beaches, and lots of birds and dolphins.

     It was also during this stretch that Elaine slowed down for two people in an outrigger canoe.  The canoeists then starting paddling furiously toward our boat.  It appeared that were going to try to ride our wake.  When they got behind us, Elaine resumed our normal cruising speed of about 7.5kts.  They were able to follow us for about 500 yards while riding our wake. 

     Just before entering Mosquito Lagoon we passed a small sailboat, Scooch, for the third time in the last four days.  Mosquito Lagoon is miles wide but very shallow.  We paralleled small islands on our starboard side and the wide-open lagoon was on our port side.  Here we saw hundreds of birds, especially pelicans, both black and white. 

     The Mosquito Lagoon led us to the Haulover Canal which was packed full of people fishing, both on the shore and in boats.  The canal is less than a mile and there must have been over one hundred people fishing.  The canal led us into the Indian River and then on into Titusville.

     Our anchorage is on the south side of the bridge to the west.  The wind is from the north/northwest and protection here is very good.  We are in about 8 feet of water and the anchor stuck first try as always.

     This will be our fifth night in a row on a mooring or anchor.  Tomorrow we will try to move over to the Titusville marina and re-supply.

     We moved over to the Titusville marina at about 1100 so we could avail ourselves of its services.  We needed to pump out, get water, re-provision, and do laundry.  The town is nothing much.  We walked around a little but were not overly impressed.  Perhaps sometimes you need a car to see things.  The Save a Lot grocery store was cheap and adequate but not great.  We got enough to live on for another week. 

     I have been craving good pizza for a while now so we found a place within easy walking distance.  The pizza was great.  https://www.facebook.com/Pistillis-Bistro-Pizzeria-709994659122651/ 

     The marina showers are good and the laundry is cheap so that is a plus.  We will be on our way in the morning as we are getting close to our destination.

Bridge art in Daytona Beach

So many birds

Bridge at New Smyrna.  We did not need it to open but we followed the sail boat

Canoeists riding our wake, they loved it

Mosquito Lagoon

Haulover Canal

The only section of the Haulover canal where nobody was fishing.  (although if you look hard enough you might see some.)

St. Augustine FL to Daytona Beach FL

Start time and hours                  0730                              3495.76             MM  778

End time and hours                   1400                              3501.50             MM  829

     We awoke early for our run down to Daytona Beach.  The weather was beautiful and the water calm as we left the mooring field and made the 0730-bridge opening.  We did not need the bridge to open but it was opening for two other boats right in front of us so we went through anyway.  There was a good-sized trawler, Almost Perfect, that we followed all day until we got to our anchorage.

     We cruised past the canals and nice homes of Palm Coast and also saw the old abandoned section of the ICW just south of Palm Coast.  It was surprising to see how narrow the old ICW was.  The scenery along the route was as always beautiful.  The number and variety of birds are amazing.  I never seem to get tired of watching the pelicans.  They are so big but fly so gracefully.

     We got to our anchorage in Daytona Beach in great time.  The tides were favorable almost all day.  We carefully selected our spot among the crab pots and dropped the hook.  After letting out about forty feet we discovered an additional small black crab pot buoy right in our swing circle.  The anchor came up with mud and shells on it and we chose another spot after again carefully searching out all the crab pots before dropping.   The anchor caught and held well.

     We took the dinghy ashore at the boat ramp by the bridge and walked to the 7-11 store for ice and ice cream.  The section of town where we walked was not very attractive.  There were no restaurants that looked good and no shopping that we could see.  There were, however, quite a few dumpy bars lining the boulevard.

     We went back to the boat and enjoyed a peaceful afternoon and dinner.  During the night the wind shifted to the north and picked up a little.  The boat was bouncing quite a bit, but not too uncomfortable.

     The next morning was Thanksgiving.   We were expecting rain on Thanksgiving and we were not disappointed.  The day was not a total washout but there were periods of thunder showers and heavy rain.  We found some new leaks in the boat as the rain was coming down, up, and sideways toward the boat.  It was nothing a few strategically placed towels could not take care of though.

     We did have turkey on turkeyday.  We bought a three pound butterball turkey breast and prepared it in the pressure cooker with chicken stock and herbs.  It came out very moist and delicious.  We also had gravy, cranberry sauce, and sweet corn risotto.  We were able to get all of the football games on the radio and listened to that all day.  Before dinner we had cocktails and hors d’ouerve to include pate, brie, crackers, guacamole, and assorted cheeses.

     The evening was again a little bouncy but we are used to it by now.  We sleep pretty well even in very rough weather.  

Jacksonville Beach FL to St. Augustine FL

Start time and hours                   1000                      3492.16            MM 746

End time and hours                    1345                      3495.76            MM 780

     We planned another short ride today so we slept a little later and had a gourmet breakfast at McDonald’s.  After satisfying ourselves on their outstanding American cuisine we walked back to the boat and prepared to depart.

     We moved the 50 feet from our dock over to the fuel and pumpout dock to avail ourselves of their services.  After filling up and emptying out we departed the shallow winding inlet back to the ICW where we leisurely cruised down the Tolomato River past beautiful canal front homes and isolated sections of marshes, inlets, and forests.

     We followed the Tolomato River across the St. Augustine inlet and into St. Augustine.  We had reserved a mooring ball for two nights because the weather was iffy for Tuesday and because we wanted to see St. Augustine.

     The current and wind were consistent so grabbing the ball was no problem.  We secured ourselves and took the dinghy into the Municipal Marina to check in. 

     St. Augustine is a pretty little historical city with a lot to see and do within walking distance of the marina.  We had lunch at Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grill.   http://hookedonharrys.com/location/st-augustine/  I had the ultimate po’boy with shrimp and crawfish with a side of sweet corn grits.  Probably the best sweet corn grits I have ever had.  Elaine had fish tacos.

     We walked around the fort and much of old town and checked out the shops.  There were a few good ones but many of them were touristy shops that you would see in any seaside resort town.  Lots of ice cream shops, you couldn’t walk more than a few hundred feet without seeing another one. 

     We headed back to the boat and had a light dinner of crab cakes with a balsamic salad.  Lunch was so filling it was all we needed. 

     After dinner we watched the lights decorating St. Augustine out our back door.  We are the first mooring ball next to the main drag and right in front of the fort.  https://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm  It can be a little noisy at times but it does quiet down at night.

     The next day was a little rainy.  We hunkered in place and relaxed on the boat.

On a ball in
St. Augustine FL

Just before
St. Augustine FL

ditto

Our view of the fort from out mooring

Pirate theater cruise

self explanatory

Po boy and sweet corn grits at Harry's Seafood

shells embedded in the concrete

Streets of Old Town St. Augustine FL

Government building

the bridge

Tour boats going in and around the mooring field all day and most of the evening

Umbrella River FL to Jacksonville FL

Start time and hours                 0715                                            3484.90                  MM 687

End time and hours                  1500                                            3492.16                  MM 746

     The Umbrella River was a wonderful anchorage.  We would be leaving Georgia and entering Florida today.  The quiet secluded anchorages of South Carolina and Georgia in their deep creeks and rivers would be few and far between when we reached Florida.

     We came out of Umbrella Creek and crossed St. Andrew Sound.  This would be the closest thing to going into the Atlantic ocean since Norfolk VA.  Because of shoals in the sound you need to go way out southeast and then turn 90 degrees to southwest.  You can see the ocean side of Jekyll Island.  The winds were calm and the crossing was very easy. 

     After crossing, we cruised down beside Cumberland Island (we didn’t see any wild horses) and crossed the Cumberland sound and into Florida at Fernandina Beach.  There is a large navigational tower that appears to be right on the border between Georgia and Florida in the middle of the sound.  Since we were going into Florida I assumed it was a toll booth.

     We had thought about stopping in Fernandina for a night but the city marina is still undergoing repairs from hurricane damage.  Government work moves slowly and it had been more than a year since the damage and they were still taking bids for the repairs.  So we moved on to Jacksonville Beach.

     We cruised down the Amelia River, crossed Nassau Sound and went into Sawpit creek.  This continued into Sister’s creek and then across the St. Johns River.  Just before crossing the St. John’s River we had to go under a bridge that had a boat ramp beside it.  This being a Saturday in Florida there were hundreds of small fishing boats zipping around all day.  As we approached the bridge there were at least 25 boats congregated around the ramp, some moving and some just sitting blocking the bridge.  Elaine did a great job weaving around the little fishing boats and making it under the bridge. 

   After crossing the St. John’s River we headed into Pablo Creek and just as we were finishing going    under another bridge we got viciously waked by a big go-fast boat that came under the bridge and passed us about 25 feet away from our starboard.  It sent everything on the starboard side of the boat to the port side.  It was totally unnecessary and dangerous.   If you see a forty foot motor yacht named Gypsy Soul, stay out of its way.

     We had one more bridge experience today.  At the Atlantic bridge there was a construction barge parked under the center span for work on the bridge.  This blocked about half the horizontal clearance of the bridge.  We were running against a strong current and the barge made it stronger.  Recently, a post on Trawler forum described this as his most terrifying experience as a boater as the currents threw his bow back and forth while trying to navigate the narrow channel.   As you can see in the video, the current is strong and the boat is moved around quite a bit.  It took almost full power to maintain control and get through.   At one point I increased power because Elaine did not want to take her hands off of the wheel.  I did not tell her about the Trawler forum post until after we through.

     After these bridge experiences it was only a few short miles down to the Palm Cove marina in Jacksonville Beach FL.

     The Palm Cove Marina  http://www.palmcovemarina.com/  was a nice place to spend a couple of days.  We needed to do laundry, pump out, get fuel, and re-provision.  There was a good grocery store about one half mile away.  There was also a McDonald’s where we had a wonderful breakfast before leaving.

     The marina had a captain’s lounge with a tv.  We went to watch the football games on Sunday but there was a man there already and he was watching Ant Man the movie.  Fortunately he left after the movie but by then we had missed the first half of Patriots/Raiders in Mexico city.  

Wahoo River GA to Umbrella River GA

Start time and hours          0830                                 3477.83              MM 630

End time and hours           1545                                 3484.90              MM 687 

     We woke up in the Wahoo river anchorage and it was flat calm and warmer.  We pulled up the anchor and headed out to cross the Sapelo Sound.  It sounds worse than it is.  The sound is wide and deep and easy to cruise.  After crossing the sound we cruised up the Sapelo River and turned off into the Front River. 

     We then crossed the Dobo Sound and into the North River.  From there we continued on into the Little Mud River, Buttermilk Sound, and the Mackay River. 

     All day we were anticipating going through Jekyll Creek.  The Waterway guide warns that this stretch should only be attempted during a mid to high tide.  We would be entering the Creek at about one hour after low tide.  If we bumped we would just wait and get floated off with the rising tide. 

     We crossed over St. Simons sound and timed our entry.  Jekyll Creek is very narrow near low tide.  You can see the mud banks very close to the channel markers.  Our Depth sounder showed no less than four feet and that was only briefly in one small spot. 

     After surviving Jekyll Creek we crossed Jekyll sound and settled into our anchorage in Umbrella Creek.  It was a quiet and secluded spot.   We had a spectacular sunset and delicious chicken parm for dinner. 

this house looks only accessible by boat

Dolphins everywhere, a day doesn't go by when we don't see one

Narrow channel through Jekyll Creek

Very narrow, more narrow than it looks

still narrow channel

yup, you guessed it, narrow

very beautiful sunset in the anchorage

just a little chicken parm to round out the evening

New River SC to Wahoo River GA

Start time and hours                            0715                                       3470.06                MM 570

End time and hours                             1500                                       3477.83                MM 630

     We woke up early for a long leg today.  The New River anchorage was very calm for the night.  We shared it with a catamaran which left at the same time we did.  It has been a little chilly down here in the morning, low 40s.  I get up and start the generator to turn on the heat to take the chill off.  We then have breakfast and get the boat ready to leave.  This takes about 45 minutes, we don’t like to hurry.

     The anchor came up easy and clean and we cruised out of the anchorage and headed down New River to Walls cut and down to the Savannah River.  We crossed the Savannah River and were now in Georgia. 

     Today’s cruise is also very pretty.  We are loving the Low Country with its deep rivers and creeks, marshes, grasses, clumps of trees, and wildlife.  We continue to see lots of dolphins, pelicans, and osprey.

     We continued down the Wilmington River and past Thunderbolt.  There are three good sized boat yards here, one is a Hinckley dealer.  These boatyards had some very big boats in their yards undergoing service.  These are the boats that make big boats look like small boats.

     We followed the Skidway River into the Burnside River and then on into the Vernon River.  This set us up for Hells Gate.  The WaterWay guide warns you in yellow highlighting of how shallow this section can be.  So of course all day long you are thinking about it as get near.  We passed through Hells Gate 90 minutes before low tide and saw nothing less than 7 feet.  Whole lot of nothing for us but I can see where if you are a deep draft boat is would be skinny at dead low tide. 

     After sweating through Hells Gate we entered the Ogoochee River and across St. Catherine’s sound.  The wind and seas were mild and the crossing was smooth.  It is a wide open river inlet and could get nasty in high winds.  The Ogoochee took us to the North Newport River and into our anchorage in the Wahoo River.

     Since crossing into Georgia the ICW has seemed less crowded.  I think most of the sailboats skip Georgia and go outside.  We were only passed by one go-fast boat and we passed nobody all day.

     The entrance to the anchorage is easy.  The water was about 21Ft at high tide and the current was not too bad.  We had lots of swing room and put out about 125 feet.  After anchoring the wind died down and the water became flat calm.  We saw a few dolphin swimming around and lots of birds.   

     The nights in most of these anchorages are very dark.  The stars shine very brightly and you can even see the milky way. 

     Dinner was a tasty beef stew prepared in our electric pressure cooker.

We see a lot of working boats

Great southern architecture

Beautiful beach

It gets shallow outside of the channel

Our anchorage