St Simmons Island, GA

Day 66: Monday, March 25, 2019

Amelia Island GA to St Simmons, GA 

44 miles   …   5 hours traveled

Leaving Amelia Island Marina 

Chinese fire drill as the gas cooktop wouldn't light. Rip solved the problem temporarily so we could have breakfast and get under way. He will work on it later. Probably a bad solenoid.

Sad sight at the marina. Looks like a center console sunk over night. Didn't get a pic as we did not see it until we were leaving.

Lots of tide here. Looks very shallow as we leave the marina this morning. Many Loopers don't dare come into this marina as they can only come and go on a high or rising tide. Timing isn't always when you want, or can, travel. Another positive about being on the Rossi, we can leave here on our own schedule and at low tide, if needed.

Look at the difference from yesterday 

We passed Fernandina Beach. A popular stop for Loopers until a hurricane took out their docks. Heard it was under construction, but I didn't see signs of work 

Cool research vessel 

We leave Florida today and enter into Georgia. We passed Cumberland Island, a National Park and home to a herd of wild horses. 

I would love to stop and see the wild horses but also want to move on to our marina for tonight and see Looper friends Vic and Bette. Maybe this summer I will go see the wild horses at Corolla in NC, instead.

Passed 3 inlets (boat access from the ICW to the ocean) where the sea conditions can get quite confused.  The weather and current cooperated and we had a relativity easy passage through all 3. 

The first was easy. The second, notorious St Andrew's Sound, required Rip's full attention. All was fine. In the photo below, that is the Atlantic Ocean in the distance.

Once settled in the marina we connected with Looper friends, Vic & Bette. Plans were quickly hatched for a tour of the island then a stop at their favorite BBQ joint. This is quite a beautiful place. My tour and guides were amazing!! No wonder they love this island, their winter home, so much. We first met Vic & Better in Little Current, Ontario, Canada in 2017. 

Vic, Bette and Red Dog!!

Pics from the island tour....

Then dinner from Southern Soul with Vic, Better and Red Dog,  at a covered Pavillion by the dock.

This is a popular place. Food was very good.

Red Dog was a great companion ... on the tour and at dinner!

All in all a great day - Easy cruising, island tour and BBQ!!

Leaving Jax for Amelia Island, FL...Our Last Stop in Florida

Day 65: Sunday, March 24, 2019

Jacksonville FL to Amelia Island FL

42 miles   …   6 hours traveled

Leaving our slip at Ortega Landing Marina

It was a beautiful day for traveling. But, a sad day, too. It was fun seeing all our Looper buddies along the St Johns River and seeing Sherry so often. - making leaving Florida hard. Then again, I am starting to look forward to finishing the Loop and being home, again.

Passed Jacksonville Panthers stadium and marina, Lots of traffic - Dredges, Commercial boats and little fishing boats along the way

Turn into Sisters Creek. Beautiful 

Lots of fishing boats out on a pretty Sunday.

Getting into Amelia Island Marina was less than ideal. The marina personel, based in the office, couldn't tell us how to get to our slip. i.e. Which dock, since E dock is not marked like A, B & C? Which side of the dock? Which slip since E8 isn't numbered. The dock hands were busy helping another Looper into their slip. They were having engine issues. Later found out the boat was told incorrectly where and how to dock. Thus extending the time needed. Gees. A few days later heard more similar stories from two others. It would be so simple for the marina to be top notch, but lack of communication is killing them. Many won't go back. 

This was Dona Pacem giving us a slow pass earlier today

Entrance to the marina is right after the bridge on the Starboard side.

Our view today



Our neighbors today

Facilities are nice enough and there is just enough grass for Cally to do her business and stretch her legs, but this isn't a place to stay for more than one night. They do have a courtesy car so ice cream was found!

The Loopers, Jim & Jackie Picone, on the boat, Dona Pacem, with the engine issue popped over to say hi. We have since connected on FB and enjoy seeing thier progress along the waterway. 

A very pretty night 

Back to Ortega Landing Marina in Jacksonville, FL

Day 62, 63 & 64; Thurs-Sat, March 21-23, 2019

Palatka, FL to Jacksonville FL 

55 miles   …   6.5 hours hours traveled

Beautiful morning with calm winds. Since we were on the end of the dock, the sunrise wasn't blocked out by bigger boats this morning!! Nice restful night. Under way early and with the current.

Sort-of a boring day; and that isn't a bad thing, exactly. Passing sights we have seen. Then the wind picked up more than any weather/wind app predicted. Got a little sporty for a bit. We did stop for fuel along the way.

We passed Jax Naval Air Base. Two planes were practicing touch and goes. Freedom in action.

As Rip often says, it's boring until it isn't then you don't want to be there. Usually he is taking about cruising in the ocean. Such was docking today. The wind was up but felt slack in the fairway as we approached the slip. Felt like the condo building and larger boats were blocking the wind. Until we turned into  the slip and the wind funneled from the open slip in front of ours. 

Dock hand and a neighbor, Looper Jamie, were there to help. Problem was the dock hand wrapped the line I tossed her to the wrong cleat and I didn't catch what she had done. That gave us no place to take a Stern line so the wind started blowing us off the dock in a twisting motion and towards the boat next to us, Jamies'. Everybody took a deep breath and Rip gave a couple quick instructions and we were safely tied up. For a little boat she such can be blown around a lot.

Back to Oretga Landing Marina for three nights...

View from the upstairs balcony of the marina office building. Where Sherry and I hung out and chatted the day away.

View of the Marina from our boat, back in the same slip as before!

We arrived Thursday afternoon. Rip rinsed the salt off the boat and I made dinner. It was an early night for us both. Friday morning was laundry time, then a bike ride over to Publix for some prescription refills and pick up lunch for us both.

After dropping David off at the airport, Sherry stopped by to hang out for a couple hours. Rip and Cally took naps while Sherry and I relaxed at the clubhouse. 

More chores on Saturday morning. After lunch Sherry came back over to take me on a provisioning run, probably our last one the Loop, to Publix. Afterwards we hung out at the clubhouse balcony over looking the Ortega River.

It was quite a treat to spend time with Sherry again, just like the old days when we were in college. We tried to Facetime another college roommate, Mary, who lives in Colorado. I was surprised I had the right mobile number for her as it is probably 20-25 years old. But no answer. Dang, that would have been funny. Sherry was able to Facetime with her husband and daughter who just arrived in Chile for a hiking vacation. Nice to see they arrived safe and we're looking good after a long time traveling.

Tomorrow we are off, northward bound to finish our Great Loop. Amelia Island GA is our planned stop for Sunday night.

Leaving Welaka, FL for Palatka, FL

Day 61: March 20, 2019

Welaka, FL to Palatka, FL 

26 miles   …   3 1/2 hours

Easy slow morning as we don't have far to go today. Good byes to Jim & Kim and Last pets for Cally. 

Wind is up but the sun is out. We will be in protected waters today so the wind should not bother us too much 

We can hear the wind howling but travel is good. Very glad we crossed Lake George yesterday. Probably very ugly there today.

Passsed a lot of wooden boats heading south. Most be some kind of festival or show somewhere they are all heading to today. Each was immaculate and pristine looking. Fun to watch go past.

The north bound trend continues...railroad bridges down and waiting for a train to cross before it opens. This wait wasn't very long.

We beat the marina owner to the dock. We were all tied up and plugged into shore power when he arrived. Really nice guy named Skip. Skip and Marlene own and run this small 43 slip marina in Plataka, FL.  

They are in process of getting permits for a major remodel, adding a transient floating dock and fuel. 

Current building...

Architects rendering of proposed renovation...WOW!!

Sights around the marina and town....

Lab Partners at the end

Rip and I had dinner on the dock at a picnic table

Then, friends towing a fifth wheel texted they were coming thru Palatka. They waved as they crossed the bridge and we saw them going over. Our houses are about 3 miles apart in NC, we are 613 miles away from home and they will be only 10 miles away by water tonight.

Then Laurie, Mike & Laurie from Astor, just texted... They were crossing the bridge on their way home and saw us, too!

It's a small world.

North on the St John’s–Time to Head Towards Home

Day 60

Tuesday March 19, 2019: Sanford FL to Welaka, FL

61 miles. ...   7 hours

Drizzling rain started before. Cally told us she wanted to go ashore for potty time. Considering she hates to walk in the rain, I assumed this meant better now than later. So off to shore we went and prepped for departure once back to the boat.

This little fellow hung out on the pier half the day yesterday. I was happy when he left.

I liked the town of Sanford a lot. I didn't like the marina. The shower facilities were the worst in these past 60 days. Second worst I can remember on the entire Loop. Chicago still ranks as worst.

We did not go far before being stopped for 20+ mins by a closed railroad bridge with only 7' clearance. 

Light rain to sporadic drizzle followed us north. Passed very few boats. This boat was odd.

We did see one crew team out practicing.

As we traveled we watched the changing forecast hourly. We have plan A Plan B and Plan C. 

As we neared Astor (our original plan when we left this am), weather information indicated we could cross Lake George and get to Fruitland before the winds picked up. This would mean passing Mike & Laurie in Astor without stopping. Plus, the winds today looked a lot better than tomorrow morning to cross Lake George also. We moved on to see how the lake was and confirmed we should go for it. 

It was sporty but the boat and Rip handled all very well. Rip says the winds picked up 5 knots as we crossed and probably reached 17 before we crossed the lake. 

Lake George is shallow so winds can create high waves quickly. Glad that is now behind us. We will miss seeing Laurie and Mike at Astor, but relax at Jim & Kim's for the night before pushing on North tomorrow.

Cally loves all the attention she gets; whether with known buddies, like here with Jim, or new folk at a marina.