Boy, this one is news to me. Fort Caroline overlooks the southern shores of the St. Johns River from a high earthen cliff, upstream of Mayport. I don’t remember any sort of dockage here, but clearly that has changed since I last researched these waters. From Captain Thomason’s description below, sounds like this would be a great stop, assuming you can drop the hook nearby, within dinghying distance.

We don’t have an up-to-date East Coast Florida guide either but the 2000 edition says one cannot dock at Ft. Caroline (and this was the case about 4 years ago when we stopped by). So maybe you already know this but the dock is now open to the public. There are two 28 ft slips on the land side of the dock. The depths are 8 ft or so but the distance from the slips to the rip rap shoreline is not great. A small run-about could dock there but nothing bigger. We anchored just north of the dock in 20 feet of water (just opposite the fort fence) and took the dinghy in to the dock. Like Kingsley Plantation there is a 59 minute docking limit but this is obviously not enforced, especially for a dinghy. There are nice exhibits in the visitor’s center and there is a Park Service constructed fort to give one an idea of what the fort looked like. It is not on the site of the original fort (which is unknown). The memorial column is not walking distance away, according to a ranger. This makes a nice stop coming up the St. John River.
Jean Thomason (DOVEKIE)

The praise keeps rolling in for this fine facility, located on the Ortega River, just upstream from downtown Jacksonville.

If you are considering staying a night or a few months in the JAX area this winter, I strongly suggest you consider Ortega Landings. Great staff, super friendly and helpful. Friendly live aboards. Very aafe and secure. Great boater’s lounge. Dockside pump out. Floating concrete docks. Pool. Free washers/dryers. Very clean and bright restrooms/shower facilities. Nice mall within 2 residential blocks of the marina with Publix, CVS, two marine stores, department stores, several fast food/coffee shop/casual dining places, two banks. Nice park near by for evening walks. I think this place would make a great ‘˜destination’ marina for snow birds who are looking for some place more laid back than the south Florida scene.
Rick Parish

Ortega Landing is a great marina anyway you want to judge it. The staff is very helpful and very professional. The facilities are new and beautifully organized. The pricing is very competitive. Walking distance to good resturants, grocery stores, UPS Store and a West Marine. We are extending our stay and plan to make this an annual stop. I would recommend this facility to anyone.
Marsha and Bob
M/V `Threadbare’

Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For the Marina at Ortega Landing

The series of messages below are yet another example of how things don’t stay the same in the cruising guide business.
Boat Tree Marina guards the St. Johns River, a very short hop north of this stream’s entry into Lake Monroe. The last time I researched this facility, the transient dock had 30 amp power connections. Then, today, I received the message below.

Boat Tree Marina: has 50 amp and pumpout at most slips. The othe `T’ and slips have 30 amp.
Frank Hartle

So, I e-mailed Captain Hartle, and allowed as to how my information was at variance. He sent along the very informative reply below:

Claiborne, in February 2006 the Admiral and I moved our 47′ Atlantic from Florida’s west coast to the St Johns River and Boat Tree Marina. They put us on a 40′ “T” dock at the end of “F” dock which is located on the river. That was their transient dock and had 30/50 amp with pump out at dock. We resided their until December of that year because they were full at the time. Have since moved to the beautiful and remote Sanford Boat Works and Marina that I have wrote to you about. That transient dock is still unoccupied as is over half of the slips in the marina.
Regards,
Frank

So, clearly Captian Frank’s information is more up to date than my own!

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For Boat Tree Marina

Colee Cove Anchorage is located on the eastern shores of the St. Johns River, a short distance upstream of Green Cove Springs, and the Shands Bridge.

WARNING – Many of the piling shown it the bottom (EAST) of Collee cove are still there and SOLID!!!
N29 56.392 W81 34.463
Rex & Jimmie

Click Here To View the Eastern Florida – St. Johns River Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Colee Cove

The Colee Cove – Pacetti Point Anchorage is located on eastern banks of the St. Johns River, south of Green Cove Springs. Look out for the piling discussed below by Captains Rex and Jimmie!

The submerged piling shown on chart is still there and SOLID.
N29 56.569 W81 35.079
ALSO’”- The row of pilings shown in bottom of cove (east) many are still there and solid!!
Rex & Jimmie

Click Here To View the Eastern Florida – St. Johns River Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Colee Cove – Pacettia Point Anchorage

Ortega River Marina is the first facility you will encounter as you enter Ortega River from the St. Johns River, just upstream from downtown Jacksonville.

You really need to check out this marina if you are in the area!!! Facilities are as good as you can find in N. E. Florida.. Staff is great! and location is a good `bad weather hideout’, and you can walk to stores, banks and restaurants. Ortegaa Landing is right in the middle of Jacksonville’s boating community here. This weekend sounds like a blast.
A FIRST CLASS MARINA !
Rex & Jimmie,
M/V `MY HARLEY’

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For The Marina at Ortega Landing

Lambs Yacht Center is one of the fine facilities located on the Ortega River, just upstream on the St. Johns River from the downtown Jacksonville waterfront. These good people are Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net sponsors.
More on this facility at: /6-lambs-yacht-center

Lambs is a first class facility. They have some of the best mechanics and repair facilities available in this area. Very protected location on the the Ortega River. This place gets my highest recommendation.
Bill Batelco

We are now at Lamb’s Marina on the Ortega River. The marina is probably not the ritziest facility for transients (no laundry and the showers are a long walk from the dock and not climate controlled)) but there is extensive shopping at the mall nearby and the staff at Lamb’s knock themselves out to be helpful. (The Chief Administrative Officer is going to drive us to the airport and someone will drive me to a laundromat and get me back.) There is an extensive repair facility which we are making use of. The slip fee for monthly stay on the uncovered dock is $8.50 per foot plus $36 electric. This is most reasonable for Florida. The covered dock is more and has metered electric. There is a security person who checks the docks at night.
Jean Thomason (DOVEKIE)

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For Lambs Yacht Center