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Please Note That Postings Below From Fellow Cruisers Are Listed in Chronological Order, Based on Publication Date
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Click here for Historic ‘Nao’ Replica Loses Power, Pushed Against Bridge of Lions
Click Here To View the Cruisers Net Eastern Florida Bridge Directory Listing For Bridge of Lions
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Bridge of Lions
Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is located just off the Waterway’s western shoreline, south of unlighted daybeacon #7 and north of the Vilano Beach Bridge.
It was a historic weekend at the 2023 Old School Kingfish Shootout! Several records were broken, including boat entries at 654! First place angler William Crabtree aboard the Yellowfin 39 Offshore “Time Machine” also weighed a new tournament record 46.83-lb. kingfish! Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to all involved! #LiveDeeper
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor
With a closed vertical clearance of 18ft, the Bridge of Lions Bridge crosses the Waterway connecting the heart of downtown St. Augustine. See Blessing of the Fleet.
FLORIDA – ATLANTIC INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY – TOLOMATO RIVER TO PALM SHORES – ST AUGUSTINE – BRIDGE OF LIONS: Bridge Closure.
The Bridge of Lions across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, St Augustine, Florida will be closed to navigation Sunday April 10, 2022 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. to accommodate the Saint Augustine Blessing of the Fleet.
Vessels that may pass through the bridge without an opening may do so at any time. For Coast Guard waterways related concerns call ore-mail USCG Sector Jacksonville Waterways Division at (904) 714-7631 or via email at D07-DG-SECJAX-WATERWAYS@uscg.mil
Click Here To View the Cruisers Net Eastern Florida Bridge Directory Listing For Bridge of Lions
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Bridge of Lions
AREA SPONSORING MARINA
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor
After Tropical Storm Eta swept across northern Florida earlier this month, a beachgoer made a discovery while walking on the shore in St. Augustine.
Beach erosion from Tropical Storm Eta unearths remnants of 1800s shipwreck
WXII The Triad
Multiple buoys missing in St Augustine Inlet
St Augustine Inlet Buoy 2
St Augustine Inlet Buoy 3
St Augustine Inlet Buoy 4
St Augustine Inlet Lighted Buoy 5
St Augustine Inlet Lighted Buoy 6
St Augustine Inlet Lighted Buoy 7
St Augustine Inlet Buoy 10 Chart 11488 LNM 39/20
Our thanks to Michele Bennett of St Augustine Cruisers Net for this Facebook posting.
The potcake dog is a mixed-breed dog type found on several Caribbean islands. Its name comes from the congealed peas and rice mixture that local residents traditionally eat, as the overcooked rice that cakes to the bottom of the pot would be fed to the dogs. A worthy cause! Donate, or better yet…adopt!
Click here for Pennies for Potcakes
Donate at Nassau Humane Society
See also St Augustine Cruisers Net Facebook Page
Among our readers there must be several who are experienced in cruising the AICW in a vessel this size. If so, please let us hear from you. Maybe Chief Officer Perks will take you along as Pilot!
Good morning,
I am currently trying to find any information I can about cruising in Northern Florida. We are a 151ft vessel with a 8ft draft. We would like to cruise the Jacksonville, St Augustine and Cape Canaveral areas. Is there anyone you recommend for me to talk with about the ICW routes and Marinas that could accommodate us?
Thanks in advance,
Andrew Perks
Chief Officer – Motor Yacht Time for Us
Hope you have good anchors. Just plan on staying near the inlets, any venture up or down the ICW from Jax or St Aug would be most difficult with your draft. Plenty of dockage for you in downtown Jax on the St Johns, but watch the currents since it rips thru downtown on the outgoing tide. Call ahead in St Aug for assistance with the inlet as it shoals as fast as they move the buoys. Port Canaveral is your best shot, no current, extremely safe inlet and once into the Indian River you will have deep ICW north and south for at least 20 miles, but no marinas outside Port Canaveral that will accommodate your size (both length and mass) pushing on their docks.
With an 8 foot draft , parts of the ICW can only be safely run at high tide. After leaving Haulover as you arrive at Daytona, do not take any of the side channels. Just before Matanzas, make sure you hug the GREEN side of the channel. Recommend taking bridge of lions at the start of an incoming tide. You will be pushed to the west side of the bridge during transit.
I’ve pushed 200’ barges on the route with a 7 foot draft so it’s doable with care
Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, continues to receive words of praise for its facility and staff. Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor is located just off the Waterway’s western shoreline, south of unlighted daybeacon #7 and north of the Vilano Beach Bridge.
A failing battery brought me back to Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor on our cruise south. The staff at the Yacht Yard were helpful, friendly, and prompt. Technician quickly diagnosed the problem, rounded up four new 8D batteries, and replaced my old ones within a few hours. For anyone needing help in north Florida, Camachee Yacht Yard is a great resource.
David Grimes
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor
We really enjoyed our time at Camachee Cove last time we passed through St. Augustine and will be back! Plenty of pictures and hopefully some helpful info on the approach to the marina can be found here: https://myoloh.com/southbound-17-travel-day-25-amelia-island-fl-to-st-augustine-fl/
St Augustine inlet is always subject to channel shifting and almost continual dredging is SOP. These reports from various contributors are from Bob423 Facebook page.
How is the St. Augustine inlet these days? We heard from someone who said they were advised not to use it. We are preparing to head that way. It was fine when we left there in the Spring. Just the ever-present dredge. Lots of weather since then, though.
Rich Reavis
The inlet is fantastic. Stay in between the buoys , you’re golden
John Cunningham
We came in Wednesday night. No problems other than the usual unlit buoys.
Sherry Matas
There is no dredge there now is there? It was a fixture over last winter. Definitely shooting for daytime entry.
Rich Reavis
It’s fine. Just stay within the Buoys. At least 23’ depth in the middle.
Kelli Koleilat Meacham
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of St. Augustine Inlet
Call SeaTow or BOATUS and ask for current conditions before entering.
Please join these fine folks and many of your fellow cruisers in celebrating a day of giving thanks in St. Augustine, home to two CRUISERS’ NET SPONSORS: Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor and Port of Call. Municipal Marina is just south of the Bridge of Lions a few steps from downtown.
The turkeys are coming! The turkeys are coming!
6th Annual Thanksgiving Potluck
Lisa Wilson Tarlecky
Annual First Coast Nautical Flea Market
HOSTED BY SAILORS EXCHANGE, INC
DATES: NOVEMBER 3 & 4, 2018
TIMES: SATURDAY 8 AM – 4PM SUNDAY 9AM – 3PM
LOCATION: 7 ½ SAN BARTOLA DRIVE, ST AUGUSTINE, FL 32086
**$20 SELLERS 10X10 SPACE**
RESERVE YOURS NOW SPACE IS LIMTED
CALL JOHN @ 904-808-0667 M-F: 9AM-5PM Sat: 9AM-2PM
SUBMITTED BY:
LINDA ALLEN
SAILORS EXCHANGE, INC
222 West King St
St Augustine, FL 32084
904-827-9135
EMAIL: sailorsexchange.inc@gmail.com
Cruisers’ Net is always glad to hear from experienced cruiser David Burnham, a true Cruiser Helping Cruisers and we look forward to the next log page of his current cruise. Be assured that David’s observations and advice can be trusted and passed along to your cruising colleagues. See Closures Ahead for the latest LNM on the FEC RR bridge in Jacksonville.
I took a sailboat from Palatka, Florida (on the St. Johns River) around through Jacksonville and down to Saint Augustine today. Apart from the FEC railroad bridge problems in downtown Jacksonville, I have a few other items that may interest cruisers.
In Green Cove Springs, Florida, the public dock has reopened and there is electricity available. However, the telephone contact number at the city office is no longer posted at the dock. I tied up our sailboat overnight and left again in the morning without any contact from the city.
At the downtown “Jacksonville Landing”, only the downtown shuttle ferry is making a landing as the signs that the “dock is under repair and no docking is permitted” are still in place and there is no sign of any work in progress.
This will make it a bit difficult for cruisers who arrive to find that the FEC railroad bridge is closed until the 18th of March.
Heading south from Jacksonville on the AICW, green floating marker #7 is found just after turning south into the AICW from the St Johns River. However, it seems to have floated out of position as it was sighted a little outside, and on the wrong side, of the channel and to the southeast of red markers #6 and #8. Southbound Cruisers should not try to leave green #7 to port until it is returned to its proper position on the northeast side of the channel. Northbound cruisers should be able to see that green #7 is not on the correct side of the channel as they approach the St. Johns River crossing.
Further south on the AICW near the St. Augustine Airport, green marker #41 is normally a lighted mark, but it was not lit after dark when I passed it today.
David Burnham
See also EF Local Notices to Mariners for other navigation issues
This should be included in one of your frequent briefings.
There is no diesel fuel available south of Doctor’s Lake Marina on the St. John’s River, including at Monroe Bay Marina in Sanford. Waterway Guide’s 2018 Southern edition shows it available at several places.
Trout Creek Marina near Palatka is accessible if you can get under a 17 foot fixed bridge. This is the listed height on the NOAA chart, however some resources say the clearance is 14 feet. This marina told us their credit card machine was not working and they would only accept cash.
We did not check with Mandarin Holiday Marina, but it is just across the river from Doctor’s Lake.
Georgetown Marina, at the north end of Lake George, told us their diesel system was destroyed by the hurricane. Not sure which one, but no indication it would change.
St. John’s Marina South, north of Hontoon Island, told us their diesel pump was not working, with no indication it was going to be fixed anytime soon.
Sanford Boat Works, which is south of Sanford, nay have it available, but there was no answer when trying to contact them on a Saturday. Access to this facility is questionable for deeper draft cruising boats, according to several we talked to.
Anyone cruising the St. John’s should know this, and be sure to fill at Doctor’s Lake Marina, before heading farther south.
Norman Mason
Peggy Sue, Monk 36
California, MD
The City Marina has re-opened after being severely damaged by Hurricane Irma and is accepting transients. The marina has no fuel at this point, but the marina is staffed 24/7, has ice and the dinghy dock is open. Call ahead, 904-825-1026 to request services or make a reservation.
St. Augustine Municipal Marina losing half of its revenue
CLICK HERE FOR THIS VIDEO REPORT by Jessica Clark of WTLV
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of St. Augustine City Marina
The Marker R60 to which Jim refers is just west of the St. Augustine Inlet proper. Our continued thanks to Peg and Jim Healy for sharing their observations and advice. The Healys are dating themselves and showing their sense of humor with the reference to Will Robinson.
ALERT, Will Robinson! ALERT!
At St. Augustine – Experienced cruisers know that southbound approaching St. Augustine, the ICW hugs the barrier island to the east, and takes a hard STBD at floating R”60.” Well folks, EITHER R’60” has been relocated and I missed the announcement OR R”60″ is way off station. In any case, R”60″ is not where it’s always been. I don’t know if the shoal that it formerly guarded is there or not. People laugh at me for the detail of my routes. But today, I was very glad my boat knew where it was supposed to turn. R”60″ is MISSING IN ACTION.
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary, currently at Rock Creek, Pasadena, MD
http://gilwellbear.wordpress.com
Monk 36 Hull #132
MMSI #367042570
AGLCA #3767
MTOA #3436
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of St. Augustine Inlet
Passed here 11-3-17. Agree with report. Was giving instructions to a first time cruiser on how to pass through here and when we got there it was not how we described it. Red face. Sigh.
Improbability
According to their answering recording, the City Marina has re-opened after being severely damaged by Hurricane Irma and is accepting transients. The marina has no fuel at this point, but the marina is staffed 24/7, has ice and the dinghy dock is open. Call ahead, 904-825-1026 to request services or make a reservation.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of St. Augustine City Marina
A call by city officials and the local populace to further restrict the opening schedule at the Bridge of Lions has been under consideration by the USCG for most of this year. This decision not to restrict the opening schedule is good news for boaters. See Schedule Controversy from April of this year.
USCG denied city’s request to adjust Bridge of Lions openings
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Bridge Directory Listing For Bridge of Lions
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Bridge of Lions
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