The St Johns River is a very popular side trip for Waterway cruisers for good reason, especially this time of year. Capn Parky is an experienced cruiser and frequent contributor to Cruisers Net; you can trust his observations. If we can get him to reveal, I will add the name of the best ever marina!
After 10 years cruising the ICW. I finally decided to explore the St Johns River. It’s absolutely delightful.
Many sailors believe it to be full of shallows, nasty turns and poor markers. None of this is true. Channel water depth is 7 ft minimum and often much deeper. There are essential things to do which I would happily tell any boater if they contact me at capnparky2017@outlook.com
I believe I have found the best marina I ever visited. First Class amenities, floating slips. No barnacles (fresh water), spotless showers, Captains Lounge, on site reasonably priced restaurant, super friendly to liveaboards , the ships store even has an ATM machine. Above all – low slip costs. I’ve signed up for a year! 😊
This article is from Passage Maker Channels, November 13, 2018.
Florida Liveaboard Voters Get a Reprieve Thousands of liveaboard cruisers are moving from one Florida address to a different Florida address in order to be able vote in future elections. Largely overlooked during one of the most contentious elections in the country was an asterix-worthy kerfuffle on Florida’s St. Johns River, events which threatened to disenfranchise thousands of boater voters
One of the features of our new website is to allow you to sort articles near your current location, find the nearest fuel, etc. This was added due to feedback from users that they wanted to see a location focused list of information. You can deny the request and the website will work based off an estimated location from your IP address. If you can’t read the article then something may not be working properly. Please let me know if that is your situation and I’ll get it fixed.
Albert J K III Florida Liveaboard Voters Get a Reprieve This article is from Passage Maker Channels, November 13, 2018.
Florida Liveaboard Voters Get a Reprieve Thousands of liveaboard cruisers are moving from one Florida address to a different Florida address in order to be able vote in future elections. Largely overlooked during one of the most contentious elections in the country was an asterix-worthy kerfuffle on Florida’s St. Johns River, events which threatened to disenfranchise thousands of boater voters
Our thanks to Bill Parlatore for permitting Cruisers Net to post articles from his excellent blog, Following Seas. And in case you missed Part 1.
The Cost of Cruising – Part 2 – Known Costs In Part 2, we identify some of the fees, rates, and fixed expenses of cruising. Knowing these up front really helps when creating a budget for extended cruising. The value of the cruising experience is worth every penny, of course, but it’s important to know ahead of time what you’ll need to keep going.
Look out, slow down for Florida’s migrating manatees
Look out and slow down for manatees in November to help them as they begin migrating to warmer waters.
November is Manatee Awareness Month. Florida has more than 6,600 manatees swimming in rivers, bays and coastal waters. These large aquatic mammals can weigh over 1,000 pounds.
As the weather cools, manatees are on the move, searching for warmer waters to survive the winter. Remember: Disturbing manatees at warm-water sites may cause them to leave those areas at a time when it is critical for them to remain there.
“Boaters who look out for migrating manatees and follow posted manatee protection zones contribute to the conservation of this threatened species. They are reducing the chance of manatee injuries and disturbance, while enjoying their time on the water,” said Carol Knox, who leads the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Imperiled Species Management Section.
Seasonal manatee protection zones also go into effect in the fall, depending on the county. The zones are marked by waterway signs, and maps of local manatee protection zones are available online at MyFWC.com/Manatee by clicking on “Data and Maps.”
How can you help manatees?
Wear polarized sunglasses to spot them moving, grazing and resting in the water. Keep a lookout for the circular “footprints” or ripples they leave on the surface of the water. Follow posted manatee zones. Observe manatees from a distance to limit disturbance. Disturbing manatees at their warm-water sites may cause them to leave these areas during the winter. Report injured, entangled, orphaned or dead manatees to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline: 888-404-FWCC (3922), #FWC or *FWC on your cellphone or text Tip@MyFWC.com. Access and share A boater’s guide to living with Florida manatees and Guidelines for successful manatee watching in Florida that focuses on paddlers. Purchase the manatee decal and license plate, and tell everyone how the decal and license plate support the FWC’s manatee conservation efforts. Contribute to the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida’s Marine Mammal Fund by visiting WildlifeFlorida.org and clicking on “Support Us,” “Funding Priorities” and “Marine Mammal Fund.” Florida invests over $2 million annually in manatee conservation, with FWC biologists, managers and law enforcement working with partners to research, rescue and manage Florida manatees.
Looks like a record number of boats rafted up at the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center Docks. Area information is provided at the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR and a NC DOT Rest Area facility, located adjacent to the Dismal Swamp State Park, offering trails, exhibits and ongoing programs in Camden County, NC. See November Programs at Dismal Swamp State Park, AICW Alternate Route.
We are not back to normal numbers, but after being closed for so long, it has been so nice to host boaters again in the Dismal Swamp Canal. This photo was taken by Jeff Byrd for Camden TDA at the end of October. We are enjoying meeting traffic by waterway again and we have talked to a lot of great people! Sigh!
Donna Stewart, Director Dismal Swamp Welcome Center 2356 US Hwy 17N South Mills, NC 27976 Phone – 252-771-8333 www.DismalSwampWelcomeCenter.com
Our thanks to Bill Parlatore for permitting Cruisers Net to post articles from his excellent blog, Following Seas.
The Cost of Cruising – Part 1 – Ongoing Maintenance We start a new series that explores the cost of cruising. No matter what boat you own, there are certain expenses you will incur on an annual basis for maintenance. These are important to keep the boat cruise worthy. But how much should one plan to spend? Bill Parlatore
St. Petersburg Municipal Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is a great liveaboard marina located on the western shore of Tampa Bay in downtown St. Pete. Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina, also A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR and voted Best Small Marina in 2017, overlooks the westerly banks of the Mantanzas Pass channel, west of marker #13. These good words for St. Pete Municipal Marina and Pink Shell Resort Marina are from Dan Sherburn as posted on AGLCA’s Forum.
I second the St Pete Municipal. Great marina and close to downtown. Great stop. I also enjoyed Pink Shell (Ft Myers) and Tarpon Point (resort like marina in Cape Coral). Dan Sherburn
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