One of the better things about living in Jacksonville is our ability to enjoy the St. Johns River.
Regretfully not all of us have the opportunity to go on the river and enjoy the experience. Many have to just enjoy seeing it from shore or while driving over the water on one of the many bridges that cross the river.
I used to ask children who happened to be on a river cruise with a class or field trip if they had ever been on a boat in the river and, somewhat expectantly, many would say that this was the first time. Early in my career, I was surprised at the number of adults, both young and old, who had never been on the river either. After a while, I came to expect that to many adults, a river cruise would be a new experience.
Recently, a group of friends invited my wife and I to join them on a river trip to move a somewhat older classic sailboat from Jacksonville to Palatka. It would not be a high-speed power boat zipping along, but a slow crawl as we journeyed south.
In fact, it would be a two-day adventure going first from Jacksonville to Green Cove Springs and then to Palaka the next day. A very pleasant pace, with lots of time to enjoy the river. We were able to join them for the second day for what we thought would be about a four-hour trip. The boat did have twin diesel engines, so we did not have to depend on the wind to sail down the river.
Now with anything involving boats, you can always expect the unexpected, so plan on it. As we arrived on the second morning of the trip, everyone gathered in the galley, or ship’s kitchen, to meet and greet, anxious to get underway. However, the boat’s mast was too tall to go under the 45-foot clearance of the Shands Bridge, which is just south of Green Cove Springs. So, our first task was to lower the mast.
Lowering a mast can be somewhat complicated, involving many ropes, pulleys, winches and people working together. It can be accomplished with not too much drama and raised voices when the crew is experienced and familiar with lowering a mast on a particular ship. Regretfully that was not the case on this particular morning.
Nevertheless, and giving much credit to the captain, we did manage to lower the mast by being incredibly careful and moving it ever so slowly into its cradle. Misson accomplished. We did hold our collective breath as we passed under the bridge without incident. I could see the headlines if we had struck the bridge, which is something that happens too often.
Cruising the river can be a beautiful experience and I encourage everyone to take advantage of the opportunity if they get a chance. And this Memorial Day was no exception. It was a bright sunny day that was a little warm when we were traveling about the same speed and direction as the wind. Power boats flew past us as everyone waved to each other. That is a boating tradition I both appreciate and participate in when on the water.
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We passed Bayard Point, near marker 24, where over 50 boats had gathered for the day. This is the same place boats go for what is a local tradition called “Boater’s Skip Day.” This is an annual event, unofficial and very casual, that occurs periodically in Northeast Florida. Rumor has it happening next on June 6. But the boats were there this Memorial Day too.
We waved as we passed the homes of family and friends who are fortunate and smart enough to live on the river. And we were able to see the beautiful wetlands along the river and even saw some research efforts underway by the St. Johns Riverkeeper and others to help restore the submerged aquatic vegetation that was largely wiped out by Hurricane Irma. More on that in a later column.
And, of course, there was the expected unexpected with one engine going down about halfway into our journey to slow our speed even more. Then came the cooling thunderstorms that sent us back inside the galley to wait out the rain. Plus, there was the stiff breeze that came up as we neared Palaka that helped the captain skillfully dock the boat as the sun set, after what turned out to be a nine-hour cruise.
What a wonderful way to enjoy our beautiful St Johns River, no problem that it took twice as long as expected.
Glad you asked River Life
Over your career, what has been your favorite place to visit and explore?
As a marine biologist, I have been fortunate to travel and explore the world … mostly the 71% that is covered by water, or sometimes the nearby coastal areas. The Galapagos Islands are maybe my favorite place, but I have to quickly add that anyplace new is always exciting. The United States has some amazing national parks, including those near Jacksonville. So, get out and explore our own backyard.
River Life runs the first Tuesday of each month in The Times-Union. Email Quinton White, professor emeritus and former executive director of Jacksonville University’s Marine Science Research Institute, with questions about our waterways at qwhite@ju.edu. For more on the MSRI, visit ju.edu/msri.
(This story was updated to add a video and make a minor adjustment.)
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: St. Johns River cruise: A tale of a fateful trip, setting sail that day for a 9-hour tour
Reporting by Quinton White, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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