Daytona to Jacksonville

We took off from Halifax Harbor Marina and went north on the ICW. We spent the night at one of our favorite marinas—Marineland. Small, sheltered, friendly, large dog walk area, and across the street from the beach. The kids were able to get some energy out playing in the water and sand.

 

 

The saloon table was transformed to a lego building surface for the kids to play in the evening or while underway to get away from the sun.

We got up bright and early the next morning to go all the way from Marineland to Jacksonville.  Originally the plan was to stop in St. Augustine, but we decided we would rather have the extra time in Cumberland, so planned to just push through a long day.

Here’s to a gorgeous sunrise. My favorite way to spend the morning is sitting up on the trampoline drinking coffee. This early in the morning the water is quiet, there is wildlife everywhere, and Max was with me to share this moment and not miss a thing.  We saw dolphin, manatees, heron, otters,  and for the first time in our journeys we saw multiple flocks of flamingos.  Did you know you can also call it a flamboyance of flamingos? I love it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once again going through St Augustine we got to pass through the Bridge of Lions and see the Castillo de San Marcos.

We arrived that night at the Palm Cove Marina in Jacksonville.  We chose this marina because it was right off the ICW and had a swimming pool for everyone to cool off.  When we arrived we radioed ahead and we were told to pull in just past the fuel dock starboard to and someone would meet us on the dock.  Remember, “starboard to” means that when facing forward the right side of our boat will be the one touching the dock.  We arrived and he stopped us as soon as we approached the end of the dock.  There was room for multiple boats along this finger dock and we were the only boat on that side.  As per usual Kim was driving, I was handling the lines with the kids. I should have been forewarned when the first thing he said was, “Wow you sure are wide, I’m not sure how we are going to get boats around you”.  Of course when we call to make the reservation we always say our length and width.  We are a catamaran=wide boat after all.

He then asked, “Where is your power cord hook up?”

“On the port side right behind the helm”, I answered.

He tied off our lines.  “Hand me your power cord and I’ll hook you up.”

“The power cord won’t reach.  There isn’t a power box in this spot and it is a 100 foot cord,” I told him.

“Who’s the captain of this boat? You or her?”  He motioned to Kim at the helm.  “I need to be dealing with the captain of the boat.”

” She is, but I certainly know where the power cord hookup is.  So can we pull ahead to another other spot closer to the power box?”

We pulled up on the dock closer to the powerbox.  As the man walked away Ben ran up and asked him where the bathroom was and if it needed a code.  He told Ben that once we signed in we would get the code.  Ben glumly returned to the boat.

AARGH!  Kim saw my red face, the steam coming from my ears as my head revolved.  I was hot, frustrated, just wanted to get settled.  She didn’t know what happened but knew that look on my face and she offered to get us situated on the dock if I wanted to go check us in (usually the nicer, cooler job).   Fortunately the boater on the other side of the dock came over to help us with our lines because this guy didn’t have a clue and we had to pull up even more to be able to reach the power box.   Then the kids and I then went to the office to register, it was a little outdoor shack near the fuel pumps.  No one there.  We stood outside in the hot sun ringing the bell, waiting where the sign said to wait.  No one coming.  We then walked up to the big indoor storage and boat washing facility, to the office there and a very nice lady was very apologetic and said to go back to the shack and she would send someone to us.  So we walked all the way back to the shack, waited some more.  Kids were hot, sweaty, tired, wanted to get something to drink and swim in the pool.  I called the front office, “Is someone coming?”

“What? No one’s there yet?  Maybe they got involved in something else. I’ll send someone down right away.”

After what felt like forever in the sweltering sun someone finally came down and we paid for our slip (and got the bathroom code).    Unfortunately by the time we were settled, packed for the pool, in swimsuits and sunscreen, it started thundering, so the kids couldn’t swim right away.  They set up shop in the boater’s lounge (in air conditioning and with cold drinks and snacks) and waited out the storm.

Finally the weather cleared and they got to swim in the pool.

Max and Aislin spent the rest of the evening fishing for catfish with bread balls. All the catfish in that marina will now have sore mouths to remember us by.

A perfect ending for a gorgeous, sweltering, fun, frustrating, wonderful day on a boat.