Entering Cape Canaveral Inlet with submarine exiting, warship entering and the launching pad at NASA for the space shuttle. Tuesday, 2 Jun, we head inland to the ICW at Cape Canaveral Inlet due to catching the Gulf Stream offshore and flying for a good part of yesterday and last night. Neither of us sighted another boat all night. Rather impressive seeing the NASA launch pad and shuttle hanger as we entered the inlet. In addition, a Navy submarine was exiting the inlet as we approached and a naval warship went in ahead of us.
We locked through a small lock at the Port of Canaveral with a manatee. Bobby almost used it as a fender as we came in to tie-up. After dropping a whole 6 inches, the gates opened, and there is the manatee heading into the Banana River ahead of us. Not only did Bobby finally see his first real manatee after 7 months of being in manatee territory (no dear they are not a Floridian myth), we locked through with one.
Back onto the ICW (in this area it is the Indian River - big citrus growing area) and up to Titusville to overnight with porpoise and manatee sightings along the way.
Continuing up the ICW northbound on Wednesday, we pass New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach, and Flagler Beach on the Matanzas River. Our secluded anchorage for the night is at the north end of Flagler Beach up an old cement plant canal where a Sea Ray Boat Builder plant resides. The next day we pass Palm Coast and St. Augustine (oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the U.S., with a 1670's Spanish fort, Castillo San Marcos), and continue on to the St. John's River. Just off the river, across from Blount Island, we anchor off Little Marsh Island. Across the St. John's River, we see Fort Caroline, a French Huguenot fort from 1564 built to challange the Catholic Spanish to the south at St. Augustine. Shortly after establishing the fort, the French sail to attach St. Augustine, but a storm wrecks the fleet. The 500 survivors try to return overland to Fort Caroline, a fight ensues at Fort Matanzas (south of St. Augustine), and the Spanish kill the 334 who surrender. In Sep, 1565, the Spanish attack the 240 French remaining at Fort Caroline, as usual the French don't do well. Forty escapees flee to France and return with others 4 years later and destroy the now Spanish fort. So, there. And neither ended up with Florida.
We locked through a small lock at the Port of Canaveral with a manatee. Bobby almost used it as a fender as we came in to tie-up. After dropping a whole 6 inches, the gates opened, and there is the manatee heading into the Banana River ahead of us. Not only did Bobby finally see his first real manatee after 7 months of being in manatee territory (no dear they are not a Floridian myth), we locked through with one.
Back onto the ICW (in this area it is the Indian River - big citrus growing area) and up to Titusville to overnight with porpoise and manatee sightings along the way.
Continuing up the ICW northbound on Wednesday, we pass New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach, and Flagler Beach on the Matanzas River. Our secluded anchorage for the night is at the north end of Flagler Beach up an old cement plant canal where a Sea Ray Boat Builder plant resides. The next day we pass Palm Coast and St. Augustine (oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the U.S., with a 1670's Spanish fort, Castillo San Marcos), and continue on to the St. John's River. Just off the river, across from Blount Island, we anchor off Little Marsh Island. Across the St. John's River, we see Fort Caroline, a French Huguenot fort from 1564 built to challange the Catholic Spanish to the south at St. Augustine. Shortly after establishing the fort, the French sail to attach St. Augustine, but a storm wrecks the fleet. The 500 survivors try to return overland to Fort Caroline, a fight ensues at Fort Matanzas (south of St. Augustine), and the Spanish kill the 334 who surrender. In Sep, 1565, the Spanish attack the 240 French remaining at Fort Caroline, as usual the French don't do well. Forty escapees flee to France and return with others 4 years later and destroy the now Spanish fort. So, there. And neither ended up with Florida.
Friday is a half day trip upriver to the Mulberry Cove Marina at NAS Jacksonville timed with slack and flood tide to catch the current going with us. Passing through downtown Jacksonville, police boats abound to keep all vessel traffic to the sides of the river due to test runs for Go Fast Boats prepping for a race on Saturday. We plan to spend 5 days here doing routine maintenance, sightseeing and relaxing. NAS Jacksonville is a very nice base, so of course Jenny's dad was never stationed here when she was a kid. With recent unusual temperatures in the 90s, we are appreciating the luxury of air conditioning at the dock.
Fort Matanzas where the French are slaughtered by the Spanish. Next is St. Augustine and the Castillo San Marcos, followed by French Fort Caroline on the St. John's River. Both Spanish forts are built of coquina masonry (tiny shells in the manmade stone, unlike the oyster shell tabby masonry).
Jacksonville is the home of Maxwell House Coffee - good to the last drop
Jenny's dedicated pedicab driver
