Kingsley Plantation, Fort George Island, FloridaTabby wall slave quarters curving on either side of land entrance to Kingsley Plantation
Wanderin' Star anchored off plantation
Evening looking west towards Jacksonville, FL with nuclear power plant towers in the distance
Fox Cut south of St. Augustine with amazing boat docks: covered for boat and 4 jet skis, the double decker with deck over boat; the triple, double and single - fishing reins!
Evening looking west towards Jacksonville, FL with nuclear power plant towers in the distance
Fox Cut south of St. Augustine with amazing boat docks: covered for boat and 4 jet skis, the double decker with deck over boat; the triple, double and single - fishing reins!
Another day benefiting from currents in our favor. We anchor Wednesday afternoon in the Fort George River, across from the Kingsley Plantation. It is a state park with a dock available to tie-up from 0900-1630, and a ranger tour daily at 1400 hours. Jenny rows the dinghy over to the dock to walk the grounds. The plantation house is modest, but the interesting part is the tabby walled slave quarters still standing in an arc on either side of the road entrance. Kingsley was the final owner, known for buying slaves (once the slave trade was banned, meaning no new slaves entering the country), and training them so well that a Kingsley slave added $200-300 to the selling price. He married a freed slave. They lived in separate homes (as it was illegal for mixed race couples to live together), and their children were legally recognized by Mr. Kingsley. Mrs. Kingsley owned her own land (from Spanish grants) and worked it with her own slaves. At one point, Mrs. Kingsley and the children (including freed slaves) fled to Haiti when it appeared they might be returned to slavery (around the Civil War). Upon Mr. Kingsley's death, Mrs. Kingsley returned to the United States and fought for his/her legal property. She won.
By Friday (21 Nov), we are past St. Augustine and heading south of Daytona Beach while listening to Christmas music on the radio. I know, how did this happen when "The Grinch"
(Bobby) is on board?! At the Sheephead Cut anchorage in New Symrna Beach, the 25 knot winds and swift currents oppose each other and snap us about the anchor. Bobby is on anchor watch until 0200, but there is not much sleep occurring below. A long sleepless night for us both.
The next day we are in Titusville by noon. Within a few hours at the city marina, we refuel, fill water tanks, pumpout, and restock groceries. Not surprisingly, it is an early night. Sunday, we anchor behind a small island in the Indian River south of Melbourne. Does it sound as we are desperate to keep heading south? We are. Cold fronts continue to hit the coast. Encased in fleece each morning, we are peeling off clothing layers earlier every day.
Monday (24 Nov), we make enough speed heading down the Indian River to put in 75 miles (usual day is 50 miles). That gets us up the St. Lucie River (one end of the Okeechobee Waterway - crossing between east/west Florida without having to travel around the Keys) to Port St. Lucie and the Sandpiper Marina on the North Fork shortly before the dockmaster closes up for the day. Chris Blair and Tom Campbell dinghy out to lead us in and assist us in tying up (friends from the marina we lived at in Texas, and the marina we spent last winter at on Florida's west coast). Even more amazing is Bobby lassoing a stern line around a piling some distance from the boat on the first try, in the presence of witnesses! The boy must be from Texas!
By Friday (21 Nov), we are past St. Augustine and heading south of Daytona Beach while listening to Christmas music on the radio. I know, how did this happen when "The Grinch"
(Bobby) is on board?! At the Sheephead Cut anchorage in New Symrna Beach, the 25 knot winds and swift currents oppose each other and snap us about the anchor. Bobby is on anchor watch until 0200, but there is not much sleep occurring below. A long sleepless night for us both.
The next day we are in Titusville by noon. Within a few hours at the city marina, we refuel, fill water tanks, pumpout, and restock groceries. Not surprisingly, it is an early night. Sunday, we anchor behind a small island in the Indian River south of Melbourne. Does it sound as we are desperate to keep heading south? We are. Cold fronts continue to hit the coast. Encased in fleece each morning, we are peeling off clothing layers earlier every day.
Monday (24 Nov), we make enough speed heading down the Indian River to put in 75 miles (usual day is 50 miles). That gets us up the St. Lucie River (one end of the Okeechobee Waterway - crossing between east/west Florida without having to travel around the Keys) to Port St. Lucie and the Sandpiper Marina on the North Fork shortly before the dockmaster closes up for the day. Chris Blair and Tom Campbell dinghy out to lead us in and assist us in tying up (friends from the marina we lived at in Texas, and the marina we spent last winter at on Florida's west coast). Even more amazing is Bobby lassoing a stern line around a piling some distance from the boat on the first try, in the presence of witnesses! The boy must be from Texas!
Indian River (ICW) and its islands north of Vero Beach, Florida
