30 March 2021. Underway on the Great loop journey again.

 

28 SM and 5.0 engine hours

Normal Oh dark thirty get up.  Boat was pretty much prepared last night.  Review of weather, news, email, bible study and breakfast we were anxious to slip away from the dock and get moving.  Rumble of thunder and lightening to the SW proceeded the dawn.  Latest radar weather app I am using indicated cells were dissipating as they moved NE.  Rain showers forecast throughout the day, but nothing heavy, no gusty winds or severe thunderstorms for the day.  A light drizzle as we unplugged the shore power, fired up the Yanmar diesel and untied the lines.  At or a little after slack tide we slipped Serenity out of the slip at 0750.  Ortega river bridge quickly opened upon request.   We proceeded under without delay entering into the St Johns river east bound toward Jacksonville, the coast and the Atlantic Intercostal Waterway (AICW).

Nav and back up Nav

Short day planned so only 28 miles today, but the majority of the east bound transit was bucking the flooding tide.  Making 5-5.5 mph most of the morning through the rain.  Rain X working excellent on the pilot house windows.  Thanks Trapper.  Really easy cruise down the nearly 20+ miles from the marina to the AICW via the St Johns river.  

Rainy entry into the St Johns River

Green Starboard outbound

As we turned east bound on the AICW it was just about slack tide, before the rush of the ebb makes the narrow cut off of the St Johns a bit sporty with an accelerating current and eddies.  A few tugs working the dredge barges in the river and one motor yacht hailed us for a port side pass was all of the traffic today.  

Our planned anchorage was in a small creek of a name I cannot find, reported to have depth for our Serenity.  While the charts indicated skinny water, I idled off the AICW into the creek, never seeing less that 10 feet depth on a falling tide.  We have anchored in 10 feet of water which will probably be about 5 feet at low tide. Hook set at 1230.   Low tide came and went and now on a slowly rising tide.  Never touched bottom.   Lunch and a nap ready for remainder of the afternoon that has become mostly sunny with light and variable winds.

Serenity at anchor

 We splashed KAOS and motored up the creek a mile or so then returned to a sandy beach on a small island about 100 yards away from Serenity.  Island is about 7 feet above sea level, 50 yards wide and maybe 100 yards long.  We beached KAOS walked up the bank to explore.  

Looking good with the float tubes and engine

A cool island, buggy,  but trails indicated we were not the first explorers.  Came upon a massive live oak tree.  Its diameter would indicate very, very old.  A massive crown as well.  

Big live oak

We walked the little beach, watched the crabs scurry about then floated KAOS and returned to Serenity.

Successful and joyful first day back underway.  Crew and ship did well.  Spending the night at anchor with unobstructed 360 degree views.  We are at mile 736.5 on the AICW.  2701 SM of our loop journey.  1521.9 hours hobbs.