April 6 - Leaving Jacksonville, FL

Fernandina Harbor Marina Mooring Field

“Life is a journey, and if you fall in love with the journey, you will be in love forever.” — Peter Hagerty

We’re finally moving north…although it’ll be a very slow pace. We’re not in a hurry to get anywhere. In fact we really don’t have any particular plans...keep moving north just fast enough to stay in the 75º temperature range. We’ve enjoyed Jacksonville and I think I appreciate it a little more each time we’ve stayed here. The marinas in the Ortega area are full of nice people, the views are pretty, everything you need is close and there is always something going on in Jacksonville.

The only thing we’ve had troubles with in Jacksonville is the railroad bridge that separates the Ortega marinas and downtown. When it’s broken or being worked on there is no way out! They had a lot of issues with it in 2014…it was closed for weeks and when it did operate it was on a limited schedule. We didn’t think to check on it this morning until we were underway. The bridge was closed until 11:00; we got there at 8:30. We tied up at the dock in Riverside Park and enjoyed the pretty morning having a second cup of coffee, watching a little TV and organizing the dock box. The delay actually meant we were closer to the outgoing tide that gave us a push and we were only an hour behind our intended arrival in Fernandina Beach.

We spent the evening visiting with friends. We only had a short visit with Jim and Betsy on Smiles, but we’ll see them again hopefully in Isle of Palms later in the month. We had dinner with Charlotte and Magnus from Swede Dreams…catching up with all their adventures in the Bahamas this winter. All these pictures made us wish we could have gotten there this season, but there’s always another year.

Leaving Ortega

The Ortega River Bridge

Looking towards downtown Jacksonville and the railroad bridge that can hold a boater hostage when it doesn't work.

Riverside Park...this is where we've spent a lot of Saturdays enjoying the farmers market and listening to great music.

We won't miss this bridge

Good-bye Jacksonville

One of the large ships we saw today on our way past the Jacksonville port.

This little cruise ship got a little to close the pilings on it's way through. This is the bridge at Sister's Creek. By the time we come south again...not sure when, it will be replaced by a taller one.

This part of Florida looks more like the low country of Georgia and South Carolina.

A great dinner with our friends Charlotte and Magnus