St. John's River Boating In Jacksonville

[LuvBoating]

How much power boating is done on the river these days? We see a lot of boats in Dry Storage at both Julington Creek and NFYS (North Florida Yacht Sales @ Baymeadows & San Jose), plus a number of boats tied up to private docks. We are in Dry Storage at NFYS. For so many boats stored here in Jax, along the St Johns River, we sure haven't seen that many on the river on weekends. When we first started boating on the river in 2009, from Goodby's Ramp to the Landing, there were a number of boats on the water. Today?

Anyone have any idea what goes on?

 

[robert graham]

My guess is a lot of smaller private recreational boaters may be looking for other areas to go boating than the very busy commercial shipping downtown areas of Jacksonville....larger ships and strong currents in the area. In fact there are warning signs in the area for smaller boats. Plenty of other//safer areas like the Intercoastal waterway and South of Jacksonville area. The area South of Palatka to Sanford is particularly nice for smaller boating, and of course plenty of smaller creeks and rivers around Jacksonville to enjoy.....be safe!...

 

[wrvond]

How much power boating is done on the river these days? We see a lot of boats in Dry Storage at both Julington Creek and NFYS (North Florida Yacht Sales @ Baymeadows & San Jose), plus a number of boats tied up to private docks. We are in Dry Storage at NFYS. For so many boats stored here in Jax, along the St Johns River, we sure haven't seen that many on the river on weekends. When we first started boating on the river in 2009, from Goodby's Ramp to the Landing, there were a number of boats on the water. Today?

Anyone have any idea what goes on?

My thought is that while many people are still owning boats, fewer people are actually using them.
Here in West Virginia, there used to be paddlewheel regattas in Charleston and in Point Pleasant on the Kanawha and Ohio rivers. The river(s) would be crowded with boaters out celebrating. The events are still "held" but good luck seeing three or more paddle wheelers and virtually no boaters. I can navigate the entire 75 miles of the Kanawha River and meet nobody, though the banks are lined with marinas and private docks. I've also noticed that many private docks are empty these days, too. Maybe it's just a form of luxury recreation whose popularity is waning. Hard to say.

In the early 80's I lived near Mayport. I used to launch on Pablo Creek (I think) and tool up to the St. Johns River or down the intracoastal waterway to St. Augustine. A great way to spend a weekend.

 

[LuvBoating]

My guess is a lot of smaller private recreational boaters may be looking for other areas to go boating than the very busy commercial shipping downtown areas of Jacksonville....larger ships and strong currents in the area. In fact there are warning signs in the area for smaller boats. Plenty of other//safer areas like the Intercoastal waterway and South of Jacksonville area. The area South of Palatka to Sanford is particularly nice for smaller boating, and of course plenty of smaller creeks and rivers around Jacksonville to enjoy.....be safe!...

​As far as we know, there is no commercial shipping in the downtown areas of Jacksonville. Whether on the water or driving on the freeway, we never seen any commercial shipping on the water next to downtown. However, the current next to the Landing is pretty strong, but we've never had a problem docking/tying up next to the Landing. Since we've been boating here, we've been on the ICW once, in Daytona Beach. We just aren't ICW or ocean boaters. The St. John's River is basically the water we really like to boat on and only really go from NFYS/Dry Storage at Goodby's Creek to the Landing.

​From our prospective, the St. John's River just isn't that popular with boating anymore. Do see a lot of boats in Dry Storages and private docks, but just not on the water. Just don't know why.

 

[LuvBoating]

My thought is that while many people are still owning boats, fewer people are actually using them.
Here in West Virginia, there used to be paddlewheel regattas in Charleston and in Point Pleasant on the Kanawha and Ohio rivers. The river(s) would be crowded with boaters out celebrating. The events are still "held" but good luck seeing three or more paddle wheelers and virtually no boaters. I can navigate the entire 75 miles of the Kanawha River and meet nobody, though the banks are lined with marinas and private docks. I've also noticed that many private docks are empty these days, too. Maybe it's just a form of luxury recreation whose popularity is waning. Hard to say.

In the early 80's I lived near Mayport. I used to launch on Pablo Creek (I think) and tool up to the St. Johns River or down the intracoastal waterway to St. Augustine. A great way to spend a weekend.

​We were told at a Dry Storage, by Norman Lake in NC, that one of the most popular days for boating there is Father's Day. The guy at the Dry Storage told us that other than Father's Day, perhaps 25% of the boats are on the lake during the summer months. What we found out, while living in Colorado, 28 miles south of Denver, lots of boats on two very popular reservoirs almost every weekend during the summer months. A shorter "boating season" seems to attract a lot of boating on lakes in Colorado.

 

[mickyryan]

i am down in palm coast and can tell you every boat ramp is over crowded, it seems if you arent there early there is no parking left for the late morning crowd lol

 

[sphelps]

I am on the north end of J-ville ..Unfortunatly I just haven't had the time to get out there lately...I stay mostly ICW Dames Point to Nassau Sound area ...
I have never taken my boat that far down river to down town yet...Most boaters in this area are out fishing and not really just boating ..
Weather may have something to do with the decrease in boats also ... Been pretty darn hot lately ...

 

[robert graham]

St. John's River is 310 miles long and the best/prettiest/safest for boating is from Palatka to Sanford.....from downtown Jacksonville to the mouth of the river at Atlantic Ocean has it's dangers/hazards/currents/shipping.....