St. Augustine in May/June: UPDATED: Now With Dates!

[sasto]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

I spent a couple 4th of July's at a cottage on Chrystal River and had a wonderful time.. Beautiful clear river with manatees and mullet fishermen with cane poles, We caught many spotted seatrout in the gulf in a bass boat!

My problem...draft, dockage, and logistics. We will drive if necessary.

You have a pontoon, rentprop? I'm inviting myself along with you.

See Ya Soon....

 

[nlain]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

OK, my wife mentioned the St. John's River. Is this the river you're referring to when you say river trip around the State of Florida?

From Appalachacola, where I'll be navigating down to from Georgia via The ACF River System, where do I go from there? Havn't gotten the charts, nor mapped anything out yet. Guess it's time to start getting busy, huh? About how far are we talking? It looks to me like I'd have to travel the entire perimeter of Florida, down to The Keys and back up, to get from Appalachacola Bay to St. Augustine. Please tell me I'm wrong. Being wrong would make me very happy right now.

You need to get your charts and study that trip down and across Florida, I could be wrong but I think you are going to have to run outside in the gulf all the way to Charlotte Harbor before you can get back inside to protected waters, it is a long way out in open waters in a 20' bowrider. When you get in Charlotte Harbor you cross Fl at that point. If it was me I would trailer across Ga, put at St Mary's and run the ICW down to St Augustine.

 

[nlain]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

This trip sounds good to me, I live about and hour and a half North of Jacksonville so I could just drive down and meet with everyone if on a weekend. Going to have to keep up with all of this and see what shakes out of it and what I may be able to do.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

This trip sounds good to me, I live about and hour and a half North of Jacksonville so I could just drive down and meet with everyone if on a weekend. Going to have to keep up with all of this and see what shakes out of it and what I may be able to do.

Hope you can make it. I remember you had to back out of another trip...I believe the wife's employment issue?? Hope all that is taken care of.
Trailer to Jax and put in there. It's a nice 30 mile trip and in your boat, you could sip gas and get there in just over an hour.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

You need to get your charts and study that trip down and across Florida, I could be wrong but I think you are going to have to run outside in the gulf all the way to Charlotte Harbor before you can get back inside to protected waters, it is a long way out in open waters in a 20' bowrider. When you get in Charlotte Harbor you cross Fl at that point. If it was me I would trailer across Ga, put at St Mary's and run the ICW down to St Augustine.

Not that it makes a whole lot of difference, but I guess with children, it really does. I don't have a bow rider. My boat's a cuddy cabin. If it starts getting too rough for comfort, the children go inside.

The plan is to leave my In-Laws dock, and take a boat trip to Florida. Spend a few days/nights in Florida, and boat back. The voyage has been in the works since last year. This St Augustine get together has simply thrown a fantastic wrench into the works. The original plan was to boat down to the Gulf, play for a couple days, and had back. When Fireman came up with this St Augustine get together, it seemed like a huge, voyage altering bonus.

The timing may not be perfect, but I'm going to do all I can to make it happen. If I can, How does this sound... You trailer your boat to lake Seminole. I meet you at the boat ramp. You put your boat in, your wife follows my wife to my In-Laws house where she parks the tow vehicle and trailer. Our families meet us on the dock where we tie up the boats, meet one another and have a meal together. We then head out for the ACF River System and make the trip together.

Let me know what you think...

 

[nlain]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Not that it makes a whole lot of difference, but I guess with children, it really does. I don't have a bow rider. My boat's a cuddy cabin. If it starts getting too rough for comfort, the children go inside.

The plan is to leave my In-Laws dock, and take a boat trip to Florida. Spend a few days/nights in Florida, and boat back. The voyage has been in the works since last year. This St Augustine get together has simply thrown a fantastic wrench into the works. The original plan was to boat down to the Gulf, play for a couple days, and had back. When Fireman came up with this St Augustine get together, it seemed like a huge, voyage altering bonus.

The timing may not be perfect, but I'm going to do all I can to make it happen. If I can, How does this sound... You trailer your boat to lake Seminole. I meet you at the boat ramp. You put your boat in, your wife follows my wife to my In-Laws house where she parks the tow vehicle and trailer. Our families meet us on the dock where we tie up the boats, meet one another and have a meal together. We then head out for the ACF River System and make the trip together.

Let me know what you think...

I missed the cuddy part in your boat info and it is there just as plain as day :redface:. That does make a difference, should you stuff the bow the water will mostly run off the boat and not in the boat. I do know that the Gulf can get rough, Triumprick, another member here, took me and my 2 grandsons out in his 23' Keywest from Crystal River, we were going fishing but was too rough to get out far enough to find fish.

Now, my boat is a bowrider, 18'6", 26 gal fuel, not big enough boat to make the Gulf part of that trip and I don't think I would have the range to make the Gulf part of the run without stopping for fuel. I think it would be a great trip if I had enough boat to do it. The river trip you talk about I could do that and may do it someday if all things can be put together, you know that right time, right water kind of thing.

Not sure yet what I will do, will see how the schedule works out and also have to find a safe ramp to put in at where the tow vehicle can be left safely for a couple days. Will be checking that out.

 

[nlain]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Hope you can make it. I remember you had to back out of another trip...I believe the wife's employment issue?? Hope all that is taken care of.
Trailer to Jax and put in there. It's a nice 30 mile trip and in your boat, you could sip gas and get there in just over an hour.

Wife is back to work now, getting finances back in order so hopefully we can make a trip or two.

Will be looking into something like trailer to Jax or even further, need a safe place to put in so the tow vehicle and trailer will be safe for possibly a couple days.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Nlain,

There are soooo many ramps and parks in Jax, that I can't think someone won't have gates to lock up at night. One that comes to mind is in the Ortega river, but that's on the other side of Jax. It's doable (I know they're gated), but I'm sure there has to bee something closer. Let Google be your friend.

Try this as a starting point:

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/spoutdoors/boat_ramps.html

 

[nlain]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

I did do some looking today but did not locate anything safe, did see some nice ramps, one down in St Augustine area and one at Beach Blvd in Jax, no fence and no locks best I could tell, I will continue looking.

 

[dhs2005]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

I did do some looking today but did not locate anything safe, did see some nice ramps, one down in St Augustine area and one at Beach Blvd in Jax, no fence and no locks best I could tell, I will continue looking.

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum and live in Jacksonville. We use the public ramp at beach blvd all the time and leave the truck and trailer over the weekends when we go to St Aug. for the weekend.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

DHS...thanks for the info. I guess as long as you had a trailer/wheel lock, it would probably be safe...especially if it was well lit.

Are you going to try to make the St. Augustine thing in June?

 

[dhs2005]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

What are the dates in June for the meet and greet?

 

[nlain]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

I don't think there are dates yet, just trying to put this together.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Tentatively looking at the first week in June. I have to check the calendar to see when I can bring the boat around. I'll keep everyone updated and give plenty of notice.

 

[nlain]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

I do have to work the first Saturday of the month til noon, not sure that can be changed. That would mean if I come I would probable leave the boat home and drive down if you will be around somewhere that we can meet up. We will see what happens. Right now I am in Blowing Rock NC, brought the Grandkids up to see snow, it has all melted, very little left even on some of the ski slopes. I will check back here and there this weekend, won't be on much, going to try and find something for the kids to do.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

I do have to work the first Saturday of the month til noon, not sure that can be changed. That would mean if I come I would probable leave the boat home and drive down if you will be around somewhere that we can meet up. We will see what happens. Right now I am in Blowing Rock NC, brought the Grandkids up to see snow, it has all melted, very little left even on some of the ski slopes. I will check back here and there this weekend, won't be on much, going to try and find something for the kids to do.

The 4th is the first Sat in June, but nothing is concrete yet. Don't go changing any work plans until we have set something solid. Our travel dates are still dependent on when my wife is off from work. We are usually in St. Augustine for 3-4 days, so it should be available for most people.

Maybe we can get some input from Sasto and VH as to what dates work from them as well?!?

 

[veritas honus]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Now, my boat is a bowrider, 18'6", 26 gal fuel, not big enough boat to make the Gulf part of that trip and I don't think I would have the range to make the Gulf part of the run without stopping for fuel. I think it would be a great trip if I had enough boat to do it. The river trip you talk about I could do that and may do it someday if all things can be put together, you know that right time, right water kind of thing.

Not sure yet what I will do, will see how the schedule works out and also have to find a safe ramp to put in at where the tow vehicle can be left safely for a couple days. Will be checking that out.

When you're ready to make that river trip down to Appalachacola, let me know. As I said, we can meet at Lake Seminole, your truck & trailer will be perfectly safe at my In-Laws house right next to mine. I'll post when I'm close to being ready. Hopefully, AviatorJim will still be interested in going... You out there Jim?

In so far as gas, I've got a 56gal tank. If you have to stop for gas, we both stop. We'll map out the stops as part of our float plan. Worst case scenario, I tow you to the next fuel station. If you even get close to empty, you can cut your motor off, and I'll tow you to the next available fuel station. You can start your motor when we get there, and dock safely to refuel. There's a simple solution to every major problem.

I'll do all I can to make it to St Augustine for this get together.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

The 4th is the first Sat in June, but nothing is concrete yet. Don't go changing any work plans until we have set something solid. Our travel dates are still dependent on when my wife is off from work. We are usually in St. Augustine for 3-4 days, so it should be available for most people.

Maybe we can get some input from Sasto and VH as to what dates work from them as well?!?

I was almost through with my reply to nlain's post, and had to step away to resolve a problem with my two sons. It took a while. By the time I got back and finished the post, you'd posted. 1st weekend in June sounds a little hot, but gives the best chance financially speaking. I need a new water pump and rear U-joint in my truck. I've got to replace the bellows in my boat. The exhaust bellow is completely separated, so the other two are soon to follow. Between the truck and the boat, I'm thinking 1500. I've also got to save at least that much for the trip. I think it's doable. If I can get an acceptable amount of work done in my house and give my Father-in-Law the help he needs before that weekend, then it's all good. I'll keep ya posted.

 

[sasto]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

I'm flexable guys. It's up to y'all! See ya soon. I'm semi retarded (sp).

 

[Fireman431]

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

Re: St. Augustine in May/June?!?

1st weekend in June sounds a little hot...

That's why I have a boat that pumps 28,000 BTU's of A/C. Crack the sliding door and the cockpit even has a nice breeze. Someone once said "there's a simple solution to every major problem"!