4.25.13

We started our day with a trip to shore for Raisin. That’s her by the little palm. She is at least 16, blind and deaf. But other than that she is a perfect boating dog. Uses a small carpet on the rear deck when we cant get to shore, or after dark.

We then decided to take a trip around the island in the dingy. This male Anhinga was drying it’s wings.

As we were rounding the upper end Jim noticed these Manatees in the water ahead. As we got insight of the boat they were getting close to passing it. You can see one’s back as it surfaced and the mist from another as it came up for air.

Jim thought there were at least 5 or 6 in the group.

What a thrilling way to start the morning.

I like the ripples and reflection in the water. Gator just makes the photo nicer.

We decided to anchor behind Drigger Island. This area was hit by a tornado several years ago. You can still see pieces of metal roofing back among the trees.

At the time, Jim and I had an Adventure Craft, “Lingerawhile”, and Larry and Diane had a Nimble Nomad, “River Nomad”. We had just spent the afternoon at Deleon Springs and were headed back to the St Johns River. After coming out of Lake Woodruff, we headed up Tick Island Creek. It was getting late and the sky didn’t look too good so we dropped stern anchors as we nosed up to shore. The sky was full of lightening…going sideways. Jim didn’t like the looks of it.

The next morning Larry got a call from his friends in Oklahoma asking if we were OK. They knew we were out on the St Johns River. Larry told them we were and wondered why they called. They told us about the tornado…we headed up Lake Dexter and into the St Johns River…there were helicopters flying all over and we were told to travel slow…there may be people and definitely lots of debris in the water….there was…we saw no people, thank God.

We traveled down to Lake Beresford and cruised out and around the lake. The Lady Beresford, a dinner cruise ship, had been picked up and set down on a piling which holed the bottom and she sank at the dock…not very deep water but enough to create a mess. There was roofing material and all kinds of wood floating in the water.

The storm must have passed right over us and we never even knew how bad it was.

Drigger Island got a lot of the debris and the small island across the river from it was completely denuded. It has since grown back and you wouldn’t even know it.

We like to anchor there because we saw Sand Hill Cranes nesting a year or so ago, so we stop to see if we can spot them.

Just before dark they showed up. Maybe I can get pictures tomorrow.

Another great day on the water.