September 29, 2013

Sunday 9.29.13 A great day for exploring

We made coffee in the new coffee maker. Ace Hardware in Astor, FL has most everything.

When we first got this boat the chair looked huge and pretty beat up….but you would not believe how comfortable it is.

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We headed up river (S)…The big turtle was heading into the water…

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Jim agrees with me about the chair.. Arms are adjustable and so is the back. Glad we didn’t take it out.

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We haven’t been down the Hontoon River in quite awhile …..thought we’d see how far we could go. We’ve traveled it a good distance, but had to turn around because the river was blocked with weeds….and the Albin had a 3’ draft.

Today ..with the river up…we just kept going…we met 3 people in a dingy and asked if they had come from the St Johns River. They had and when I asked if we could get through the canal they said to watch the overhead branches.

We anchored just outside the canal and took a dingy ride to see if we had enough clearance.

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We got part way down the canal and the dingy caught up and passed us. 102_1050cs

We had pulled over to the side to let a tour boat pass.

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I couldn’t help but laugh….as we were traveling the river we only met one boat and you tend to feel like you are all alone. This happened to us when on Lake Powell UT. We’d go through a canyon with walls over 100’ high on each side and then you’d round a bend and a big ole houseboat would be beached in front of you…..Jim had just made the remark about seeing a big houseboat when the tour boat came in view. He thanked us for “giving way” and we turned around and went back for “Meander”. If there was room for him we’d have no trouble.

All the years we’ve been running the river we had never been down this section. I think it will be our new route. What a great ride.

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Take a short ride with us…

Back on the river we did spot a couple of gators….most dove before I could get a shot. There were a lot of boats out today and that makes for a bad day of gator watching.102_1061cs

A cruiser made from a sailboat….

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Paddle Wheel dinner boat. Docks at the Monroe Harbor Marina. We stopped there for fuel and water.

 

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As we were crossing the lake this storm was headed towards us. Our fuel stop was short but by the time we got back on the lake it was really kicking up…lumpy ride to the Governor's Cut.

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In the cut we spotted this Limpkin..

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A big herd of cows…this one enjoying the water…

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The cowboys turn their horses out with the herd….

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A little more rain and then this beautiful rainbow.

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We are a little S of the entrance to Lake Jessup. In a little side channel.

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Lots of water lettuce and other water plants. Looks like we are in someone’s yard.

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We had a great day!!!! A minor mishap when Jim was unable to take a wave head on….the bird cage flipped off the table onto the floor…she took a wild ride but was OK. It is now anchored so it won’t happen again.

And then there was Jim’s shower on the rear deck. I was on the computer and he stuck his head in and said “you didn’t tell me about that boat that went by”   and then he looked at the shore and there was an elderly gentleman with his four wheeler ..enjoying a cigarette and a beer. Glad I wasn’t the one showering.

We’ve done most of our exploring on the St Johns River with Larry and Diane..our boating buddies….we really missed them when doing the Hontoon River and canal trip.

Tomorrow if the weather is alright….we are going to try getting across Lake Jessup to the Fish Camp. Jessup is very shallow. We hope the water is up enough.