Jacksonville Beach

Our time on the water was longer today than we have done recently since crossing Florida from the west to the east coast.  Instead of three days we will make it to our marina in Jacksonville in two days. This is because we need to resupply the boat and get some things done before we fly out of Jacksonville to Texas...more on that later.

A beautiful day and we had the waterway mostly to ourselves this Sunday morning...probably because the good folks were in church and the bad ones were still in bed!

We lowered our mast for the first bridge...all the others were very high or okay due to low tide so we didn't have to request any openings.

We were leaving on a rising tide....which boosted our speed and saved us almost an hour getting to Beach Marine at Jacksonville Beach.

We passed St. Augustine where we are planning a trip by car from Jacksonville later.

Also in the harbor was this tall ship.

We have unlimited towing with a company called “Tow Boat US”. Thankfully we have not had to use them but often see them in action like today. A sailing Catamaran had broken down and the Tow Boat US guys were pulling it down the waterway.

This guy had figured out how to get some shade.

Before getting into Jacksonville Beach we came through a narrow part of the waterway where the boat houses seem to be the main thing rather than the houses...on some lots where houses were just starting to be built the GRAND boat house was already built.

Here are a some close up.

This one even had awnings that were rolled up.

This house was unusual for more than one reason...no boat house!

Here's another....no boat house.

Miss gg tied on a T-dock .

After we had everything hooked up, I walked the two miles to the beach.  It was very busy with mostly families...after all, this weekend is the first sunny warm one in a long time.

Notice how FLAT & WIDE this beach is...and it is hard enough to drive on OR to use as a runway for a plane!

I had to walk past the historical section of town on my way  & I read some remarkable history about this beach. Until 1925 it was called “Pablo Beach”..not Jacksonville Beach. During this time it was used for planes taking off to travel to the west coast...however it took them 115 days!!! But on September 1, 1922, a army lieutenant James (“Jimmy”) Doolittle flew a DeHavilland DH-4 Biplane from Pablo Beach to San Diego, CA, in less then 24 hours with only one fuel stop in Texas!  He set a new speed record and proved the practicality of Transcontinental flight! This is the same Doolittle that led the first air attack on Japan after that nation bombed Pearl Harbor. His squadron took off from the carrier Hornet.

In the downtown area of the Beach community was a pretty park. This paved brick area also ran a long way beside the beach.

Hurray! The Captain says we don't have to get up early tomorrow.....we have a short trip tomorrow to our marina in Jacksonville.  I will enjoy a slower morning. 

Blessings to all.