SIDE VIEW

This time of year brings to mind afternoons of good wind, if not a bit chilly, sailing across a nearly deserted river, and ending the day’s sail by anchoring in a favorite cove. Once the anchor is set, and the boat is secured, enjoying a beverage watching the sun go down. We’ve all done it, more than once. It’s why we sail.

Although it seems that this year has brought me more work on the boat than sailing, it’s still a pleasant afternoon trying to figure out why something was rigged the way I found it, and trying to come up with a better arrangement. Even down below, snaking wiring through compact spaces, the river reminds me of it’s presence. I will occasionally hear shrimp through the keel, almost always there’s the cry of seagulls looking for an easy lunch. If you listen close sometimes you can hear the call of Osprey’s. During the right time of year, alligators will rumble in the distance and you can hear Manatees sounding in the harbor..

Almost every time I embark on the river, it astounds me with the abundance of wild life to be found. There have been times that the jelly fish have been as thick in the river as I’ve ever seen them off shore. Not too many years ago, a white-tipped shark was caught by a fisherman off the end of the Mandarin Holiday Marina dock. We’ve even picked up porpoise’s south of the Fuller Warren bridge.

With all that, it’s hard to remember that Jacksonville is a deep water, international port, not to mention several very active military installations in the area. You’d think that the river would be pretty much dead with all that going on. Instead, the St. Johns River continues. It’s one of the longest rivers in the world, and supports an eco-system that spans from tropical to sub-tropical. As boaters, we do more than take advantage of the river’s presence, we become part of that eco-system. Every time we go sailing, there is some level of effect on the river.

This month’s program will deal with the River, our effect on it, and what we can do to minimize damage while maximizing use and enjoyment. Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection will be providing speakers that will thrill and amaze you, not to mention answer any and all questions on the river and it’s environmental envelope. Come, listen, participate and learn about the St. Johns River.

In the meantime, I think there’s a screwdriver and a pair of vice-grips that have made their way into the bilge and I have some exploring to do.......

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