Jekyll Island to Savannah

We sadly left Jekyll Island and were off to Savannah.  Since we only go 8 mph it meant only going half way and spending the night.  We decided to spend the night at anchor on Walburg Creek.  Our anchor guide book recommended this place because it had a beach to take Chloe by dinghy for her potty time.  We arrived at about 4:00 pm and launched the dinghy and I took Chloe to see how great this beach was for dogs.  It was a fairly large beach on a point and no one was there.  She had a great time getting off the boat and running all over the place.  She also took care of business.  After we got back to the boat we had to wash the salt off her legs and feet.  This was a great anchorage, I was able to pick up an unsecured wifi signal with my booster and we could even get TV stations.  This was only the second time we have anchored out since we left Texas and we want to do it more.  At about 5:30 am I woke to the sound of rain coming down and it wasn't going to stop soon.  When we got up at about 8:00 am it was continuing to rain and neither Chloe nor I wanted to take a dinghy ride to the beach, not to mention the foot of water in the dinghy.  We decided to get the water out of the dinghy and get it back up out of the water and loaded on the boat so we could get on our way to Savannah.  I'm so happy we bought rain gear before we left Texas.  For all my boating friends in the Delta when I pulled up the anchor there was no mud on it at all.  Apparently the bottom is sand and the anchor comes up clean.  Very different.  It pretty much rained all day even when we pulled into Isle of Hope Marina.  Nice little marina on the ICW about a 20 minute ride to downtown Savannah.  They even have a courtesy car you can use for 2 hours if you want to run to the store or whatever.  Tomorrow we will head to downtown Savannah and check it out.

Had a hitch hiker on the way.

Georgia landscape is pretty much marsh on the ICW

Not too much to look at

Anchored out on Walburg Creek

Looking good...

The end of the trees on the right is Chloe's beach

Isle of Hope is actually the name of the town.  The town next to it is Sand Fly! (aka no see-ums)

Can you see Panacea?

Chloe is saying, "not going in the rain."  Jan is saying "nice pedicure"

Jacksonville to Jekyll Island

The day before we were to leave Ortega Landing Marina we were informed that the railroad bridge in downtown Jacksonville would be closed at 7:00am till 12:00 and then close again at 1:00pm.  This meant we would have to leave at 6:00 am to make it to the bridge before it closed.  We left on time and made it without a problem.  We were going to stay at Amelia Island at Fernandina Florida but leaving so early we arrived there at 10:30 in the morning so we decided to head on to Jekyll Island in Georgia.  We arrived at about 3:00 pm, tied up and relaxed for the rest of the day.  Jekyll Island has much history going back to about the 1700's, however, at the turn of this century it was a private island for the rich and famous of the day.  They built a clubhouse on the island and only members were allowed.  A few names you may recognize were J.P. Morgan, Goodyear, and Rockefeller.  Fifty-three members purchased shares for $600 each, and a limit of 100 members was imposed to preserve the club's exclusivity.  From 1888 to 1942 the club opened every January, except a few because of yellow fever ourbreaks, to accommodate some of the world's wealthiest people. Members and their families enjoyed activities such as biking, hunting, horseback riding, and tennis, and frequented the north beaches. Some of the more esteemed members built mansion-sized cottages that still stand in excellent condition today. During the Great Depression the club experienced financial difficulties, and by the time the United States entered World War II the era of the Jekyll Island Club was over. The State of Georgia bought the island in 1947.

Historical Events

Because of the concentration of internationally prominent business leaders, the Jekyll Island Club has been the scene of some important historical events, such as the first transcontinental telephone call placed by AT&T president Theodore Vail on January 25, 1915.
Finance, as well as politics, was of paramount concern to many club members. J.P. Morgan could create or quell economic panics on Wall Street with the financial resources at his personal command. George Baker, head of the First National Bank of New York, and James Stillman, head of the National City Bank of New York, also members of the Jekyll Island Club, were nearly as wealthy as Morgan. In 1907 when a particularly virulent economic panic caused a run on the banks, one of these three men paved the way for a secret meeting on Jekyll. Traveling under assumed names, Senator Nelson Aldrich, four other bankers of national importance, and the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury made their way to Jekyll posing as duck hunters. Meetings the following week led to the development of the Aldrich Plan, which called for a centralized banking structure for the country. Although Congress did not pass the plan in 1912, President Woodrow Wilson and others used the Aldrich Plan as the basis for another plan that became the Federal Reserve Act, establishing the Federal Reserve System.
 We have enjoyed the beauty of the island, going bike riding the last couple of days. We are going to anchor out tomorrow somewhere halfway between Jekyll and Savannah.  We plan to be in Savannah on Sunday. Looking forward to touring and maybe having a mint julep and some boiled peanuts!

We added a new sign

Leaving Jacksonville after going under the railroad bridge

Cumberland Island

Entering the St Mary's River with the Coast Guard watching

The Napoleon Bridge leaving Jacksonville

At Jekyll Island and an air boat going by

They have twenty miles of bike trails on Jekyll Island, here is Jan heading to the Historic District

Bike Trail

For the rich and famous

This is the original Club House of the Rich and Famous, I was told you can spend the night in the tower room for only $500.00 a night

They added on the addition to the original Club House on the right

This was over the fireplace in the original Club House

This is one of the cottages on the property of private club

The owner of the house above.

Most of the rich and famous had yachts to bring them to the island

We were sitting in the restaurant having a drink and if you look real hard you can see the marina

While in Orlando and Heading Back to Jacksonville

Bay Hill........what can I say?   This is the first time I have been to a PGA champion event.  It was like I saw it on TV, except better.  If you ever been to professional baseball, football, or any other event it's better than TV.  Congrats to Every for coming behind and winning.  Tiger Woods is a wuss.  So, while in Orlando Jan wanted to go to Disney and check it out.  We bought a two day pass even though there is five different parks here in Orlando.  First day we went to Epcot and the second day we went to "The MagicKingdom".  Let me tell you, there is nothing magic about it.  If you ever been to Disney in Anaheim, do not go to the "Magic Kingdom" in Orlando.  It's the same rides and theme as Anaheim.  One other tip, do not go during spring break.  OMG!  Since we stayed in Orlando for the Bay Hill and Disney, poor Chloe was checked into the Pet Paradise.  This place had a built in swimming pool in the shape of a dog bone, air conditioned, and lots of room to have fun.  We also paid for extra play time.  We think she had a good time but was happy to see us when we picked her up.

We started back up the St. Johns yesterday and stayed the night at Astor for our 43rd Anniversary.  This was the place we stopped when we headed down.  We went over to the restaurant and had a drink and of course you have to have some alligator bites.  We left early this morning to get ahead of the wind that is suppose to come up before we get in to Palatka.  We pulled in just as the wind was starting to pick up and after tying up got some laundry done.  Tomorrow we will head back to Ortega Landing Marina for four days before heading North.  Before I finish this I just want to say the St Johns River South of Lake George is the most beautiful river I have ever been on.  I can't say what the Amazon is like but if I had to imagine I would say it was like being on the Amazon.  The wildlife and foliage was unbelievable.

The St. Johns even has water hyacinth like the Delta

Alligator Bites.

Osprey Nest

Epcot Disney

Magic Kingdom from hell

Walt and Mickey looking down main street

Why, it's Bud Lightning

Would not leave my side

Bald Eagle

St. Johns to Sanford to Bay Hill

We left Astor first thing Friday morning and headed South to Sanford.  I think this is the most beautiful part of the St. Johns.  We saw alligators and all kinds of wildlife with lots of no wake zones because of Manatees.  After entering Lake Monroe we pulled into Monroe Harbour Marina in Sanford at around 3:00pm.  We checked in and got our mail we had sent earlier and arranged for a rental car so we could go to Orlando tomorrow.  Jan and I are going to the Arnold Palmer Invitational Golf Tournament and to Disney World for a couple of days.  Isn't retirement great? 

This is CRAZY!!!  Only in Florida.

Watch out for those Manatee's

They even have Water Hyacinth in Florida 

It's like you're on the Amazon

On the 17th at Bay Hill

 Padraig Harrington

Adam Scott, the leader after the third round

Looking at the par three 17th hole, we are under the gable on the far left

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VJay Singh

Zach Johnson