8/3/15: Beach Tree Marina, Sanford, Florida

As it goes in the boating world, we had planned on staying 1 week and we were having such a good time we extended our stay to 2 weeks. Our plans were to leave this morning and slowly make our way back to Green Cove Springs, but the weather has altered our plans. So another day here at the Beach Tree Marina which is not a problem. We have been welcomed into the fold here at the marina by the local boaters and business owners. Life is good.

Twelve Stones & Kristin Noelle Docked at Beach Tree Marina, Sanford, Florida

We have enjoyed lots of time in the pool.

There are lots of turtles here at the docks.

After the first week here we went to Green Cove Springs and got our truck. Tricia & Hobby rode up with us to the get the truck so they could check out Holland Marina. We stopped off at Aunt Catfish’s in Port Orange for a delicious meal on the way up making the trip worthwhile.

Having our vehicle here gave us the opportunity to do some shopping and site seeing. We took a morning and went to Blue Springs State Park.  The Manatees showed up making it a successful trip.

Manatees enjoying the spring.

You can see a fresh cut on this little guys head. 

Blue Springs State Park

While at the dock a Sea Plane landed and tied up a couple of slips down from us. 

7/20/15: Hontoon Island – Beach Tree Marina, Sanford, Fl – 13 NM

After spending a quiet weekend at the Hontoon Island State Park docks we threw off the lines and headed south to Sanford.

The birds are always spectacular!

Everything is on the move after dark.

The river is peaceful and relaxing.

The St. Johns River actually continues several miles south of Sanford however the water levels stops us just before the I4 bridge. We had beautiful weather for our short trip and docked at the marina before noon.

The last time we were here was in late 2013, for our Twelve Stones ‘shake down’ cruise. We stayed here for a week then and returned this time because of the deli, easy in/out access, restaurant, pool, live entertainment, & excellent staff.

Looking forward to some serious pool time.

7/16/15: Parramores Creek Anchorage – Hontoon Island – 20 NM

Hontoon Island State Park is a 1,650 acre island tucked away on the St. John’s River southwest of Deland, Florida. The island is only accessible by Park Ferry or private boat.

There is ample docking at Hontoon for pleasure boats and there are two t-head docks which will accommodate boats the size of Twelve Stones. With our Florida residence discount the docking fee was only $10.00 per night (water & electric included), now that’s a deal.

Twelve Stones & Kristin Noelle at Hontoon Island Park

We decided to stay three nights so we didn’t have to travel the river on the weekends. We dropped our dink, exploring the different channels, as well as a few trips to the restaurant by the bridge.

The St. Johns River never fails to deliver 

up some beautiful creatures.

Every night at the Hontoon dock this big gator comes out and patrols the area.

7/15/15: Murphy Creek Anchorage – Parramores Creek Anchorage – 33 NM

The trip across Lake George was uneventful. Thanking God for a good wind direction. We anchored just north of the Astor Bridge at the canal that goes to Parramores Campground.  

Tricia & Hoppy dropped their dink & we went to Buck N’ Kat’s Café at Parramores for breakfast. My sister, Linda & her husband,  Danny joined us with some of their friends.

After breakfast, up with the anchors and headed to Hontoon Island.

7/14/15: Outback Crab Shack – Murphy Creek Anchorage– 33NM

Even though the outside temperature reached a ‘feels like 106’ the breeze kept us comfortable all day.

Murphy Creek never disappoints us as far as anchorages go. Plenty of secluded placed to anchor & after dark no other boats moving on the creek. We stayed 2 nights on anchor which gave us time to drop the dink and do some exploring.

Twelve Stones on anchor at Murphy Creek.

Exploring channels.

Life is good!

7/13/15: Green Cove Springs – Outback Crab Shack – 5.5 NM

Around noon we threw off the dock lines to start our trip south on the St. Johns River.

Our Looper friends Tricia & Hoppy aboard Kristin Noelle had left Ortega early in the day and were insight. They have decided to join us as we go south on the St. Johns River. We had originally met Tricia & Hoppy at the 2013 Looper Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler

in Alabama. We hope they like the St. Johns as much as we do.

It was just a short trip over to the Outback Crab Shack. After a great dinner we spent a peaceful quiet night tied to the free floating dock.

6/28/15:  Tom Holland Marina - Green Cove Springs, Florida

It really doesn’t seem like we have been here for 6 weeks. We have completed almost everything on our to-do list: removed all outside netting for cleaning, Bimini top, aft screens & isinglass enclosure, inside cleaned ceilings, walls, etc. 

Our main reason for coming here to Holland Marina was to get Tom to fix the mess Eastern Shore Marina, Fairhope, Al. had made on our hull. See below for all the details. 

We also had Holland Marina remove, repair, & reinstall our hull rub-rail, fix one of our upper deck doors, and much more see pictures below.

When we throw off the dock lines and head north we will look so good!

 Rub-rail repaired

 

Nice job of cleaning the propellers.

All the fenders and ropes were removed & washed.

Boy they sure smell better now.

 The pile of ropes ready for a good cleaning.

Lots of clean lines.

All netting plus aft screens & isinglass enclosure removed, cleaned & reinstalled.

 A very clean engine room.

We completed our KiwiGrip decking project - swim platform & dingy area.

Ike Supervising

When we throw off the dock lines and head north we will look so good!

  

Eastern Shore Marina – Fairhope, Alabama:  

While on the loop in 2014 we stopped at the Eastern Shore Marina, Fairhope, Al. (Demopolis Location & Fairhope location). The weather was such in Mobile Bay that we decided to stay in Demopolis for a few days. 

After talking with the Boatyard Manager we decided to get pulled for a bottom paint job & to have a few scratches repaired. When we initially discussing the work we stressed our timeline which was weather dependent and asked if he could do the work within the timeframe. After all we didn’t have to get pulled out we were just doing it to take advantage of the week we were waiting on Mobile Bay. Before we got pulled out, the Boatyard Manager said that if they had to they would work over the weekend to get the job done they would. He made the comment that time of year they will work weekends. However, once we got pulled, weekend working was not something they were willing to do.

As you can see from the picture below the TOUCH-UP scratches we wanted taken care of were small. So imagine our surprise when we saw their idea of TOUCH-UP repairs!

You can barely see the scratchs in the above picture.

Below see the touch-up.

E

Needless to say our weather wind for Mobile Bay came & went and we were still on the hard with the work not completed. As the next Mobile Bay weather window approached we pushed hard for the work to be completed & to get put back in the water. Ed the owner suggested we go back in the water and go to his other marina, Easter Shore Marina in Fairhope to have the work completed. He assured us that he would get us done ASAP once there. He had painted the bottom but not where the stands had been nor had he painted the fixed touch-up places. So he handed us a gallon of bottom paint & the some hull paint, put us in the water, and off we went.

When we first arrived in Fairhope the first couple of days the weather was horrible.  There was no way we could have been pulled or any work done. However, when the weather did clear enough to be pulled & have paint work done it did not happen. First the Boatyard Manager and Ed the owner were in disagreement as to if our boat would even fit in their lift. WHAT! They certainly knew how wide we were because they had pulled us in Demopolis. 

Finally Ed said we would fit yet the days that weather permitted they still refused to pull us & finish the job. Realizing that they had no intention of fixing what they had started we left. The day before we left the Boatyard Manager came to us & said they were going to try and pull us the next day, tent the boat, and finish the repairs. The temperature for the next day was forecasted for 25 degrees. No thank you.

We had this type of touch-up fixes all over our boat.

We have always had excellent work done by Tom Holland at Holland Marina in Green Cove Springs, Florida so we decided to have Tom fix our Eastern Shore Marina mess.

Below are the pictures of Tom Hollands idea of a completed touch-up job! EXCELLENT!