IT'S A DOGS LIFE
SAILING AROUND THE WORLD WITH SPIRIT OF ARGO
IT'S A DOGS LIFE
SAILING AROUND THE WORLD WITH SPIRIT OF ARGO
United States

Florida, Jacksonville – It is only temporary?

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Ok, so I left you all wondering where the humans were going to moor the boat for the hurricane season in the Jacksonville area.
Were they going to go economical and take a mooring ball at Green Cove Springs Marina.
Were they going to spend quite a bit more for dock access, water and electrics at Ortega Marina.
Or were they going to ‘throw the budget out the window’ and go for complete un-adultered luxury of The Marina at Ortega Landing.

Well they completely surprised me and went for the ‘Luxury’ option!

http://www.ortegalanding.com/marina-at-ortega-landing.php

Pool and spa looking out onto Marina

What possessed my usually ‘frugal’ humans?

1) My male humans is going back to England for a month, so he wanted a safe secure place to leave the boat, the female human and me.  Ortega Landing was the only place with security gates on the end of the pontoons.  It also had a safe area for me to run right on the property and a nice area if we wanted to go for walk in the neighbourhood.

2) While the male human was away he did not want my other human ‘begging for rides’ everywhere.  He liked the idea that everything would be a short walk away in a nice neighbourhood.  The marina hosted weekly social BBQs and other events to keep her company, and there was the pool.

3) The humans contacted the marina with their financial concerns and they gave them a variety of options that gave them additional discounts.  In the end the monthly fee would only be $50 more a month then any other berth that offered electrics and water.

4) They had family coming to visit for a week.  The marina offered all the amenities to entertain and feed them.  This would save them ‘a mint’ on restaurant and entertaining costs and be a much nicer place for them to visit.

So all in all, at least for a month, The Marina at Ortega Landing looked like their best option.  Sounded good to me too!

So the humans slipped their mooring lines from Jackson Landing and headed on under the road bridge and through the railway bridge to say goodbye to Jacksonville downtown.

I do not know if I will ever get comfortable with going under bridges
I do not know if I will ever get comfortable with going under bridges
Goodbye city centre
Goodbye city centre
Out into the upper reaches of the St.Johns River
Out into the upper reaches of the St.Johns River

The Ortega River tributary is only a short distance further up the main river.  It is very shallow up here and we could only approach during high tide.  We had not purchased any of the ‘tow boat’ coverage available, so now was not a good time to run aground.

We navigated around some sand banks and approached the bridge that marks the mouth of the Ortega River.

 

You call up the bridge operator, on your approach, and he tries to time the opening to cause the least disturbance to traffic
You call up the bridge operator, on your approach, and he tries to time the opening to cause the least disturbance to traffic

 

there is plenty of room to get through, but it does feel like a tight fit
there is plenty of room to get through, but it does feel like a tight fit
Inside the river 'proper' it gets even shallower
Inside the river ‘proper’ it gets even shallower
Thankfully the marina in right at the beginning of the tributary
Thankfully the marina in right at the beginning of the tributary
Thankfully the humans managed to moor up the boat without embarrassing me.
Thankfully the humans managed to moor up the boat without embarrassing me.

With the boat safely moored the ‘cleaning’ began.  Two years of travelling, and 11/2 years at anchor, the availability of ‘free flowing water’ was well appreciated.

The boat topside got a complete washdown.

Wow, the surfaces shine!
Wow, the surfaces shine!
Access to free laundry facilities meant all the bedding, clothes and even the cockpit cushions got a clean
Access to free laundry facilities meant all the bedding, clothes and even the cockpit cushions got a clean

Storage boxes for each slip means you can get loose articles off the deck for cleaning.  It also worked well for the humans to empty the poor ‘incredible deflatable’ for repairs.  Shops close by means materials for repairs are radially available.

A fair size storage box for each slip
A fair size storage box for each slip
The long wide individual pontoons give you lots of room to complete repairs
The long wide individual pontoons give you lots of room to complete repairs
Sometimes a wonder how much longer the humans can keep patching this thing
Sometimes a wonder how much longer the humans can keep patching this thing

 

So many be it was a practical choice to come here.  They are certainly making the most of the facilities.  But there the place has more to offer then just a good place to get work done.

Well up the St.Johns river and up a tributary, the Marina is in a little hurricane hole
Well up the St.Johns river and up a tributary, the Marina is in a little hurricane hole
Being in a smaller tributary of the main river means the Marina is very sheltered in storms
Being in a smaller tributary of the main river means the Marina is very sheltered in storms
Additional outer poles give boater more tie down areas so the boats are more secure if a storm was to hit
Additional outer poles give boater more tie down areas so the boats are more secure if a storm was to hit
Right outside the security gates of the pontoons is a great safe grassy area for me to run about on. Not danger of river alligators here.
Right outside the security gates of the pontoons is a great safe grassy area for me to run about on. Not danger of river alligators here.
For the humans there is the Marina Clubhouse
For the humans there is the Marina Clubhouse

 

This is were the showers, laundry facilities, marina office and of course, where the pool area is
This is were the showers, laundry facilities, marina office and of course, where the pool area is
If the humans work hard enough, I let them pop over for a soak in the hot tub and a cool swim
If the humans work hard enough, I let them pop over for a soak in the hot tub and a cool swim
The second floor clubhouse is also available for them to use at any time.
The second floor clubhouse is also available for them to use at any time.
The Clubhouse has a nice balcony to look out over the pool or the river
The Clubhouse has a nice balcony to look out over the pool or the river
River view from clubhouse
River view from clubhouse
The clubhouse is air-conditioned, has its own internet link (separate from the boats) and lots of electrical outlets, if you want to get some work done
The clubhouse is air-conditioned, has its own internet link (separate from the boats) and lots of electrical outlets, if you want to get some work done
If you want to watch TV, they have a full cable package
If you want to watch TV, they have a full cable package
There is a separate cosy comfort area
There is a separate cosy comfort area
A full kitchen if you want to prepare your dinner here instead. They even have a dishwasher. The big fridge and freezer is great if you need to clean or defrost yours. You know the humans have done theirs
A full kitchen if you want to prepare your dinner here instead. They even have a dishwasher. The big fridge and freezer is great if you need to clean or defrost yours. You know the humans have done theirs.  It will also be handy when they get to doing the counter tops.

 

It is just a shame dogs are not allowed up here.
It is just a shame dogs are not allowed up here.
At least I can join them in one of the BBQ areas
At least I can join them in one of the BBQ areas
As the facilities are all brand new they are all 'touch free' and operate with motion sensors.
As the facilities are all brand new they are all ‘touch free’ and operate with motion sensors.

 

Pretty cool place to be.  How long they can afford to stay here is another topic, probably for another blog entry.  But at least while they have company and while one of them is away they will remain.

WE HAVE COMPANY COMING.

So enough blogging and off to work to get everything ready for their arrival.

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