In our last update, we shared we were back to cruising after getting our boat out of storage in Savannah and heading to our home state of Florida.
We didn’t have plans beyond that, except perhaps anchoring out long term in social isolation.
Quick Video Update Version:
On our way, marina shuts downs and possible travel restrictions started seeming much more real.
As much as we were looking forward to some extended anchoring (and were well prepared for it) – we didn’t like the idea of getting stuck somewhere we didn’t want to be should shelter in place orders apply to us while in transit.
One of our original options before the pandemic was possibly popping over to the Bahamas, and then ending back up in our favorite town of Sanford, FL for hurricane season. We’d already been in touch with Monroe Harbour Marina about that and they were loosely holding us space.
As the situation was evolving we made plans with the marina to return sooner rather than later – like – now. We’re incredibly thankful that the marina likes us as much as we like them, and made this option possible for us.
Concerned about possible bridge closures if travel restrictions were put in place, we set a plan in motion this week to cruise long days and arrive as soon as sane.
Over 5 days we traveled 286 nautical miles from Savannah to Sanford.
Now, for RVers – that’s an easy one day drive. But when you’re moving at 7-8 knots – that’s 39 cruising hours. We completed some of our longest cruising days back-to-back to date at 9-10 hours a day.
Certainly not our normal slow poke pace, or our past leisurely multi-week explorations of the amazing St. Johns River starting in Jacksonville. (Our prior trips documented here: Up the St. Johns, Down the St. Johns)
Thankfully, we had magnificent weather, which made the cruise low-stress. Just long.
On Wednesday we passed the last remaining bridge that needed to be opened into Lake Monroe, and on Thursday we took our slip with a long term live-aboard lease. Making us as local as we can be.
We’re back in a town we fell in love with last winter, a place that has called us like no other in our 14 years of full time travel. It feels like home.
From here we have easy land access to both our parents, local friends, our primary care physician, a hospital nearby, provisioning, walking on the riverfront, take-out from several restaurants and just in general – familiarity. We have pump out service, electricity for air conditioning and unlimited fresh water. We’ll also have midges.
We’re also in one of Florida’s safest hurricane spots – because while COVID-19 is causing basketball season to be put on pause, apparently hurricane season is still on this year (not fair… can’t we delay/cancel that too??)
For the first time in nearly a month, we are finally out of preparation mode and trying to stay one step ahead – it’s been a long month of getting boat projects completed so we could launch, provisioning and making our way.
We’re now still. Travels on indefinite pause.
We’re pretty much intending to stay here until at least hurricane season is over. And at that point, if travel is feasible again – it’ll be time to return to RV life perhaps. So, it’s quite possible Y-Not is here for a year when we can hopefully resume cruising next spring.
We’re hoping we’ll have opportunity to do some local cruising & anchoring up the St. Johns River in the meantime to mix it up.
We had dinner Friday night at the Coinjock marina located on the intracoastal waterway outer banks and thought of you & Chris. Someday you’ll pass through there.
We are on our maiden journey in our 45’ Entegra. Hoping to be in Florida early December and would love to stop $ say Hello’ if you guys are still in Sanford. Your fave reviews have us curious to check it out.
Welcome to Sanford ,Seminole county. You may want to explore my favorite port of call Lake Beardsford while you are here. You will love Hontoon Marina, Hontoon Island state park and a few other great places not even the locals know about. You passed Hontoon Marina a few miles after you left lake George. I had a Formula Thunderbird and explored this side of the river for about 10 years.
Best wishes,
John Stewart
jsbsstewart@gmail.com
Anchoring behind Hontoon is a favorite stop for us… the state parks however are currently closed.
Hi Cherie,
Sorry the park is closed. Lake Beresford is the little lake you pass on your port side on your way to Sanford (you probably already know that). There is a little place called Tropical Resort Marina on the other side of the lake where we like to stay. If they are open, Black Hammock Restaurant on Lake Jessup is just 25 minutes away. Lake Jessup has more alligator’s than any lake in Florida, about 10,000.
Stay safe
John Stewart
Really happy to hear from you. Glad you are safe and moored in Sanford, FL. I remember that you love this place so it is a good location to ride out Covid-19. Trust your families are well. I am sheltering in place in my apartment in Seattle, WA. Able to go out for a walk once a day. I love the video chats you send out and am interested in what you are doing even if it is just everyday life on the boat. Gorgeous photo of Kiki.
I look forward to hearing from you again soon.
Be well and take care,
Sherry
Where is Coopernicus?
Still with friends up in GA… we’ll hopefully be able to get him home soon.
Happy hunkering down in Sanford! Be safe and help others that are in need! From a distance of course! Virtual Hugs!
Welcome back to Florida! We are “snowbirds” in central Florida and plan to head north in May. But that is very much subject to change based on the conditions then.
We had the same thoughts about possibly being trapped somewhere we didn’t really want to be so left Tucson in a hurry to make it to Virginia. Bombing down the interstates to make time is so boring, miss my blue highways.Unfortunately our summer workamping gig evaporated en route so now we are scrambling for Plan B. Good luck to all of us!
Stay safe! It is nice to know you are in a place that can work long term as are we, in Yuma AZ.
Glad you’re safe from everything but the midges! We’re choosing to stay in the Rio Grande Valley for now rather than go back to PA. Love, love, love that pic of Kiki!
Sounds like the right place to be at this time. Glad you pre-discovered it so as to have that option. You may have to pretend to be anchored out, though, once they say you can’t walk into town except for groceries and medical appointments. And you have to move away from the tank before the pump out to maintain your social distancing.
You know, I wondered about Kiki. She is smart enough to stay inside the rail, obviously. Or do you keep her inside?
After falling off the boat once (at anchor), she’s gotten much wiser :). When she’s outside on deck with us, she is very much under close supervision. So close, she gets annoyed with me constantly checking on her.
Glad you’re safe. I should thank you – based on your recommendation, my husband and I spent a wonderful afternoon in Sanford (followed by an evening in Deland) in late January. It was awesome and I can 100% see why you enjoy it there so much. If we also end up sticking around for hurricane season (so much up in the air right now), perhaps things will get better and we could grab a drink in Sanford.
Stay safe guys!
Glad you are safe, comfortable, and quite happy to be in Sanford. The photos you posted are beautiful.
As much as is possible, enjoy the time. I don’t know the status of life in Florida at this point, but here in California we’ve been asked to stay at home and most businesses closed for almost two weeks. Just this week Newsome asked communities to close their beach, parks and trails. It’s definitely a different way of living. Thank goodness there are many great walks and the weather is fabulous almost all year. Still….life has changed for the time being.
As always, looking forward to more of your stories and photos!
Right now, our county is just at Level 2 – social distancing. Many businesses have closed however. The county south of us (Orange/Orlando) is at ‘Shelter in Place’- and we’re expecting it here any day now.
Held my breath from the email blurb to clicking on over to the full story – so glad to see that last Kiki pic. All is right in the motor boating world now 🙂
Best to the three of you Stay safe and enjoy your time together
Oh man I am glad you guys made it back and near loved ones and amenities.
Hoping that when it’s finally safe you’ll do a meetup again. We’re in Tampa and would love to say hi when appropriate.