Some advice for would-be dockers
Here’s a suggestion for any would-be dockers out there… stand off the dock until you get your shit together! Twice yesterday my friend Bill and I took lines from boats where they not only had no fenders down, they didn’t even have lines rigged. This in approximately a 3-4 knot current! I’m sad to say this is not the only time this has happened either. There’s no rush boys and girls… just stand off and get your stuff sorted before you get too close to the hard wooden thing and/or the other expensive boats.
As for when we dock, unless we know the people who will be taking our lines, or we are in really bad conditions, Rebecca and I would just rather do it ourselves. Before heading to Jacksonville, I had a (experienced?) dock hand at a marina take our bow line and then immediately cleat it, while we were approaching the dock down current. Admittedly this was not the best approach (down current) but it was necessary as our pump-out access is on the starboard side. Anyway, by cleating that line as we were still moving forward, he essentially turned it into a spring line, forcing our stern out away from the dock. After doing the same thing twice (yes, we had to back up and try this 3 times to get it right), I had to finally tell him not to cleat the line until we were parallel to the dock.
Can you find our boat? I can’t believe we jogged all the way up on top of this bridge!
As if the current isn’t enough to make the docking fun here, we apparently also need to keep our eyes open for manatee!
Rafting 5 deep? I can’t even imagine that here. We must be off season as there were no vessels rafted up during our stay in Jacksonville.
Speaking of docking, I’m sure glad we don’t have to dock this tall ship!
A “bit” bigger than our mast.
A beautiful helm station.
I think we’ve found a new anchor windlass for ZTC.
In (most) docking situations your spring line is the most important line to cleat first in assisting in a docking situation. In your case with the current/wind behind you, my stern line would have been my first choice, then spring, then bow. I would have wanted my stern “side to” the dock to be securly cleated to stop forward motion and prevent your stern from being pushed off the dock by the inertia of the current……..90% of the time, I don’t use the dockhand without communicating to them first whether on VHF or by verbally communicating on a drive by which lines will be handed to them and cleated. I never assume they know what they are doing……….Usually a teenage person 16 does not know what to do.
You’re right John, in that case the stern line would have been the best to first get secure. That is ultimately what we ended up doing. Fortunately we had a fair amount of room in front of us to play with.
Just came across your blog and looks interesting. Thought I would extend an invitation to you if you need anything while in the Jacksonville/St Augustine area. I work in Jacksonville and live in downtown St Augustine on my boat. If there is anything you need advice about the city, parts, a ride anywhere, or help with anything on the boat feel free to let me know.. I’d be more than happy to help out in anyway possible.
Matt
captainpeppers@hotmail.com
Hi Matt. Thanks for the comment and the kind offer!
We will be leaving Jacksonville today when the tide changes (or just before it) and will be heading in the general direction of St. Augustine. We won’t make it there today but perhaps will tomorrow.
That is really cool of Matt and everyone else that you have met up with along the way! I hope one day I am treated like a celebrity!! Boating, the best little community!!!
You’re already a celebrity in our eyes, John. 🙂
Those pictures bring back memories, especially Jacksonville Landing. I don’t know if you remember, but in my years with Bombardier I spent most of it installing and expanding the Skyway down there in Jax. It looks like your one pic was taken on the Acosta bridge, which the monorail run across. St. Augustine is great. Nice fort, good seafood. Maybe try the Santa Maria if I remember correctly, right beside one of the bridges. The bottom of the windows open and they give you stale bread to drop to the fish waiting below. Also, if you can get there, you have to go to Clark”s Fish Camp in Jacksonville. It’s right on the river if I remember correctly (locals please chime in here). Can’t be beat for ambiance and value. I won’t say more about the ambiance, if you go, you’ll know. Lyndsay
I do remember all of your trips to Jacksonville and in fact, had just brought that up to Rebecca. Unfortunately your recommendations came a tiny bit late as we left the city at 1:15 today.:(
I was afraid of that. Initially I didn’t think you would be crossing the Georgia/Florida border until the end of November, so I thought I still had time; then I got around to catching up on your travels and realized where you were. Maybe you’ll get back there some other time. There’s still the Santa Maria in St. Augustine. When I had the family down for a vacation; must have been in 1999 or 2000 we all went there. Great fun for the kids. Geoff couldn’t remember the term for the spice (he was 8 or 9) they put on the fish (blackened is the term) so he asked for his fish “darkened”. It was pretty funny. The fort, Castillo de San Marco I think, is interesting as it is a different vintage and design from Fort Henry. It has actually been fired upon and you can see the damage. L
Would you believe that I first read this comment when we were 10-15 past St. Augustine? You’re timing needs work, or we need to slow down.
I’ve been to that resstaurant! They had holes in the floor through which one feeds the fish. It’s fun! My cousin and I went down the streets of St. Augustine in the dark! I think we went the wrong way down every street in the city! Wonderful, interesting buildlings.
We passed by St. Augustine as we have Thanksgiving plans in the New Smyrna area.
Great pictures of the tall ship. That is a beautiful ship.
It sure was pretty.