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From: freshairfiend (no email)
Date: Wed Aug 03 2005 - 18:23:13 EDT
GCS marina is reputed to have a *long* waiting list, as more and more
Jacksonville-area marinas are turned into condo projects, but some
people have gotten in simply by showing up. It is cheap for Florida,
has good people working there, and the two main piers are very tall
and industrial strength; cars and trucks are safe on them, and there
are ladders to climb down to your boat. Two options are to tie
alongside the big piers at ladder locations, or to get a more
conventional slip along the shore at small wooden finger piers. It is
quite exposed to NE winds, well protected otherwise.
Tidal range at GCS is very small. There is very little current on the
river south of Ortega, but at the river mouth you can see 3-4 knots.
You're not on the main hurricane tracks, which are south of there, but
you can get nailed pretty good if you're unlucky. By the time a
hurricane reaches GCS, 21 miles inland, it has *generally* been
downgraded to a tropical storm. Tornados are not uncommon through this
area.
This marina is *not* a garden spot. View is of rusting hulks on the
still-active commercial docks, shoreside tanks, scrap yards, and scads
of on-shore storage of boats and cars.
You'll probably need a car there, as it is ~2 1/2 miles to town and to
the grocers, and nothing much to do at the marina except gossip and
work on your boat. It is maybe 48-50 statute miles upriver from the
Atlantic Ocean. The St. Johns River is itself a nice cruising ground,
though, and there is a cruising guide available.
Green Cove Springs is a smallish town, with a library, car
dealerships, fast food, a movie house, grocery stores, some government
buildings, etc. Some nice parts of town, some not so nice, but there's
not many "cultural" options short of a trip to "Jax" or "St. Augie."
Racism is quite prevalent in the area. There's a nice waterfront park
on Walnut St. Employment in the area is mostly low-paid and thin on
the ground. There does seem to be work for welders and others in
related trades. Most better-off area residents work in Jacksonville.
For property, anything waterfront in Florida will set you back a big
stack of bills. Non-waterfront in this area is cheaper than in the
better known parts of Florida, as this is at the northern end of the
"trailer park empire" poverty pocket that constitutes much of inland
central Florida. There is a lot of new housing going in east of the
St. Johns River, closer to St. Augustine, in smarmily named places
such as "World Golf Village." St. Augie is fun, about 25 miles away
with an interesting downtown, fort, nightlife, beaches, and college.
Keep in mind that there is a good reason most development in Florida
has been on the coasts. Bugs are thick through here, and summer nights
are hot and sticky.
If you can get under a 45' bridge, you can also look into Palatka, and
a large number of low-cost rural marinas south of there; or go further
south to Sanford, which has a nice modern marina close to downtown and
good shopping.
Good luck!
John Dalziel
--- In , Richard Bradshaw
<rbradsh2 at s dot dot dot > wrote:
>
> Anyone familiar with the Green Cove Springs Marina on the St Johns
> River near Jacksonville, FL.? What can you tell me about the marina
> and the area including how far it is to the ocean? I understand it is
> a working yard but is _quite_ far inland with bow to stern mooring on
> and old navy finger pier. Tidal range? River current? Proximity to
> shopping facilities? Pros and cons about mooring/living/working there
> and in the area? Landside property values and development? Weather
> concerns (hurricanes/tornadoes)? Have I missed anything?
>
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