Jacksonville, FL Area Scheduled Meets-Ongoing

The construction on 10 pisses me off already, they have it shut down from 9 pm to 6 am so i have to take beaver st to get to work

 

Going out to jennings to play in the sand

 

Enjoy man.
Did a little bit of kayaking earlier today in Mayport. The weather's perfect.

 

I'm planning on renting a kayak to see if I'll like/enjoy it. Would like to get into fishing from it as well as paddling in general. Are there a lot of launch points around the area? Other area's you wouldn't recommend going to at all?

 

The wife and I are still new to kayaking and still learning, so we go to places that are relatively safe. In Mayport, we go to Dutton Island or Oak Harbor.
Dutton Island Preserve is nice and easy. You get some good current as it's right by the Intracoastal Waterway, but nothing too difficult. But we tend to not go to close to the waterway. My wife almost got sucked out by the current, and began to panic. Got turned around and forgot how to turn around. So I had to go and get her. She likes it there because it is easy to get in and out of the kayak. It's off-shore launching.
Oak Harbor (boat ramp) is cool because there are so many places to paddle around and is a good distance from the Intracoastal Waterway. It's harder to get in and out of the kayak for my wife since it's either off of the boat ramp or a dock. I prefer that place over Dutton Island.

We did find a cool place off of A1A, on your way to Vilano Beach. It's the boat ramp (Six Mile?) between North Beach parking and Middle Beach parking. I think we will hit that place next time we go out. Seemed pretty calm and peaceful.

Also...always keep the tides in mind when you go. We try to go around high tide (around an hour before or after). It would really suck to be stuck out there when the tide is low.

 

There's a nice kayak rental place near talbot island on Heckscher/A1A. They've got a launch that gives you access to a nice little secluded stretch of intercoastal.

 

Closest place for you would be around doctors lake

 

I was looking at that last night. I thought about black creek, but read on a kayak forum there were three spots you had to carry the yak across to the deeper part of the creek. This was starting in old Jennings mind you.

I wouldn't mind going around the downtown area, might be fun?

 

Seems sketchy

 

Yup. That's Kayak Amelia. It's on the west side of A1A. I think my wife's coworker teaches there on the weekends.

 

Black creek, or downtown? Lol

 

Downtown lmao

 

@Kumunoy Here you go.
http://www.greaterjacksonvillepaddlingguide.org/images/GuideMap.pdf
http://ocean.floridamarine.org/boating_guides/duval/pages/canoe_kayak.html
http://www.jaxkayakfishing.com/fishing_spots.html

 

Whoa! That's more extensive than I thought, thank you!

So it looks like a Kayak rental is in the near future for me then. I was told by a co-worker this AM that renting at Amelia island is hit and miss. If the tide is out you're stuck and can't go anywhere. She recommended Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine as there is access all the time.

 

I'll have to check Anastasia out. We drive out to Vilano & St. Augustine all of the time, just never thought of kayaking at Anastasia. Thanks man.

Would Jennings be a good place to go? I've never been. Doing some wheeling with a little bit of kayaking would make a great day trip.

 

Not sure about Jennings State Forest (Black Creek) honestly, here are some things I found this AM about it:

http://www.floridapaddlingtrails.com/tripreport.asp?trip=798

http://www.floridapaddlingtrails.com/tripreport.asp?trip=802

http://www.floridapaddlingtrails.com/tripreport.asp?trip=763


I wouldn't mind trying it if I do decide to get a Kayak, but that's a ways down the road, at least until I can get out and test some yaks out and see if I like it.

As far as wheeling in Jennings, it's basically all hard packed sand (fire roads), when it's dry. I haven't had the chance to go when its wet though. There are some spots where it's soft sand, but that's further in. It was a nice little trip, and I think there is a bird watching area further into the forest. You have to drive until you hit the crossroads (names escape me) and see power lines, then you'll turn right and drive to the end. It's a foot path and there is an observation deck/station to watch wild life.

 

Uve been to anastasia, its nice there

 

So any big plans for you guys this weekend? According to our ever accurate weather people, it's going to be a washout Saturday, with clear weather on Sunday.

 

Nothing to do with being out on some trails. Wanted to hit Springing the Blues at the beach. At the St. Augustine pier today, the annual Florida BMX Spring Fling is scheduled for today. If you're into BMX, or were back in the day, there will be some legends out there: Mat Hoffman, Dennis McCoy, Mike Dominguez, Brian Blyther and others.

But with the rain being around for most of the day, and these two events are outdoors, who knows?

 

Not a whole lot going on. I was expecting a washout and relaxing. But it looks like that may change.