Voyage to Palatka

March 15, 2022: Having cut our teeth on a 6 mile voyage on Katy B, we decided to take a series of baby steps as we learned the boat, the navigation and the St. John's River. First, we took the boat out by ourselves and went approximately 10 miles south on the river, cruising under the large highway bridge and returning to our marina. There were no casualties so several days later we went somewhat farther and also took the opportunity to visit Doctor Lake, just south of Jacksonville, to practice maneuvering in tighter spaces. That also went well without undue problems.

We raised our sights and decided to cruise further down the river and stay overnight in a small town called Palatka, Florida. Palatka is an old rivertown with a long history that is struggling somewhat in modern times. The community is trying hard, however, and have decorated the small town with murals, partially rebuilt the waterfront and are trying to save historical sites. The marina there is small and a little rundown, but the owner met us at the dock, and was helpful in tying Katie B up and connecting to 50 amp power.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit, taking advantage of the small main streets, eating at a local pizza parlor, and of course, visiting the town remaining dairy queen.