“At one time it was farm land, and I assume it was
eventually a shipping town,” Bob said. “It also happens
to be where Billy Graham gave his first sermon as a
minister. It’s a wonderful little town.”
Bob and Ann have joined as many as 30 boats in
the past on this annual expedition, trekking their
boats via trailer from all around the state and
launching together as an assembly.
The Saint John’s River flows north, and it’s kind of
a forgotten river around here because it’s very
shallow. Its deepest depth barely reaches 30 feet, and
it was mainly used by steamboats and paddlewheel
boats.
The group usually meets the night before at a hotel
to have dinner and discuss the itinerary and the
weather.
Since the river flows north, they start the adventure
heading south. The boats cruise through Dunn’s
Creek and Crescent Lake, which is one of the largest
lakes in Florida. During the cruising, the captains make
stops at places like Silver Glen where travelers can
enjoy a dip in the beautiful 72-degree spring water.
They also make several stops in small towns for lunch
and to do some exploring.
The most interesting part of the excursions are the
side trips along the way, according to Ann and Bob.
22 GASPARILLA ISLAND March/April 2019
“We enjoy stopping at many of the fresh water
springs,” Bob said. “You can look down 90 feet and
swim with manatees – the kids really love it. The
water is crystal clear.”
One of Ann’s favorite stops on the way is
Shrimp R Us, in Welaka. It’s a quirky little riverfront
establishment where guests can enjoy steaks and
seafood in a relaxed roadhouse atmosphere with
two outdoor tiki bars and live music.
“It’s fun to talk to the locals and get to know
them,” Ann said.
This year, Capt. Guy Marvin will lead a parade
of wooden boats and cruise south to Green Cove
Springs. The group will head up Dunn’s Creek to
Crescent City the next day. This will be the 23rd
year that Guy has organized the tours.
In 2018, there were a total of 11 boats and 33
captains who participated in all or part of the
cruise.
Lake Dora, just outside of Orlando, hosts the
largest wooden boat show in the country every
March, which is why the trip is planned for this
time of the year.
The show is for boaters who own Garwood
and Criss Craft wooden racing and recreational
boats. They come together each year to share
stories and talk about their outings.