Palatka to Six Mile Creek

We left Palatka to head toward Jacksonville.  Jacksonville is about a 5 hour cruise form Palatka, so we know we wouldn’t get there tonight.  We weren’t sure where to anchor, but found several options on Active Captain.  Active Captain is an interactive cruising guidebook.  It shows marina’s, anchorages, hazards, local knowledge on a waterway chart.  By clicking on a marina icon I can read reviews of a marina or anchorage.  Information such as  location, depth, length of docks, amenities, holding, protection and more is listed.  The local knowledge icon will have things such as bridges, creeks, and other local information.  We probably use this icon the least.  The hazard icon typically identifies shoaling or an underwater hazard such as a sunken vessel or piling.  We always look at the hazard information. 

By using Active Captain we found an anchorage near Six Mile Creek.  The reviews suggested going up Six Mile Creek and using the free dock at The Outback Crab Shack Restaurant.  I usually prefer a free dock to anchorage–I am not afraid of hearing pirates or eels any more (another story), I just don’t want the anchor to slip during the night and us to drift away…..

The information about the dock indicated the  entry into Six Mile Creek is shallow so we decided to anchor and take the tender into the restaurant for an appetizer.  This afternoon was my day to learn to drive the tender.  I have driven our ski boat many times, but not this boat with a 4 stroke outboard Yamaha motor.  (Steve had to tell me that it was a Yamaha–I knew that it was an outboard motor) 

 The tender sits on top of Meandering Joy.  We use a davit (a mini crane) to lower it into the water.  It is not as elaborate or difficult as it sounds.   After lowering it into the water, grabbing the camera and the handheld VHF radio–we were ready for my lesson.  Easy peasy…

Seriously going fast

 The creeks in Georgia aren’t nearly so wide.

Ater a short ride we discovered the 1500ft dock  There were four boats tied up.  The sail boat on the end, looked abandoned, the two catamarans were occupied and the fourth boat was made in 1949 and was for sale.  We tied off and went up the steps.  There are several buildings around so we wandered around until we made inside.  With its walls of rustic cedar, black fans with misting jets placed on the ceiling and a mix of concrete floors and wood floors–this place has character.  There are gambling games in a small half walled area, game and fish on the walls, and the smell of seafood cooking in the air. 

Not very crowded on our visit but we were shown pictures of boats tied up 5 wide on the docks all the way down its 1500 feet.  We decided we were not hungry enough for the half meal for $36  which included snow crab, boiled shrimp, steamed clams, seasonal seafood, and low country boiled vegetables.  Instead we ordered the Gator Bites Appetizer for $9.

We give the gator bites a thumbs up–good.  However–isn’t anything fried with a dipping sauce good?

Photo of an alligator the lawn service caught right outside the restaurant

Fish sculpture made of limbs and creative painting

Put in a quarter get fish food

Front door entrance–we came in the back from the creek

After enjoying our Gator Bites, we walked down the dock hoping to see (not really) a gator.  Instead, we saw the remainder of a few sunken vessels.

Overgrown with swampy kudzu

We met the owners of the two catamarans that were tied off.  They plan to head to Jacksonville and Lamb’s Yacht center tomorrow.  We hope to see them there. 

We headed back to the boat as the sun was going down.  As we exited the creek, we were happy to see the boat was where we left her.  We are both still a little wary of letting the boat out of our sight.  After stowing the tender, we headed inside.  Another great day on the water.