03/08 - 03/10 - Hontoon Island CBGT DeLand Florida

Well, the geocache idea was a bust. The local reviewers require a local geocacher be listed that can maintain my cache in my absence. Just wasn't worth the hassle of finding a local to do that, so on to plan B. I altered the prop birdhouse slightly, and then rehung it as just a birdhouse. Blue Creek has many (over 80) birdhouses hung along it, and mine is perhaps the most unique. If you are familiar with Blue Creek, and what I like to call "Alligator Island" at the north end, you will likely recognize the area in the photo. I'm hoping it'll hang for many years for C-Brats (and others) to see as they cruise Blue Creek, and that the decals will hold up just as long.

Hanging the birdhouse
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Closeup of the hung birdhouse
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Distant shot
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After the gathering, Rosanne and I enjoyed cruising between Deep Creek to the south near Lake Harney, and Mud Springs to the north by Welaka. We enjoyed cruising with Mike on Ms. Jill and Bill on Mystery Girl, and anchoring and visiting with James on Molly Brown, Ken & Sharon on Sea Angel, and Dan and Peggy on Lake Effect. Rosanne and I are headed back to Hontoon tomorrow, and then loading out to head home on Sunday. Colby
 
We're locals but didn't make the "show" because we're not vaxed... hopefully things will be different next year...Our question concerns the Hontoon Loop... we're planning to do it before heading to Maine for the summer...
Did y'all make it through Canal#2 back to the St. John's or did you have to backtrack?
 
Did y'all make it through Canal#2 back to the St. John's or did you have to backtrack?
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The Canal is open and about a 40 foot tour boat goes thru at least once a day. No problem. This is the furthest South cut. The others are not passable.
 
We're locals but didn't make the "show" because we're not vaxed... hopefully things will be different next year...Our question concerns the Hontoon Loop... we're planning to do it before heading to Maine for the summer...
Did y'all make it through Canal#2 back to the St. John's or did you have to backtrack?
Click to expand...

The Hontoon Loop I speak of, is pretty much circumnavigating Hontoon Island. I usually do it clockwise. I'll start out from Hontoon, head east or upstream on the St. John's River. Go past Blue Springs, then I believe it's at the red dayboard #80, hang a right into that canal. It did seem this year to have a few more overhanging limbs, and some more dead falls along the edge, but there was still plenty of room to get our boats all the way through to the Hontoon Dead River on the other side. From there we go north again, and come back out on the St. John's just west of Hontoon State Park. Without stopping, it takes about 2 hours, as it's all no wake. (I run it at 5mph. There is a short section next to Blue Springs that is idle speed no wake, or about 3 mph.) You can run it counter clockwise which probably makes a little more sense with current flow and fuel efficiency. Colby
 
This is the furthest South cut. The others are not passable.
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Bob, that furthest cut south would be very near the end of the Hontoon Dead River, and is not passable in our boats. (I took my kayak into it this last trip, and couldn't get all the way through.) Colby
 
Thanks so much...cant wait to do it!
We're taking our neighbors who aren't boaters, so a bit nervous :lol:
Hope we get to meet you at the meet up next summer...
my how time flies!

Sue
 
Molly Brown is back in the barn. I pulled out Sunday morning and was pleasantly surprised the ramp was not busy at all.

It was an awesome 3 weeks on the river and had all kinds of weather, i.e. rain, cold, hot, windy, and calm. I will say this is the first year I ran my air conditioner. Lowest low was 36* and the high 89*. Gotta love Florida in spring.

It was really nice to see everyone again, especially some younger couples. That or I'm just getting older, like all of you.

Special thanks againg to Tom and Joyce without whom none of this would be possible or as satisfying. Wishing you both, Jan and Lee a wonderful Loop Cruise and look forward to you giving us all a talk about you experiences. Safe travels!!

James
 
We pulled out Sunday morning at 6:30 and there must have been a fishing tournament with at least two dozen bass boats filling the basin including dock space. Fortunately one of them was courteous enough to move off the dock to allow us to load out. In the rain, lol. Parking lot was almost full so not many weekend warriors were going to be able to launch and park. Another great St. John’s event in the books! Thanks to Tom and Joyce and all that make it possible! Colby
 
Colby, we pulled out after the rain about 0930h. Yes, lot was full but just 1 boat prepping to launch and no one at the docks. Have a safe trip back to the north country.

James
 
Colby, I have been watching Flagolds (Mattison’s) final trip on the Mischief, up the ICW from West coast of Florida.

Final Voyage Of The MIschief Great Loop Video Series ICW Log 16 - The Nina Ship
(One of the sections just for location reference of the video log.)
Matt Mattson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMjo9bof9Mg
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and it has been interesting to see all the different areas they went through, including the St Johns River. What perked my interest is that much of it is not just a straight ditch run. So, where you said the middle channel, , , ??, Is that the middle horizontal one on the chart, (shortest straight cut, or the middle, winding, snaking one from upper left to middle right that is (Sort of) marked “Snake Creek un-navigable”

Pretty sure that un-navigable does not necessarily include C-Dorys :wink:

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

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Snake creek......did it once....will definitely not do it again! That was is my 22 some years ago. Rolled over a lot of logs but did not wreck any props. I figure that’s Colbys job. The kayakers were pretty impressed. With that said there are three old logging channels south of Snake creek on the Hontoon Dead...take the second one. It’s pretty obvious when you see them.
Tom
 
A few years back we were not able to do Snake Creek in our inflatable. I checked the first and 3rd cuts this year and they did not seem to be navigable by my 18' Caracal. Agree that it is fairly obvious which is the proper cut to go thru.
 
I trust everyone had an enjoyable time on the St. Johns River
before, during and after the C-Brat gathering at Hontoon Island State Park.
Its truly a special place. The Park staff went out of their way to make our visit easy and stress free. Thank You for your generous donations to the Park. I've posted below the letter from the Citizen Support Organization thanking us for our past and present donations. The $918 is the total of monies over and above expenses and the silent auction. When we announced the figure at Hontoon the number was a little higher but Joyce forgot to deduct expenses before the gathering. They are still working on getting the shelter project going and our donations will help with that. I was hoping that it would be done by now but with covid things got pushed back. Perhaps next year? Looking forward to connecting with everyone then.

God Bless
Tom and Joyce

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Now I know what CSO stands for. lol. It is a great park and I hope the relationship we have with them remains for many years to come. Thanks again Tom and Joyce for coordinating the best gathering going. Colby
 
Since nothing yet posted for next year, thought I'd post this here. If we stay with the routine of first full month of March, that would make the 2023 gathering March 7-9, 2023. Looks like someone already snagged 9A so I just reserved 3A. Everything else looks wide open at this point. Looks like rates went up by a $7/day utility fee. :( Looking forward to next year, and hearing from Tom, Joyce, Lee and/or Jan about their Great Loop adventure. Colby
 
Ignore that last post. I just opened a new thread. Tyboo, if you are reading this, would you mind deleting these last two posts? Thanks. Colby
 
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