Great Loop: Palatka Florida, St. Johns River

Amy Marie at the Palatka Free Public Dock

 March 25th & 26th, 2022 

Palatka is home to the Azalea Festival, one of the oldest in Florida.  It is also a slice of Old Florida, with historic houses flanking the river front.  In the center, jutting from shore, is the free city dock. Only two other boats occupied slips.  We chose a slip that kept our bow pointed into the strong afternoon wind.  A friendly fellow came over to help with our lines.  Turns out he was a young fellow who lived on a sailboat anchored just offshore.  

The "Katie B" arrives in Palatka

As we were getting settled, we saw some friends of our arrive in a 47’ Great Harbor.  They docked at the nearby marina. We texted and arranged to meet for dinner at a local Italian restaurant called, “Pizza Boys”.  To get there we walked through downtown on St. John’s Street.  Sadly, there were many closed storefronts.  The buildings look sound, but there was limited commercial activity.  It was clear that there were redevelopment projects going on.  There was a bridal business which looked busy.  They also had a very cute mascot to help lure customers inside.  

"Bridal Dog"

Angels Diner - Since 1932!

Many buildings had lovely murals depicting various scenes from the town’s past.  Also, grants are given to owners to assist in the restoration of historic homes.  There was clearly civic pride, but much work to be done.

Mural on side of building

Pizza Boys, was busy when we arrived.  Clear evidence that a good restaurant will attract business.  The name disguised the fact that they made much more than pizza.  They also made their own pasta and prepared wonderful traditional Italian dishes.  The servings were generous and very tasty.  The Lasagna we ordered had been oven baked and the cheese along the edges of the dish had that almost crusty, baked texture which I love.  The meal came with garlic bread, and we ordered a salad with balsamic dressing as a side.  To quench our thirst, we ordered a pitcher of beer.  After exploring the St. John’s River for 10 days, it was heavenly to have a delicious meal under leisurely conditions.  It was also fun to visit with our fellow Loopers.

Kittiwake arrives in Palatka

The next day, we slept in and after breakfast our friends on Kittiwake arrived.  They docked just across from us.  We had travelled together, off and on since October and our last visit was 6 to 8 weeks ago on the east coast of Florida.  They are from Philadelphia and nearing the end of their loop.  We still have ~4000 miles of adventures remaining. 

Off to get a new bike chain

We were doing bike maintenance when they arrived.  Our tires were low on air and the chains were victims of corrosive salt air and water.  Beth’s bike cleaned up well.  The chain on my bike however, had links that just refused to move.  Time for a new chain!  Beth and Tasha conferred, and it was decided that we would walk to town and visit the historic homes.  So off we went.  I also managed to negotiate a visit to the bike shop for a new chain and some chain lube.

Bronson-Mulholland House - Occupied by both the Union and Confederacy during the Civil War

A Stereograph

The old, historic, homes really were quite lovely.  Many date back to the years prior to the Civil War.  We availed ourselves of a docent led tour of the Bronson-Mulholland House, located just north of downtown and along the river front.  Our docent was quite knowledgeable and regaled us with stories of the original and subsequent owners of the home.  Remarkably, the downstairs was furnished with much of the original furniture.  It is well worth visiting as it has a fascinating history.  One intriguing feature was the kitchen was external and on rails.  This was a tactic to allow the kitchen building to be towed, by horses, away from the main house if it caught fire!  A unique solution.

Old Home Converted to B&B

After enjoying the historic homes, we headed over to Ravine Gardens State Park.  It was the original site of the Azalea Festival.  Today, it is held in a larger venue.  Ravine State Park has several miles of lovely trails and a creek with a waterfall.  The creek is crossed by a couple of suspension bridges that just beg to be walked.  We found the park to be a very pleasant spot for a tranquil visit and a contrast to the wild vegetation of the cypress swamps.

Suspension Bridge in Ravines State Park

On our way back to Amy Marie, we passed an old steamboat that had been pulled ashore for restoration.  Work had not yet begun.  It was clear that some funding needed to be found before a project of this magnitude could be launched.  Hopefully, the local Historical Society can accomplish this large task.

Steamship - Noah's Ark

Early the next morning, we said our goodbyes to the crew of Kittiwake.  They were heading south, and we were going north. I’m sure we will once again bump into them as we amble our way up the east coast.  We enjoyed our Palatka visit and would recommend it as a stop.

Good Bye Palatka - We had a good visit

Berthing

•            Palatka Free City Dock.  On the north side of the city launch ramp.
•           The finger piers were short, about 20’ long.
•           There was one longer finger pier on the shore side of the dock.
•           There as also a Tee at the end of the dock where a large boat could tie up.
•           No power or electricity on the dock
•           There was a restroom, open during the day, in the park at the head of the dock.

 

Track Log