Memorial Day weekend was great in Jacksonville, I met a bunch of great people while staying here at Beach Marine. People watching at the boat ramp on a busy holiday weekend is always great, lots of funny boat drama from the weekend warriors. My buddy Andrew Gund from home has been living in Jax for a few years now and had a few great meals with me and stayed aboard Pura Vida one evening. I met a really cool guy named Mason while being here he has a nice 34′ sailboat, he’s been busy with work and surfing so he has been renting his sailboat as a condo on Airbnb. Mason Masters and I share a lot of the same passions like being on a boat loving the water and enjoying nature, long story short I talked him into riding with me for a few legs of the trip and that he did!
We departed Beach Marine Wednesday June 1st, the temp was pretty warm and it was feeling good to get back on the ICW and make some wind blow through the flybridge. We had also recruited three females that were excited to see what living and cruising on Pura Vida was like. Our crew now consists of Mason, Kasey, Bridget, and Emily. Kasey is from a boating family her mom and dad ran boats for many years as a couple. Bridget and Emily were actually renting Masons boat for a night they are very cool girls, both roommates from Athens GA. Emily is a Firefighter EMT and Bridget is a gymnastics teacher. Felt vey lucky to have them aboard for a short while and they got to test out the pullout couch that I’ve never even pulled out lol This short 28 mile zig zag through the ICW took us north crossing over the St. Johns River into the narrow Sisters Creek, then passing Nassau Sound and arriving at Fernadina Harbour Marina which is on Amelia Island.
The 6 and 7′ tide swings they have here are crazy, all the docks have to be floating and when it is coming up or is going down the tidal currant is very powerful. Amelia Island is very cool they have a lot of restaurants and things to see and do all in walking distance.
Pura Vida Loop 