Ed Stone Park and Hontoon Island

Quiet night in the Walmart parking lot last night. Got up early, had our breakfast, then made the short 115 mile jaunt over to Ed Stone Park to launch on the St. John's River. Headed straight for Hontoon Island State Park, where three C-Dorys were already slipped for the day. We visited and socialized as more showed up. I believe we had about 10 in the slips when we left around 4p. Others were starting to leave also, as the park is only open during the day right now. (Still only partially open from the hurricane flooding several years ago. But they are now working on the ranger residences and hope to be fully open again in time for next year.) There will be plenty more C-Dorys tomorrow when the gathering officially starts. Some went over to a Yacht Club marina on the nearby lake to spend the night in a slip, while some of us anchored out. Rosanne and I headed down the St. John's River to the Pine Island cut that is a very narrow and short canal over to the Hontoon Dead River. A short ways before the cut, we go by Blue Springs State Park, where many Manatees over winter. We actually saw two Manatees just before going by the park, but I missed getting their photos.Read more