M/V Stickless

From: Amelia River, FL MM 719.8

To: Pine Island (about 10 miles north of St. Augustine), FL MM 765.0

L/L: 30 03.13N 81 21.82W

Distance Traveled: 46.4

Hours Motoring: 7.4 hours

Average Speed: 6.3 mph

Weather: Mostly sunny; temp range 55 - 82 degrees; north wind @ 10 to 15 knots moderate chop on the waterway

M/V Stickless - a small Hunter sailboat that has been converted into a trawler

Comment: Here’s something unusual - We had the current with us most of the day! At times we were doing over 9 mph. The MacCormack Bridge construction project had one half of the waterway closed down but there was plenty of room for SUNSHINE to pass through.

Along our travels, we passed the M/V Stickless, a sailboat in its former life that is now this man's trawler.

Amazingly, we passed the tow (remember that tow we first passed way back in Wall’s Cut?) again. THis time it wasn’t underway, but the little tugs were peeling off various barges and other equipment. The big tug Goose Creek, which towed it from Charleston to here, was already gone. Apparently some of the Palm Valley cut needs to be dredged. We did see a short section of eight foot depths, but most was over twelve feet deep.

We set the anchor on the south side of Pine Island near two other boats. By bed time, there were seven boats in the anchorage. Since we were a bit close to M/V First Snow, we set an anchor watch. There were no problems on this night.