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| Sunrise over A dock Winter 2016 |
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| A dock on a winter morning |
Our visit to Huckin's Boatyard caused us to take a serious look at the Marina to the East on the Ortega River.
http://www.ortegalanding.com/
We had enjoyed our trip on the St. John's river the winter of 2015. My back needed a repair (number 3) and Jax has a good VA hospital for my other issues. The marina has been a pleasant stay as the amenities and the people are just wonderful.
Some of the marinas we had stayed at on the St. John's were laid back and primitive. A few you could see nowhere from their docks.
http://tinyurl.com/h76ono8
Click on pictures to see slide show
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| The pool deck with A dock. Spotless comes to mind when describing the pool, hot tub, rest rooms, showers and the facilities in general. The staff, Joe and Bill are always busy with projects and clean up, fixing the things that break before they become a problem. Bruce and Jeannie in the office could not be nicer, taking care of all the details. It is refreshing to deal with professionals that have the right attitude toward customer service. |
Mornings are beautiful with the sun rise. The river traffic is not bad but idiots try and see how fast they can go between the bridges. I do not understand the lack of a no wake zone. There are a few boats anchored in the river. The approach is well marked and the draw bridge is easy. The bridge tender has always been courteous for our needs. Just a call on 9 and he opens as we approach.
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| B dock. The marina has been full with all most all of the 192 + slips taken. We have been here since last May after a winter South on the St John's river. |
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| Many live-a-boards and long time boaters inhabit the docks . We have not met anyone that has not been the friendliness and nicest people on the water. |
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| A few boats leave and more come in for a stay. Our boat is comfortable here with easy access to the hot tub and pool at the clubhouse. We leased a Toyota Corolla for $189 per month to get around in. We do miss the beach access we had at Jekyll. Here it is 23 miles to the beach. |
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| We keep our 18 ft fishing boat on the dock in a slip that is unused by bigger boats. The gated security makes for a safety we enjoy. Have not been fishing as much as we wanted to of late. |
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| The bike rack and dumpster are secured by cameras. Sad to say but our bike was stolen and our neighbors two bikes were taken soon after. Jax has a crime problem. Bikes and other valuables need careful watchfulness. |
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| C dock, The docks are easy in and out with room for the bigger boats. In slip pump outs, nice dock boxes and electrical service make the stay easy to handle. There is some current but not bad like some docks we have been on. The tide is around 2 ft. |
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| The gathering place for C and D dock with fire place, dinghy storage, bike rack and large field for dogs to play. They are very pet friendly and have stations for doggy bags. The marina rules cover leash and pet concerns. The grounds are kept up very nice. The fenced gated docks and well lit grounds help us to feel safe. |
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| The grounds have one completed condo. Before the recession of 2008 there were plans for more condos but that fell through. I have been told this was at one time a working boatyard and yacht sales. Heading West on the river are several major boatyards where you can have anything needed for sail or power done. The marina keeps a list of vendors that will service your boat in slip for most routine work. We had AC units replaced by Ralph and are very pleased with his work and prices. Huckins Boat yard (see http://tinyurl.com/hbqxrk8 ) did our bottom and some fiberglass work at a reasonable cost last year. The brackish water of the river does not lend it's self to much bottom growth like the marinas in Georgia we stayed at before. |
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| Suzsea enjoys a warm sundeck on a cool day in January |
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| A quiet creek off the river West of the marina. We explore in our 18 ft CC fishing boat. |
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| D Dock has several long term live-a-boards that come and go as the seasons change. Gated with security, Clean floating docks that are wide, easy to walk on. Have not met anyone that was not friendly. Marina has rules to keep everyone safe and secure. |
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| The club house is a very nice amenity that has grills, patio seating, wonderful views, organized parties and celebrations that the marina staff provide for guests. |
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| Right on the river, you have water front property! The gas grills, recently added patio and all are part of the things that make this marina special. The club house has a full kitchen, lounge with big screen TV and excellent Wi Fi. The Wi Fi has been upgraded and is very good all throughout the marina. |
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| Boat yards to the West of the Roosevelt/ Hwy 17 bridge. We catch shrimp with cast nets under the bridge in season. |
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| Ice machine and BBQ grill tools are for guests to use. I have never found them to be dirty or in disorder. |
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| Downtown Jax with restaurants, shops and more are a few miles away. The marina has a shopping center with Publix, West Marine, UPS and more just a few blocks away. Getting around Jax has been easy if you watch out for rush hour traffic. The interstates can get you most anywhere quickly. The Jax airport and the beach are a cheap Uber ride away. The marina has connection to Enterprise for rentals that will pick you up dockside. The Landing downtown offers free dockage for events and the restaurants of Five Points, Avondale and Riverside are not to be missed. The ICW is around 20 miles away. St Augustine and the St John's are excellent day trips. |
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| This 90 degree turn right in the front entrance to the marina is a concern as some people while texting, fixing their make up or eating breakfast take the turn too fast for conditions and it can be a little dangerous walking or riding a bike at this junction. Otherwise the area is somewhat bike friendly and safe. Walking is popular and the numerous parks are easy to get to with good sidewalks and quite side streets. |
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| This park is just up the street from the marina. Lots of squirrels and pet friendly. Another nice park is over by the Ortega bridge. |
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| Walkway at the condo, Well lighted at night. Besides the shopping center to the North of the marina there is a fresh veggie market nearby. A long bike ride but doable. The marina has nice loaner bikes or just ask and someone may volunteer to take you where you need to go. We used Uber when we first got here and found them cheap, fast and easy to use. There is a CVS drug store about 4 blocks away. Fuel for your boat can be found at the boatyards to the West. |
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| From the upper deck of clubhouse. Clubhouse has an elevator and wide porch on upper level with comfortable chairs for just relaxing. Well stocked library and comfortable sofa inside the lounge is also a favorite place to chill. Each month the marina sponsors a gathering of some description, pot lucks and parties of celebration enjoyed by all the guests. |
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| The clean manicured grass of the pet area in front of the clubhouse is appreciated by our furry friends. More pictures http://www.ortegalanding.com/gallery.php |
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| Another winter morning sunrise. We have had a few brisk days and some warm winter days. A few cold fronts that got quite chilly, not too bad for a winter. Nice about the location is that our insurance considers the marina a hurricane hole and the marina does not require us to evacuate for a named storm. |
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Entrance to marina office. The showers, restrooms and office are on first floor of the clubhouse. The laundry has three washer/dryer machines and is free along with the ice, grills and other amenities. The laundry is popular on some days as two of the dryers are sometimes slow to dry. There is a share a book lending library in the small laundry room. The pool area, patio have excellent Wi Fi with lots of deck chairs and tables to share with friends and family. We use a digital TV antenna and pick up several local stations. If anything is amiss or needs fixing Bill and Joe take care of it often before we know about it. I have never observed a cleaner, nicer place on the water. Give Bruce a call to enjoy a pleasant stay on the river
http://www.ortegalanding.com/lease-rates.php |
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| Ortega River bridge looking North to one of the parks. The medical resources of the area are outstanding with several hospitals to choose from. The regional VA is one of the better rated VA facilities. With the Naval base and air station, Jax is a veteran friendly town. |
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| The marina looking West from the Ortega Draw bridge. The nice parks at the North end and easy walking sidewalks make this a popular place. The park has a kid's play ground and fishing docks. |
More info on bridge http://tinyurl.com/jxz9zmn
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| Sunset on the Ortega River West of the Marina past the Hwy 17 Bridge. Several things we observed here over the past year. The no se ums that caused so much hassle at Jekyll have not bothered us here. The blind mosquitoes that take over the lower St. John's river have not appeared. The green deer flies of Cumberland and the ICW have not shown up so far nor do the mosquitoes bothered us. In the hottest part of the summer the pool is a welcome relief and there always seemed to be a breeze. Our electric bill is on a meter and is reasonable, a lot less than what we pay at other marinas that bill a flat fee. There is no trash or clutter allowed on the docks. The dumpster and recycle bins are tucked neatly away in the parking lot. |
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| Parking in front of Club house with pet area. Everything about the marina is first class, clean and well lighted at night. |
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| Parking and large grass field to the North of C and D dock. Every marina and location is a compromise and each person has different perspectives and tastes. Some will like the pool and hot tub, some won't use it. Some will like the spotless, air conditioned, and nicely appointed showers that are better than any Sheraton or Marriott I have ever stayed in. Residents have two free in-slip pump outs a month. |
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| Sunset looking West from Pool deck. |
At the end of the day where you stay is more of where do you want to be? What is a deal maker or breaker for you? Where are you comfortable and what do you enjoy doing? We have docked at a lot of marinas and so far this one is the best of the best.
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