Enhancing the Tourist Experience of Jax - Use the River!!

[Noone]

Planning a RICO paddle for Downtown tomorrow. Special shout out to anyone outside of Duval county with jurisdictional knowledge. Tides look good in the am. I'll bring a radio and we can listen to 89.9 First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross.

[Noone]

After attending the 3/11/13 Ethics Commission meeting where the Publics right to speak at a noticed meeting is moving forward and then attending the 3/13/13 Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting that had Commission members questioning all sorts of questionable expenses and accounts which has you just thinking "Are you sure that this isn't somehow tide into this Allied Veterans scandal somehow." We are so LOST. The St. Johns River, An American Heritage River a FEDERAL Initiative.

So in the spirit of RICO.  Friday morning I was standing on a legitimate Mayor Alvin Brown kayak launch location at River City Brewing ready to embark on a tactical urban kayak paddle to the other side of the River to fish under the brand new No Fishing signs that was never before the Jacksonville Waterways Commission and to check out the Jim Love, Kevin Kuzel Berkman floating dock compromise next to Shipyards III that was misrepresented to the Waterways Commission by OGC during the 2013 FIND grant application process.

The weather was beautiful. Chamber of Commerce day. No wind. it was the last of the outgoing tide and the paddle out to the River was easy. I was tracking across and the Ocearch vessel that just tagged a great white shark off our coast was docked on the Northbank. The river was empty and you are going with the tide and there is that moment that you are so proud of this city and you want to share it with everyone.

Once on the other side I took it under the courthouse parking lot. I brought some fishing poles and had some shrimp. I have a Capt. Roger Bump pro series bait bucket that I use as a food cooler (Inside joke).  It's insulated and I'll throw some ice packs and on this trip I had some chicken wings with ranch dressing. And at this point I subscribe to the Norman Rockwell approach to fishing. I had 3 poles in the water. And I'm just enjoying the chicken wings with the ranch dressing. I finished the treat with a Bloomburg 24 oz. fountain drink and it was at this point that the rod is over and it was a 17" trout.

I take it outside and I'm now along the Riverwalk.There is a biker group staying at the Hyatt along with numerous other people and it's a constant Q&A'S about this area.

The tide has now changed and the river is still a sleek calm. very little boat traffic. I take it out to the river and I'm just going with the flow back to RCB and the legitimate Mayor Alvin Brown Kayak launch. In the past when going from one side of the river to the other you just want to book it. The reasons are numerous. Boat traffic, current, wind. but on this particular day the tide has just changed and I wanted to be in the middle of the river.  Very slow moving.

The highlight for the trip was a pelican off my starboard side about 25 ' and just gliding about 2'above the water. We are in the epicenter of Downtown and to have this experience and to know that a few blocks away you could be sitting at a park bench in Hemming Plaza. ( Are the table and chairs in or out?) The pelican continues on and it's these spontaneous centers of stimuli that just surrounds you when you are allowed to participate in these organic opportunities of active engagement.

Whenever I think of a trip Downtown especially from the water it's where do I want to engage. just after the pelican the sound of the Railroad greets the community. In the distance it's a 4 engine Norfolk Southern. So cool!

The paddle into RCB has all the window seats filled with people looking out the window and I'm waving to some.

Key meetings coming up.
JCCI
DIA
FIND

Visit Jacksonville?

I am Downtown and why you aren't.

[dougskiles]

Sounds like a great day, Noone!  Thanks for sharing it with us.  It was a beautiful day to be out.  We rode our bikes up to Friendship Fountain at sunset.  Probably more people out walking around enjoying the evening than I have seen on a non-special event weekend.

... and there is that moment that you are so proud of this city and you want to share it with everyone.

Couldn't agree more!

[Noone]

Planning a Downtown RICO paddle. You tell me if Public corruption is alive and well on our Waterways. Open to anyone.

I am Downtown and why you aren't.

[Noone]

Two days out from the 6/7/13 DIA subcommittee meeting of the Downtown Experience. Will there be an agenda? Who is on the committee? Anyone going?

[Noone]

Has anyone seen the agenda for the Oct. 4, 2013 Downtown Experience Committee meeting of our new DIA/CRA in the USA?
Don Shea is gone.
Jim Bailey is gone.
Don Harris is gone.
DIA signed away their power to negotiate to OED prior to the new guy Aundra Wallace. Not good. over $4,000,000 bucks what a joke.
2013-384 Will an amendment be attached for 24/7 access to Hogans Creek. Be concerned.
Ram dock is only open when Ram is open. Not good.
Governor Scott, your going to love this one the Jim Love, Kevin Kuzel, 26' Berkman Floating dock compromise SHIPYARDS III misrepresented by OGC to the Jacksonville Waterways Commission during the 2013 FIND grant application process. We are so LOST.
Sydney Geffen Park kayak launch.
Tom Ingram School Board kayak launch.
Don Redman, Scott Wilson Public/Commercial floating dock at Shipyards III prior to the RFI, RFP at the Downtown Experience Committee meeting of the DIA. Anyone?
Southbank Riverwalk- What is the status of the Public or Private floating dock? Anyone.
Palms Fish Camp- A million bucks and you never even opened the door. Sign me up!
2009-442- The Artificial Reef TRUST fund. FDOT- Where the heck are you? It's not you it's us (Jacksonville)
USS Adams- A positive benefit for enhancing the Tourist Experience and using our St. Johns River an American Heritage River a FEDERAL Initiative in our new highly restricted DIA zone.
Paul Astleford CEO of Visit Jacksonville- the new guy just 10 months on the job identifies 32 organizations that are hindering Tourism in Jacksonville. Can we all say "RICO".
The Public Trust has just been crushed in this community.

Ben- JCCI, we need to kayak Downtown before 2025.

[Noone]

Now new Waterways signage. Downtown Experience Committee meeting of the DIA just 3 hours out. Anyone going? This is all positive.

[thelakelander]

I got to enjoy the river last night on a dinner cruise hosted by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).  ASALH is in town this week and having their conference at the Hyatt. Great group, great river experience.

[Noone]

That is super and to have two MJ history buffs could only enhance the Tourist Experience of Jacksonville on our River.

[Noone]

Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting one day out. 9:30 am in council chambers. Anyone going? Has anyone seen the new Waterways signage that is DOWNTOWN? Don Redman and Scott Wilson are aware of the issue. Surprise!

Super props to the new guy Paul Astleford the CEO of Visit Jacksonville who has identified 32 organizations that  are hindering TOURISM. Can we all say RICO.
Anyone want to make a donation to 2009-442 the Artificial Reef Trust Fund? FDOT-Where are you? Its not you, its Jacksonville.

The Jim Love, Kevin Kuzel, 26' Berkman Floating dock compromise SHIPYARDS III misrepresented by OGC to the Jacksonville Waterways Commission during the 2013 FIND grant application process. Governor Scott, Adam Hollingsworth please help. Paul Astleford, you nail it man.

RAM dock only opened when RAM is open. Not good.

Tides are looking good.

Who's next?

[Noone]

New Signage on our Downtown Waterway.

Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting today at 9:30am council chambers. Anyone going?
DIA meetings today. Anyone going?

Paul Astleford the new guy with Visit Jacksonville nails it when he identifies 32 organizations that are hindering Tourism.
The total crushing of the Public Trust.

Will there be a FIND update today at Waterways? Does this community have a clue as to what is happening on our Waterways.

[Noone]

Public, Private, Partnership? That is something that may need a name change.

One day out from the two Public meetings on our new CRA/DIA in the USA that will guide us for years to come. Anyone going? Anybody care? Will my Dist. 4 city council representative be there for both of these meetings? We are so LOST. Hey, when you have one of the CRA consultants use a Public comment period to tell DIA board members that people go to jail I know that would make sure that my butt was there. Somebody ask councilman Redman because he is chair of Waterways what is going on with FIND. I'll bet your going to love the answer.

Anybody want to donate a buck to 2009-442?
No Shoes
No Shirt
No Money
No Problem- Visit Jacksonville

So after reading JAX Chamber president Dan Davis and his point of view in the Times Union about the London trip I immediately made a cup of tea and using my Royal Caribbean insulated beverage container took my tea and kayak to Jacksonville's Downtown International Redneck Kayak Launch that is next to the school board and right next to the brand new Country Boy JEA fence. What was wrong with the old fence? How much did that cost? That had to have been a cost cutting goal in the recent $1.9million bonus pay.
Forget swamp land. I have a JEA house that I'll sell you.

Weather conditions were JAX Chamber, DIA chillin, OED spacin. The day after Florida, Georgia was equally as exciting and it is something that we all still want to be a part of. There were some people already walking, jogging, and fishing on the Riverwalk. This time my goal was to do a respectable Vivian Harrell Bluebag cleanup and leave it on the JEA concrete that can only be accessed from the water. Overstreet, you may be all over this one. There is a $5 Hess gas card in an envelope on top of the blue bag. Seriously. I hope someone claims it.

The highlight of this short paddle was when I rounded the corner to this isolated unique stretch of urban wonder that is a sheltered cove that had an osprey, a great blue heron, egrets, and other wading birds just perched and standing in what was almost arms length distance from each other. Contrast that with a pride of lions, cheetahs, and leopards, in an open grassland scene that you think about in a movie or magazine.  It was the birds that one by one took to flight as the open waterway closed with my incoming arrival. This happened Downtown today. I'll take it.

Environmental Ethics- Vince Seibold

When people ask me are we are going to be getting more Public Access and economic opportunity to our St. Johns River our American Heritage River a FEDERAL Initiative in our new highly restricted DIA zone. I say NO!

I am Downtown and why you aren't.

[Noone]

I am Downtown with Mayor Brown.

After attending a bunch of recent meetings and hearing more Backroom deals you just want to get ready to tell the world don't VISIT JACKSONVILLE!

But being a team player and wanting to join Mayor Brown in making Downtown a Destination and not a pass through I launched my kayak at the mayor Brown kayak launch at Metropolitan Park marina.

Weather conditions were not ideal. Overcast skies, slight drizzle, outgoing tide, the wind wasn't a factor which was the main reason that I decided to even give it a try. It was about 2:30 and my ultimate destination originally was going to be Berkman Plaza- Plaza at Berkman. The Jim Love, Kevin Kuzel 26' Berkman floating dock compromise Shipyards III misrepresented by OGC during the 2013 FIND grant application process. 

With live shrimp and all packed up when I exited the shelter of the marina I was immediately met with the strong outgoing current and my destination was so far away in the distance. Once past the marina I am now paddling back another potential kayak launch and that is the existing floating dock that is at Shipyards which nobody can use. Don't believe me just ask Scott Wilson he was sitting right next to me while this was being discussed before the RFI, RFP on Shipyards at a DIA meeting. Pull the tape. I digress.

So I'm paddling against the current and again you can't help but think of the options that you are being given by our leaders. I anchor up and I caught a couple of catfish. I love it when you catch a catfish and you can't wrap your hands around its head. So now I'm fishing and then it dawns on me do the gates get locked up at 5? I don't know. So now I'm just taking it back in. Caught another catfish in the marina. Short trip. But it was fun. How can you share it with more people if you don't open the access to the river? 2013-384 Active piece of legislation. 24/7 Public Access to Hogans Creek.

DIA Board meeting 4 days out. 5 pm 1St floor city hall.

Who's next?

[Know Growth]

Our weather still far better than most of the rest of the country- a Downtown Waterway Adventure bonus.

[tufsu1]

After attending a bunch of recent meetings and hearing more Backroom deals you just want to get ready to tell the world don't VISIT JACKSONVILLE!

you attend so many of the meetings, some might think you were in the back room