RAM floating dock construction has begun

[fieldafm]

[dougskiles]

Can't wait to use it.  Do you know when it will be complete?  And will it have a low section for easy kayak/canoe launching?

Hopefully we can get a floating dock on the San Marco side at either of these locations:

Jim Rink Park
Greenscape Celebration Park
Riverfront Park



And then kayak across the river to RAM.

Then ... once Hogan's creek is cleaned up we would have San Marco - Riverside - Springfield connected by water.

[fieldafm]

It's going to be an 'L' shaped dock.  It was designed that way to slow down the current on the West side of the dock.  It will have a section reserved for the Water Taxi and the rest will be public docking(much like the floating docks at the Landing).  There is not a section specifically for kayak launching unfortunately.

We need to change that.  A blueway from RAM to the old Yacht Club site/canal in Avondale would be fantastic.

[Noone]

Can't wait to use it.  Do you know when it will be complete?  And will it have a low section for easy kayak/canoe launching?

Hopefully we can get a floating dock on the San Marco side at either of these locations:

Jim Rink Park
Greenscape Celebration Park
Riverfront Park



And then kayak across the river to RAM.

Then ... once Hogan's creek is cleaned up we would have San Marco - Riverside - Springfield connected by water.

3 pocket parks which happen to be water front Public access street ends can have a pocket pier (floating dock) too. Just ask the candidates that are running in District 5. It can happen. And I hope it does. What a positive benefit.

[dougskiles]

Fieldafm, do have any copies of the design that you can post?  I love the idea of a blueway.  Noone and I were talking about the money available through F.I.N.D. for pocket piers.  I'm going to research it further.

[Ocklawaha]

I don't care for boarding a canoe or kayak from a dock, I'd rather go native and launch from a shallow creek or beach. Craig Creek in San Marco's River Oak's Park gives us an unparalleled opportunity for a unique urban canoe and kayak launching facility. I wonder how difficult it would be to build a small parking area, and grade in a couple of loads of beach sand? Likewise Fishweir Creek likewise offers a great protected location for canoes and kayaks.
Keep in mind, the number of canoes and kayaks run slap over by power boats each year probably equates to the number of manatees killed in a similar manner! A peaceful protected launch site is better.


OCKLAWAHA

River Oaks Park
     1000 River Oaks Road   Mapit
Jacksonville, FL 32207
   

Acres:    10.26
Park Type:    Community
Council Person:    Art Shad
History:    River Oaks Park is situated along Craig Creek, in the San Marco section of Jacksonville. William Craig established a large plantation in the area around 1800. Developers of the River Oaks and the Brookwood Terrace subdivisions donated most of the park property to the City between 1935 and 1937. One block south of the park, lovely Oriental Gardens opened in 1937. The Works Progress Administration (WPA), established by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1935 to provide public service jobs for the unemployed during the Great Depression, supplied the labor and most of the funding to create the park, which opened in 1940. Portions of the grounds form a flood plain, with areas of natural wetlands. Groups such as Greenscape of Jax and the Audubon Society have worked to enhance the park, whose stately trees and lawn provide a natural landscape and visual enjoyment for the residents and passing pedestrians and motorists.

[fieldafm]

I don't have the actual plans in hand, but here is what it should look like once completed.



I agree with Ock that River Oaks would be grand... but Craigs Creek is shallow and quite a bit of work would need to be done to regulate more tidal movement into the creek.  That's getting into big money territory.

Here is a list of the current kayak/canoe launch sites in Jax.  This map should have double what it currently shows.  Maybe I'll make a photo presentation here of potential access points we as a community should be looking at.

[Ocklawaha]

We could make a physical check on the creek and report back here. Those of you who are unfamiliar with the nautical characteristics of canoes and kayaks, 6" inches of water will usually float your boat. Anyone that doesn't think so has never made the Juniper Springs or Alapaha runs.

I agree with you that we need more access and the people that use canoes and kayaks have a different demographic then power boaters roughly 33% of canoe owners are in the $50,000 annual income, but only about 25% of power boat owners... This isn't to say there are good people on both sides, rather it illustrates there is a difference in the groups, canoeist and kayaking adventurers are more likely to be tree hugger's. When it comes to launching in an quiet urban neighborhood, tree hugger's would be preferred over rowdy and/or noisy power boaters.

The second argument in having a launch in the neighborhood is that canoes and kayaks don't necessarily need trailers and the big powerful vehicles that pull them.

Absoultey one should be at COLLINS ROAD and the Ortega River, and maybe under the Acosta.

OCKLAWAHA

[north miami]

Canoes and Kayaks accommodate spontaneous access to area waters for the broad public.
The design of these craft are ideal for area waters and well suited for low impact 'hand launch' facility.
Such craft have proven thrilling for many introduced to their use for the first time and many veteran boaters have opted for such craft.

Jacksonville is uniquely ideal for their use.Note too expansive areas to explore throughout the Intracoastal,State Forests and other venues handy to town.

Hands on review is available at Black Creek Outpost near St.Johns Town Center.The Outpost is located on a large lake-demo rides are encouraged.
Pier 17 at US 17/Lakeshore also has craft on display.

We all deserve a good paddling!  Try it-your life will be changed.And perhaps our neighborhoods too.

[fieldafm]

Absoultey one should be at COLLINS ROAD and the Ortega River, and maybe under the Acosta.

Ringhaver(although you'll have to carry your kayak a good way through the asphalt trail) has a great floating dock at an EXCELLENT point along the Ortega.

A blueway linking this dock to a launching facility underneath the US17/Ortega River Bridge(supported by Pier 17) is beyond fathomable.

We all deserve a good paddling!  Try it-your life will be changed.And perhaps our neighborhoods too.

Indeed!

[north miami]

Absoultey one should be at COLLINS ROAD and the Ortega River, and maybe under the Acosta.

A blueway linking this dock to a launching facility underneath the US17/Ortega River Bridge(supported by Pier 17) is beyond fathomable.

Brooks Busey-the owner of adjacent Sadler Point is now the owner of Pier 17-check in with him.
                                       
                                            brooks@sadlerpoint.com

[dougskiles]

I don't care for boarding a canoe or kayak from a dock, I'd rather go native and launch from a shallow creek or beach. Craig Creek in San Marco's River Oak's Park gives us an unparalleled opportunity for a unique urban canoe and kayak launching facility. I wonder how difficult it would be to build a small parking area, and grade in a couple of loads of beach sand? Likewise Fishweir Creek likewise offers a great protected location for canoes and kayaks.

Someone told me recently that there is a little white dock near the mouth of Craig's Creek that is public.  It was built by an individual on city property and is therefore open to the public.  The owner knew this when he built it but figured it was cheaper to go this route than to buy property on the river just so he could have river access.  I am working to get more details/confirmation on this story.

[dougskiles]

River Oaks Park is grossly underutilized in my opinion.  It is a beautiful natural environment that should be more accessible to the community.  There are a series of wood bridges crossing the creek but the paths between them have overgrown.  These paths could be restored as a nature trail and connected to the streets that are perpendicular to River Oaks Road.

When the subdivision was originally platted it included a road along the park, Brookway Road, that was never built.

During the next low tide, I will paddle up the creek to see how far I can get in a kayak.

[thelakelander]

Fieldafm, do have any copies of the design that you can post?  I love the idea of a blueway.  Noone and I were talking about the money available through F.I.N.D. for pocket piers.  I'm going to research it further.

You can find the dock designs on this link (pages 21-26 of pdf)

http://www.coj.net/NR/rdonlyres/ezle26wsatuenknhgc6rzsr5ghyxoyf6mwj3s7rc43yn5vbb4xc5h4tur7yep7ixullw2ga7iovldmguvisrj2zsnve/DDRB+March+2010+Meeting+Packet.pdf

[dougskiles]

Thanks.  I found something a little troubling on page 13 of the application... a gate?  So will it only be available to the public on Saturday mornings while the RAM is open?