National Park Service to bring Ferries to Jax

[JayBird]

From today's Times-Union:

In modern times, former mayor John Delaney launched the Preservation Project after a fishing trip through the Timucuan Preserve exposed him to its beauty.

Throughout history, people's perceptions of the preserve in North Jacksonville have been shaped by traveling through it aboard boats.

After years of start-and-stop planning, the National Park Service intends to give thousands of visitors that waterborne perspective this year.

The park service is seeking bids from companies about operating a water taxi service connecting boat docks at Fort Caroline Memorial, Sisters Creek Marina and Kingsley Plantation.

For the entire story: http://m.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-02-20/story/national-park-service-seeking-bids-timucuan-preserve-water-taxi-service

And a link to the National Park Service Bid Page for this Project:
http://www.concessions.nps.gov/timu001-14.htm

EDIT:Here is desktop link to TU Article:
http://members.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-02-20/story/national-park-service-seeking-bids-timucuan-preserve-water-taxi-service

[JayBird]

[Overstreet]

I don't mind that at all if I can still dock at the Ft Caroline dock and visit the museum rest room. It is a good restroom stop when fishing the creeks with the ladies.

[Tacachale]

Sounds good. A long time coming.

[Noone]

^+1 Another positive as we tell and invite the world to Visit Jacksonville on our St. Johns River our American Heritage River a FEDERAL Initiative. All Aboard!

[Noone]

I don't mind that at all if I can still dock at the Ft Caroline dock and visit the museum rest room. It is a good restroom stop when fishing the creeks with the ladies.

Can't say that about the RAM dock in the super new highly restricted (Food Truck,Kayak) DIA zone.

[billy]

Isn't there already a water taxi stop built several years ago at Fort George Inlet?
(at the location of the old Overall's Fish camp)

[IrvAdams]

From the attached article:

The Timucuan Preserve attracts about 1.3 million visitors annually, according to National Park Service statistics. In comparison, Everglades National Park attracts about 1 million visitors a year.


Didn't know this area had these kind of numbers; we really do have a serious Eco-tourism destination. I wonder how many are locals and how many are out of town tourists. Interesting.

[DDC]

From the attached article:

The Timucuan Preserve attracts about 1.3 million visitors annually, according to National Park Service statistics. In comparison, Everglades National Park attracts about 1 million visitors a year.


Didn't know this area had these kind of numbers; we really do have a serious Eco-tourism destination. I wonder how many are locals and how many are out of town tourists. Interesting.

I would like to see the breakdown on local to out of town numbers myself if it is available. How do they even come up with those numbers? Is this taken from entrance fee's to the state parks? Curious.