Photos in the Attic

Dated September 1967

My younger brother and I. Beach Haven, Long Beach Island, NJ. The water is usually warm in September but.. either it's cold or my Grandmom told me to stand up straight.

I guess you could say I've always been a beach bum... or at least have always been around water. My folks made sure we could swim almost before we could walk*.

* YMCA - Guppy, Minnow, Fish, Flying Fish, Shark and Porpoise; Boy Scouts - Swimming, Motor Boating, Lifesaving, Canoeing, and Small-Boat Sailing merit badges, numerous mile swims.


Dated November 1980?

My College Dormmates and Friends. One of our dorm rooms, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, IN. Inspired by Monty Python (or something) we posed for a photograph with serious but hopefully, hopeful outlooks on out faces.

None of us became a Rocket Scientist, even though I think we all wanted to be one. This collection of geeks did become Computer and Electrical Engineers eventually. Along the way, we saw the movies "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Harold and Maude" more than once. I don't think these experiences scarred us for life.

In Loving Memory

Great Uncle Jim, Aunt Mary, and Cousin Pat

My Aunt Mary was my Dad's Father's Sister. She married my Uncle Jim back before WWII. They had one bachelor son, Pat (or Paddy).

My Uncle was a career Army Vet, serving in Germany and in Fort Dix, NJ reaching the rank of Master Sargent. He loved a good time and once took my brothers and I to the Fort Dix base open house - I remember taking "parachute training" jumping off a tower there when I was around 10 years old.

Aunt Mary and Paddy loved to cook and entertain. My family had many, many enjoyable "afternoons followed by dinner" with them. Paddy loved board games and toy trains - he filled their entire basement with them.

I can still hear my Uncle shouting "Man the scuppers*!!" when we went fishing. I think it was his way of picking fun at Navy guys as well as a line from a Cole Porter song, "A Little Skipper From Heaven Above" sung by Jimmy Durante.

I think Uncle Jim may have been my first Hero. He and his family, who all passed away closely together in time, are remembered most fondly. They are interred in Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery for US veterans in Arneytown, NJ.

They were a big and bright presence in my family's Thanksgiving Day celebration for many years. So much so, that after this past Thanksgiving, I felt the need to go find their grave site, and it has taken me awhile.

Uncle Jim, I salute you!

* Scuppers are deck drains which remove sea spray and rain water from the topsides of boats.

Mile - 506 Jacksonville

As of February 8, 2008 at 8:00 AM
Steps: 1,195,093
Miles: 508.87
Miles to Georgia: 24.13


The crowd was on hand to watch from the dock.

The Virtual Walker has some pictures from the Voyage of the Houseboat so while I most definately cannot walk on water - there will be planty of water to be had since Jacksonville is surrounded by water at all sides. We left Orange Park bright and early in the morning, June 30, 2001.


A Scene from Jacksonville Beach.

While waiting for some last minute provisioning of the houseboat, we went to Green Cove Springs and to Jacksonville Beach. Here we see what "we" power boaters call a "Blow Boat." ironically under power. Don't get me wrong, on a good day*, I enjoy sailing as much as any other on the water activity.

* Nice wind, sunny but cool with few if any waves!


An Eye-In-The-Sky (An Alien View?) Photo of Jacksonville

I've added the labels and the route of the Voyage of the Houseboat.

Mile 499 - Orange Park

As of February 7, 2008 at 8:00 AM
Steps: 1,178,159
Miles: 501.66
Miles to Georgia: 31.34


Doctor's Lake Marina - Gee, that houseboat looks awful familiar!

The Town of Orange Park was founded in 1877 by the Florida Winter Home and Improvement Company, with owners and trustees predominantly from Boston, Massachusetts. As a direct result of hard times following the Civil War, the old “McIntosh” plantation at Laurel Grove was in shambles and changed hands several times. After purchasing several thousand acres of property in the area, the Florida Winter Home and Improvement Company created a new town and called it Orange Park!

The property was subdivided into building lots and small farm tracts, and the present street system was laid out which included Kingsley Avenue, River Road and Plainfield Avenue. To enhance the sale of the property that was marketed up north, many lots were planted in Orange Trees.

A large hotel was built at the foot of Kingsley Avenue, along with a 1200 foot wooden pier which extended well into the river and could accommodate steamboats which attracted the northern tourist (you can guess who by now, I am sure!) trade.

History Source


The Water's Edge

Orange Park was the starting point of a Real World trip.


My Dad, Mom, younger brother and I set sail from Whitney's Marine, Orange Park in the Water's Edge and spent several weeks voyaging up the Intercoastal Waterway to Bates Marina, Town Creek, Oxford, MD. A journey of about 800 miles producing more than thousand memories.


Whitney Marine from Overhead

Whitney Marine is located on the St. John's River where Doctor's Creek flows in to it. The creek flows under the bridge (partially shown in the first picture). The first voyage I took on the Water's Edge was from Whitney Marine to Doctor's Lake Marina under this bridge (a trip of about 400 yards!) to get some gas (probably over a hundred gallons of it!)