St. John's River Frequently Asked Questions

Saint John's River is a long river - these directions go to a single point of many. Jacksonville is the largest city along the river and an excellent point to access it from. US-95 runs close to St. John's River.

From Orlando, Florida: Orlando, Florida is about 34 miles from the St. John's River. Get on I-4 heading East to exit 118, which is Highway 44. Turn west onto Hwy 44 and travel through Deland. You will cross over 15A (Spring Garden Avenue) and continue on Hwy 44 for another ½ mile. Turn left just before RR tracks onto C.R.4110. Continue until you come to Hontoon Rd. on the left. Turn onto Hontoon Rd. and it will take you to Holly Bluff Marina.

From Daytona Beach, Florida: Daytona Beach, Florida is about 34 miles from the St. John's River. Get on International Speedway Boulevard (Hwy 92) and head west until the road ends. Turn left onto 15A (Spring Garden Ave.) and take this to Hwy 44 (won't be very far). Turn right onto Hwy 44 and continue for ½ mile. Turn left just before RR tracks onto C.R.4110. Continue until you come to Hontoon Rd. on the left. Turn onto Hontoon Rd. and it will take you to Holly Bluff Marina.

Click here to view a map of the St. John's River area.

Fishing, swimming, gator watching, bird watching, sun bathing and just relaxing. The only music you will find outside the boat comes from nature. The owls and frogs will sing you to sleep at night. There are no nightclubs on the river. But you will see beautiful wildflowers; moss draped cypress and oak trees, osprey, eagles, egrets, blue and white heron, and turtles. Florida is blessed with beautiful blue sky by day and lots of stars at night.

No, currently the state of Florida does not require boat operators to be licensed.

No, when you reserve a houseboat on the St Johns River we will mail you a copy of our houseboat handbook along with your contract and confirmation. This booklet will tell you how to operate the houseboat. After you arrive and check onto the houseboat, one of our instructors will go through the boat with you from bow to stern, take you and your crew out on the river and teach you how to drive the boat. Timeshare customers are not mailed this handbook but can purchase one by calling us prior to arrival.

Give us a call at 888-454-8825, and one of our reservation agents will be happy to check availability for you. It's helpful if you already have an idea of when you want to go and what boat you're most interested in when you call.

Alternatively, you can contact us online with your availability request, and one of our agents will be happy to get back to you with the information you need.

Earlier is better. If you're planning a trip during a holiday weekend like Memorial Day, it's best to get a reservation six months or more in advance. Mid-week trips or off-season dates are often available as little as a few weeks beforehand.

Saint John's River has such freshwater regulars as largemouth bass, bluegill and catfish - and plenty of them. Saint John's River is also home to saltwater fish - such as flounder, tarpon, redfish and sea trout. You may even see a dolphin or a manatee as you drift seaward.

Campgrounds both large and roomy and small and intimate are situated along the river. Expect campsites to be well equipped.

Yes, a laminated chart of the St. John's River is aboard each boat. During the orientation session the instructor will review the chart with you and recommend some places to visit, give you some good overnight mooring spots and mention some areas that are hard to navigate.

Our houseboats are powered by 165 V6 Inboard-Outboard engines and are very fuel-efficient. They use about 2 1/2 gallons per running hour at normal cruising speed. The generators use about 1 1/2 gallons per running hour. The average fuel use for a weekend is about 75 gallons. Midweek I would estimate at 85 gallons and about 100 gallons for a full week.

Blue Springs State Park is about one half hour south of our marina. Manatees winter haven is this spring so you cannot drive the houseboat into the spring run. You can beach the houseboat in a designated area and visit the spring just a short walk away. Silver Glen Springs is about four and one half hours north of Holly Bluff and is the most popular destination point on the St. John's. You can drive the houseboat into the spring run and stay overnight in this spring. The water at both springs is crystal clear and 72º degrees year around. If you tow a small boat you can get to DeLeon Springs, Salt Springs, and Alexander Springs. These springs are not accessible by houseboat.

Yes, you may tow a boat up to 20' long. We suggest towing your boat behind the houseboat and will provide specific instructions on how to do this when you arrive. You will need to bring a long towrope, not a ski rope. We will provide information on how to do this, not specific instructions.

Yes, the marina does have a launching ramp which you can use free of charge. We have ample parking and you do not need to un-hook your trailer from your car.

Two, one large Danforth type for the bow and one small anchor on the stern.

The marina is open from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. seven days a week. If you arrive after 5 p.m. the office will be closed. Please call us if you plan to arrive late so we can leave a note on the door directing you to your houseboat. If you arrive after dark we will leave the houseboat porch light on for you. To begin your cruise on the day of your charter you must arrive by 4 p.m. so we have plenty of time to teach you how to drive the houseboat. If you arrive late you are welcome to stay aboard the houseboat and we will check you in and give you the orientation the next morning.

Yes, all houseboats are equipped with life jackets. If you have small children you may want to bring your own ski vest type jackets that would be more comfortable.

Yes, each houseboat is equipped with a large sewage holding tank. We have our own sewage treatment plant at Holly Bluff and two pump-out stations are located on our fuel dock. The holding tank is pumped out at the end of each rental.

On the day of arrival we accept Visa, MasterCard, Traveler's Checks or cash. We will accept a check if it arrives two weeks prior to your departure.

Yes, we do allow up to two small dogs and cats for a charge of $15 per day. Each pet must weigh less than 35 pounds. If you bring your dog we suggest that prior to your arrival at Holly Bluff you purchase a few pieces of sod that you can place in a box on the back deck for bathroom facilities. Sometimes it is very difficult to find a suitable place to take the dog ashore due to excessive vegetation along the riverbanks

No, if you are experiencing a maintenance problem you need to call us prior to 5 p.m. We only do service calls during daylight hours. It is important not to anchor in the main river channel since there is commercial traffic on the St. John's River. You must get to the side of the river if you are having problems. Most boaters on the river are very friendly and you can hail someone if you are having problems and cannot reach us by radio.

Consult your handbook and push the reset button as shown to you by your instructor. If this does not work you can go to a nearby marina and plug in to power. However, if it is after dark, remember your boat is equipped with battery operated lights, the water, toilet and gas char broiler will work without electricity. Anchor in a safe place and call us at 8:30 in the morning.

Yes, we monitor channel 12. Marine radios are good for a range of about 15 miles. If you are out of range you can call the marina nearest to you and they will call us on a landline with a message from you.

Yes, in most places. Sometimes you have to go on top deck for better communication.

Your houseboat is equipped with linens (including towels), coffee pot, color TV, pots, pans, dishes, wine opener, can opener, trash bags, coffee filters, paper towels, toilet tissue, dish soap, gas char broiler with propane, cooler for drinks, and two lounge chairs on the top deck.

Hand soap, beach towels, binoculars, fishing equipment, paper plates (if you do not want to wash dishes), and extra lounge chairs if you need more than two. Casual dress is the norm in all restaurants in the area and on the river.

Yes, we have a coin laundry here at the marina.

No, plan your meals accordingly. There is a Winn-Dixie about 6 miles from the marina but groceries are scarce on the river. Most fish camps have beer, ice, sodas, chips, and snacks.

No, we have a few fishing supplies but no live bait. There are tackle shops with live bait nearby.

No.

No, but in Florida you can call 1-888-347-4356 and purchase a fishing license using your Visa or MasterCard.

Yes, we have several good restaurants just a short distance from the marina. There are a few restaurants on the river that you can reach by boat. We will show you these during the orientation.

People swim and ski in the river. We do have alligators. We suggest going to a spring to swim where the water is clear. Alligators are normally not aggressive toward people.

NO, there has never been an incident of an alligator getting on a houseboat. It is against the law to feed the alligators. If you feed them they will come very close to the boat looking for food. They do not know the difference between a hand and a hot dog so please do not feed the gators.

No, to experience the river the best, you should stay out a few nights. Anchor behind an island or in one of the lakes. It is preferable to find a clearing and tie up to a tree so you won't have to be concerned about the anchor slipping.

For most of the year mosquitoes are not a problem. However, we do recommend that you bring repellent especially if you are sensitive to bites. Repellent is available in the marina store. Certain times of the year when the temperature and barometric pressure reach a certain level the lakes in particular have a mosquito called the blind mosquito that comes out at night and can cover the side of the boat. They do not bite and are just a terrible nuisance. We suggest that you do not go into the lakes when these mosquitoes are in the area. They are not a problem on the river.

We are a small private owned marina. The owners live on the premises and try to keep a close watch on things. We also have several people who live aboard houseboats here at the marina. We are located in a rural area of finer homes on the river and seldom have a problem with theft.

The cruising range for our houseboats is Sanford to Marker6/7 in Lake George. With all the lakes and tributaries this will give you over one hundred miles to explore.

Blue Springs State Park is located about one half hour south of the marina. This is winter sanctuary for manatee. It is very common to see manatee on the St. John's River October through March. After the weather warms up most manatee go to the inter-coastal waterway. However, some manatee stay here year around so it is not unusual to see them all year.

It is not unusual for someone to ask us this question. The St Johns River is a safe destination and there has never been an incidence of piracy on our houseboats.