St. Marks Boating/Swimming

[saltycrab]

Plan on taking the wife and 2 year old daughter up river to putt putt around and possibly get out and swim.

Any certain spots we should stop at to swim?

Will be putting in at the public ramp or at Shield's and heading up river from there.

Thanks!

[TomParis]

There are lots of places to pull the boat to the side and stop and swim, just keep in mind as you head north the river does get clearer but also colder! We stopped not too far north of the Hwy 98 Bridge and swam but man was that water cold!

[GaryDroze]

Please be careful about having your two year old in the water anywhere in that area.

Gators.

I'm not an alarmist. Just telling you from St Marks Refuge wadefishing experience that river gators have different instinctive responses to adult-sized humans, compared to any living thing roughly the size of a dog, raccoon, fawn, or wading bird.

[saltycrab]

Please be careful about having your two year old in the water anywhere in that area.

Gators.

I'm not an alarmist. Just telling you from St Marks Refuge wadefishing experience that river gators have different instinctive responses to adult-sized humans, compared to any living thing roughly the size of a dog, raccoon, fawn, or wading bird.

I have read the same thing in a few other places. That, and coupled with bottom that you can't touch may prove hard for my preggo wife to get back into the boat. Trying to keep an eye on the weather, as we may just run to the sandbar.

[Redbelly]

I don't know the size of your boat, but we like to go to the Wacissa blue hole to swim in the summer.
I have a special john just for that purpose.

[saltycrab]

I don't know the size of your boat, but we like to go to the Wacissa blue hole to swim in the summer.
I have a special john just for that purpose.

19ft Wellcraft with a 115, so that would be a no-go. Would be a good place to take her on the double yak when she is a bit older though. In this heat, I am sure Wacissa is packed!