Water Taxi Service Expands To Riverside

[Metro Jacksonville]

Water Taxi Service Expands To Riverside



Connectivity between Riverside and Downtown has been enhanced with the expansion of water taxi service to the Riverside Arts Market (RAM).  Metro Jacksonville shares some sights and scenes from the inaugural trip.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2011-apr-water-taxi-service-expands-to-riverside

[Garden guy]

What a waist of a dock...one day a week?......seems like a complete waist of cash and time if we can only use it one or two days a week.

[thelakelander]

Got to start somewhere, although I think it would help if it went to Memorial Park/Five Points. Anyway, judging from the images, let's not hope that it ends up being a waste of time and cash for SS Marine just to go there on one day.

[acme54321]

I wonder why they aren't stopping at the wydnam or behind riverplace tower/crown plaza?  Seems like that would be the place to pick up out of towners from hotels and take them to the arts market, the hotels could inform guests about the service on check in.  RAM is pretty much the only thing going on Saturday mornings downtown.

[dougskiles]

What a waist of a dock...one day a week?......seems like a complete waist of cash and time if we can only use it one or two days a week.

I agree - and looked into this when I first heard about the dock.  The problem is with the permit from DEP.  That portion of the river has a high concentration of manatees and they are concerned about the increase in boat traffic.  Which, after hearing about it, seemed like a reasonable concern.

Kayaks don't hurt manatees, however, so I asked them to look at keeping at least a portion of the dock open for hand-launched water craft.

[Overstreet]

Small boats can and should use the inside of the dock. Last time I was there everyone was trying to dock on the deep water side.

Do the hotels have floating docks or riverwalk? You just can't launch the public over the rail. And if they do it's a good idea but I'm sure they want to ease into it.

[Garden guy]

I'd love to put in there..i paddle that area about once a week and have yet to see a manatee but I'm sure they are there... i just seems that they make such a big hurray for this dock and it's pretty much unusable and i do think that with such pull jax has in tally that this issues could have been thwarted. Some say it's parking some say it's the rive issues that make it to where we can only us this sat and sun...i put in at the ortega area and paddle up but i would be nice to put in there because it's closer to the house. I put in at the cherry st park sometimes but only on high tide. Any other kayak putin's around riverside? I looked on the city web site and looked for kayak acceptables and boy its really nuts at how little access there is in the downtown riverside areas...the manatee excuse is bs..our populations are not
that high.

[Noone]

Field, Nice pics. I was out of town but I'm so glad that the MJ team covered this newest addition of maritime history on our St. Johns River our American Heritage River.

GG, Lets kayak under the TU, under the Hyatt parking lot, Hogans Creek and continue to show our city, our county, our state, our country, the world why everyone should Visit Jacksonville.

[acme54321]

Do the hotels have floating docks or riverwalk? You just can't launch the public over the rail. And if they do it's a good idea but I'm sure they want to ease into it.

Yes there are water taxi stops behind behind each of the hotels on the southbank.

[Doctor_K]

I wonder why they aren't stopping at the wydnam or behind riverplace tower/crown plaza?  Seems like that would be the place to pick up out of towners from hotels and take them to the arts market, the hotels could inform guests about the service on check in.  RAM is pretty much the only thing going on Saturday mornings downtown.

Isn't there also a Crowne Plaza/Hilton/Landing "route" as well?  Maybe they're running two separate runs? 

RAM/F.F./Landing and Crowne/Hilton/Landing?

[PeeJayEss]

I wonder why they aren't stopping at the wydnam or behind riverplace tower/crown plaza?  Seems like that would be the place to pick up out of towners from hotels and take them to the arts market, the hotels could inform guests about the service on check in.  RAM is pretty much the only thing going on Saturday mornings downtown.

Isn't there also a Crowne Plaza/Hilton/Landing "route" as well?  Maybe they're running two separate runs? 

RAM/F.F./Landing and Crowne/Hilton/Landing?

I believe the regular service is Fountain/Crowne/Peninsula/then even the one past Chart House, then across the river to Berkman then the Landing. They don't make every stop every time (I think Fountain or Crowne and Landing are the ones they always hit). The others are if you tell them thats where you want to go when you get on, or I guess if they can see people there (as its pretty easy to tell from the middle of the river which docks have people waiting - this also means if you want to ride it, its a good idea to be on the floating dock). I don't know, but I imagine they might go to Crowne or even Berkman if you ask once you get on.

[fieldafm]

I tried taking pics that had minimal people in order to avoid getting their permission.  The boats did have decent ridership Saturday.  I was either at the Landing or at RAM all morning until about 1:30pm. 

GG, I've said it on here in the past... make your voice be heard about the need to open this dock everyday to handlaunched, non-motorized craft!  We need more voices.

[north miami]

(This thread swerve probably merits a new separate RAM Dock thread)

 Noone & I have been researching the prospects of a hand launch facility located at the Haskell building dock and shoreline,access via YMCA parking lot.Likely not out of the question.The optimism we have encountered is heartening.

However,the RAM dock represents a particularly ideal location for hand launch,both as to existing floating dock,ample public space parking and ideal,strategic location affording spontaneous water access to downtown and Noone's Hogans Creek Launch to the east, adjacent open river,Riverside/Avondale shoreline,Ortega river/McGirts creek,Fishweir creeks.

[fieldafm]

It is an ideal blueway North Miami!!!

I watched gleefully as three kayakers put in at River City Brewing and made their way towards the Landing Sunday.  They went in at the perfect time in regards to the tidal currents and made their way leisurely back and forth before/after the Blessing of the Fleet.

[north miami]

It is an ideal blueway North Miami!!!

I watched gleefully as three kayakers put in at River City Brewing and made their way towards the Landing Sunday.  They went in at the perfect time in regards to the tidal currents and made their way leisurely back and forth before/after the Blessing of the Fleet.

Small Craft-Big Stuff.

Three point access;two on the North bank,one at RAM to the west,one at Hogans creek to the east,south bank access centered at River City Brewing.

Perhaps some day,just as communities to the south, joint City/State FIND funding to clean up,enhance and utilize Arlington Expressway Goat Island, a green emerald amidst the urban back drop.
The hand launch facilities ushers in a wave of small craft users,creating a singular city image admired world wide.