- How do I Make My Reservation?
- Where can I find Out More About the St. Johns
River?
- Do I Need to be an Experienced Boater?
- Can I bring my Pets?
- How Much is the Fuel Charge?
- How Far Can I Go Down the St. Johns River?
- What about inclement weather?
- What should we bring?
- What are the
Houseboat Rental Restrictions?
- What is your cancellation
policy?
Simply Call Us With Your Credit Card Ready for a $500 Non-Refundable
Reservation. River Escape can be reached at 407-324-3677. The
Reservation will Later be Applied as a $500 Refundable Deposit.
The St. Johns River is historical and large. It is one of two rivers in
the world that flow North. Typing in St. Johns River into any search
engine will bring you up more than you will probably want. Here are some
links that should give you info on the St. Johns River.
St. Johns River Country - Info, Things To See & Do
St.Johns Riverkeeper
St. Johns River Country
Convention & Visitor Bureau - Florida ...
St. Johns River FAST FACTS -
Titusville, Florida
EPA's American
Heritage Rivers > Designated Rivers > St. Johns ...
Boater Safety & Licensing
Swamp House Grill
History of Sanford
Blue Spring State Park
Silver Glen Springs
This is an excellent question. Although some boating experience is
helpful, the "Memory Maker" is easy to navigate and we do provide training.
We of course, put safety first, and will provide you with adequate training
until you feel comfortable. We do reserve the right not to rent the vessel
to any one we feel does not have adequate skill to captain the vessel.
Pets are highly discouraged. Pets are like family but this is not the
best place for them. There is nowhere on the "Memory Maker" for the pet to go to
the bathroom which means you would have to find a place to pull up on shore
repeatedly. This is nature, some places you pull up may have critters that
would like to have your pet for a snack. Likewise, your pet may scare off
the wild animals you are trying to see. Trust us and leave the pets at
home to have the best experience. If you insist, and at our discretion, we
may allow a small pet with an additional $250 non-refundable deposit (each) or
we may provide accommodations for your small pet at our base station providing
your pet gets along with our pets (2 small Pomeranians). This would be for
$25 (each) per day if we accepted your pet for boarding.
We charge the going rate for fuel from our local marina and don't charge a
penny more. "Memory Maker" holds 40 gallons and that lasts a good while
depending on how far you go and how long you run the generator. There is
also oil for the motor which is also at the going rate All tanks will be
full before your departure and you may have a reserve tank on board to be used
as a last resort only.
St. Johns, being the longest river in Florida at 310 miles, is too long to
travel in any week. Therefore, we restrict the vessel to going as far
south as Lake Harney and as far North as Lake George. This gives you
plenty of distance to explore including the large lakes of Harney, Jessup and Monroe.
We will help you navigate to the areas which you'd like to explore the most as
there are plenty of places to park and swing off of tree's and lagoons to rest
in.
You will not be in the open sea! You will be on calm waters the entire
time and Florida afternoon thunderstorms are common but usually dissipate
relatively fast. River Escape has no control over the weather and cannot
issue any refunds based on poor weather conditions. This is a houseboat,
and you will have shelter from the rain the same as if you were in a building.
In the event of a hurricane, we will gladly reschedule you for another trip.
Click on above to view further weather information.
There is a fine line between over packing and under packing. For this
trip, try to only bring what you must have. Detailed itemization list will be provided when you book your reservation, but here are some recommendations:
Clothing: You are going to be in nature for the most part, and she
doesn't mind if you wear yesterday's outfit today. Swimming apparel for
swimming, and daily undergarments are nice. Most restaurants along the way
should you choose to, accept casual shorts and tshirt.
Condiments: Bring toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant (share if possible
whatever you can), Soap, Shampoo, etc.
Medicine: Bring ample of any required medicine you may need for the
entire duration. If it is life or death medicine, leave enough at the base
station in case you lose yours or it gets thrown overboard. That way we
can bring it to you.
Insect Repellant & Bug Spray: Mosquitoes are less of a problem than you
might think being in the jungles of nature, but it won't hurt to have adequate
insect repellant with DEET just in case. IF the screen door gets left open
and they get into your vessel you'll want a good can of environmentally friendly
insect spray.
Cell Phone: Bring yours if you can as an added measure of communication
in case your radio goes out.
Food: Bring canned product, and anything that is easily microwaveable.
The fridge and freezer are small so bring coolers packed with ice for the
extra's depending on how long your trip will be. Bring Plenty of Water,
Not Soda, Water. You have drinkable water on board, but it is city water
and most object to anything but bottled water these days so bring plenty of it.
Coffee maker is provided so bring ground coffee if you drink coffee.
Silverware, utensils, pots, and pans are provided and all the essential
paperwork (TP, Napkins, linens & towels) You do have a range and an outside gas grill if you'd
like to bring food that you want to grill.
Driver License: Bring your Driver License (Required) and adequate cash
and credit cards for the restaurants you may want to visit along the way.
The renter responsible for the welfare of the vessel must be age 25 or over
and you must have a valid state driver license. If you plan on fishing,
you must provide a fishing license for each person boarding the vessel or your
fishing equipment will not be allowed onboard. We are environmental
advocates also known as tree huggers and ask that if you do have fishing
licenses, that you only fish for food and not recreation just to throw the fish
back in of which usually results in their suffering and eventual death anyway.
The idea is to enjoy the splendors of nature and leave nature the same if not
better than whence you came. NO SMOKING is PERMITTED INSIDE OR AFT(REAR)
ON THIS HOUSEBOAT. THIS POLICY IS STRICTLY ENFORCED AND IF VIOLATED WILL
JEOPARDIZE YOUR ENTIRE DEPOSIT.
When making your reservation, we will collect a $500 non-refundable
reservation deposit which ensures this date for you and prevents us from renting
this date out to another guest or party. Therefore, we will only refund
your deposit if the trip is cancelled by River Escape. Natural Disasters
such as hurricanes that fall on your reservation will be rescheduled at the next
mutually agreeable time. Once you arrive, we convert the reservation
deposit to a refundable boat damage deposit which will be returned to you when
the "Memory Maker" is brought back in the condition she was given to you in.
