Another digression from our shakedown voyage but I think you'll find it an interesting one. Today we went with Jerry and Linda to the Blue Crab Festival in Palatka, a town on the St. Johns River about 25 miles south of Green Cove Springs. Charlie and I had been to the festival last year but the sun broiled us to the extent that I couldn't enjoy my crab cakes and we left well before we'd really seen everything.

This year the weather cooperated giving us some clouds and cooler temperatures, so we were finally able to enjoy ourselves. A good thing, too, as the festival seemed a lot larger than last year. A Blue Crab Festival wouldn't be complete without - blue crabs. Just past the entrance was a large booth selling the crabs cooked every way imaginable - deviled, boiled and made into the crab cakes that Jerry and I feasted on.

There were other types of food as well: Charlie had shrimp and Linda chose a bratwurst sandwich. All the seafood we had came with fries and hush puppies. Other concessions sold all the usual festival food - funnel cakes, corn dogs, Italian ices, and there were a couple stands selling homemade ice cream, one complete with a boy pedaling on a bicycle which churned the ice cream.

After our delicious feast we walked through the rest of the festival. There were booths selling all kinds of crafts, an art section, and more food, including one selling homemade fudge. Despite my heavy lunch I couldn't resist a slice of chocolate walnut fudge - delicious.

The Frisbee Dogs were there along with the very funny Pig Races, which we've seen before but missed today. They usually race the pigs at night due to the heat but were running them during the day here since it wasn't so hot. An amusement section had all the usual rides and carnival games.

Last year we'd seen jet ski races on the river but they weren't holding them today. They were giving air boat rides, though, on an air boat whose vast noise belied its relatively slow speed. Live musicians performed continuously everywhere including a small Peruvian group playing guitar, flute and mandolin and an electric blues group.

The Blue Crab Festival made for a thoroughly enjoyable day off the boat.