MAYPORT, Fla. – It’s summertime, and the local boat ramps are seeing large crowds every weekend, especially the Mayport Boat Ramp.
Some fear there isn’t enough parking for the rush of boaters this season.
People out boating on Sunday told News4Jax that it’s difficult to find parking at the Mayport Boat Ramp, especially for vehicles that have a trailer attached for their boats.
“You’ve definitely seen it over the years getting more and more crowded,” said Caleb Davis, who lives in the area and has been using the Mayport Boat Ramp for years.
Davis said that when there are fishing tournaments and when snapper season starts, it’s very difficult to find parking.
“You’ll be able to drive your boat in here, but you won’t be able to park here,” he said. “I’ve parked and had to walk 10 minutes.”
The Beaches Leader posted an article saying the city of Jacksonville has decided to close the overflow parking lot, but when News4Jax went Sunday afternoon, it was open.
According to the city’s website, there are 75 trailer parking spaces available at the boat ramp, plus some available spaces in the overflow lot across the street.
But even with the overflow lot open, people worry there still isn’t enough parking.
“It’s definitely one of the bigger boat ramps,” Davis said. “We’d all love to see more parking.”