Gibson Dry Dock

The story about Gibson Dry Dock is the story of a man who could not find a boat yard that would allow him to work on his own boat. So he built one!Robert L (Bob) Gibson was that man. Bob was born in Palatka and grew up on Anastasia Island where he learned to love boats and boating. He built his first sailboat at 16. His father owned the historic Gibson Boat House on River Street in Palatka. He married Palatka native, Sophie Elizabeth Howard Walton, whose relatives operated steamboats on the St Johns River.When Bob retired as a pilot for Pan American Airways in 1968, Bob and Sophie bought 60 acres on the St Johns River, and Bob started work on developing his dream of a boatyard that allowed owners to do their own work. When Bob died in 1992, Sophie convinced Tom Kight (also a Palatka native), to join her in the operation of the yard. Sadly, Sophie died in 2002. To this day Gibson Dry Dock is still owned and operated by Tom and the Gibson family. Boat owners are still able to work on their own boats.