MIDDLEBURG – For seven years, Justin Koch made his living as a full-time truck driver for the past seven years, crisscrossing the lower 48.

With a strong passion for travel and an even stronger desire to get off the road, Koch kickstarted Black Creek Vacations in November.

“I enjoy vacations. I think we all do. I’m trying to get out of my other career choice as a truck driver. I just want to help my family out and help our local Clay County community plan their excursions as well,” he said.

Koch’s agency specializes in booking cruises and excursions to Europe, but if you’re just looking to do something as simple as traveling down the St. Johns River, Justin can line that up, too.

Black Creek Vacations can book clients on a cruise line large or small, whether that be Carnival Cruise Lines, American Cruise Lines or anything in between.

Clients can book as few as three days out or as long as three months to three years out.

“I can do as little as three days out of Miami or book a month-long or year-long cruise. There’s an option for first-timers and travel enthusiasts,” Koch said.

The most popular destination of choice for clients has been the Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean islands like the Turks and Caicos.

You can leave from either the JAXPORT or from other major hubs in Fort Lauderdale, Miami or Tampa. If that doesn't work, try Amelia Island or Port Canaveral.

If you want to fly, Black Creek can book a ticket from any airport, but Koch typically recommends choosing commutable international flight hubs like Orlando and Miami.

“Basically, you tell me where you want to go, you tell me what your budget is, and then we can go from there,” he said. “That’s what the goal is, to kind of find out what you would enjoy the most. We don’t just want to say ‘Here, this is what you’re doing and I hope you enjoy it.’ The whole goal is to find out what you and your family want to do, and we can take it from there. We can build a package or choose one that has already been set up.”

When creating the agency, Justin wanted to make sure the iconic image of his community was woven into the fabric of the company’s namesake

Koch has lived in Middleburg for 3½ years.

“I love the history of the area and wanted to pay homage to that and focus on helping our local people,” he said.

In its third month, Black Creek Vacations is finding its footing, with mostly family, friends and locals booking trips. The majority of his clientele are from Middleburg and Orange Park.

Koch estimated that 50% of his business has come from Clay County.

It’s a figure that he hopes to increase as soon as possible. The best part of all is that Koch’s service is provided free of charge.

Black Creek’s business model calls for a percentage of each trip booked from cruise companies and all-inclusive companies that offer travel packages.

His sales pitch to the community: “Check us out. The fact of the matter is that vacation is becoming more affordable again, and with wifi on ships and airplanes, working remotely allows you to travel and work at the same time. Take a moment to realize that we need vacation and time for ourselves,” he said.

For more information, email Koch at BlackCreekVacations@Gmail.com or visit blackcreekvacations.com.