February 1, 2017-February 7, 2017
We anchored last night just outside of Jekyll Creek. Since Jekyll Creek has extensive shoaling the best time to go through it is at high tide. This strategy lessens the chance of going aground. Unfortunately, when we awoke we were completely socked in by fog. We couldn't leave the anchorage until 9:30, but all went well anyway. When we called Fernandina Beach marina to make a reservation we discovered that it was still recovering from damage caused by Hurricane Matthew and did not have any slips available. Decision time - we chose to anchor across from the marina and take the dinghy into the marina to use the facilities for $7 a day. No matter what WE WERE FINALLY IN FLORIDA!!!
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| Near our anchorage we saw three sail boats that were damaged in the hurricane. This one was completely sunk. |
Fernandina Beach is on Amelia Island and is a great town with plenty of restaurants, shops, and transportation options. We stayed there two nights and were able to take showers, get our mail, buy groceries and rest up a bit.
On our last night in Fernandina Beach at about 4:00 in the morning the wind picked up and it became cold. Sleeping was impossible so Bob and I got up and tried to figure out what we would do that day. Rather than stay put and get beat up by the wind all day, we decided to head for Jacksonville Beach Marina. Since the wind was behind us all the way the trip was cold, but reasonably smooth.
We stayed in Jacksonville two nights. Bob did the engine maintenance and I did the laundry. There was a large sports bar on the premisses so we had a great place to watch Super Bowl 51. An advantage of this cruising lifestyle is its flexibility. We don't have to slavishly follow our float plan and can stay put if we feel like it.
After getting fuel and water on February 6, 2017 we continued south to St. Augustine. We got there at about 4 pm and took a mooring ball. After registering at the office we headed into St. George Street to our favorite pizza restaurant Pizza Time. They were voted the 2nd best pizza place in the USA by Trip Advisor and we both agree. We ate there three times on this visit. I love St. Augustine with it's beautiful architecture, fascinating history, great restaurants, and warm weather.
Our next major stop will be Vero Beach.
Thank you for reading my blog.
On our last night in Fernandina Beach at about 4:00 in the morning the wind picked up and it became cold. Sleeping was impossible so Bob and I got up and tried to figure out what we would do that day. Rather than stay put and get beat up by the wind all day, we decided to head for Jacksonville Beach Marina. Since the wind was behind us all the way the trip was cold, but reasonably smooth.
We stayed in Jacksonville two nights. Bob did the engine maintenance and I did the laundry. There was a large sports bar on the premisses so we had a great place to watch Super Bowl 51. An advantage of this cruising lifestyle is its flexibility. We don't have to slavishly follow our float plan and can stay put if we feel like it.
After getting fuel and water on February 6, 2017 we continued south to St. Augustine. We got there at about 4 pm and took a mooring ball. After registering at the office we headed into St. George Street to our favorite pizza restaurant Pizza Time. They were voted the 2nd best pizza place in the USA by Trip Advisor and we both agree. We ate there three times on this visit. I love St. Augustine with it's beautiful architecture, fascinating history, great restaurants, and warm weather.
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| This is St. George Street that is closed to traffic and is lined with shops and restaurants. |
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| I found this hidden courtyard while strolling around old town. |
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| I took this shot of downtown as I was walking back across the Bridge of Lions. |
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| Two Lions guard the entrance to the Bridge of Lions that connects St. Augustine to St. Augustine Beach. |
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| We toured the Castillo de San Marcos that has guarded the town since 1672. |
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| This is a spire of the grand hotel built by Henry Flagler in the late 1800's and is now a part of Flagler College. |
Our next major stop will be Vero Beach.
Thank you for reading my blog.
