St. Augustine, FL

Weather: Still cool, but much better than yesterday! Temp range 61 – 70 degree; North winds started @ 10 but built to 15 – 20 knots by late morning; It was another bright sunny day in the Land of Sunshine!

Comment:
We are on a milk run today. We departed the anchorage at 0815 and arrived at the Oyster Creek Marina on the San Sebastian River in St. Augustine, FL at 1125. We enjoyed another day of motor sailing. The wind was behind us once again, and our rather short distance of travel gave us the opportunity to let the engines to loaf a bit; the sail did most of the work until we reached the St. Augustine inlet. We rolled the jib up so we'd have a better view of the buoys marking the ICW, the inlet and the Salt Run.

Once past the inlet, we goosed the engine rpm’s to allow us to make the 1030 opening of the temporary “Bridge of Lyons” lift bridge. We only made it because a large motoryacht was headed north. He had a considerable current pushing him along so it was a quick passage. Quick as it was, it bought us just enough time to get in position for our passage through before the bridge closed.

The trip up the San Sebastion River was picturesque. Of note, we passed the Mainship/Luhrs Factory.

Once we were securely tied up, we walked to the old city where we took in the sights, sat for a few minutes on a park bench, sipped a sarsaparilla and browsed a used bookstore. As luck would have it, they had Morrison’s “Admiral of the Ocean Sea.” I’ve been reading v II during the trip, but I didn’t have v I. Now the story will be complete. We picked up a coule of others books including one of the Hornblower series by C.S. Forrester.

We stopped at a liquor store and took the opportunity to pick up a few bottles. Now we’ll be able to host a proper “happy hour.” As luck would have it, we saw Vanessa (“Tally Ho” – one of the “Flock”). We invited her and Andrew over for frozen margaritas. Isn’t life grand!

They regaled us with stories of the Flock, including “Reflection’s” unfortunate grounding. The other half of the “Flock” is staying at a marina about three miles from town. We’ll probably catch up with them in Vero Beach, if not before.