NORTH (FINALLY) TO NEW SYRMNA BEACH, ST. AUGUSTINE AND CUMBERLAND ISLAND…….

With a good weather window and finally all boat work done, including new dinghy motor, we were really looking forward to seeing new places.  As of this writing, we have traveled  North over 200 nautical miles along the ICW (a lot of the time with only 2 or 3 feet of water under the keel!!), and stopping at as many anchorages as we could to enjoy the sights along the ICW.
We have been planning for several months to have my (Rosie’s) cousin and his family visit us when we reached Florida. What a treat it was that it worked out for them drive some 150 miles from Tampa to New Smyrna Beach and stay overnight aboard Serena Ray. It has been at least 10 years since we’d seen them and it was very special time. Never enough time to get fully caught up, but we’ll see them again next year on our way back south. We stayed in the small town of New Smyrma Beach for 3 days and it proved to be lovely.

Jessica, Lynne and Emerson

Jessica helping with Brushetta

Main Street

Thai soft-shell crab.......

Saint Augustine

St. Augustine was established in 1565 and is the oldest permanent European settlement in the continental United States. It was the political, military and religious capital of the Province of Florida from which Spain exercised jurisdiction over a vast geographical region. The character of the City reflects its Spanish heritage. The streets are narrow, there is a pleasant central plaza and there are beautiful patios and gardens along with impressive buildings and government buildings.

We really played “tourists” in St. Augustine, walking all over and also taking the sightseeing train to  get a broader picture of the town.  We visited and drank from the Fountain of Youth, toured the Lightner Museum, a Pirate’s Museum and Ripley’s Believe it or Not...to name just a few. 

Saint Augustine city center....

Tall ships…..

Imagine the delight we experienced to be four slips down from the H.M.S. Bounty Tall Ship, which is on tour.  It had been in St. Augustine for a few days giving tours.  The tours were over so we were unable to visit  but it was great just to see it (sidebar picture).

The Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort and best preserved example of Spanish fortification in the United States.  It protected St.  Augustine from Great Britain, during a time when the Florida-Georgia-Carolina coastline was an explosive international battleground.  It is now a National Park.

Castillo de San Marcos

Mortar

San Marcos Guard....

Ponce de Leon landed here in 1513....

Can't pass this chance up!!

John drinking from the Fountain of Youth..he now looks much younger!!

Oldest School House in the USA

Cruising friends, Nick and Jessie from Panama...in the States to buy an RV!!

From Saint Augustine, we decided to travel outside (on the Atlantic) as there were several shoal areas in the ICW on the way to Cumberland.....

US Coast Guard practicing basket rescues.....

Atlantic Coast Lighthouse......near Saint Augustine

Cumberland Island, Georgia

Now a National Park, Cumberland Island was donated by the Thomas Carnegie family with the stipulation that wild horses would always be allowed to roam the 36,000 acres. The island is filled with evidence of its early inhabitants with remains of mansions, abundant wildlife, hiking trails and sand dunes. We anchored right in front of the entrance to the park. It was a magical visit.

When we were in Panama we met many cruisers who were from the East Coast.  One of the places that kept coming up as a “must see” was Cumberland Island, Georgia.  It was good advice. 

Spanish Moss...beautiful!

Carnegie's Mansion on the Island

Rockers at the Park Service Office

Wild horses are prevalant on the island....

We are presently in Brunswick, Georgia to provision before we resume our trek up the Intracoastal Waterway.  Next stop:  Savannah……..

Brunswick, GA....back to 9 foot tides!!

Local Brunswick restaurant....great food!!!

Fried Okra.....quite good...especially with fresh shrimp!!

Georgia Sunset!!

Serena Ray at rest......

Looking forward to the Chesapeake and the Tall Shipe Rendesvous......and also a reunion with s/v Eager Dreamer!!!!!