St Augustine

We left Cumberland and crossed into Florida on December 8th. Luckily a mooring ball was available and we settled in to wait out weather. We arrived at sunset, crossed through the Bridge of Lions and sailed next to the holiday boat that take visitors out on daily sunset cruises. Daily Nate checks the wind and wave predictions on Predict Wind to gage when our best sailing windows are. The town was full of cruisers also waiting to travel further South.

While in St Augustine we stayed busy! We caught up on laundry at the marina because we needed bigger washers to clean blankets. We had an address at the marina which meant Amazon orders and our Christmas cards. I mailed out gifts and cards in town. Josephine and I got haircuts. We stored away many items to make room in two cabins for our Christmas visitors. Josephine studied each day and had a Starbucks within walking distance for a change of scenery. We rented a car to stock up on non perishable provisions as groceries are twice, sometimes three times, the price in the Bahamas. We were able to go to Costco locally. Then the challenge was to find spaces to store all the provisioning. Marine supplies such as more jerry cans were needed. We also had to take Queso for his health certificate which is required for entry into the Bahamas.

We continued to meet more folks in the sailing community. We met the family of four (plus one dog) on Gnarwhal who I had been following on Instagram for weeks. I had become invested in their daily posts documenting their many trials (broken windlass and a dog needing to wear pants) and triumphs (long sleepless passages). This family leaves their boat each summer to attend to their business Art of Soil in Wyoming. Cool cats Rob and Karen of Gnarwhal below:

We ran into a Florida fisherman who made this cool bike rack for his dog. They live full time on their fishing boat.

So many stories and ways to live the sailing life.

While we had a car, Nate and I took a day trip to the Kingsley Plantation which is part of Timucuan National Ecological and Historic Preserve. This was the location of a slave plantation which grew Sea Island cotton. The slave quarters are still partially standing.

St. Augustine was a great spot to get geared up to leave the US with provisions and pet health certificates . I enjoyed daily walks which went past built in the 1700s. Everything was decorated with Christmas lights and decor. The streets became very busy each day with tours of buses and golf carts all blasting holiday music.