Moored in an Old Spanish Town

Sevilla on her mooring ball

We have been living "on the water," literally.  On mooring ball M 55 in the St. Augustine Municipal Marina Harbor.  We use our dinghy to get back and forth to the dinghy dock, on to which we climb carrying our laundry, our shower supplies, our trash, etc, and into which we load our groceries, supplies, clean laundry.  Our little dinghy with its MerCruiser 4 stroke outboard was probably manufactured by friends at Merc Marine in Stillwater, OK.  It is our "car" for the next five months.

When tied at the bow to a mooring ball, especially in a harbor with strong tidal shifts and the likelihood of 10-15 mph winds one endures strange sensations while sleeping.  Sometimes I feel that I am sleeping in a submarine--completely underwater--as I listen to the waves slap the hull, and the strange noises of the rigging in the night, and, sometimes, as though Sevilla is the center of a small universe  that spins around her. 



Glen at St. John's Golf Club




Maureen enjoying a good day on the course!



Cannon at Castillo San Marco

The weather until about 12 hours ago has been gloriously warm and sunny with bright, clear skies.  We've played golf twice, most recently at the Royal St. Augustine Golf Club for the very affordable price of $25.00.  We've also spent a lot of time walking around this pretty Spanish town with its Castillo San Marco and narrow streets with many shops and cafes, some with little courtyards.  Among them are a Cigars and Guitars Bar, a Florida Cracker Cafe, a sports bar in an 18th century looking building that serves 1/2 priced beers and Sangria during NFL Sundays.  Aside from the interesting story of Ponce de Leon's search for the Fountain of Youth and the claim of the King of Spain on Florida, this town has seen its fortunes change hands among Spanish, French and British, as well as been under siege by fierce pirates who ravaged its coast.  The place was sacked and burned numerous times, and eventually was taken over by the Americans in 1821.  They fought the Seminole Indians, and as the local Guide says, "made Florida safe again for visitors who came to take advantage of the fine climate."

One of those who were impressed with the place was Standard Oil magnate Henry Flagler, whose name seems to be on a lot of buildings, parks, museums, a college, and other edifices here.  He put a lot of money into constructing beautiful  and historically authentic buildings such as the Hotel Ponce de Leon, the Hotel Alcazar, the Lightener Museum, Flagler College and others.  Glen and I do feel that the old town has something of the flavor of Sevilla, where we lived years ago.  In fact there is a street named Sevilla (for which, alas, we have no photo).



Glen and Peggy Bliss



Maureen and Jay Bliss



The Bridge of Lions

Our long stay here has been illuminated by the company we keep. Our flotilla of four boats, and the family of the brother of one of our group.  Jay Bliss and his wife Peggy live close to the dinghy dock, just across the lovely Bridge of Lions. They've loaned us cars, invited us for numerous happy hours and meals, including a superb Thanksgiving celebration, and taken us to the Sailor's Exchange, to Yoga and Circuit Training sessions, to the Arts Festival, to their friends' parties, and have invited us back when we return in the spring.  It has been much fun knowing them.

Now our flotilla has once again split up.  The crew of two boats--Brunelle and Andiamo--have driven north to enjoy cold weather, snow, ice and Christmas in the Northeast.  Pekabu and Sevilla are heading south together to Daytona, then Titusville, before we part ways.  We're off to Melbourne near where my parents and brother used to live, then to "Velcro Beach" for a week, and down to Stuart, FL, where we're going to live for a month.  We're all reassembling some time in January to sail together down to the Keys. 

Sevilla will be on her own for about six weeks, until mid January.  We'll keep you posted.