In two old Spanish towns...St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach



Flagler College







The Lightener Museum

We couldn’t have had better weather on the ride from Daytona to St. Augustine. The winds were light, even if they moved from SW to ENE during the day.  We stopped at Palm Coast Marina for fuel.  We took on 22.3 gallons at $4.29 a gallon!  Ugh.  What a rise in price since last October. 

We moved at a brisk pace.  More than 7 knots a lot of the way, and checked in at St. Augustine City Marina for a mooring ball.  To our surprise, the harbor was practically empty, compared to last November’s mob.  No matter, we still got stuck with a ball a long dinghy ride from the marina facilities.  We were shocked to see how much the full moon, and spring tides drained the harbor at low tide.



Peggy and Rose



Patrick and Jay

 It was good to be among friends again—with the Blisses of St. Augustine where we spent a happy 12 days during the Thanksgiving holiday.  Jay, Peggy, and his mom, Peddie, were hosting old friends—Rose and Patrick, childhood friends from their time in Concepcion, Chile. Rose and Patrick had just returned from a week in the Bahamas aboard Brunelle with Jay’s brother and sister-in-law, Dan and Martha, our boating companions from the Chesapeake Catalina club.  Jay created a unique flagstaff for Glen.  He made it out of a titanium golf club he had acquired at one of the many flea markets he frequents.  Glen really got a kick out of the new staff, especially since it was custom made by his buddy, Jay. 

We spent a day touring some parts of the old city we had missed on our first trip.  I took photos of a cocky Ponce de Leon high on his pedestal, as well as some of the original old houses, a well, and the historical society.   We enjoyed a memorable dinner at Osteen’s, just across the Bridge of Lions on the right side.  You go to the outside window, give them your name, and wait for it to be called.  It was packed and there was a 15 minute wait for a table at 6:00 on a week night.  The food is all homemade, no alcohol is served and there is a cash only policy.  Our Saefern cruising friends put us onto it.  We both tried the Seafood Casserole.  What a great meal for $20.00.

Gilded Age fascination with Arabs

But what wowed us the most were Flagler College and the old Alcazar Hotel, built by Lightener for his wealthy friends.   
You can see the gentleman’s “spa, where they took Turkish and Russian baths, and held court in a steam room like the Senate of old.

The Alcazar's famous spa and steambaths




St. Augustine in Tiffany glass



John Milton in Tiffany glass

The carriage horses work a long day

The hotel enormous swimming pool, huge ball room, verdant gardens and fountains surrounding by a cloister walk—nothing too good for the captains of industry in the Gilded Age.  Eventually, Lightener turned it into a museum, filled with the valuables that wealthy families had accrued during their reign and some of which they were forced to sell during the Depression.

We made the 7:30 opening of the Bridge of Lions—so lovely in the first light of dawn.  The sun shone on the conquistador’s cross, and important navigation mark as it faced the inlet to the sea.  We wish we could have gone “outside” all the way to Thunderbolt, but didn’t want to chance it with unpredictable weather, and not having Dan and Martha leading the way in Brunelle.  The morning, however, was beautiful, and we enjoyed a windy ride from Milepost 778 to 716, Fernandina Beach.

Because of the high west winds and low humidity, as well as very little rain, Florida has experienced severe brush and forest fires this winter.  We felt strong winds up to 22 knots on the ICW. The temperature in the morning was 49, but went up to 79 by evening.

The Fernandina City Marina harbor was shallow and set off our alarm as Glen spun around to face the wind.  We docked on an inside wall; easy to approach and protecting us from strong wind.  We were both tired from the long day, and made a beeline for showers and a place at the bar in Brett’s Waterway Café.  We stayed for dinner—shrimp pot pie and barbecued shrimp with Vidalia onion rings and collards.  Good biscuits, southern style.  Exhausted, we limped back to the boat.  It was cold—down to 49 again, with heavy winds.  They will be from the North tomorrow as we head for Georgia. 

I only got a few pictures as I searched for a nice bakery for coffee and muffins the morning we left.  It is a very attractive town, with an old railroad station, nice shops and restaurants within walking distance of the marina.  It is located on Amelia Island, one of the premiere resort islands of Florida, and the home of golf course where PGA events are held.  Wish we had had time to explore it.

Glen is so antsy to get home.   Only 716 miles from the Chesapeake!

Miss you all. 

Maureen and Glen

Fernandina Beach

March 24, 2011