St. Augustine

Travel Day:    169                          Hours today: 2.9

Miles Today:  22                            Total miles: 3,166

Locks today: 0                              Total Locks: 39

We slipped out of Marineland about 0815 and headed north on the ICW. It was a short and beautiful cruise, with lots of gorgeous homes again lining the water. We pulled into the St. Augustine Municipal marina and immediately battled a fierce current as Mark backed us into our slip. We were forewarned, and therefore expected the current- it seemed stronger than that on the Mississippi! Serenity continues to be our cruising buddy.

After lunch we walked around the old downtown. The marina is next to The Bridge of Lions, within easy walking distance of Flagler College, restaurants, shops, and Castillo de San Marcos, aka the Fort. The Castillo with its coquina walls was completed in 1695, and the town is even older- it was founded by the Spanish in 1565. The Castillo withstood British sieges in 1702 and 1740. Over the years ownership of Florida went from Spain to Great Britain, back to Spain, then to the U.S. The streets in the historic district evoke that Old World feel.

Castillo de San Marcos

Mark, Kathy and John

Bronze cannon made in 1735

Pinterest idea for sea shells??

Flagler College scenes

Lions guard the entrances to the Bridge of Lions

Municipal marina

This evening we hosted dock tails for Serenity and new friends Margo and Dave from Cat Call, a sailing catamaran.