Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Sorry to be so late in posting this – our Internet availability has left a lot to be desired.  Pathetic.

Tomorrow is the first day of December, and we’re starting to see towns decorated with Christmas lights.  Folks walking around in Santa hats.  It seems like the farther we get from winter, the more prominent the celebrations become.

Monday found us in Fernandina Beach: the northernmost town on Amelia Island, and our first stop in FLORIDA.  YEA!  It turned out to be a charming little town with lots of restaurants (although most were closed on Monday). We had a great meal at Ciao!  Italian food is always a good choice!  Here’s a photo of THEIR Christmas lights:

The trip from Fernandina to St Augustine on Tuesday started out bumpy – we touched bottom in the ICW on a low tide.  So we decided to go outside, and it was GLORIOUS!  Like glass!  The Atlantic Ocean off Fernandina Beach is a Critical Habitat for the Northern Right Whales, which come here in November to give birth.  Lynne spotted a whale!  It didn’t beach or vent; it just slipped below the waves.  We got a shot of it just as it submerged.

Arriving in St. Augustine on Tuesday afternoon, we stayed at the Municipal Marina, right at the foot of the Bridge of Lions.  We stepped off the boat directly into the Old Town; wandered up to the Castillo San Marco; and enjoyed Greek Food in the shadow of the Cathedral.

And the town was ABLAZE with Christmas Lights!

*************************************************************

On Wednesday, we left St. Augustine for New Smyrna, and we decided to go outside again.  It wasn’t exactly rough, but four hours of pitching up and down ocean swells ceased to be fun.  So now we know that we will try to save ocean passages for days when the swells are 1 foot or less!

And Wednesday ended like Tuesday began – we touched bottom where the chart said there was water!  But we backed out and made it safely to our marina. The Inlet Marina at Ponce de Leon Inlet…home of the Off The Hook Bar and Grille and their famous grouper reuben sandwich. We took these photos of a few boats who weren’t so lucky!.  HaHa!

It was SO HOT at noon on Wednesday – 83 degrees, but it felt hotter.  A storm passed through late in the afternoon, but we were safely tied up by then, and the sunset was gorgeous.

Regrettably, our dear Lynn came down with a full-blown cold.  She is really miserable!  Hopefully, she’ll feel better on Thursday!

I am going to sleep on the bridge deck tonight to let her have the berth to herself.  The bad news about having the restaurant right at the marina is that you have to fall asleep bathed in red neon light, with a lullaby of really bad music in your ears.

Thursday it was blowing 25 knots, with gusts to 25, so we stayed inside.  Even so, it was a sloppy ride from New Smyrna to Cocoa Village.  Cocoa Beach is on the Ocean; Cocoa Village is on the ICW.  It’s a very cute town, full of galleries and shops – a favorite of visitors to the Space Coast.  Lynn is feeling a little better – able to join me for dinner at Thai Thai.  Excellent.

Tomorrow, we’re off to Ft. Pierce.  Wind and weather predicted to be challenging again, so we’re staying inside.  

TTFN

PS. Lynn to bed now at 7:00 – long day tomorrow!