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Florida, The First Coast
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St. Augustine, FL – MM – 778 Sat Nov 22 through Mon Nov 24
We left Jacksonville Beach around 7:30 a.m. and made our way to St. Augustine. It was a beautiful day and we had the current with us. We arrived in St. Augustine just after noon and picked our spot to anchor. What a crowded anchorage it was! Boats everywhere, many have been there for months, or plan to stay through the season.
Our friends from Massachusetts onboard ‘Aura’ were there waiting for us. We spent the afternoon sightseeing around St. Augustine. Later that evening we were delighted to find that we had arrived to see the “Night of Lights” lighting ceremony where all the Christmas lights around the waterfront and the historic district are lit for the first time for the holidays. It was a nice way to begin the holiday season. |
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Lion's Bridge |
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| St. Augustine was established in 1565 by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, St. Augustine is the oldest permanent European settlement in the U.S. For 235 years it was the political, military, and religious capital of the Providence of Florida from which Spain exercised jurisdiction over a vast geographical region. The town’s principal value was as a military base for the protection of Spain’s colonial trade and commerce. |
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St. Augustine Munincipal Marina |
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St. Augustine |
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| The highlight was the Castillo de San Marcos Fort and National Monument. Ground was broken for the Castillo de San Marcos in 1672 and was completed in 1695 after a 23 year construction period. It was used as a fortress for the Spanish Military to protect the borders of the colony they had declared theirs. The Castillo sits on the waterfront just inside the St. Augustine Inlet. From the tower, one has a “bird’s eye” view of the Atlantic Ocean, an ideal spot to see ships as they arrive from the Atlantic Ocean. |
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The Old Spanish Fort |
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We spent the next few days enjoying the shopping, dining and sightseeing St. Augustine’s old historic district has to offer. |
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Flagler College |
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The Flagler Hotel |
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Palm Coast Resort, FL – MM – 803 Tue Nov 25
On Tuesday morning we left St. Augustine as we had plans to spend the Thanksgiving holiday in Daytona Beach and needed to make it half way by Tuesday. The current was with us and we made great time, arriving at the marina around 1:00 p.m. It was a nice golfing community that had a nice walking trail that paralleled the ICW. We walked the trail through the community and got in a nice three mile walk. We arrived back at the boat in time to make ‘happy hour’ at the resort restaurant. We were beat so after ‘happy hour’ we headed back to the boat and made it an early evening. |
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Palm Coast Resort Marina |
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