Hanging out in St. Augustine

07 - 08 March 2018

We are on a mooring just south of the Bridge of Lions and the fort. It's a pretty cheap way to hang out, but you need to be able to get to shore. Yesterday afternoon we had brought the dinghy down from the front deck and loaded the outboard. We paid for three nights and went ashore for showers then dinner out.

Since we had a delivery address for a few days, in the morning we ordered a portable SSB radio to help us get weather updates when we are in the Bahamas. I also needed a new waterproof case for my phone. They seem to last at most a year in this environment.

That afternoon we grabbed our small cooler, rented a car, and drove back up to Brunswick to pick up our car. A day's travel in the boat is about an hour on the highway. About Jacksonville I yelped when I realized I didn't have my car keys. At this point a two hour mistake. Fortunately Heather had hers, so she saved the day. That makes up (partially) for the Mexico purse incident.

On the way back we stopped at the Costco in Jax and loaded up on high value provisions (meats and cheeses). They also had a square, lightly colored Coolaroo sun shade/tarp almost exactly the right size for the front of the boat, with corner straps already sewed in. That will come in handy as the weather heats up, as hard as it is to imagine right now. Even though we are only a couple days south of Brunswick, it is still about five degrees warmer on average. Every little bit helps.

That night we (parallel) parked both cars along the water within sight of the boat. Free until 8a, so we needed to get going early in the morning. When we got back to the dinghy with the loaded cooler it took several more pulls than normal for it to start. It was pretty cold, but I think a tune up and servicing may be in order.

In the morning we grabbed both the cars and hit a breakfast place along the 1. Down the 1 then the 95 we went to the airport in Melbourne. This is the first time we have moved the boat since having a car with us and we're still figuring out how best to keep the boat and car in sync. We dropped the car off at the airport ($65 a week) then headed back to StA. These smaller regional airports seemed to be the best bet for secure parking for a while, as little as $7 a day so far. We shouldn't need the car much in StA, and hopefully we will not be spending much time in New Smyrna Beach again. One night in NSB to hit the pizza place with the mushrooms Heather likes should be plenty. Then one night at anchor around Cocoa Beach, and we should be near Vero Beach again.

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