St. Augustine, FL to Cocoa, Fl including Palm Coast, Ponce Inlet and Titusville.

Wednesday January 11 to Friday January 13th we remained in St. Augustine enjoying the city and all it has to offer.

Friday Jan. 13, 2012 day number 125, departed St. Augustine at 8:30AM and arrived in Palm Coast at 11:30AM.
Today's miles - 20  Total miles 1390.

It was another great day in paradise! We had a short trip down to Palm Coast to visit an old boating buddy, John Frasier. We stayed at the Palm Coast Marina right off of the intracoastal waterway. John follows our blog and if we don't post in several days, we get a call! It was great to catch up.

Saturday January 14, 2012 day number 126, departed Palm Coast at 8:30 and arrived in Ponce Inlet, Fl at 1:15PM
Today's miles -35  Total miles 1,425

We stopped in Ponce Inlet to visit with Bristol friends Bill and Rosemarie Englert. We stayed at the Adventure Yacht Harbor which is a small yard but good staff. Bill and Rosemarie took us out to a great sports bar/restaurant called the North Turn which was where the original Daytona races were when they included the beach as part of the race way.. Had a great time and caught up on Bristol.

Sunday January 15, 2012 day number127 departed Ponce Inlet at 8:30AM and arrived in Titusville, Fl at 2:PM
Today's miles 45  Total miles 1,470

We left under sunny skies but it was only 36 degrees! It warmed up to the low 60's by the afternoon. We moored at the Municipal marina.

Monday January 16, 2012 day number 128 we departed Titusville at 9:30 and arrived at Cocoa, Fl at 11:00AM
Today's miles 20  Total miles 1,490.
We spent 3-days in Cocoa.

Cocoa brings back memories of visiting my parents in Cocoa Beach in February of each year during school vacation. Met with old boating buddies from Mass. and now live in West Melbourne, Bob and Lois Hersey. Had a great visit and went to lunch on the river at the Sunset Grill.

Henry Flagler has built so much of the St. Augustine area as well as many other Florida areas. His Grand hotel that he built is now home of Flagler College.

The ceiling in the entrance of Flagler College. The dining hall has $43 million worth of Tiffany glass.

Carole's friend on our bow pulpit.

One of the 2-lions at the beginning of the "Bridge of Lions"

We took a tour and wine tasting at the San Sebastian winery. The barrels here are actually their port wine which we of course felt obligated to purchase!

Wines being racked.

The walkways across the large vats under the walkway are made with barrel slates.

The entrance to Palm Coast Marina is right off the intracoastal.

There are a lot of condos with docks in the Palm Coast area along the waterway.

A couple of neat houseboats along the way.

Coming up on Daytona

Even the bridges in Daytona are special.

There were several camp grounds or fish camps along the way to Titusville. Waterfront living at a fraction of the cost!

At anchor in Titusville, we enjoyed a great steak dinner with a bit of Cabernet.

Kennedy Space Center as seen from the intracoastal.

Fernandina Beach, FL to St. Augustine, FL with a stop in Jacksonville Beach, FL

Monday January 9, 2012 day number 121
Departed Fernandina Beach at 9:30AM and arrived in Jacksonville Beach at 1:30PM
Today's miles 30, total trip miles 1,340.

Tues. January 10, 2012 day number 122
Departed Jacksonville Beach at 8:10AM and arrived in St. Augustine at 12:10PM
Today's miles 30, total trip miles 1,370.

The trip from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine was good with warm weather and smooth seas. After crossing the St. Johns River, the tide turned against us and at one point to get through a small bridge, we had to increase our engines RPMs to make it through with swirling currents. While at that RPM we should have been going 8-knots, we were only going 2.5-knots through the bridge. These are the times that make a good excuse for landing drinks! The rest of the trip was uneventful except for the dolphin swimming along with us. Carole is now happy she has good pictures of the dolphins!

At our anchorage at Fernandina Beach, we were anchored across from a factory that runs 24/7. It actually was a neat sight.

There are a lot of pelicans along the intracoastal waterway.

This was a 3-story boat lift/deck along the waterway.

It was a bit foggy getting underway in the morning but the fog lifted quickly.

This part of the trip is a pretty straight shot down the waterway with not much traffic.

This is Carole's dolphin swimming in our bow wake. She was with us for a few miles.

The dolphin would go back and forth and then come back up for air.

There is a sand spit at the St. Augustine inlet where they allow cars. Hope this guy remembers that it isn't high tide yet!

Coming up on St. Augustine from the water is impressive.

There are a lot of beautiful streets in the oldest city in the United States.

Flager College was originally the Ponce de Leon hotel that Henry Flagler built to bring all of his rich buddies from the Northeast to enjoy the warm Florida winters. It was only open for 3-months a year, Jan.-March and the guests had to pay for the whole 3-months up front.

Not your typical college lobby!

This is the main plaza which overlooks the water. They leave downtown lite up for the month of January which is spectacular! They call it "Nights of Lights"

This is the view from our marina slip as we sit enjoying an after dinner glass of port!

This is looking the other way from our boat. They call this "The Bridge of Lions" since there are large lion sculpture at each end. This has been a great stop.

WE'RE BACK!!! Brunswick, GA to Fernandina Beach, Fl.

Sunday January 8, 2012 Day #120 (our trip home was 53 days)
Departed Brunswick, Ga at 9:15 AM and arrived at Fernandina Beach, FL at 2:30PM.
Todays miles today - 37  Total trip miles 1,310.

We returned to the Irish Rover after a great return home for Thanksgiving to New Years. We visited with family and friends and enjoyed our holidays with our new grandsons, Connor and Nathan.

We arrived in Brunswick and reprovisioned the boat on Friday and Saturday and left this morning for our first stop in Florida.

                                Connor and Michelle after an exhausting Xmas with the family.

Marta and Nathan, Michelle and Connor at Michelle and Aimee's at Thanksgiving time.

John and Marta enjoying their 1st Xmas with Nathan.

Our last sunset at Brunswick Landing Marina.

Leaving Brunswick, GA this morning under clear skies and calm seas.

Downtown Fernandina Beach FL.

Exploring Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, FL

Reminds me of our old volkswagen Camper except possibly the paint job!

We enjoyed our landing cosmo and martini at the marina overlooking the marina.

A great end to the first day of our continuing Advanture!! Tomorrow on to Jacksonville Beach.