Hello! Once again its been a while! We've been busy! After getting into Vero we had a visitor! Papa Charlie flew to Vero to see us, we were thrilled to see him, the kids couldn't stop hugging him and it was great!
We had lunch together and sat and talked and caught up on the last days in the Bahamas and all the news.
We got a chance to see a little blue heron on the docks at Vero, always a beautiful sight.
So this is what part of the intra-coastal looks like. I loved the palm trees in a stand together, many were falling down as well. They always remind me of The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. 
In St Augustine we stopped for a couple of days to explore the town and in particular the Fort Castillos de San Marcos. This fort is interesting because it is built of coquina, a stone made of sand and shells compressed together. The stone is porous and is the reason why the fort was never in almost 300 years defeated, the cannon balls would either bounce off or embed themselves into the coquina instead of shattering it as it would other more brittle rock. The fort only ever changed hands by treaty negotiations.
The museum is a living history museum and so you will find local volunteers dressed in Spanish military garb and firing cannons, on Saturdays the English were there too and muskets get fired along with the cannon in a changing of the flag ceremony that they re-enact.
Needless to say the following weeks 'how to' writing assignment ended up being "how to fire a musket"!
Viva Espana!
We moved on to Fernandina Beach where there was the annual shrimp festival happening. It was just terrible to eat cajun shrimp, cajun crawdads and cajun fries. We were all just so unhappy!=) It was awesome!!!! Lots of local artists, lots of food, very hot!! Fun!
AAAAAARGH! The Fernandinans take piracy very seriously and many people were dressed up and there was much pirate regalia to be had.
The shrimp boats decorated too, for a special ceremony called the blessing of the fleet, a blessing for the boats and the fishermen to keep them safe at sea.
Dakota and Alistair ever in the water! Spearing something!
Happiness is a great climbing tree! We spent over on hour in this one!
After Cumberland Island we decided to go off shore to skip Georgia. This is because Georgia is notoriously shallow and long and winding on the ICW.
More photos, my camera went missing so these didn't make the above that Laurel penned, alas I did find it eventually so here are some more pics. 
The boys at the fort being pirates!
At the fort.
Leaving early out of Fernandina Beach.
Shrimp Boat
Papa Charlie!
Papa Charlie again!!
The boys drawing while the adults had a brew at A1A in St. Augustine.
Kids making friends in St. Augustine.
We had lunch together and sat and talked and caught up on the last days in the Bahamas and all the news.We got a chance to see a little blue heron on the docks at Vero, always a beautiful sight.
So this is what part of the intra-coastal looks like. I loved the palm trees in a stand together, many were falling down as well. They always remind me of The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. 
In St Augustine we stopped for a couple of days to explore the town and in particular the Fort Castillos de San Marcos. This fort is interesting because it is built of coquina, a stone made of sand and shells compressed together. The stone is porous and is the reason why the fort was never in almost 300 years defeated, the cannon balls would either bounce off or embed themselves into the coquina instead of shattering it as it would other more brittle rock. The fort only ever changed hands by treaty negotiations.
The museum is a living history museum and so you will find local volunteers dressed in Spanish military garb and firing cannons, on Saturdays the English were there too and muskets get fired along with the cannon in a changing of the flag ceremony that they re-enact.Needless to say the following weeks 'how to' writing assignment ended up being "how to fire a musket"!
Viva Espana!
We moved on to Fernandina Beach where there was the annual shrimp festival happening. It was just terrible to eat cajun shrimp, cajun crawdads and cajun fries. We were all just so unhappy!=) It was awesome!!!! Lots of local artists, lots of food, very hot!! Fun! 
AAAAAARGH! The Fernandinans take piracy very seriously and many people were dressed up and there was much pirate regalia to be had.The shrimp boats decorated too, for a special ceremony called the blessing of the fleet, a blessing for the boats and the fishermen to keep them safe at sea.
From Fernadina we went to Cumberland Island, a park with lots of trails, beaches wild horses and climbing trees!!
The live oaks are gorgeous with the Spanish moss and saw palmettos underneath.
The live oaks are gorgeous with the Spanish moss and saw palmettos underneath.
Dakota and Alistair ever in the water! Spearing something!
Happiness is a great climbing tree! We spent over on hour in this one!
After Cumberland Island we decided to go off shore to skip Georgia. This is because Georgia is notoriously shallow and long and winding on the ICW.
We made two hops one around 70 miles to St Catherine's sound and then the next day another of 35 miles to Tybee Roads and Hilton Head. We ended up in Beaufort, SC and took a couple of days break there. Charles is here holding a king mackerel that we caught coming in to St Catherine's sound. The conditions were about 20 kts of wind and 5-7 ft seas, so we had had a long day and were tired but much rewarded by the catch!! We had caught one other but he bounced off the boat when we were hit by an unusually large wave, thank goodness we caught another!
We arrived in Beaufort around 5 PM, anchored, ate and went ashore for a short walk, while there we scored showers which were very appreciated! We've been here two days and have had a great time, the town has a free dock during the day so we have been able to take advantage and clean, work on projects and just enjoy the luxury of getting off and on a a whim. There is a wonderful playground here too that the kids have enjoyed. We met some nice folks sailing with their three kids and that has been fun for all, the kids played a lot today and we adults talked lots too.
We arrived in Beaufort around 5 PM, anchored, ate and went ashore for a short walk, while there we scored showers which were very appreciated! We've been here two days and have had a great time, the town has a free dock during the day so we have been able to take advantage and clean, work on projects and just enjoy the luxury of getting off and on a a whim. There is a wonderful playground here too that the kids have enjoyed. We met some nice folks sailing with their three kids and that has been fun for all, the kids played a lot today and we adults talked lots too.
Tomorrow we leave and head for Charleston for a couple of days. Wishing you all the best and happy mother's day all you fabulous moms!!
More photos, my camera went missing so these didn't make the above that Laurel penned, alas I did find it eventually so here are some more pics.
C.
The boys at the fort being pirates! 
At the fort.
Firing the cannons
Leaving early out of Fernandina Beach.
Shrimp Boat
Papa Charlie! 
Papa Charlie again!!
The boys drawing while the adults had a brew at A1A in St. Augustine.
Kids making friends in St. Augustine.
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1 comment:
Glad to see that you're having a great trip north. I knew the fort would be a big hit w/ the boys. Cumberland is awesome as well. Be safe. Christy & Bill
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