Going Solo

4/18-4/21 - On Monday we headed for Palm Coast. We stayed at a friend’s dock for a couple of days and Michael and Jana on Second Star parked their boat in front of the home they bought last fall. This was the end of the road for them. One night we all went out for pizza and the next night they grilled steaks and shared some exceptional wine with us while Linda used Jana’s washer and dryer to do laundry. We also did a little last minute provisioning. After that we said our goodbyes with the idea that we’d see them again this summer in Colorado.

The next morning we headed out solo (first time in over 4 months). We had a short run to St. Augustine where we picked up a mooring ball. We spent the afternoon wandering the town and had a late lunch/early dinner. We walked off dinner with a rousing game of miniature golf - we tied. On our way back through the mooring field we found we were next to 2 other boats we’d met in the Bahamas: Dawn and Ron on Dawn Treader and Laura and Graeme on Sweet Chariot. We chatted a bit and then returned to the boat for a relaxing evening.

The next day we decided to take the trolley car tour of St. Augustine. We’ve been here several times, but never taken the tour. It proved to be quite interesting and, with the very warm weather, a lot easier than walking around. In the evening Michael and Jana drove from Palm Coast and picked us up and we went out to dinner at O’Steen’s Restaurant. This is quite the institution in St. Augustine. It’s been around for years and is famous for its shrimp. It’s a rather small family-type restaurant that serves mostly seafood (however Gerry did have the hamburger steak with onions and said it was the best he’d had in quite awhile). Linda went with the shrimp dinner and proclaimed it excellent. Although fried, it was only lightly breaded and not the least bit greasy – very very yummy. Michael and Jana dropped us off at the marina and we said our good-byes (again).

Back at the boat we made plans for our northbound travels tomorrow.

As we left our anchorage in Daytona there was another Monk 36
in front of us going under the bridge.  It was Prime Time.  They are also
from Maryland.  We saw them at the MTOA Rendezvous, but met
them first last fall at an anchorage in Calabash Creek.

We passed an unusual boat on the ICW.
It had a small dinghy hanging between its 2 hulls.

Second Star heading into their canal at Palm Coast

Monk's Vineyard at the Kipnis dock at Palm Coast.
Thanks Barb and Barry for your hospitality!

Gerry at the dinghy dock at St. Augustine marina with
Bridge of Lions in the background

Gerry trying for a hole in one

Sign at the old fort

Part of the Castillo de San Marcos

One of the oldest homes in the area

Many streets are lined with oak tree canopies

A small part of Flagler College, once the Ponce de Leon Hotel

Sign at the seafood restaurant - yummy food