Pine Island to Cumberland Island near St, Mary's, Georgia

We were surprised by a thunderstorm with gentle rain for a couple hours and then we grilled out on the flybridge. We had a quiet, peaceful night with one other sailboat anchored near the mouth of the south entrance to Pine Island. We headed out for St. George Island stopping at Windward Beach Marine in Jacksonville for diesel, gas, water, pump out, and garbage dump so we are set to continue on. We turned into St. George Island and found the shallow water and low water alarm on the boat at 4 feet so we backed out and continued on past Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach and on to Cumberland Island. The last time we were here was November 2012 when we changed our home port from Deltaville, Virginia to Titusville, Florida. We are the most northern anchored boat with a beautiful view and close to one of the Cumberland Island National Seashore dinghy docks. We saw both ferries at two different docks. It was a gorgeous evening and look forward to hiking the island tomorrow.

Leaving Pine Island

Marsh landscape

Out fishing

Shipyard along Saint Johns River in Jacksonville

Ship traffic as we crossed the Saint Johns River

High perch

Sister's bridge now a high rise as Hinkley Picnic boat roars past

The fishing fleet in Fernandino Beach

Fernandino Beach Marina and colorful condos

Cumberland Island wild horse in the front yard of private home

Beautiful sunset facing away from the island

Our Luci solar LED lights along the flybridge

On Friday morning, we enjoyed a leisurely cup of coffee and the captain's corned beef hash and eggs as our first cooked breakfast on this trip taking a break from fruit and yogurt, We headed out in the dinghy to the Sea Camp Dock and a ferry was loading up campers. We took the River Walk Hike to the Dungeness Ruins and then by the cemetery to the marsh boardwalk and then the boardwalk to the beach. We hiked the beach down to the boardwalk back up by the Sea Campground and then back to the dock, It was a beautiful day and we saw an armadillo and many wild horses with colts. Tomorrow features ranger bird walks in celebration of Migratory Bird Day so we look forward to those as we saw the poster at the ranger station. Back to the boat for a snack and some boat work before a sundowner dinghy ride.

Sea Camp dock and ferry

Welcome to the park

River  Hike Trailhead

At the ranger station

Magnificent trees

Exploring Dungeness old ice house

Wild horses are left on their own to graze

The ruins of the main Dungeness estate

Rose garden

Greenhouse ruins

Old wheelhouse ruins

Boathouse and dock

The living mud

One of the existing manor houses

Park rules for staying your distance

Cistern ruins

The old cemetery

Armadillo foraging in the leaves

Marsh boardwalk

Misplaced buoy

Flocks of Royal Terns on the beach

Stunning wind-sculptured trees

Daytona Beach to Pine Island near Saint Augustine, Florida

We got an early start but several boats got out ahead of us that we caught up to later. It was a beautiful sunny day and we put our starboard shade curtain down and with our weather-cloths up, we got fewer sunburn effects from the sun. We made it through all the drawbridges with our radar arch down except  for one that they put in a new bridge with an even lower span that we had to hail to open for us. We were glad we visited Saint Augustine on the birdwatching trip so that we could continue on to our favorite anchorage at Pine Island. We are the only boat here and the unexpected thundershower caught us but we stayed out of the rain sitting on the aft bench. We grilled out chicken after the rain stopped and we look for a shorter day to Saint George Island tomorrow.

The sunset over Daytona Beach

Egret pointing out the shallow water alongside

The lighthouse at Saint Augustine

The mooring field in front of Bridge of Lyons

Fort at Saint Augustine

Eau Galle to Daytona Beach, Florida

 After a road trip to Vero Beach Marine on Monday to pick up a new dinghy engine to replace the one we bought there ten years ago, we made a quick trip to Melbourne Downtown Produce for wine and specialty items for take-out dinner at my sister's house. We had a yummy meal and delightful visit and a hot shower before walking back to the anchorage. Instead of breakfast at Oh Biscuit on Tuesday morning we got an early start for our 10-hour trip to Daytona Beach. We enjoyed a great happy hour at the Seabreeze Twin Bridges anchorage we had stopped at before in our sailboat.

Gopher turtle in Gleason Park near my sister's house on the walk back to the anchorage

Seabird crossing

Osprey on alert

Entrance to Haulover Canal north of Titusville

Manatees frolicking

Skating by

Pelican on point

New highrise bridge replacement for a drawbridge

Love the decorative tiles on the previous drawbridge replacement high-rise bridge

Westland Marina, Titusville, Florida to Eau Galle near Indian Harbour Beach, Florida

 We had a whirlwind trip getting ready to splash, We drove to Boston and flew to the Azores for a Road Scholar Hiking trip, drove back to Valparaiso to pick up our loaded car with cartop carrier, and drove to Saint Augustine for a Choctawhatchee Audobon Society birdwatching retreat before ending up at Westland Marina boatyard, We spent a week painting the boat bottom and prop and polishing and waxing, loading up the dinghy and clearing out the storage unit. We headed back to Valparaiso to unload boat stuff and loaded up a rental car with clothes and cruising gear to return to Titusville to be splashed. We returned the rental car to the Cape Canaveral cruise ship car rental and took a Uber ride back to the marina. We spent two nights at the dock before we headed south to see my sister and brother-in-law. We got hailed by another PDQ power cat headed to the Chesapeake Bay where we are headed for the summer. Both of the dinghy engines are not working so we are driving down to Vero Beach for a new engine to replace the one we bought there ten years ago. After we anchored near Eau Gaulle Causeway, we paddled the dinghy to the dock near Squid Lips and took a walk to Ace Hardware and then to Intracoastal Brewery for a first-time brew there before hiking to Boathouse Warehouse. We had a pleasant happy hour on the flybridge especially when the band at Squid Lips quit early in the evening.

Treetop living at night and cave dwellers during the day in the boatyard

Cape Canaveral cruise ship terminal

Hydroplaning in the Indian River 

Along our walk in Eau Galle

Finally relaxing at Intracoastal Brewery

Westland Marina Boatyard, Titusville, Florida

 In preparation for starting the American Great Loop, we had both of our diesel engines reconditioned. It was a laborious job for JR, our diesel mechanic, who took both engines out, rebuilt them and then reinstalled them along with all the new parts. He left the engine compartments spotless and the engines sparkled. We launched the boat so he could check it all out at the dock and then we went out for a sea trial on a beautiful sunny and calm day. We roared down the Indian River after passing under the Titusville causeway bridge and at top speed so much faster than before. We spent the week at the dock, installing new gnat bug screens in all the portholes and getting the boat organized again. We hauled out as we have a raw water pump to replace as well as the vent loops. Otherwise, we are ready for after the holidays to get back to boat work.

Off we go to be splashed

At the dock for the week

Getting underway taking her through her break in