Just when you think you have seen every strange thing that can happen on the water a new really strange one appears. On the way to St Augustine, about 15 miles away, we passed a Catalina 27 sailboat with Michigan registration. The boat had an open cockpit, no canvas protection of any kind, and not exactly equipped for cruising; manned by two very cold men. A few minites later we heard them on the radio asking a north bound motor cruiser " Can you help us out? We are trying to find St Augustine! We think its south of us somewhere, can you tell us where it is?" The boat he was talking to was stunned and could only say, its 15 miles away. I guess these folks had no idea what a chart is. These are the kind of folks who cost all of us a lot of money when they get into serious trouble and sue the Coast Guard.
The upper left picture is shot from the Castillo de San Marcos south toward the north anchorage and the rebuilding of the Bridge of Lions draw bridge, a Art Deco designed bridge that is being replaced, as is, in its original design when a high rise could have been built faster and cheaper. All because those who never had to wait for the bridge either on the water or on the road were concerned about "the heritage".
The second shot is the inland side of the Castillo de San Marcos, a fort built in 1585 to protect the city after the first 9 wood forts were destroyed in various attacks. Parts of the fort's walls are 30 ft thick. It was never taken in battle again. Its the oldest stone structure in the United States.
The lower picture is shot from the east wall of the fort toward the St Augustine outlet channel. The open water is 3 miles from the cannons on the wall which had a range of 3 miles. Those wondering where the "three mile limit" came from can figure this out.
The "plan", written in sand, is to move on to Daytona or New Smyrna Beach tomorrow. We'll see.
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