On December 7th, we slipped lines in Charleston, SC, bound for St. Augustine, Florida. This was another 30-plus-hour, 200-nautical-mile overnight passage that showcased the unpredictability of maritime navigation. As we left Charleston, our friends Anne and Jim arrived on their boat, Tilia. The photo above shows how small Tilia is relative to the passing freighter.
The disappointing light wind dictated that we rely more heavily on our engine than sail power. We alternated watches: three hours on, three hours off. Vigilance was required as we dodged two freighters in the Charleston Channel and another three as we passed Savanah, GA, that night. The night was dark, and the calm waves against the hull were a soothing backdrop to our offshore passage.
As we made our way south, the water and air temperature warmed, preparing us to arrive in Florida on December 8th. The entry to St. Augustine is uncharted due to the shifting sands in the inlet. The channel in the chart is left blank because the Army Corp of Engineers manages the channel markers to adjust the point of best approach as the sands shift. Our research primed us to arrive at slack tide and move east after the red and white marker toward the 200 ft stainless steel Great Cross of Nombre de Dios – located in the marshes of the Matanzas River. The Cross is a sentinel over the Mission and a “Beacon of Faith” for all who pass this way. Our passage between Vilano Beach and Anastasia Island to the Matanzas River was smooth. The Bridge of Lions seemed to open on demand as we motored to the St. Augustine Town Marina.
St Augustine was founded in 1565 by Pedro Menendez from Spain (https://thefloridaexperience.com/st-augustine/). The port is known for being the longest continually occupied European colony in the United States. The ‘Night of Lights’ kicked off that Sunday night, a tradition originating in Spain. The city was aglow with millions of tiny white lights, creating a festive atmosphere. After the night before, our senses were overloaded with the brightly decorated buildings, trees, and crowds of people in the streets. Visitors travel long distances to enjoy the displays.
Over the next few days, the weather became quite active offshore, requiring us to stay more than a week before the next weather window opened, enabling us to travel south. One of the resources that we rely heavily upon is Bruce Van Sant, author of “The Gentleman’s Guide to Passages South: The Thornless Path to Windward.” We typically look at the direction of sail relative to wind direction and force when deciding to leave port. We usually avoid leaving port in more than 6 knots if we are directly into the wind. If we are close hauled or close reach, that could change to 7 to 10 knots. We also must consider how the wind direction and speed may change over a 30-hour course and account for that in our decision-making using the chart below. The direction and height of the predicted waves are another metric to consider. We delayed departure because of the 30-knot windspeed forecast and the 9-to-12-foot seas.
There were plenty of things to see and do in the city. We wondered how the Spanish successfully established St. Augustine more than 44 years before the English colonized Jamestown, VA. We learned that the Spanish primary motivations during the Age of Discovery were “God, Gold, and Glory.” “God” represented the desire to spread Christianity, “Gold” symbolized the pursuit of wealth and riches, and “Glory” signified the quest for fame and recognition by claiming new territories for the Spanish crown.
Columbus’s voyage in 1492 was followed by a rapid expansion of Spanish and Portuguese exploration in the New World. Settlements in the Caribbean and South America led to the discovery of the Gulf Stream, which ultimately led to global trade between Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, South America, the Western United States, and as far west as the Philippines. The Spanish strategically collocated settlements in areas with a high population density of indigenous people and precious resources like gold and silver. As we sail, we follow the trade winds routes these early explorers used. Without modern navigation or weather systems, we marvel at the skill these early mariners must have possessed.
One key to Spanish longevity was using Coquina, a shell rock quarried on the nearby Anastasia Island. The rock was used to construct the star-shaped Fort called the Castillo de San Marcos. Eighteen-foot thick walls of this material ensured the Fort was indestructible to invasion and hurricanes. Castillo do San Marco’s (circa 1672) is the oldest masonry fort in North America. While the City was destroyed by invasion, fire, or natural storms many times over, the Fort prevailed, even though its control turned over 5 times during its history (Spanish > British> Spanish> American> Confederate> American).
The influence of Spain is seen everywhere in St. Augustine, from the Plaza de la Constitucion to the Castillo de Saint Marco’s, the checkerboard layout of the streets, pedestrian alleys, and the Spanish architecture highlighted by terra-cotta roof buildings. It’s fascinating to see how the Spanish culture has left its mark on this historic city.
Have you ever wondered where the name America came from?
In 1507, the cartographer Martin Waldseemuller made one of the first maps depicting the “New World.” He mistakenly assumed that Amerigo Vespucci (an Italian explorer who mapped new continents on behalf of Spain and Portugal) had discovered the land mass. Later, Amerigo Vespucci was deleted from the maps and replaced with “America.”
We appreciated that Marie and Richard changed their plans to overlap during our stay. Fellow cruisers Anne and Jim arrived from Charleston on Friday on their boat, Tilia. Connecting with friends added to our enjoyment of St. Augustine.
As we soak up the warmth of the Florida climate, we can’t help but take stock of where we have come from and feel a surge of excitement for future passages. Our journey to St. Augustine marks a significant milestone, as we have now sailed the entire East Coast from Nova Scotia, Canada, to Florida. This achievement fills us with pride and inspires us for the next leg of our journey. We’ve covered over 3800 nautical miles (NM) on Kailoa. Our confidence in picking weather windows and handling Kailoa in various conditions has grown significantly since we left Massachusetts. We will be in St. Augustine until the end of the week before heading to West Palm, Florida.
Sending love to all! Kailoa signing off!!
PS: This is a shout-out to our daughter Natalie, who turned 33 on December 11, 2024. On that cold winter night, she was a long-awaited baby who brought joy and richness to our lives. Happy Birthday Natalie!!
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