We left Brunswick with just enough light to see, about 6:15 AM. Getting up so early was thanks to going off daylight savings time. Otherwise it would have been 7:15, which seems better. We had high tide all the way along Jekyll island, which I would rather not do even at half tide, and fair weather for crossing the mouths of two wide sounds that are right on the Atlantic.

It was just 42 miles to Fernandina Harbor marina on Amelia Island. We arrived at 10:30 AM. I cut the trip short because low tide was coming and there were a few shoaling areas just beyond that we would take the next morning with a high tide.

Within a few miles of the marina we fell in behind Aloha Friday with Bruce and Mandy, who we met at anchorage over a week ago. We had dinner with them that night at Ciao Italian restaurant, which Sue remembered from when we were heading north with captain Bill. They are traveling at a slow pace, which is why we could catch up to them even after our Florida trip. They do around 20 miles in a day and anchor out most of the time.

We left early the next morning for St Augustine Municipal marina and arrived at 12:30. We can just squeak under the drawbridge on the north side of the marina, but as we came within sight of the bridge the hourly opening was starting. There were so many boats waiting that when we got there we just merged into the parade. The two sailboats ahead of us took such a long time gracefully gliding on through the bridge that I thought it would close before they got there. I felt bad for the drivers of the cars having to wait.

Once we arrived and got hooked up, Jim from First Mate Yacht services came by with a replacement water pressure pump. For the last few weeks the pump’s breaker has sometimes tripped when the washing machine is running or maybe in the middle of a shower. Yesterday it started tripping every time we used substantial water for anything, so I phoned ahead and arranged to have it replaced. This is the first “emergency” breakdown we’ve had. Hopefully future ones won’t be any worse.

We met Steve, who with his wife is working as captain and mate on a hundred foot yacht moored nearby. When not on a captaining assignment they are on their own DeFever boat. We’ll see them along with our other friends again at the DeFever get together this March.

We’re in the Municipal marina right off the main street of the old part of town. Just cross the street from the marina and we’re there. St Augustine is the most interesting town we’ll go by from here to our Lantana destination, so we’ll stay a few days.