Florida and shorts!

ok, just for a little while after we arrived in St. Augustine, but we DID wear shorts for a while!  Never mind that we had on thermal undies and sweatshirts for 24 hours before we finally got here!
It was a nice sail from Beaufort, SC to St. Augustine, FL.  24 hours. We picked the short weather window so that the winds were forecast to be from the NW leaving Port Royal Sound, progressing to the E through the next 24 hours. The weather was as predicted, and  we were under sail only for about 10 hours of the 24 hour trip. The sailing only part was broad to beam reach, sailing at 7 to 8 kts - quite nice.  We had a beautiful moonrise at 12:39 a.m. in a clear black sky, and passed a few lit up shrimp boats along the way. We are 150 miles further south. 
I''m still a bit tired from the change in sleep, so this will be short
Smokey is glad to be here at a quiet, warm mooring. She has re-explored most of her boat.  I've seen her stretched out on the narrow anchor hanging over the water, prowling the topsides of the dinghy (and inside), on top of the solar panels (THAT didn't last long!), and her new favorite place, perched on the jib furler on the bow of the boat.  It's that little round disc that the rope is rolled up onto.  It's been a favorite ever since she swatted a bird from there last year.

We entered the harbor of St. Augustine - America's oldest city! - through the newly renovated Bridge of Lions.  The bridge has been under reconstruction  since 2005 and was just finished this year.  Here's the new bridge, opening for an unseen boat to pass through.

Just before the bridge, we get a great view of the historic Castillo de San Marcos from the waterside prospective.  This Spanish fort dates back to 1672.  The first Easter Mass in the New World as held here.  We'll probably walk over tomorrow and visit the fort.

Just at dusk, the sky behind the city turned a wonderful shade of pink.

The bed is definitely calling now.  Tomorrow we plan to take the complimentary launch service from Latitudes to town and do a little sightseeing in the 75 degree weather!!!!!  I can't walk as far as before, with this air cast, but I do hobble about pretty well!