31 hours, but we've made it to Florida!

Overnight runs are loooong.  but they are so worthwhile.  We covered 220 miles in  31 hours.  If we were to have continued down the ICW, that 220 miles would have taken us 4 days with constant attention to avoid running aground in relatively narrow channels. On this run, Bruce (our auto pilot) did all the work. Glad to be in sunny FL!

Up bright and early, we left our marina in Charleston with the sun shinning on the Ravenel Bridge.

A beautiful sunset 11 hours later.  We are sailing toward the sunset -- west? no, southwest this time of the year, and from Charleston, our course is actually more west than south!

Then, another 12 hours with a clear moonlit sky, calm conditions, three hour shifts and the promise of a new day, the sun barely begins to light the south eastern sky over the ocean.

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We saw very few other boats during the night, but the shrimpers/fishers were out early.  This one, along with others, was busily at work by the time day broke. Looks like an outer space vehicle, doesn't it!

Ah, St. Augustine!  Makes you believe you really ARE in Florida!

This is the entrance to the Bridge of Lions, the bascule bridge that allows boats to enter the St. Augustine harbor.  You can play "caption that picture".... I'd love to hear your ideas!!!!

Here is the bridge in action.  The opening sections are raised, allowing a fishing boat to pass through, south to north.  We had to request an opening from the bridge in order to reach our mooring field for Latitudes. WE, of course, are headed north to south - hurray!!!

We took the marina launch (the marina's courtesy shuttle boat) to town for a couple of hours, just to walk around a bit.  It wasn't very crowded.  Here is a bit of the usually busy main walking street, full of shops for tourists.

One of the business streets; this one with an art shop.

And a residential street.  All are within the Old Town district.

Rain is forecast for tomorrow, but we plan to take the launch back into town and "tourist" about for a while.  I look forward to it. But for tonight, bed is calling.  Those 3 hour shifts work ok, but we are both usually pretty tired the day after an overnight run.  Smokey is waiting for us!