One of our favorite stopovers, St. Augustine is lit up like- well, a Christmas tree. Judging from the size of the crowds, it’s a popular Christmas destination! Our Christmas aboard is low key, simply enjoying the time here where our evening strolls are in shorts and a light vest and daytime temps are hovering around 70. Delightful! We’ve had our bikes out and have made regular use of them. The Winn-Dixie here is a mile or two away, a bit far hoofing it, but a short hop by bike. No hills, so the riding is easy. We attended Christmas Eve services at Memorial Presbyterian, enjoying traditions familiar to Christians the world over. This is the first Christmas since we’ve been cruising that we have not made the trek home for the holidays, a decision made in large part due to our very late departure from the Chesapeake on the migration south. We are missing time spent with family, however no one here seems to be longing for a 15-20 hour drive up I95! The trip became more grueling with each passing year. All in all, St. Augustine is a wonderful spot to spend Christmas!
Christmas Day dawned a bit overcast and some rain showers have been passing through, but the forecast is for partly cloudy, and improving into the beginning of the week. We’ll spend a day or so here yet, then head south with our next stopover at Cocoa where we’ll meet up with Sue and Jim from Stansbury, who have a condo in Cocoa Beach.
We wish all our family, friends and followers a Very Merry Christmas!
bill dieffenbach on 26 Dec 2011 at 7:30 AM #
Hi, Just wanted to say I have been following your progress and enjoying your great pictures.
We managed to cruise from ny to the abacos back in 1996 on a landfall 43 sailboat, it was a fantastic trip.
Also have read some of your writings on the t and t site.
Wife no longer wants to cruise as we are 75 now, can not complain we enjoyed the life many years .
We also cruised with our dog as company, one time while at mytle beach we left her to go to the christmas show. She jumped up on the nav station and turned off all the lights. She also howeled so much while we were gone our neighbors had a few complaints.
Your boat looks to be the perfect cruising boat, we have an older mainship 34 with a single perkins diesel. Our last trip was from new york to annapolis md, we enjoyed being anchored on the northern end of the sassafrass river. The bottom there is all sand, and the shore was a great place to let our beagle get his exercise. Good luck Bill
Steve on 30 Dec 2011 at 8:54 AM #
Thanks for the kind words, Bill. We do enjoy cruising on Maerin, she is a great cruising boat, although as with every vessel, there are compromises. We do miss those recliners that we had on our old Carver, but that was a different time, and recliners notwithstanding, the Carver would have eaten us alive with fuel costs! The confidence level in Maerin’s seaworthiness is one area that’s without compromise, knowing she’ll pretty much take whatever she encounters, limited only by the mettle of the crew!
Glad you’ve enjoyed your years of cruising, we are as well: the places we see, the awesome beauty of nature and the sea, and the wonderful people we’re getting to know along the way. We’ve been truly blessed.
Best wishes for a Happy New Year!
Steve
Elizabeth on 29 Dec 2011 at 9:23 PM #
Merry Christmas Uncle Steve and Aunt Barb! I sent you a card with a picture of Brodrick to your address in York. I hope it finds you soon. We had a wonderful first Christmas with the baby, toys were cast to the side in favor of gumming the wrapping paper.
Missed you, but don’t blame you for staying south after reading you are strolling in shorts. The Christmas lights look beautiful. Take care and wish you health and happiness in the New Year.
Love, Elizabeth, Brian, and Brodrick.
Steve on 30 Dec 2011 at 8:24 AM #
We actually did receive the card in St. Augustine the Friday before Christmas! What a great pic! Thanks for thinking of us! Yes the Holiday without family was different, but it was nice to have just a laid back day absent the hustle and bustle, but the beauty of St. Augustine made up for some of that! Enjoy your first baby Christmas, have a great New Year!
Love, Steve & Barb