Atalanta: Christmas in St. Augustine

While we love Charleston, as with all places there comes a “right time” to leave. Upon leaving Charleston, we found the weather unfavorable for sailing on the “outside” and opted to use the Atlantic Inter-Coastal Waterway for sections of our journey.

Beaufort, SC Waterfront

We took a few days to reach Beaufort, SC where we anchored out for a few nights and explored a beautiful southern town with magnificent homes and a vibrant downtown. After enjoying Beaufort we tucked in behind Hilton Head Island in Skull Creek where we were treated to a magnificent sunset at anchor in a little creek among the marshy wetland.

Beaufort, SC

Georgia’s barrier islands protect it from the onslaught of Atlantic storms and hurricanes. We tucked in behind St. Simon’s and Jekyll Island in the port of Brunswick for three days of marina living. Here Sherrie, the dock master, skillfully guided us into a slip and took good care of us. The marina provided freebies including WiFi, laundry, bicycles, pumpout, and most importantly beer and wine! Jason and our three-year-old grandson, Liam, joined us for a few days of touring the barrier islands and walking on the miles of beach. A three-year-old onboard added a new level of energy to the pace we are accustomed to but we love introducing him to our nautical lifestyle.

Due to more inclement weather, we navigated the ICW to the southernmost barrier island, Cumberland Island, part of the National Seashore. Pristine maritime forests, Live Oaks dripping with Spanish moss, undeveloped beaches and wide marshes bring visitors close to nature. Aboriginal peoples, missionaries, slaves and wealthy industrialists all lived here at one time or another. In the early 1880s, Thomas Carnegie and his wife, Lucy, came to the island and established the family home, Dungeness. Only ruins remain but they offer a window into the way the elite lived at the turn of the century. Lucy Carnegie was friendly with Thomas Edison

Dungenous Ruins
Cumberland I., Ga.

and she had a DC power plant constructed to provide the estate with electricity and she also had a 600’ deep artesian well drilled bringing in ample fresh water. She was an interesting woman ahead of her time in many ways. Here’s a link to a PDF file for more information about Lucy and Dungeness: http://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/cuis/dilsaver/chap2.pdf

Arriving in St. Augustine for the holidays feels wonderful. Over 2.5 million Christmas lights

Ponce De Leon Hotel
(now part of Flagler College)
St. Augustine, Fl.

transform the nation’s oldest city into a charming holiday destination. We were thrilled by a second visit from Jason, saw Star Wars in 3D at an IMAX, and were joined by Lois and Grant for a fun day. Family visits make our travels much more meaningful and enjoyable.

We are looking forward to celebrating Christmas with friends just south of here and wish you all the best for the new year.

Richard & Kay

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