Didi Mau

Day Three Held Captive in Saint Augustine

The hard part about sailing, or cruising rather, is to distinguish what one does from loafing. Here we are in Saint Augustine Florida on our third day. We had originally signed up for four nights on a mooring ball but we are thinking about staying longer. Is it laziness, lack of inertia or merely prudence? Hmmmm
Saint Augustine, settled by the Spanish in the late 16th Century is America's oldest city. Walking down the streets one could be fooled, if only for a minute in to thinking he had arrived in Europe. Europe with really heavy people. A Europe that is more like Disney World than, well, Europe.
As background, we motored down the ICW from Fernandina Beach, buddy-boating with our friends from Hampton and Southall Landing, Larry and Sandy Stewart. We made excellent time by catching the tide and were able to average close to nine knots for much of the way. While landlubbers might not think this much to talk about, we blow-boaters where pretty pleased at our progress that day. We arrived here at the municipal marina at about 2:30 on 7 October.
The ICW between Fernandina and Saint Augustina is like a slow moving river, but has many long straight canals. Bordering the canals we saw homes as humble, as well, perhaps $400K and many I am sure topped out in the 10s of millions of dollars. One side of the ICW was thick with houses, all with boat lifts in the back yard, and the other side, primordial swamp. I looked for gators but so far, have seen none.
The only wild-life that has been constant has been dolphins. Even in water you might not think suitable for fish, much less mammals, dolphins have seemed to thrive. In fact we have seen so many, that it is akin to seeing deer along the road back home. In the Chesapeake we are always thrilled to see our closest relative of the seas, but here, it is, well, rather more mundane.
Back to Saint Augustine.
The main downtown is nothing but shops and restaurants and bars and cafes and more shops and souvenir shops and pizza pubs and, well you get the idea. And the people flock to the shopping and eating and drinking. One used-book shop owner, on a less prosperous street told us that she had been offered the same square footage on the main shopping street, St. George Street, for $3500 / month. Her shop is perhaps 10 feet across and 20 feet deep.
And the people throng the street. Anything would seemingly sell. One store, City Cat Country Cat, around the corner and in the back, and then up a flight of stairs, sells nothing but cat memorabilia. (Yes, we had to visit. No we didn't buy anything.) Grumpy Cat is front and center and is the subject of about 30 percent of all the merchandize. We walked into this small shop and were among 6 other shoppers, or lookers, because I saw nothing sold in this 100-square-foot shop.
Mixed in and among the shops is some real history. The signs are well kept and mark special dates, occurrences and buildings. The city's founders, which built the port city for commerce would be proud, because commerce has truly become the basis of this city's modus operandi. We were constantly amazed at the specialty shops and that they could even make a living, so narrow was their product offering. But yet, tens of thousands of potential buyers shuffle through the street daily. With such numbers, sellers of anything would likely find a ready market.
So here we are on day three. We have eaten more restaurant meals here in the past three days than we have a whole year back home. We have become yet another boatfull of tourists leaving our doubloons in the till. We have taken the tours, toured the fortress and are thinking of staying a few more days. Is it lethargy or interest?
I'll get back to you when I figure that one out.