After all the anticipation regarding our ICW trip and relocation to Florida, these first few days have seemed a bit unreal. Living on C Ghost has its own rhythm-tasks and routines which provides a sense of stability, much welcome in this new environment so different from the Chesapeake where we have boated all our lives.

Our slip looks out over salt marsh with a distant view of live oaks and pines. The predominant marina bird is the Grackle, not the barn swallow or starling as it was in Ferry Point marina back in Maryland.

We can see two bridges from our slip and their low level hum underlies our daily activities. There are dolphins blowing and surfacing near our boat everyday. My heart still races every time I see or hear one. Our marina is nestled among several others quite close to ours in the San Sebastián river reminding us that we live in a port city. The inlet to the sea only a few miles away. The water is clearish green, in contrast to our brown Bay waters. Our piers are not fixed, but float. Though not as bad as we experienced in South Carolina and Georgia, the tides and current here are large and swift, unlike the indolent estuary waters of the Chesapeake. It is warm here, in November! The city itself is ancient and Spanish in history and style. Lots to explore and learn, and so unlike The Dena back in Maryland. To me, St. Augustine still feels very much a foreign port.

However, there are still many commonalities that comfort me. The ospreys are here, and I love to watch these fish hawks. We can already tell a few apart from the others, based on whose masts they like to perch on, their degree of aggression, and patterns of missing feathers. Every time I see one hover, plummet, and snag a fish, I feel at home. A train whistles mournfully several times/night-bringing me straight back to nightfall in my childhood bed. The evening sky is the same, and Orion looks just as bright here as he does in Maryland.

Best of all, boaters are friendly and helpful by and large, just as they are in the Chesapeake. People say hello, introduce themselves, compare ground tackle techniques and share stories of triumphs and close shaves. A teen age angler gave me a quick prep on what tasty fish can be caught here, and preferred baits and hooks.

We miss our friends, and the easy familiarity of a well-known region. We also feel excitement and gratitude that we have this chance to learn, explore, and come to love a whole new locale in this beautiful country of ours.