Continuing South part II

St. George St. The oldest wooden schoolhouse

After we left the Watts in Hilton Head our plan was to spend the night in St Augustine to explore the oldest city in the US and some more touring on Tuesday before heading to Tim's in Delray. We needed to leave St. Augustine around 1pm to rendezvous with Tim after work. After we went through Jacksonville, we took a little detour to Green Cove Springs. This actually turned into a nice drive along the St. John River. Lots of farms and old houses with lots of moss hanging down. There were sections that reminded us of Coral Gables. Then back across the river into a marine industrial park.

The de-commissioned CGC Bramble

At one time the Hornbeam was supposedly here, but when we arrived only the Coast Guard Cutter Bramble was tied up to the dock. Seemed really strange seeing her painted white. We had lunch along side the dock and then continued to St. Augustine. A good friend suggested we stay at the Ponce de Leon. I very nice place he had stayed at in his youth. Sadly Billy, it is now a part of Flagler University, and although we probably could have gotten good rates in the dormitory, we elected for a more conventional motel. We got out and went for a walk in the old town, which is now pretty much gentrified with boutiques in all the old houses. Lots of signs "Bikers Welcome" We believe that it was biker week in Datona, but St. Augustine seemed to have it's share as well. We had a nice dinner at a Bavarian Restaurant.
Ellen had Veal Oscar and I Salmon stuffed with crab. Finished off with an Irish coffee and Cream Brule. Tuesday we checked out and went and toured the fort. It was really quite impressive. The Spanish had quite a fortification and although it was never captured the town was overrun a number of times. Lots of really big cannon up on the walls.

Entrance to Spanish Fort

Then we found a hot sauce shop and did some sampling and buying, then headed down to Tim's, for the first time on I 95 since RI. Straight fast and boring.

So we have been here for a week. The water has not been conducive for swimming, but the temps have been up in the 60's and low 70's. We have done some geocaching, beaching, and boating. Tim has a friend with a 38' Bayliner who took us on a ride on Saturday on the intercoastal from Boynton Beach to the Boca Raton Basin & back. Lot's of nice houses and boats to look at along with some good food and beer. Sunday we went to Wellington for Polo at the Palm Beach Polo Club.

Polo Match Palm Beach Polo Club

Lot's of good people watching, although the horsemanship all took place at the opposite end of the field from where we were sitting. There were 6 periods for the match. At the half everyone flocked onto the field to push down the horse hoof divets and for the free champagne, Frisbees, polo balls & ice cream.

The mad rush across the field stomping the divets

It was a nice afternoon under beautiful skies. Monday Ellen & I did the Lake Trail on Palm Island, in Palm Beach.

One of the few houses visible along the Palm Island Trail

It is a pathway in front of all the beautiful houses, that of course you can't see because of all the manicured bushes in front of their houses. It was nice walking along the water, on a cool day under that beautiful Florida sun. Thursday we begin our trek north, first stopping to visit John & Daphne in Fort Myers.

Continuing South

The Lady of the House-Hampton Plantation

Now that we are back from the beach, we can again take up our journey south to Delray Beach. I would say though,that today the sun was out , the sky was blue, a light breeze was blowing out of the north, temperature around 66, but the water was still a little cold for anything more than wadding. A nice day to sit on the beach and read.
Before we got to Charleston we stopped at the Hampton Plantation for lunch. We were too late for the tour but we had a pleasant walk on the grounds.

Oaks & Moss at Hampton Plantation

Saw the tree that George Washington was reported to have saved. Took some pictures and continued on our way. David Bishop purchased a new GPS for his new car and gave me his old one, which I have to say has been a real godsend. For some reason the maps I thought I had downloaded into my handheld for this trip, ended up going somewhere else. So we are really grateful for David's gift. We breezed Through Charleston crossing over the Broad River on one of those new suspension bridges and continued south on 17 to Hilton Head Plantation. We arrived at the Watts home and were greeted by Alex And Katy, got a hug from Lindsay and a glass of Sierra Nevada from John. The Sierra Nevada came in a growler.

John and Lindsay,Katy and Alex

This is something we definitely need in Massachusetts. John got his at the Lodge, I believe, where they have over 20 craft beers on tap. You make your choice, either buy a growler or use your own, and have it filled. When we visited Missoula Sean took me to a brewery that put up beer in growlers, but it was only their beer. John cooked dinner for us, roasted red potatoes, fresh salad and grilled marinated flank steak, which was absolutely delicious. It was early to bed, the Watts needed to get off to school and work on Monday and we to continue south to St. Augustine.

Highland Park to Delray Beach

Wright Memorial

Actually this should be titled a culinary tour of the East Coast visiting Family and Friends. We went from lunch with Allison in Highland Park, NJ to eating out in a diner in Seaford,DE, gourmet meals in Duck, NC, A delicious meal in Calabash, NC prepared by a Cordon Bleu Chef, Southern cooking in Hilton Head, SC and finished in Delray Beach with a tastily grilled chicken. We traveled 1828 miles from Marion, traveling on interstate highways and back country roads. After lunch with Allison we got back on the road planning on making it south of Dover, DE. We ended up in Seaford, De where we went out to dinner at the Seaford diner. The next day we continued on down the Eastern Shore, crossed over the Chesapeake bridge and tunnel BHeading for Duck, NC. We took a couple of side trips exploring coastal North Carolina, the most memorable out Waterlily rd. in Coinjock.

Ellen on Albemarle Canal

Stopped alongside the Albemarle Canal for some picture taking and then over the bridge to Duck, and David & Kathy's home. That evening we had Kathy's recipe for Jambalaya with rice. The next day David took us for a tour of the outer banks including the Wright Memorial, Bodie Island Lighthouse, which was being repaired, Hatteras Light and the Chicanacomico Life Saving station in Rodanthe. We also visited the graves of 2 british merchant sailors whose bodies washe ashore after there ship was sunk by a German sub during WWII. There are also another set of graves in Ocracoke of 6 Royal Navy sailors from another ship sunk by a German Sub

British Merchants graves

Bodie Light

Then back to Kathy & Davids for New England Clam Chowder and fresh shrimp for dinner.

David, Ellen, Kathy, Joe, Chloe

Saturday we headed down the coast on RT 17 going through New Bern, and Wilmington before reaching Calabash and Maggie & Peters house.

A cold day on Atlantic Beach

Maggie regaled us with some very funny and sad stories of her tutoring in the Wilmington school. We also found out that Peter was trained as a Cordon Bleu chef and he put that education to work in preparing our dinner. The next day we left for Hilton Head again going down the coast through Myrtle Beach heading for Charleston.

Joe, Ellen, Maggie, Peter

I am going to take a break here and will pick up the rest of the trip south later this weekend, from Charleston to Hilton Head to St. Augustine and then Delray Beach, where we have been enjoying some rather cool days although we have been getting to the beach, but not in the water.