Fernandina Beach, FL

We slipped out of the St. Augustine Inlet after catching the 0700 bridge three days ago and headed offshore for a day-sail up to St. Mary’s Inlet and Fernandina Beach, FL. Our autopilot was making a clanking noise, but it was a beautiful day for some hand-steering! The inlet is wide and well-marked, and we decided to pick up a mooring at the Fernandina Harbor Marina which is just on its way back after Hurricane Matthew 4 years ago. While COVID-19 provisions kept us from fully utilizing the services, taking a mooring allowed us to check out the anchoring situation well ahead of our next visit.

High winds kept us on the boat for a few days, but that gave us a chance to fix the autopilot and replace our cracked hatch. The autopilot issue turned out to be a loose nut (love an easy fix) and the hatch lens install went fairly smoothly.

Into the lazarette for the autopilot repair!

Obviously our exploration of town was impacted by COVID-19, but we can tell this is a place worth returning to. With an easy approach from the ICW or offshore, quaint streets, historic significance, and great local food and beer, I can see this becoming a regular stop on future north/south runs.

With a decent weather window, our sights are set on South Carolina. Sorry, Georgia—the skinny water in your stretch of the ICW along with the draconian anchoring laws have us giving you a pass for now.