29:53.1N 81:19.4W

 

Welcome to USA! I have been dying to see this large country and I wasn’t disappointed. Everything, from the food portions to the theme parks is massive!

 

After 2 days of sailing we arrived in Florida and tied on a slip in Cape Marina, which is just in the opening of the Intracoastal Waterways (The ICW is a series of lakes and rivers that go up the East coast of America.) Despite the rotten and cockroach infested poles, I really enjoyed our stay there, as there was a pool and a games room. We also used the world’s first solar powered golf car to get to customs to check into America. Then we were officially legal!

 

One of many manatees in the ICW.

However we didn’t stay long, as on the 7th we motored up the ICW to the Titusville Municipal Marina. On our short journey there, we were accompanied by manatees, birds of prey and 3 dolphins who joined us as we motored through the lock! Our stay in Titusville Municipal Marina would be longer than in the previous marina, as we were meeting Lora, Nikki and Don Babbs here. I could hardly wait till they arrived! But first we did some exploring in the town and we discovered an excellent bookstore and the tempting sounding, Cafe Chocolate. On the 10th we went to Universal Orlando Resort, a sight that is not to be missed when visiting Florida! We decided to visit both parks and I loved them! The first, Universal Studios, had a 1920s theme, which was really cute! My favourite ride there was The Revenge of the Mummy, an indoor ride that took twists and turns and had real fire and green smoke! The second theme park, Islands of Adventure, had the Harry Potter World, where you got to visit Hogsmede! I bought a chocolate frog, watched portraits talk and road with Harry on a broom stick through the classrooms of Hogwarts. But I also really enjoyed the other worlds there Dr. Seuss land, Jurassic Park, Superhero land and loads more. It was great fun!

 

Standing in front of the entrance of Hogsmede.

 

But more excitement was to come when Lora arrived 2 days later! We had loads of talking to do, to make up for no talking during the past year! We also went together to the Kennedy Space Centre on the 13th. It was amazing, seeing real spaceships and watching IMAX movies that showed us photographs that Hubble had taken. We were able to see the births of stars and dying

suns! And I will never forget how I touched a piece of the moon!

 

Standing in front of a real shuttle in Kennedy Space Centre.

 

However, as all good things must come to an end, we had to leave Titus Municipal Marina on the 15th. We set off, up the ICW, to Rivers Edge Marina, in St Augustine. St Augustine is America’s oldest town, as it was established in 1565 and passed hands between the Spanish, English, the Spanish again and finally the Americans. In the old town, there were many shops and museums, including Kernel Poppers, a popcorn shop filled with hundreds of different flavours of popcorn and a magic shop, where we watched money levitate! The next we all went and visited the museums of St Augustine. We had fun at the Colonial Quarter Museum, where we watched a musket being fired and saw a knife being made at a traditional blacksmiths shop! Next, we were toured around Flagler College. This used to be oil tycoon, Henry Flagler’s hotel for the rich: the Ponce de Leon Hotel. Now that it had been transformed into a college. We were allowed to tour the grounds and the amazing architecture. It was really breath taking!

 

Flagler College.

 

Sadly, that was the last day we spent with Don, Nikki and Lora as they left late that night. It was great fun having them and we miss them already! Despite this, we still had a few more days in St Augustine, during which we had a delicious Easter Pot Lunch and visited the Whetstone Chocolate factory. We were given a tour around the chocolate factory and we were given many free samples!

 

The Easter Pot Lunch

 

On the 22nd, however, we left St Augustine and Florida, as were passing 2 states on our 3 day trip to Beaufort, North Carolina. But that’s another blog!

 

So long readers!

From,

Robyn