Palm Coast Marina is a perfect stop for any boat. They are a full service facility, with a long face dock for transients. This makes it easy to get in and out and is very protected from the wind. I met a very interesting gentleman here who introduced himself too me because he saw my great loop flag. He was 4 days from being on the loop for 1 full year, he was headed home to Quebec City. He is doing the loop on a 25.5ft sailboat with a 8hp Yamaha outboard motor. he had lots of jerry cans on the deck. Great fellow and I hope to see Ron later down the line. We will stay in touch and I’m sure ill have questions for him while I’m up in the great lakes. This is another reminder of how lucky I am to be able to do this trip in a large safe self-sufficient diesel semi displacement hull.
From Palm Coast Marina you pull out onto the ICW which is the Matanzas River at this point and head north, the water starts getting super clear as you near the Matanzas Inlet. There is a great anchorage here on the east side of Fort Matanzas, I plan to take advantage of this fine location one day. Fort Matanzas National Monument was designated a United States National Monument on October 15, 1924. The monument consists of a 1740 Spanish fort called Fort Matanzas, and about 100 acres (0.4 km²) of salt marsh and barrier islands along the Matanzas river. From here the water stays very clear, you pass west of Anastasia Island a protected wildlife sanctuary and enter St. Augustine. These are all beautiful areas of the coast.
beautiful water, narrow ICW, pretty white sand and shell
The Conch House Marina is nestled in a small cove called Salt Run. You go all the way up to St. Augustine Inlet but before you go out hook an immediate north heading and take a marked channel into Salt Run. I arrived at Conch House Marina around 2:30 after filling with fuel and I have another nice spot on a long face dock. Lots to do here in this old town just walking distance from the marina.
You can see the St. Augustine light in two pictures
St. Augustine Inlet
Pura Vida safely tied to the face dock
Pura Vida Loop 