Since I enjoy writing historical novels, and I live in Florida, one of my favorite places to visit is Saint Augustine. It is the oldest city in the USA and has existed for 439 years. The Spanish captain Pedro Menendez landed there September 18th 1565. Today a 204 foot stands approximately where he planted a cross to claim La Florida for Spain and the church.
In my novel Onyx Owl (which has been picked up by AIB publishers) I wove this landing into a historical venture that starts in Spain. My major characters flee the Spanish Inquisition but their pursuers are not far behind.
Saint Augustine is so rich in history that it takes a number of visits to cover the various sites. Several years ago I went to a reenactment of when Sir Francis Drake made an attack on the city. This time I went on a ghost tour at night. In over 400 years the city has acquired a number of interesting ghosts and ghost stories.
My big reason for going was to take a ride on the schooner Freedom. It is a replica of the blockade-runners that once cruised out waters in the 19th century. But the ships tours were booked for the weekend. I got a pleasant surprise when I learned that a WWII PT boat was in port for several days and on its way from Key West to some port in New England. It is the last working PT boat remaining, and while in Saint Augustine it was giving two hour tours.
I learned a lot about how they used the boat in the war, and the story of PT109. (The un-Hollywood version). When we came upon the schooner the captain yelled pirates called general quarters, yelled fire in the hole and we heard a loud bang. It was all in fun and a rare experience. When I return to Saint Augustine I will make reservations to sail the schooner and uncover more historical information about the oldest city in the US.