Pensacola, FL—The City of Five Flags

Bonus Question: Can you name the five nations that have governed Pensacola, giving the city its nickname? (answer at end of post).

Fun Fact: While St. Augustine, FL, claims to be the oldest European community in America, the Spanish settlement of Pensacola in 1559 predates St. Augustine by six years. In a case of extraordinary bad luck, a hurricane destroyed the new colony and its fleet of ships just one month after arriving. The survivors endured two years of famine and native attacks before abandoning the site in 1561. The Spanish government concluded that the Gulf Coast was too dangerous to settle and did not attempt to colonize here again until 1693, 134 years later. While St. Augustine is indeed the oldest continuously occupied European settlement, it wasn’t the first. 

We walked in light rain to brunch in town and braved the gusty waterfront winds along the Pensacola Maritime Heritage Trail. We’ve passed many of the city’s Pelicans in Paradise, a public art project consisting of 41 fiberglass statues painted in various themes. The first pic below is the one outside our marina gate, the second is one of our favorites and the last is a hint to the Bonus Question.

We prepped Dragonfly for the blow that’s forecast, doubling dock lines and fenders and removing our vinyl/canvas cockpit enclosure and solar panel. We’re hunkered down for the night as we listen to the wind and rain outside our cozy cabin.

Bonus Question Answer: Spain, France, Great Britain, the Confederate States and United States have all flown flags over Pensacola.