| TRAVELS OF DURSMIRG VOLUME IV THE ROGUES OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND OTHER SOCIAL MISFITS Chapter 17 |
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STRAIGHT ARROWS - USINA FAMILY AND THE MULLERS
I have taken this opportunity to insert the history of the Usina family in the St. Augustine area because they are
neither rogues nor social misfits. By contrast, they are the straight arrows and the pillars of the community.
Usina; A family name of Minorcan heritage that goes back to the earliest days of St. Augustine and Americas
founding in 1777. (Minorca is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea off the Spanish coast.)
When Jane and I turned up in St. Augustine aboard our vessel Dursmirg in the early 1970s the Usina family had
already been established in the area for centuries.
The family’s Minorcan ancestors had immigrated originally to New Smyrna Beach as indentured workers where they
were poorly treated in near slavery conditions.
Disgruntled and eager to make a successful beginning in America they all took what little they had and started off
yet again and this time for success in St. Augustine which was a very poor little outpost settlement back then.
It was a real hardscrabble beginning but these determined people were genuine survivors and they dug in and
made their beginnings from the raw land and the sea.
The isolation of little old St. Augustine in those days was almost complete with the only access being from the sea.
The Usina’s took up their residence over on Vilano Beach, a barrier island just north of present day St. Augustine.
The only way to town back in those days was by boat and making a living off the land was nearly impossible
because these barrier islands were merely wind driven sand dunes of poor sandy soil.
A brief history of the Usina’s Victory II sightseeing boat;
The very first Usina that Jane and I met on the dock upon our arrival in St. Augustine back in the early 1970s was
the elderly gentleman, friendly Frank Usina. Even in his advanced years he was still captaining his classic
sightseeing vessel the Victory II which tied at the City Yacht Pier.
The unmistakable Victory II with its meticulous paint job and fastidiously maintained equipment had a sleek slim hull
that literally slipped through the water like one of those fast rowing racing shells.
The 4-53 Detroit diesel engine that powered the Victory II quietly putted along with effortless ease making the vessel
silently slide through the water unbelievably quiet with a water cooled rubber exhaust system.
That engine had the faint sound of a slow turning well oiled sewing machine that never missed a stitch with
seemingly unforced effort for thousands of dependable hours. Because the Usina’s were such sticklers for
maintenance and took such impeccable care of their equipment, this Detroit diesel paid them back many times over
the years in a long-long happy life of loyal service.
The double decked silhouette of this wooden Victory II had the appearance of some stately old horse drawn
carriage from days gone by. The upper deck gave a spectacular commanding view and carried two rows of gray
painted benches each easily accommodating two persons that was open but covered by a slim line roof. The lower
passenger deck was similarly equipped with seats but had large nearly square glass windows so the passengers
had options depending upon the weather.
The efficient vessel was operated by two persons, the captain who gave a running historical narrative while at the
helm that was situated on the port side forward behind a symmetrically curved panel of windows that had an
uncanny resemblance to a light house. The other hand onboard was a first mate that tended the dock lines and
answered to the passengers needs.
St. Augustine Scenic Cruise began in the early 1900s due to the following strange string of coincidental events;
Captain Frank Usina and his wife Catherine had been living in Miami in the early 1900s where Frank had been
working as a carpenter at the Miami train station but a yellow fever outbreak forced them to settle back in the St.
Augustine area on Vilano Beach.
Vilano Beach is also known as the North Beach just north of the city of St. Augustine.
Henry Flagler was still building and developing his St. Augustine Empire of hotels when he approached Frank Usina
and his wife about catering oyster roasts for guests of the Ponce De Leon Hotel and his Alcazar Hotel over on their
island.
The oyster roasts and boat ride excursions to the Usina’s at the North Beach soon became a regular popular event.
This is how the family boat business ironically sprang into life.
In the beginning they started with a chartered launch. Next Frank began ferrying guests over to and back from the
North Beach for Minorcan Style dinners that soon expanded into oyster roasts with live music and even dancing.
It wasn’t long and enthusiastically inventive Frank saw that the boat ride over to the island and back was one of the
most interesting parts of the entire outing.
This is when the sightseeing concept was born.
Enterprising Frank being a visionary and seeing where the potential for the business was heading purchased a 45
foot launch that was hard aground up on a mud flat.
Next enterprising Frank refloated the grounded vessel, made what repairs were necessary and then refurbished it
for his purposes giving a victorious new life to the salvaged vessel.
With a gesture of triumph Frank aptly named his new addition to the fledgling business Victory.
In this grass-roots mom and pop operation with its humble beginnings Frank was not only the captain but he also
filled all of the other positions and took special pride in his self made accomplishments…Victory would open the door
to a St. Augustine tourist industry tradition brought to life by the Usina family.
This was not an easy situation in which to succeed but with hard resolute work coupled with frugal management a
determined Frank launched his beautiful new Victory II in 1918.
The sleek lined elegantly fashioned St. Augustine built Victory II came to life under the practiced hands of master
ships carpenter Warren Sanchez along with his assistant, Frank Usina’s son Francis Everisto.
Frank Sr. and his 17 year old son Francis Everisto both captained the new Victory II for the next eight years during
another of Florida’s economic roll-a-coaster boom and bust cycles and then Frank passed away.
Captain Francis Usina kept the family business going with the Victory II that was the only means of transportation to
and from the North Beach until the 1930's when the new bridge to the mainland opened access for automobile
access…and America was in the depths of the deep depression.
The bridge didn’t last long and the Victory II was again pressed into service as a commuter ferry to and from the
mainland as Florida’s economy gradually pulled itself out of the depression hard times. The Usina’s persisted to
keep their fledgling business afloat.
Next the Victory II was out of the excursion and fishing trip business during World War II due to government
sanctioned gasoline rationing.
The Usina’s did however manage to keep their vessel in operation during the war transporting servicemen on USO
sponsored outings for Rest and Relaxation.
After the war the Victory II again resumed its role in the ferry service while the new Vilano Beach bridge was under
construction in the late 1940s.
By 1949 the city of St. Augustine saw the merit of tourist business and how it impacted the local economy.
In an effort to draw in tourists the Usina’s were called upon to participate with their magnificently kept classic vessel
the Victory II and they even included a narrated sightseeing harbor cruise.
Francis captained the Victory II on daily excursions throughout the winter season and was joined by his two sons
Frank and Jack during the busy summer season when several trips a day were required to accommodate the ever
increasing crowds.
The two Usina sons soon obtained their own captains licenses and took up the slack as operators of the Victory II
while their sister Mary Lou sold tickets.
So, it was 23 years later in 1972 that Jane and I met friendly Frank Usina Sr. on the dock at The City Yacht Pier and
instantly took a liking to this very personable self made man who was a real pioneer and positively impacted a large
part of St. Augustine’s history.
Frank Sr. continued to captain his own creation, the beautiful sleek forever elegant Victory II until his death in 1973.
We feel honored to have had his friendship.
The Usina’s with their Victory II give the Old City’s visitors by far the very best and most enjoyable value and I
personally believe it is without a doubt the most memorable tourist experience that St. Augustine has to offer.
Frank and Betty Usina and their north Florida financial conglomerate;
These two quiet reserved unassuming easy going entrepreneurs were the brains and driving force behind a long list
of area businesses that required their hands on attention to detail.
North Beach Campground and Fish camp, commercial marine railway, island waterworks and the Victory II
sightseeing boat make up a partial list of the Usina conglomerate.
Frank was actively involved in the local politics and he and Betty were big backers of a local “tourist tax”.
This was a sales tax on lodging and meals in restaurants to fund the local “tourist industry” of which the Usina’s were
an integral part.
The local voters had voiced their loud disapproval and voted this issue down flat three different times; we heard this
refrain over and over again and Frank proclaimed; “the voters just don’t understand”.
Well, after a mountain of propaganda and a super saturated advertising campaign the issue finally passed.
The first year all of the proceeds went to fund some artist group totally unrelated to the tourist industry.
This was just about the only matter that I ever took issue with the Usina’s on and I think that they are some of the
most public spirited do-gooders that St. Augustine has ever had. Any community that could boast of having people
of this caliber could count themselves lucky.
A quote from Betty Usina, Frank’s wife;
At this time Jane and I had our commercial fishing vessel Secotan hauled up on the Usina’s marine railway cleaning
and painting its bottom. This particular morning when I came into Betty’s lovely but very efficient office with its
oceanfront view just after sunrise I was surprised to find Betty already hard at work. When I asked her why she was
working so hard she said to me; “John, anybody that likes to spend money as much as I do just has to work hard”.
It is no surprise that these two people were such big successes…they were not only on the same team but they were
actually pulling together.
The Frank and Betty team were without a doubt the who’s who of St. Augustine and they earned that distinction
through their diligent efforts and unceasing attention to detail.
They even went off to Spain as good-will ambassadors from St. Augustine attending royal functions and exchanging
ceremonial keys to the cities, cutting ribbons at dedications and lots of photo ops.
Frank and Betty lived the American dream and made it come true.
Yes, there was luck involved with their success but these two took what they had and parlayed it into a real working
empire.
The Usina’s family, of Minorcan descent, with centuries in the Oldest City and their descendents has remained
active participants in St. Augustine to this day.
JIM AND LEIGH MULLER;
Like our kids, our good friends and our family Jim and Leigh have been with Jane and I through many an
adventuresome travel experience.
They are fun loving, good spirited, adventures that go back in time with us to Volume 1 of Travels of Dursmirg in the
fall of 1972 at Savannah, Georgia.
Mr. and Mrs. Muller on August 26, 1977 came to St. Augustine on their honeymoon with their shiny new little pea
green $5,000 Volkswagen Rabbit.
This newly wed young couple had to be our very best friends to make a stop at St. Augustine to look us up on their
honeymoon trip in the late 1970s.
Jim had gone from a long-haired hippy-type college student still living at home to a mature married man in these
years.
Now more than a quarter of a century later this lovely couple have four grown children and Jim with his marine
biologist degree has his own very successful consulting business and is still in ecologically oriented and impressively
doing public spirited projects...we are proud of him and his model family.
Leigh after guiding her four exceptional children into adulthood and equipping them with the ultimate prerequisites to
lead very successful lives is now herself putting the finishing touches on a book she has been writing throughout
these hectic years.
These special people are like our kids, and we love them and claim them for our own. They are in all four volumes of
Travels of Dursmirg and continue to have a very special place in our hearts to this day.
I intentionally put these straight arrows in this volume as a striking contrast to all of the rogues and bon fide social
misfits we have encountered.
Jim was with Jane and I aboard Dursmirg on the maiden voyage we made to Florida from Wisconsin in December
1972. He joined us in Savannah, Georgia and became a regular member of our crew and like part of our family.
This is life aboard Dursmirg back in the 1970s with Jim and Leigh Muller our frequent traveling companions. Jim was
always a pleasure to have aboard not only because of his instinctive and productive fishing abilities that always kept
us well supplied with fish, crab, shrimp and anything else that might come out of the water but he also taught us how
to be sea-food self-sufficient and that was a gift that has lasted us a lifetime. Leigh besides being a fabulously good
natured adventuresome excellent sport made our voyages go along smoothly with her unpretentious easy going
assistance. Her passion was her art work that she quietly indulged herself in while passing pleasant tranquil hours at
anchor or while sailing along as Jim trailed several trolling lines astern of our the boat.
In the above photo Leigh is creating one of her distinctive pen and ink sketches depicting sea going nautical gear as
Jim enthusiastically looks on.
next chapter
I have taken this opportunity to insert the history of the Usina family in the St. Augustine area because they are
neither rogues nor social misfits. By contrast, they are the straight arrows and the pillars of the community.
Usina; A family name of Minorcan heritage that goes back to the earliest days of St. Augustine and Americas
founding in 1777. (Minorca is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea off the Spanish coast.)
When Jane and I turned up in St. Augustine aboard our vessel Dursmirg in the early 1970s the Usina family had
already been established in the area for centuries.
The family’s Minorcan ancestors had immigrated originally to New Smyrna Beach as indentured workers where they
were poorly treated in near slavery conditions.
Disgruntled and eager to make a successful beginning in America they all took what little they had and started off
yet again and this time for success in St. Augustine which was a very poor little outpost settlement back then.
It was a real hardscrabble beginning but these determined people were genuine survivors and they dug in and
made their beginnings from the raw land and the sea.
The isolation of little old St. Augustine in those days was almost complete with the only access being from the sea.
The Usina’s took up their residence over on Vilano Beach, a barrier island just north of present day St. Augustine.
The only way to town back in those days was by boat and making a living off the land was nearly impossible
because these barrier islands were merely wind driven sand dunes of poor sandy soil.
A brief history of the Usina’s Victory II sightseeing boat;
The very first Usina that Jane and I met on the dock upon our arrival in St. Augustine back in the early 1970s was
the elderly gentleman, friendly Frank Usina. Even in his advanced years he was still captaining his classic
sightseeing vessel the Victory II which tied at the City Yacht Pier.
The unmistakable Victory II with its meticulous paint job and fastidiously maintained equipment had a sleek slim hull
that literally slipped through the water like one of those fast rowing racing shells.
The 4-53 Detroit diesel engine that powered the Victory II quietly putted along with effortless ease making the vessel
silently slide through the water unbelievably quiet with a water cooled rubber exhaust system.
That engine had the faint sound of a slow turning well oiled sewing machine that never missed a stitch with
seemingly unforced effort for thousands of dependable hours. Because the Usina’s were such sticklers for
maintenance and took such impeccable care of their equipment, this Detroit diesel paid them back many times over
the years in a long-long happy life of loyal service.
The double decked silhouette of this wooden Victory II had the appearance of some stately old horse drawn
carriage from days gone by. The upper deck gave a spectacular commanding view and carried two rows of gray
painted benches each easily accommodating two persons that was open but covered by a slim line roof. The lower
passenger deck was similarly equipped with seats but had large nearly square glass windows so the passengers
had options depending upon the weather.
The efficient vessel was operated by two persons, the captain who gave a running historical narrative while at the
helm that was situated on the port side forward behind a symmetrically curved panel of windows that had an
uncanny resemblance to a light house. The other hand onboard was a first mate that tended the dock lines and
answered to the passengers needs.
St. Augustine Scenic Cruise began in the early 1900s due to the following strange string of coincidental events;
Captain Frank Usina and his wife Catherine had been living in Miami in the early 1900s where Frank had been
working as a carpenter at the Miami train station but a yellow fever outbreak forced them to settle back in the St.
Augustine area on Vilano Beach.
Vilano Beach is also known as the North Beach just north of the city of St. Augustine.
Henry Flagler was still building and developing his St. Augustine Empire of hotels when he approached Frank Usina
and his wife about catering oyster roasts for guests of the Ponce De Leon Hotel and his Alcazar Hotel over on their
island.
The oyster roasts and boat ride excursions to the Usina’s at the North Beach soon became a regular popular event.
This is how the family boat business ironically sprang into life.
In the beginning they started with a chartered launch. Next Frank began ferrying guests over to and back from the
North Beach for Minorcan Style dinners that soon expanded into oyster roasts with live music and even dancing.
It wasn’t long and enthusiastically inventive Frank saw that the boat ride over to the island and back was one of the
most interesting parts of the entire outing.
This is when the sightseeing concept was born.
Enterprising Frank being a visionary and seeing where the potential for the business was heading purchased a 45
foot launch that was hard aground up on a mud flat.
Next enterprising Frank refloated the grounded vessel, made what repairs were necessary and then refurbished it
for his purposes giving a victorious new life to the salvaged vessel.
With a gesture of triumph Frank aptly named his new addition to the fledgling business Victory.
In this grass-roots mom and pop operation with its humble beginnings Frank was not only the captain but he also
filled all of the other positions and took special pride in his self made accomplishments…Victory would open the door
to a St. Augustine tourist industry tradition brought to life by the Usina family.
This was not an easy situation in which to succeed but with hard resolute work coupled with frugal management a
determined Frank launched his beautiful new Victory II in 1918.
The sleek lined elegantly fashioned St. Augustine built Victory II came to life under the practiced hands of master
ships carpenter Warren Sanchez along with his assistant, Frank Usina’s son Francis Everisto.
Frank Sr. and his 17 year old son Francis Everisto both captained the new Victory II for the next eight years during
another of Florida’s economic roll-a-coaster boom and bust cycles and then Frank passed away.
Captain Francis Usina kept the family business going with the Victory II that was the only means of transportation to
and from the North Beach until the 1930's when the new bridge to the mainland opened access for automobile
access…and America was in the depths of the deep depression.
The bridge didn’t last long and the Victory II was again pressed into service as a commuter ferry to and from the
mainland as Florida’s economy gradually pulled itself out of the depression hard times. The Usina’s persisted to
keep their fledgling business afloat.
Next the Victory II was out of the excursion and fishing trip business during World War II due to government
sanctioned gasoline rationing.
The Usina’s did however manage to keep their vessel in operation during the war transporting servicemen on USO
sponsored outings for Rest and Relaxation.
After the war the Victory II again resumed its role in the ferry service while the new Vilano Beach bridge was under
construction in the late 1940s.
By 1949 the city of St. Augustine saw the merit of tourist business and how it impacted the local economy.
In an effort to draw in tourists the Usina’s were called upon to participate with their magnificently kept classic vessel
the Victory II and they even included a narrated sightseeing harbor cruise.
Francis captained the Victory II on daily excursions throughout the winter season and was joined by his two sons
Frank and Jack during the busy summer season when several trips a day were required to accommodate the ever
increasing crowds.
The two Usina sons soon obtained their own captains licenses and took up the slack as operators of the Victory II
while their sister Mary Lou sold tickets.
So, it was 23 years later in 1972 that Jane and I met friendly Frank Usina Sr. on the dock at The City Yacht Pier and
instantly took a liking to this very personable self made man who was a real pioneer and positively impacted a large
part of St. Augustine’s history.
Frank Sr. continued to captain his own creation, the beautiful sleek forever elegant Victory II until his death in 1973.
We feel honored to have had his friendship.
The Usina’s with their Victory II give the Old City’s visitors by far the very best and most enjoyable value and I
personally believe it is without a doubt the most memorable tourist experience that St. Augustine has to offer.
Frank and Betty Usina and their north Florida financial conglomerate;
These two quiet reserved unassuming easy going entrepreneurs were the brains and driving force behind a long list
of area businesses that required their hands on attention to detail.
North Beach Campground and Fish camp, commercial marine railway, island waterworks and the Victory II
sightseeing boat make up a partial list of the Usina conglomerate.
Frank was actively involved in the local politics and he and Betty were big backers of a local “tourist tax”.
This was a sales tax on lodging and meals in restaurants to fund the local “tourist industry” of which the Usina’s were
an integral part.
The local voters had voiced their loud disapproval and voted this issue down flat three different times; we heard this
refrain over and over again and Frank proclaimed; “the voters just don’t understand”.
Well, after a mountain of propaganda and a super saturated advertising campaign the issue finally passed.
The first year all of the proceeds went to fund some artist group totally unrelated to the tourist industry.
This was just about the only matter that I ever took issue with the Usina’s on and I think that they are some of the
most public spirited do-gooders that St. Augustine has ever had. Any community that could boast of having people
of this caliber could count themselves lucky.
A quote from Betty Usina, Frank’s wife;
At this time Jane and I had our commercial fishing vessel Secotan hauled up on the Usina’s marine railway cleaning
and painting its bottom. This particular morning when I came into Betty’s lovely but very efficient office with its
oceanfront view just after sunrise I was surprised to find Betty already hard at work. When I asked her why she was
working so hard she said to me; “John, anybody that likes to spend money as much as I do just has to work hard”.
It is no surprise that these two people were such big successes…they were not only on the same team but they were
actually pulling together.
The Frank and Betty team were without a doubt the who’s who of St. Augustine and they earned that distinction
through their diligent efforts and unceasing attention to detail.
They even went off to Spain as good-will ambassadors from St. Augustine attending royal functions and exchanging
ceremonial keys to the cities, cutting ribbons at dedications and lots of photo ops.
Frank and Betty lived the American dream and made it come true.
Yes, there was luck involved with their success but these two took what they had and parlayed it into a real working
empire.
The Usina’s family, of Minorcan descent, with centuries in the Oldest City and their descendents has remained
active participants in St. Augustine to this day.
JIM AND LEIGH MULLER;
Like our kids, our good friends and our family Jim and Leigh have been with Jane and I through many an
adventuresome travel experience.
They are fun loving, good spirited, adventures that go back in time with us to Volume 1 of Travels of Dursmirg in the
fall of 1972 at Savannah, Georgia.
Mr. and Mrs. Muller on August 26, 1977 came to St. Augustine on their honeymoon with their shiny new little pea
green $5,000 Volkswagen Rabbit.
This newly wed young couple had to be our very best friends to make a stop at St. Augustine to look us up on their
honeymoon trip in the late 1970s.
Jim had gone from a long-haired hippy-type college student still living at home to a mature married man in these
years.
Now more than a quarter of a century later this lovely couple have four grown children and Jim with his marine
biologist degree has his own very successful consulting business and is still in ecologically oriented and impressively
doing public spirited projects...we are proud of him and his model family.
Leigh after guiding her four exceptional children into adulthood and equipping them with the ultimate prerequisites to
lead very successful lives is now herself putting the finishing touches on a book she has been writing throughout
these hectic years.
These special people are like our kids, and we love them and claim them for our own. They are in all four volumes of
Travels of Dursmirg and continue to have a very special place in our hearts to this day.
I intentionally put these straight arrows in this volume as a striking contrast to all of the rogues and bon fide social
misfits we have encountered.
Jim was with Jane and I aboard Dursmirg on the maiden voyage we made to Florida from Wisconsin in December
1972. He joined us in Savannah, Georgia and became a regular member of our crew and like part of our family.
This is life aboard Dursmirg back in the 1970s with Jim and Leigh Muller our frequent traveling companions. Jim was
always a pleasure to have aboard not only because of his instinctive and productive fishing abilities that always kept
us well supplied with fish, crab, shrimp and anything else that might come out of the water but he also taught us how
to be sea-food self-sufficient and that was a gift that has lasted us a lifetime. Leigh besides being a fabulously good
natured adventuresome excellent sport made our voyages go along smoothly with her unpretentious easy going
assistance. Her passion was her art work that she quietly indulged herself in while passing pleasant tranquil hours at
anchor or while sailing along as Jim trailed several trolling lines astern of our the boat.
In the above photo Leigh is creating one of her distinctive pen and ink sketches depicting sea going nautical gear as
Jim enthusiastically looks on.
next chapter
This is a print of the pen and
ink drawing that Leigh
Durrence did on her visit to
Dursmirg that is on display at
Georgia Southern. It is a
cockpit composite view
depicting many of the strange
and interesting pieces of
marine hardware found
aboard Dursmirg
ink drawing that Leigh
Durrence did on her visit to
Dursmirg that is on display at
Georgia Southern. It is a
cockpit composite view
depicting many of the strange
and interesting pieces of
marine hardware found
aboard Dursmirg