Welcome to St. Augustine Scenic Cruise!!

Since the 1900’s St. Augustine Scenic Cruise has been giving visitors to St. Augustine a unique view of the city and a way to enjoy St. Augustine’s historic land marks and natural beauty.

The Usina’s were among settlers from the island of Minorca, located off the coast of Spain, finally settling in St. Augustine in 1777. Many of their descendants remain in St. Augustine today. In 1900 Captain Frank Usina and his wife, Catherine, could not return to Miami were he had been working as a carpenter on the Miami train station because of an outbreak of yellow fever.

They settled in the area known today as North Beach, then accessible only by boat. Henry Flagler approached Frank and his wife, asking them to hold oyster roasts for friends and guests staying at his Ponce De Leon Hotel, now Flagler College, and the Alcazar Hotel, now the Lightner Museum. The outings to North Beach became a regular attraction, and thus, the family boat business was born. Initially starting with a chartered launch, Frank ferried guests to and from North Beach for Minorcan Style dinners, oysters, music, dancing and sightseeing along the Matanzas Bay. Shortly thereafter, Frank purchased a 45′ launch stuck on a mud bar. He repaired, refinished and christened it the Victory, replacing the chartered launch, but remaining at the helm as Captain.