While at Gulfport Municipal Marina we had docktails with Susan and David on s/v Veritas Friday night and on Saturday we went with them to Costco and Publix’s for provisioning. Sunday was spent with Jennifer (my grandniece), John, Devon, Athena, and Venus at Fort Desoto. What a great day, we always enjoy this special family and we look forward to seeing them again.
We had hoped that we would be able to leave Andiamo at the Gulfport Municipal Marina while going back to Missouri for Alisha and Patrick’s wedding but that didn’t work, so, on Monday we moved to Marjorie Park Marina, Tampa. The marina is small with very nice floating concrete docks, is quiet with calm water, and has a great view of downtown Tampa. The floating docks have been great for washing and waxing Andiamo and cleaning the canvas and kayaks.
On Wednesday we moved from the Anclote Keys to the Marina at Caladesi Island State Park, where we spent a lazy day walking the beach, the nature trail, and visiting with other boaters. Thursday we continued down the GIWW and enjoyed the local ambiance. We are currently docked at Gulfport Municipal Marina.
Monday we awoke before sunrise and watched the fishermen come and go as we started our final preparations for the gulf crossing. Our neighbor’s at the marina, Michael & Vickie on S/V Krakato, were also preparing for the crossing. Krakato left around 10:15 and we pulled away from the fuel dock at 11:55. We did not want to arrive on the East side of the gulf until the sun had risen high enough that we could see all of the crab pots that we needed to navigate around before anchoring.
While we were in the shelter of Apalachicola Bay, the seas were calm and we had very little wind. When we crossed Government Cut into the open gulf the seas were between two and three feet with the wind 10-15 mph. According to the weather report, the seas were supposed to calm after about three hours, but they stayed at 3-4 feet until around midnight (Rick’s watch) at which time both the wind and waves died and we had a beautiful night crossing with hundreds of stars and a half-moon that arose directly in front of the boat, giving us a moon-glow on the water until sunrise (Nancy’s watch).
At about 6:00 pm on Monday we spotted Krakoto in the distance and passed her about 3:00 am Tuesday, it was comforting to see her near for most of the night. After twenty-four hours and forty minutes we safely anchored off the Anclote Keys, just off the mainland. Krakoto arrived and anchored about an hour after we did. They have just retired from jobs in Texas and are planning on living in the Caribbean for the next few years, we wish them safe travels.
Fun Fact: I’m not saying it was bumpy, but by the time we anchored, our step counters showed that we had 22,500 steps for the day.
In preparation for our gulf crossing, we walked the fisherman’s marina and talked to the locals about weather and the sea state of Government Cut. All weather reports and all local knowledge reports are good and it looks like we are ready for a gulf crossing tomorrow afternoon.
After talking with the local fishermen we visited the Orman House Historic State Park and Chapman Botanical Garden. The 1838 antebellum Orman House, built with pre-cut wood from Syracuse, New York and shipped to Apalachicola, was owned by Thomas Orman, a man who helped the transformation of the area from wilderness to the third largest cotton shipping port on the Gulf coast. Like the tides, Apalachicola’s affluence has risen and fallen many times throughout history. As both a steamboat port and railroad depot its fortunes have risen and fallen with the fishing, lumber, and cotton industries. Its current industry seems to be mostly tourism. The gardens of the Orman House holds the Three Soldiers, Detail statue, a one of a kind bronze sculpture made from the original mold of the Three Servicemen Statue that is part of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C.
In the evening we looked up Robert E. and joined him for happy hour at the Apalachicola ICE House. Searching for a way to leave the cold of the north (Kentucky?) behind, Robert E. and his wife have moved to Apalachicola and live onboard Stella Blue, a 27 foot Ranger Tug. At the ICE House the locals, transplants, and visitors enjoyed beer, tall tales, and Sweet Tea Two, a great local band. The ICE House used to be a machine shop with a shaft on the ceiling the length of the building that drove milling machines, lathes, and drills all by a belt drive.
With calm seas and light wind, leaving St. Joe Marina was much smoother than when we arrived. We traveled back under the Highway 98 bridge, sailed five miles up the Gulf County Channel, and headed east on the ICWW, which at this point, includes Wimico Lake and the Jackson River. The Gulf County Canal lighting was perfect for water reflections, we saw our first tug since Alabama, lots of birds, and lots of people fishing.
Arriving in Apalachicola, Rick was thrilled to find the Water Street Hotel & Marina, the marina has floating docks and gave us a Looper discount. After securing the boat we when to Up the Creek Raw Bar for cocktails and a beautiful view of the both the Apalachicola River and Scipio Creek.
We are expecting to be able to make the gulf crossing on Mon-Tue. Since the wind is still blowing at about 15-20 mph we have decided to stay at our marina for another night. Today we visited with fellow loopers aboard “in HIS time”, went for a six-mile hike, and hung around the marina. At the marina, we were entertained by both seabirds and dolphins. The dolphins were in the marina fishing just a few feet from our boat.
With the arrival of Spring, we were anxious to start the next segment of our adventure. The weather isn’t perfect for our gulf crossing, but we decided to move further to the east so that we would be in position for the next good weather window. We had thought that a Friday night crossing might be possible but now it is looking like it will be at least Monday.
We left Bay Point Marina Tuesday under grayish skies and a light chop in the shipping channel, knowing that after we crossed the channel we would enter the calm water of the ICWW. I think we found where old boats go to die, in a forty-mile stretch of waterway we saw more abandoned boats than we saw wildlife.
The six and a half hour trip from PCB to Port Saint Joe was uneventful until we left the ICWW and entered the gulf. With waves at four feet and the wind at 30 mph, the short trip to the Port St. Joe Marina was very exciting. Even when we entered the marina the wind made it difficult to enter our slip, instead of backing into our assigned slip we pulled up to a long pier, where I was able to get off the boat and tie us safely to the pilings. After taking care of the boat we joined EB, Pat, and Atticus at the Dockside Café for dinner.
Today was sunny, windy, and cold. We cleaned the boat, visited downtown Port Saint Joe, and walked the Bay Walk Trail which traces the shoreline of St. Joe Bay.
In case you are wondering, we are now on Eastern Standard Time.
What a delightful family week with Rick’s parents, Dick and Betty, and his aunt and uncle, Mike and Linda. We spent an ideal week visiting, telling tall tales, cruising the Florida Panhandle, soaking up the sunshine, and walking on sandy beaches. We visited Eden Gardens, Conservation Park, Port St. Joe, Apalachicola, and Saint Andrews. On Friday Betty, Mike, Linda and I toured Wesley House while Rick and Dick made the long drive to Pensacola to visit the National Naval Aviation Museum. A great time was had by all, with the highlight of celebrating Betty’s 84th birthday.
Now that we have had our “family fix,” it is time to head east. Although the sun is brightly shining and the temperature is in the seventies, the sea-state will keep us here a few of more days.
