Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Sunday Oct 26 - Tuesday Oct 27
Sunday we pulled out of Pennsicola and end up some 60 miles latter at Baytown Marina in Sandestin. We were the small boat in the Marina , this a 2800 acre resort which included Golf , a village with all kinds of shops, resteraunt, bars, and the beach. You could even rent a golf cart for $80 per day that you could drive to your slip. We wish we could have stayed longer but we were trying to catch a weather windows to cross. Rates were $ 3.25 per foot but because we are loopers it dropped it to $2 a ft. Life styles of the rich and famous they even proved you with charge card to use on the property----not!
We left before sunrise the next morning for a 99.1 mile run to Port St Joe, Fl. We started the morning with dolphins surfing or bow wake on and off again all day. It was so cool to watch, every once in a while they would roll on their side so that they could look you right in the eye! We stopped in Panama City to fuel up on $3.39 diesel. From Mobile to Panama City we got 3.18 miles to the gallon! I underestimated the time and miles for today so we ended up running for 11.5 hours to get to Port St Joe FL, 99.1 miles. We ran out of the ICW into the bay at 19.1 knots to get to our slip as the sun dropped into the ocean at 7:30 Eastern. So here comes the fun part! As we entered the Marina at dusk, a guy was fishing off the pier and we snagged his line and spooled his reel on to the prop. Just terrific, I am tired, qranky and pissed! We have a few words and after being accused of being a Northerner, we get tied up, so nothing to do till morning. I talk to the Mariana manager at 7 AM and he had a kid in a dive suit in the water at 8:30 AM. No issue he cuts off the line and we are out of the Marina at 9:05.
We have been talking with two other boats behind us that want to cross the gulf weather permitting, on Wed. So after 2 days or texts and VHF talk we dock in Carabella, Fl and meet for the first time. We had Docktails on our boat, then walked into town for dinner. We stopped at the local grocery store borrowed a cart and took our collective provisions back to the boat. Tomorrow is the big day!
We are planning to leave the Marine around noon and will run for 22 hours straight to Tarpon Springs This is about a 181 mile over night passage. wish us luck and Gods speed and protection! We will talk to you on the other side!!!
Putz'n Around!
We left before sunrise the next morning for a 99.1 mile run to Port St Joe, Fl. We started the morning with dolphins surfing or bow wake on and off again all day. It was so cool to watch, every once in a while they would roll on their side so that they could look you right in the eye! We stopped in Panama City to fuel up on $3.39 diesel. From Mobile to Panama City we got 3.18 miles to the gallon! I underestimated the time and miles for today so we ended up running for 11.5 hours to get to Port St Joe FL, 99.1 miles. We ran out of the ICW into the bay at 19.1 knots to get to our slip as the sun dropped into the ocean at 7:30 Eastern. So here comes the fun part! As we entered the Marina at dusk, a guy was fishing off the pier and we snagged his line and spooled his reel on to the prop. Just terrific, I am tired, qranky and pissed! We have a few words and after being accused of being a Northerner, we get tied up, so nothing to do till morning. I talk to the Mariana manager at 7 AM and he had a kid in a dive suit in the water at 8:30 AM. No issue he cuts off the line and we are out of the Marina at 9:05.
We have been talking with two other boats behind us that want to cross the gulf weather permitting, on Wed. So after 2 days or texts and VHF talk we dock in Carabella, Fl and meet for the first time. We had Docktails on our boat, then walked into town for dinner. We stopped at the local grocery store borrowed a cart and took our collective provisions back to the boat. Tomorrow is the big day!
We are planning to leave the Marine around noon and will run for 22 hours straight to Tarpon Springs This is about a 181 mile over night passage. wish us luck and Gods speed and protection! We will talk to you on the other side!!!
Putz'n Around!
Saturday, October 25, 2014
We made it to Florida!!!
Saturday, we cruised at 6.4 knots only planing to make 30 - 40 miles. As we passed through an extremely narrow pass we contacted an approaching boat 60 ft at least. We discussed the approach and agreed to pass on the one whistle ( port to port). Further conversations lead to recommendations that we needed to stay in downtown Pensacola Fl. Yes we have crossed the line into Florida!!! Our new friend " Shell Cracker" radioed that he was not using his slip tonight so we were welcome to use his slip! We only made about 28 miles today. The Marina / yacht club is right in the middle of town.The downtown is a lovely area. I took the bike to the liquor store as we had run out of rum to make lum and remonades . We will need to make some miles for the next couple of days to make a passage from Carabella to Tarpon Springs on Wed or Thursday. Weather permitting! Will,post again as we can based on internet availability ! We hope all is well with you and yours! God bless!
Putz'n Around
Putz'n Around
Friday, October 24, 2014
On the water again ! Friday the 24th of October.
Today we cast off from Turner Marine at 7:15 am and chased a beautiful sunrise! We headed down the shipping channel of Mobile Bay to channel marker 60 and turned to a heading of 135 degrees. Several hours latter we intersected the intercostal (ICW) with in 100 ft of my plotted course! We shared the channel with a shrimp boat and assorted commercial boats. When we turned off the channel I crossed a mile or so ahead of a container ship traveling at 12 knots. A little latter on we caught the container ships wake! Holly S@&$! It was a minimum of 6 feet! The good news they where widely spaced and we just rode up and over them!
While cruising the ICW a 65 ft sport fisher called and ask to pass us as we were only traveling at 6.3 knots. We BS'd for a bit before he hit the throttle and he was gone. I asking what he had in it for power, ttwin 2000 hp MTU's. The boat will run 40 knots! Can't fathom the fuel burn.
We pulled into a bayou a little NE of Orange Beach AL. Anchored in a beautiful spot about 2:30 we covered about 46 miles today. Absolutely perfect cruising. After a nice dingy ride we took the Dingy over to Pirates Cove for dinner. Pulled the dingy up on a white sand beach and went into the joint!
We befriended the Bar Tender ( always a good move). We had intended to go out side on the deck but after being bushwacked, we stayed at the bar for possibly the best pizza in the world and got bushwhacked again! A Bushwack is three kinds of rum, Kalua, and ice cream. After dark we headed back to the anchorage in the Bayou and found our boat with the trusty anchor light on! Gotta love being in the sticks!
While cruising the ICW a 65 ft sport fisher called and ask to pass us as we were only traveling at 6.3 knots. We BS'd for a bit before he hit the throttle and he was gone. I asking what he had in it for power, ttwin 2000 hp MTU's. The boat will run 40 knots! Can't fathom the fuel burn.
We pulled into a bayou a little NE of Orange Beach AL. Anchored in a beautiful spot about 2:30 we covered about 46 miles today. Absolutely perfect cruising. After a nice dingy ride we took the Dingy over to Pirates Cove for dinner. Pulled the dingy up on a white sand beach and went into the joint!
We befriended the Bar Tender ( always a good move). We had intended to go out side on the deck but after being bushwacked, we stayed at the bar for possibly the best pizza in the world and got bushwhacked again! A Bushwack is three kinds of rum, Kalua, and ice cream. After dark we headed back to the anchorage in the Bayou and found our boat with the trusty anchor light on! Gotta love being in the sticks!
Turner Marine Recap
As most know Brigitte went home for 8 days to keep up with her Partylite Business and see the kids. While home she went with Jillian and Eric for Jillian's ultrasound. We now know we will be the proud Grandparents of Soren Jane Helleloid in Feb. So what did I do for eight days. I will be brief in my recap. I day in the engine room changing oil and filters. A couple of days waxing. Visiting the USS Alabama . Going out to dinner with new friends, watching in credible sunsets and sunrises, and a solar eclipse . Wed night was Potluck night. Grocery shopping. Cody and I both got haircuts! BSing at the dock with other loopers and an group of live aboard sale boaters. Yes and come this morning, I could not wait to leave port!
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