TRAVELS IN 2011

Sunday 3/20  It is time to move Duchess to Florida so  we rented a car and drove the 600 miles to Mobile.
Duchess was in great shape so we unloaded the car and when out to eat at a great restaurant on the Bay.

Monday 3/21   Returned rental car and clean inside and outside of boat and to bed early. Weather perfect!

Tuesday 3/22  Cloudy with a light fog 70 degrees. Put in 150 gal of fuel @3.84 gal  OUCH! But the owner gave us a .20 a gal break on the price. YEA!
         We head out at 8:50 and arr at Ingram Bayou, Orange Beach, Al at 3:00. Winds up to 20k but  waves not too bad.         44 miles                                                                                           

welcome to Florida

                                                                                           

Wed  3/23   Sunny  74 degrees South wind 10 to 15k. 
                  lv at 9:10 anchor at Navarre Beach in Pensacola at 3:30.   43 miles

Thur 3/24  Sunny    75 degrees South wind 10 to 15k   lv @8:30  anchor  at                  Choctawhatchee Bridge  2:45  

                 very windy all nite and wind switched to WNW   (2 sailboats at anchor with  us)      43 miles

Fri   3/25   Overcast wind gust up to 20k   Lv @  8:00 anchor                            Pear Bayou,  Panama City at2:20. 

 very nice  anchorage just off Air Force rec area.  watched Air Force Jets

perform.   9 boats in anchorage for the nite.            45 miles

Sat 3/26   Cloudy 71 degrees  SW wind up to 20K lv @ 7:10 anchor in  Saul Creek @ 3:50      about 5 miles North of  Apalachicola.         50 miles

                                               
                                   Saul Creek- Bob tying up to a tree
.

3/28  calm overcast 70 degrees  lv @ 8:45  arr Carrabelle 2:10  at Moorings    Marina                                                 33 miles
Forecasting bad weather for the next few days so do not know how long we will be here.


 We are traveling all alone.     The few boats we have passed have been going West.   

               

              3/27/ to3/31/11   arr Carrabelle 2:20    34.5 miles

 Bob not paying attention and follows a local boat and drives into a mud flat!
no problem as we just back off and follow the channel to the Mooring Marina. We have TV, Internet and a big room with pool table,  a good thing as we    had big storms, lots of rain and real windy, Mon, Tue, Wed, & Thur.. Not much to do in this town with the closest movie theater &  Walmart 60 miles away!  This Village  has lost its fishing fleet so the town is depressed! 1 grocery store, a couple of bars and two restaurants.  We did have a very nice seafood  dinner at 2 Al's.


4/1/11     Steinhatchee   arr 6:40       85 miles


Finally a break in the weather and we leave Carrabelle at first light for our 5 mile ride to Dog Island and the East Pass into the Gulf of Mexico for our crossing of the Big Bend. Winds SW from 10 to 20 knots, Seas 2 to 4 ft but we had a nice point of sail for our 85 mile run.  
we had a big delight when 40 to 50 Dolphins
followed us for over 2 hrs - surfacing waves and darting all around the boat.
We had quite a few in the protected shores but never could get a picture.
Dock at Sea Nag Marina for $28.00  No food available so cook on board. A long day! 


4/2/11     Cross  Florida Barge Canal  arr 7:49   83 miles


 Up early to watch more than 50 small boats leave for a fishing tournament.
 Leave at 7:00 with winds 10 to 15 k a bumpy ride. Bob decides to go a little
faster and after about 4 hours the engine STOPS!  We are now in the middle of    
no where and after 45 min. and Bob checking every thing we start and go slow
Thankfully the wind died.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Patrol  decided to board us for an inspection that                       
 we passed as we had just bought updated flares in Carrabelle.
 anchored at sunset.


4/3/11      Tarpon Springs      arr 7:00             64 miles


 We haul up the anchor at 7:50 and decide to limp  on and get to a town with a diesel mechanic. 
 We have nice weather and winds at 10 k for our long   SLOW trip
to Tarpon Springs. we have a 5 mile trip up the Ancolte River against the current and arrive at the City Marina where no one works on the weekends. luck for us there is a spot open and will see the dock master Monday.