Day 157 & 158 November 24 - 25, 2022

Day 157 Thursday, November 24, 2022

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! 

Today is Thanksgiving and we have much to be thankful for but it certainly doesn't feel like it.  No pies baked, no baked beans, cole slaw or mashed potatoes being prepared, no deep fried turkey to look forward to.  Especially no family or traditions.  This day will be memorable though, I'm sure.

Up at 6am, 59 degrees and lots of fog.

 

The plan today is Point South Marina in Panama City to Apalachicola where we will hang out for the weather window to cross the Gulf.  The crossing will be 23 hours long from there, requiring travel over night. (GASP!)  

We waited for some of the fog to lift and left the marina at 6:30.  Once underway the sun came out and travel was pretty enjoyable.  We had an occasional dolphin escort and enjoyed the relative calm of the GICW (Gulf Intracoastal Waterway).  

It still surprises me the number of boat wrecks we see.  I wonder if they were a casualty of a storm or just abandoned.

We enjoyed a video call from our friends Beth and James and a telephone call from Julie. Nice to talk to folks back home.  

Discussion was occurring among boats about the potential for crossing the Gulf -- TODAY!  WHAT!??!  Jerry and I weren't really ready emotionally.  Both of us figured that we were going to end our day in Apalachicola, not start the next "hurdle" of our adventure.  We had already traveled 9 hours and had gotten out of bed at 5:30am.  The crossing would be 23 hours long and over night. 

We pulled up to the Apalachicola City "Free" dock to pow wow with the others.  Arion and Tug Bussle had decided to do the crossing. If we didn't cross then it could be as much as a week for a good crossing.  Laura and Joe were also on the fence, both tired.  Should we get a good night's sleep and leave early in the morning.  Decisions, decisions.

Well....we decided to go for it!  Waiting until the next day wouldn't be any smoother a ride; waves predicted for the night were 1-2 foot and it was going to be higher tomorrow.  Our quick decision to go meant that we weren't very prepared, comfort wise.

We planned to drive from the bridge so I brought a couple blankets up in case it got cold or we wanted to sleep.  While we still had cell signal I called Dad to wish him a Happy Thanksgiving.  Eric and Courtney were next.  We let them know we were doing the crossing and they wouldn't be able to follow us on Nebo due to no cell service while in the Gulf.  I never got a chance to get snacks or coffee before it got too rough to be going up and down the stairs.

Phil-N-Wild would join us in Clearwater.  Since they can travel at 20 knots and more, they were leaving first light and would catch up with us.

We entered the Gulf through the Government Cut.  The inlet there was very turbulent with the tide, waves and the constricted water flow through the cut. 

 The Government Cut

I was hoping the whole trip wouldn't be like that.   As it turned out we experienced 2 footers until about midnight.  Arion led the way as we traveled through the dark, starless night.  We travelled following the stern lights of the boats ahead of us and the GPS charting our way.

Day 158 Friday November 25, 2022

Jerry drove most of the way but I did spell him a couple of times so that he could get some much needed rest.

The sunrise was absolutely beautiful!  It also meant that we only had NINE more hours to go.  

  Tug Bussle, Arion and Grand Wazoo ahead of us.

Traveling in daylight was still a bit wavy, but not so bad, especially now that we could see what was going on around us.  Not too long after sunrise, Tug Bussle left us to go to Tarpon Springs.  They had a 5 dolphin escort off their bow.  The rest of us continued on to Clearwater.  Predictions were made when Susan and Danny would catch up with us on the crossing.  Would they actually be there to catch our lines like they joked??

A bright and sunny afternoon made it easier to see the crab pots as we approached Clearwater.  

 

 

Phil-N-Wild arrived at 3pm, in time to out run the Pirates but not to catch our lines!

 Approaching Clearwater

 

We were met by Joe and Ellen from LaVida.  Joe was a welcome sight, helping us to navigate the current and guiding us into our slip.  We were safely in our slip at 3:45 FRIDAY, 32hours and 15minutes after our Thanksgiving day start!  We were numb, and so happy to have landed. 

We had a hitch hiker!

We made plans for dinner with Joe and Laura and then let family know we had landed.  We chilled until dinner, celebrated our accomplishment and then collapsed back at the boat.  Jerry promptly fell asleep on the couch.  I was too tired to fall asleep so I watched a Hallmark movie!