December 30: Still in Apalachicola

Steve found a great postcard for Matt - it seems to be exactly how we feel! We've moved about 200 miles east of Mobile but the challenge will be getting across the upper tip of the Gulf. We'll leave from Carrabelle (about 30 miles east of here) and would like to make it a shorter trip by going straight to Steinhatchee but don't really think we have enough daylight to make that 80+ mile run. So we'll end up doing it in two days. There is still a long way to go to the keys!

Yesterday was still cold - I panicked when I lost one of my winter gloves. Fortunately we were able to backtrack our path and Steve spotted it. The best thing I found yesterday though was the cinnamon roll (homemade by Dorthy who opened her place 15 years ago - she must be late 70's). It made for a great desert last night. Interesting sign by the pastries: Stressed spelled backwards is Desserts. So that is our new philosophy - when stressed simply pull out a dessert!

Here's a picture of the loons we are seeing - their winter colors are very muted and different than when we see them in the north on the Trent (winter is the upper picture - summer is the lower one).

Steve was up bright and early and spotted a shrimp boat returning to port, pelicans perched on the dock posts and a bunch of coots (again) who apparently love the area just off of the marina.

Spotted on the way to breakfast this morning: a giant pile of oyster shells. Not sure what they do with them but there is definitely no shortage of oysters around here. Steve found another great breakfast place right on the river. It was very festively decorated for Christmas - complete with tree!

Educational trip for the day: a visit to the Orman House. This family was very influential in the development of Apalachicola before, during and after the civil war. Can't remember when the house was built but it was lived in by Orman descendants until the 1990's. Cotton was growing just outside the house.

Today is really nice - it's actually in the low 60's. Looks like we may be able to move on Monday now. Who knows?

December 29: Apalachicola, FL

Yesterday was again a very nice sunny but cool day. The traveling was all on mostly protected waters so the wind wasn't much of a factor - although it was very cool in the wind but very nice as long as you were also in the sun. We passed what looked like a ship being built but it didn't seem like it would have anywhere to go one it was done. Not sure what that was all about.

Lots and lots of birds around again as we were traveling through mash and swamp lands. Steve caught a picture of an eagle flying and then we spotted an eagle nest (one of several). There were also a number immature bald eagles flying around. Strangely enough there are tons of loons here for the winter. We didn't identify them as such at first because they are mostly gray.

The flybridge was REALLY toasty warm after Steve fixed the gap between the front and side plastic pieces. Not pretty but it worked great! We really need to look into having a real flybridge cover made - maybe once we reach Marathon - but by then we won't need it.

The scenery changes as we traveled east with calm sunny waters and what we believe to be cypress trees lining the waterway. We arrived in Apalachicola about 4 pm (we are now back in the Eastern time zone) so really 5 pm.

The stay here at the city marina will probably be an extended one as the winds are supposed to be 15 - 20 mph for the next 4 days - which mean no traveling as we are headed out onto the Gulf for the next hundred miles or so. But it looks like a nice place to wait for good weather!

Bob the internet guy doesn't work for us here - good thing there is a library! Will post as the library hours permit :-)

December 27: Panama City, FL

Today was a good day - left the dock at 7:15 as Steve unplugged the electric. Two 30 amp cords plugged in means we can run the boat heaters and the oven at the same time - definitely a necessity! The flybridge was a bit frosty so it wasn't long before I retreated to the warmth of the cabin. We waved goodby to the bird friends living at the concrete boat (circled in the picture but you may need to click twice on it to see it).

The wait the last couple of days was for decent weather to cross Choctawhatchee Bay - probably not as large as Mobile Bay but large enough to have small craft warnings yesterday due to the strong winds. It was a good day to try out the GPS on the computer that we use to plot distances but never it used to navigate. Since we don't have a GPS at the lower helm this seemed like a good alternative - especially with temperatures in the 30's and wind to boot! It worked GREAT!!

The crossing of 25 miles or so went well - no more than 2 foot waves although enough of the time was spent broadside to the waves. We continue to see dolphins. They come straight at the boat and dive at the last minute. Lots of fun!! The reward for crossing the bay was a nice final 25 mile stretch of river like water. Both sides were sand banks. Really pretty. As was the sunset at Panama City - Steve saw the green blip as the sun set - I had opted for the warmth of the cabin - too bad for me!

A short walk seemed in order before dinner but the downtown was pretty much closed up. We say some neat Christmas lights - including a carousel, pelican and dolphin (the last two were at the marina).

We also saw a HUGE magnolia tree with Christmas lights! Wendy - you too could have one of these if yours keeps growing. Maybe it will match the fir tree :-)

Up early and off tomorrow. Our goal is to make Apalachicola tomorrow - where we will wait for favorable weather to head out into the Gulf!!

December 26: Still in Ft. Walton Beach, FL - Leaving Tomorrow

There were more birds walking around today - really they should be holed up somewhere like we are! The plan was to ride bikes to breakfast but Steve decided I'd never make it: wind was from the NW and COLD so we jumped in a taxi for the 3 mile trip down the road to IHOP. Definitely worth it!! A concrete boat really DOES float even though it doesn't seem logical to me. The owner here has his own lookout tower and told Steve that he likes his birds way more than most people. Quite a character! This is the front, back and panorama of the boat. Note the Christmas tree that was standing yesterday - now blown over. The sign says it was built in 1922. Steve also took a picture of the shower as it really is a first for us. It was mostly a lazy day today (Steve did ride his bike to the grocery store and by the time he returned he was quite cold - had to ride into the 20 mph wind on the way back). The Browns lost again .... OvGlove: what a great thing! It has been getting much use since we returned. The oven helps warm the boat so Steve had made suppers that require an hour or so of oven use. The boat heater runs all day. Tomorrow when we plan on leaving it is supposed to be 32 degrees with a high of 45 for the day. THIS IS NOT BOATING WEATHER!!! We're headed to Panama City - about 60 miles away. Should take about 8 hours.

December 25: Ft. Walton Beach, FL

Merry Christmas from the cold south. It seems very strange as our Christmas celebration was really in California with Wendy and Becky last week.

Regardless, as I listen to Anne Murray Christmas music (who else!!) as we travel down the waterways it truly does seem like Christmas :-)

The travel yesterday was again cool but with the plastic up the flybridge was comfortable. We traveled another 52 miles yesterday - most of it along the Gulf National Seashore. This is a strip of sand dunes with white sand that runs between the Gulf and the Intercoastal waterway. Too bad it's not warm enough to stop and dingy over as the beaches are beautiful!

New things now that we are in salt water: tides! I could never understand the curvy line on the calendar in Encinitas that showed when high and low tides were so I like the GPS tide charts much better! Very visual - that's what I need for sure. It's also nice to be back in water where you can SEE the shallow areas. The water hasn't been this clear since Lake Michigan. And when I'm not driving? A quick nap time in the sun :-)

The marina here in Ft. Walton is really different. It's a 'working' marina which means it is a place to tie your boat but don't expect anything fancy. Guess this is true since Steve reported the shower has no shower head (just the pipe with water coming out!) and one of the handles to turn the water off and on is a vice grip! But the owner has lots of interesting birds around - including peacocks, guard geese and other birds that I didn't recognize.

The weather is headed from not so good to worse - expecting gale force winds so we are VERY happy to be tied to a dock and plugged in so we can run the heater. Looks like we may be here for a day or two more ......