We are now in Tarpon Springs - continuing to make our way south to what we think will finally be warm Florida instead of the panhandle of Florida - which actually has "winters." I realize winter is a relative term but ....
The trip yesterday was, I hope, one of a kind. Several new records and firsts: 1) first traveling at night 2) longest travel time: 22 hours without stopping 3) farthest travel distance: 174 miles dock to dock. Double click on the map to enlarge it.
This was not in the original plan but then sometimes you just have to adjust.
Saturday night at Apalachicola we rode to the table outside the local internet cafe. They are kind enough to keep the internet on all night AND provide a table with an outlet right next to it! We checked the weather one last time and decided it was finally time to move on Sunday to the next port: Carrabelle. From here we would make our way around "The Bend" as the weather permitted. Steve saw this cool owl during his morning walk and after the storm and rain moved on, we left about noon or so.
It was a nice ride (a bit windy though) for the 35 miles to Carrabelle. We saw a boat harvesting oysters (this area produces 90% of the oysters in Florida). A guy with a rake like tool about 10 feet long scoops the oysters from the bottom. Didn't look like much fun to me.
Carrabelle and the other areas around are experiencing super low tides due to the new moon so we awoke to the front end of the boat sitting in the mud! This is why the people who live around here discouraged us from even trying to stop at any of the places along the coast of upper Florida. And even getting to them presented us with a challenge due to the limited daylight hours and the tidal restraints.
So we went to breakfast and made the decision to do the overnight run to Tarpon Springs - at which point the Intercoastal Waterway begins again so most all travel is in protected waters. We would not have done this except the boat next to us, Stella Maris, was definitely making the trip and indicated they would travel slower than usual so we could keep up - what great folks! Did I mention they have RADAR!! And TWIN ENGINES!! Who could ask for anything more? Plus on our way out of the harbor, Bama Belle saw us leaving and wanted to join us. So we waited an hour for them to get ready (they also had radar!!) and off we went with Stella Maris in the lead.
The most fun part for Steve were the dolphins swimming along the front of the boat. I was getting worried he was going to fall in trying to touch one! Click on the arrow to see the video - it may take a little time for it to buffer fully but if you want rerun it and it won't stop and start.
The sunset over the water was spectacular - until I began to realize that we were now going to be traveling at 8 mph for the next 10 hours in the dark, dark night. No moon at all. I will say the stars were amazing - rivaled the night we spent on Lake Powell with my brother Tom. So no light at all other than those on our respective boats. We were in the middle of our little convoy. Great place to be. Charlie (on Bama Belle) termed us as being in the rocking chair - I liked that :-) The wind was supposed to lay down about midnight and of course it didn't. Beam seas most of the trip but not nearly the worst we've ever been in. Overall - a VERY GOOD trip! Hit the dock and then hit the sack :-) It's nice to have this part of the trip completed as we've been pondering how we were going to do this for the week or so.
Tonight: Ohio State game and the first episode of this season's V!!
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