Let the Guys Trip Begin!

Well after hanging around Cathy’s again for yet another day we finally got underway about 9:00 a.m. Thursday morning the 2nd of July. Our plan for the day was to cruise about 5 hours north and anchor out on the southeast side of Anclote Key. We had a few small rain showers as we headed through Treasure Island and then again as we cruised through Clearwater Beach but other than that the trip was pretty uneventful.

Everett says his goodbyes to Taz & Jack.

“Off we go into the wild blue yonder!”

We dropped the hook about 2:00, put the dinghy down, and then headed over to Anclote Key to do some beachcombing. After arriving on the beach we found rough seas out in the Gulf but plenty of seashells to collect. About 45 minutes after arriving the skies started getting very black and before we could get back to the dinghy a real “toad-strangler” was upon us. It was raining so hard on our way back to L2S that we couldn’t see the boat until we were almost on her, fortunately the rain was warm so we got a nice freshwater shower!

Beachcombing on Anclote Key.

Everett catching up on email in the salon.

We ended up barbequing burgers for dinner and the rest of the evening was spent reading and relaxing, what a life we live!

I guess the evening we left Cathy’s the girls had a pretty good time without us. Don’t ask about the starfish, it’s a private joke only among a few of us!

Friday we woke to a beautiful calm morning, little did we know what the next 10 hours were about to serve up to us. The forecast was for winds to be out of the west around 10 knots and the waves to be in the 2- to 3-foot range. We pulled the hook about 7:00 a.m., our plans were to head north 8 hours to Cedar Key. Well the first 2 hours were fine but after that the seas & winds started to build and before it was all over we were experiencing waves up to 5 feet that were pounding us on the port side of the bow. Both Everett and I were starting to feel ill from the rocking that the boat was experiencing, I made it through the day OK but Everett was pretty “green-around-the-gills” for about 5 hours.

“How much longer until we get to calmer waters? I’m not feeling so well…."

At one point we considered heading into the Cross Florida Barge Canal to escape the weather. However we figured by the time we found a sheltered harbor we would be close to Cedar Key if we just kept going, those last 2 hours felt like an eternity! Earlier in the day I had told Everett, “If you haven’t bumped bottom with your boat in Western Florida then you’ve never boated in Western Florida!.” Lo and behold we actually bumped bottom as we were heading into our anchorage. We finally got out of the wind & waves and had the hook set by 5:00, time to unwind from a very nauseous and stressful day! After having a little bite to eat we were both sacked out long before it got dark, knowing that we were scheduled to awake at 3:00 a.m. the next morning so we could cross the Gulf of Mexico…a trip of over 13 hours.

We had set our alarms to get up at 2:00 a.m. so we could be underway by 3:00 a.m. but a thunderstorm rolled in about 1:30 a.m. waking us both up. Now it was decision time. Do we head out and believe the weather & wave forecast? Do we stay another day? The reason for our indecision was because of the previous days forecast, which NOAA didn’t get very close on. Finally at 2:30 I told Everett to get ready, we’re going for it. I figured if we got out in the Gulf and didn’t like what we felt we could always turn north and go to Steinhatchee, FL and wait for another weather window.

Boating at night is altogether a different animal; your senses don’t work the same as they do in the day, things seem closer than they really are, you are relying on your boat electronics to get you pointed in the right direction, waves feel bigger at night, and just heading out into the open ocean in total darkness goes against any sane reasoning……..even though folks do it all the time! Now from Everett’s point of view he says heading out into the open ocean in total darkness is a RUSH and can only be enjoyed if you have faith in your helmsman. Boy did I have him fooled, I was scared to death!

We had the anchor up shortly before 3:00 a.m. and were slowly motoring out of the main channel that leads you back into Cedar Key. The crossing for L2S, from Cedar Key to Dog Island, is roughly 115 miles and takes about 13 hours. Within 30 minuets we had come out into the open ocean and the waves were starting to build, all I could think of was “Not this again, we deserve better after yesterday!” We decided that we would give it until first light before we made any decisions to alter our plans. By first light, approximately 6:00 a.m., the waves had started to settle and we were feeling better with each mile that passed under our keel. By 9:00 a.m. the seas had smoothed out and we were feeling on top of the world. Everett even commented that; “A person could skip a rock across the Gulf it’s so calm out here.” I was hoping Everett hadn’t jinxed us with his comment, you know we sailors are a pretty superstitious group.

The day remained beautiful and calm so we were both able to take a few naps on the flybridge. We also sighted a few sea turtles but weren’t fast enough with the camera to share a photo with our readers. We made landfall by 3:00 p.m., anchored by 4:00, and were ready to drink a beverage or two after our arrival! After an early dinner of BBQ’d chicken we both hit the hay well before dark, we were bushed after the previous 36 hours. We hope everyone enjoyed fireworks that night, you could have shot off a cannon next to us but I’m sure neither of us would have heard it! Happy 4th of July!!!

Sunday we woke up late and enjoyed a lazy morning on the boat. The Captain, after taking a much needed shower & shave, made a light breakfast of ham & cheese omelets and then we finally got underway about 10:00. Our plan was to only do about 5 hours today, ending up at White City, but we needed to stop and rinse the salt off the boat and get some fuel at Miller Marine in Apalachicola. We had also broken the toggle switch for the anchor wash down system and fortunately the marina had the needed part.

L2S gets a much needed bath at Miller Marine.

We left the marina around 2:15 with full fuel & water tanks and had a leisurely cruise up the Apalachicola River, arriving at White City about 5:30. White City, which might have a population of 12 folks, has replaced its city docks since the last time we were there. The deep water docks are free to tie up to and even have water & power a short distance from where you tie up. I’m pretty sure we weren’t supposed to plug in our boat but we did anyway and enjoyed a heavenly night of air conditioning! Life’s2Short’s hat goes off to the fine White City folks who built these new docks.

An abandoned shrimp boat on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

After we got tied up we walked around the area and talked with some of the folks that were fishing and having some pretty good luck. There were also some “leftovers” from the previous night's 4th of July partying, most of those folks still seemed to be dazed & confused. The Captain fixed the anchor washdown switch while Everett enjoyed his Bombay Gin glow! We had pork loin on the Bar-B and retired to the cabin early to read and enjoy the cool salon.

L2S tied up to the wall in White City.

Everett “Net-Man” Hayes with his new fishing buddy “Red-Dog.”

Monday morning we woke to dark skies & scattered rain, the forecast for the rest of the day called for more of the same. But the temps were cooler than we have felt since sometime in early June, it was actually only 73 degrees at 9:00! Since we only had about 35 miles to do today we once again lazed around the boat and finally peeled ourselves from the dock about 9:30.

Destination today is Smack Bayou which is just across the waterway from Panama City. Nothing real exciting happened on the trip west, we just watched the beautiful scenery and told stories about the folks back home in Springfield, MO

Beautiful calm waters on the Intracoastal.

This is a dredging barge on the Intracoastal.

After arriving at Smack Bayou Everett decided he needed to take a nap before he headed to the bow to read and enjoy the afternoon. It’s a tough life out here on the waterway but someone has to do it!

While Everett was working hard holding down the bow Todd did some fishing but was not successful at catching. Since there was no fresh fish to be had for dinner we decided to cook some brats on the grill and call it an early night…again.

Tuesday we were back underway by 7:15 as we had a long 65 miles ahead of us. Our plan was to make it to Destin, the Captain was jonesing for some fresh oysters and he had just the place in mind to eat them.

Shortly after leaving Smack Bayou and just west of Panama City the skies started to turn black & ugly. I told Everett to button up the hatches as we were in for another toad-strangler! About the time we were halfway through East Bay the clouds opened up, the wind started howling (we clocked 47 mph on the wind gauge), and it poured & poured & poured! Since we were about to go into a narrow canal that is about 20 miles long, and we couldn’t see 50 yards in front of us, we decided to turn around and head back the way we came for a few miles. We would have kept going up the canal, affectionately called the “Grand Canyon”, but there are LARGE tugs & barges that roam these waterways and I didn’t want to meet one head-to-head and only have 50 yards to react. Our “turn around plan” worked well as the rain & wind let up about 30 minutes later and we were headed west once again.

Look out, here it comes!

Thank goodness for electronics, how did the early sailors live without them??

Shortly after getting out of the “Grand Canyon” and into Choctawhatchee Bay we were once again greeted with darkening skies and growing winds. Fortunately we were able to pick up an Internet signal so I pulled up weather radar and sure enough another blob of red & orange was headed our way. Choctawhatchee Bay is about 25 miles long and 4 miles wide and is NOT the place to be in rough weather, it can turn nasty very quickly! Since it was about lunch time anyway we decided to drop the hook off the southeast corner of the Choctawhatchee Bay Bridge and wait for the storm to blow over. The rain never amounted to much but the wind continued to blow around 20 mph and we were back underway about an hour later.

After a long and bumpy 3 hour ride through the bay we finally reached Destin harbor and its calm waters. After Everett shaved and took a swim deck shower it was time to put the dinghy down and go eat some oysters! Now it’s important to note that Everett, who is now 60-something, has never tried raw oysters but he was willing to eat at least one. We dinghied over to A.J.’s Seafood & Oyster bar, tied up, and went inside to enjoy some nice A.C., cold beer, and raw oysters…it just doesn’t get much better than this!

Ahhh, the calm waters entering Destin Harbor.

I have to admit he cleans up pretty well!

“Shuck Me, Suck Me, Eat Me Raw!" I’m so proud of you!

After eating a dozen oysters and drinking a few beers we got to talking about catching tuna and mahi-mahi with the bartenders at A.J.’s. Then the subject of eating raw tuna came up and I asked Everett if he had ever eaten sashimi? He informed me that he had not but that he was willing to try some. What the hell, as long as we are eating raw food let’s try some of that raw tuna! Since A.J.’s didn’t serve sashimi off we went in search of a place that did. But before we had found a raw-bar we found The Hog’s Breath Saloon and went inside for a cold brew and some crab cakes, this is turning into a walking appetizer tour.

After The Hog’s Breath we found a place serving sashimi but by then we had had a few brew-pops and damn if I can remember the name of the place while writing this the next morning??? Anyway, the raw tuna finally arrived with wasabi & fresh ginger and believe it or not that 60-something stud from the Ozark hills actually enjoyed it more than the oysters! And here I thought you couldn’t teach an old dog new tricks…. "I love you man!”

“WOW, that wasabi really clears out your nasal passages!”

Our A.J.’s bartenders Scott & Jeff, thanks for the great time guys!

After our tuna we strolled(?) back to A.J.’s for a couple more night caps while the Captain enjoyed another 1/2 dozen oysters on the half-shell. We finally found our dinghy about 10:00 and made it safely back to L2S, however Everett informed me this morning that he didn’t remember the dinghy ride back??? Since Everett was feeling so full of himself after his culinary adventure he decided to call his bride prior to hitting the hay. You know what they say about calling or texting someone after consuming too many adult beverages, a guy just shouldn’t do it. I only heard one side of the conversation but I can guarantee our readers it was a funny one!!!

Today is Wednesday, July 8th, and after posting this blog we are headed on west to Pensacola, it “should” be about a 5-hour cruise but after last night it may take us a wee bit longer! Our next blog update will come from Demopolis, AL where we hope to arrive by a week from today. Let the guys' trip continue!