Nephew Patrick Arrives

Friday, February 26th, my nephew, Patrick Hagens arrived from Wyoming. He will be with us until he's tired of it, and we are so excited to have him on board! It was so cold and windy, but it should be almost 80 degrees by Tuesday. Showed him the beach, had some beer and fish, and the dolphins came out to greet him.

Field Trip to Marine Salvage

Thursday, February 25, Robbie and Mike wanted to visit a marine salvage store across town, so we all took a bus, found some treasures, and stopped at a tap room on the way back. 

This is called a "flight", four beer samples. They were great, except for the stout.

There were acres of boat parts and pieces here.

This rooster lives at the salvage yard, he was quite a character.

These beautiful pelicans are all over the docks, busy fishing.

Blue heron fishing behind our boat. They make the cats a little nervous.

Chillin' in Clearwater

Taking a little break, seeing what we can of Clearwater with Brenda and Mike, friends we met in Carrabelle, who are from Wisconsin. They did the crossing in a sailboat, Wrinkles, it took them 27 hours. They are in a different marina where there is every tourist excursion boat known to man, a gorgeous beach, and condos, condos, condos. Our marina, Clearwater Harbor, is near downtown Clearwater and a park. We can take a water taxi across to the beach.

Clearwater Beach

                                                                 

We found this tiny cow fish on the dock, it was about an inch tall. Unfortunately,
 it was dead. The ferry driver told me that a bird probably tried to eat it and spit it out. 
He said they are the only fish with an exoskeleton. I thought he was so cute.

Mike and Brenda

Crossing the Gulf

Saturday, February 20th, Kristin's 40th birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTIN!),
we left Carrabelle at about 3 pm, headed for open water, to Clearwater, Florida, 170 miles across  the Gulf of Mexico. We were told it was going to be beautiful, smooth sailing all the way. Guess it's all relative, it was smooth all right, but there were swells underneath, enough to make Maggie and I sick, and make me wish I was anywhere else but on that boat. It lasted about 15 hours. Luckily, Robbie had the good sense to hire a deck hand, who happened to be a commercial fisherman, to come with us. The two of them spent the night on the fly bridge taking turns driving and sleeping.

We made it in Sunday morning by about 6 am, and are now in a marina in a lovely city, 

Clearwater, Florida. Civilization! 

Sunset leaving the panhandle, in the Gulf Saturday night.

Sunset last night, Sunday, from our spot in Clearwater

Sunrise coming into Clearwater

Getting Ready!

 Still finding damage from the storm, looks like there is a big crack under the dinghy that will need repair. They put it back up on the boat, because we are leaving soon! Tonight we will have a farewell barbeque, because Saturday is THE DAY for the crossing! We will start at about 3 pm and cruise all night, so we can get into Clearwater in the daylight on Sunday. There will be many boats traveling with us.

Learning to entertain ourselves here.

A Carrabelle resident built several structures out of bottles. A must-see attraction!

Robbie met a guy at the marina who owns a 40 Ford, so he brought it down to show us. 

At least there are great lattes available here!

                         

Last night's light show.

Big Storm

Last night it started to rain harder and harder, then the winds started up. About 10 pm, Julie texted us, asking if we were OK...? So we turned on the marine radio, and there were all kinds of warnings for our area. It kept getting windier and windier, and then...stuff started flying off the boat. Like the dinghy with the engine attached, and a large piece of Eisenglass off the back deck. I opened the doors to look and couldn't get them closed again from the suction. When we found the dinghy floating between the boats, Robbie went out in the wind and rain with a boat hook and snagged the rope, and tied it to a cleat on our boat. He was soaked and cold when he got back in.
Apparently there were tornado warnings, waterspout warnings, and severe thunderstorms all over the panhandle and Central Alabama and Georgia last night. Several people lost their roofs, and some cars were smashed by trees here in Carrabelle.
This morning, with help from the marina residents, we got the dinghy out of the water, and the engine running. We're lucky it didn't damage the boat next door while it was flying through the air. They said they heard it hit their boat several times.

This is where the dinghy landed, upside down.
 It came from the back of our boat, the one on the right.

Got the engine running again after being submerged with lots of help.

This whole section of the back deck was enclosed with Eisenglass,
it ripped off in the storm.

As long as the dinghy is in the water now, better try it out and make sure it runs!

After a busy day of repairs, where everyone pulled together to help each other,
we gather to reflect!

Happy Valentine's Day from Carrabelle

We are in C-Quarters Marina where there are rocking chairs behind the marina office on a huge porch. Some of the residents of the marina and us transients gather there every morning with our coffee, then again in the evenings with our cocktails. Another couple came in yesterday on a sailboat and joined the group.

Evenings on the porch.

Yesterday we went exploring with Bob and Barbara and tried to go to every restaurant (2) and every store (5) that we could walk to. We found a museum, a deli with great coffee and sandwiches, an ACE Hardware, a grocery store, a Dollar Store, and had some great Grouper at The Fisherman's Wife last night.

Smallest police station in the U.S.

Scenes at the marina.

Score!

The Big Bend

After four long days of bad winds and bitter cold, we left Panama City this morning in near perfect conditions. Following "Docktari", our friends, Bob and Barbara, we arrived in Carrabelle about 6pm. Carrabelle, Florida is on The Big Bend, where Florida curves. It will be our jumping off point for the next part of the journey, a 170 mile trek across the Gulf, at night. Yikes. We will wait here until the weather and sea conditions are ideal, forecast for next Wednesday at the earliest, at this point.

Maggie watching birds.

Robbie on the bow.

Bald Eagle sighting!

Gale Force Winds

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday we walked around, got coffee, went to a park...then I got a ride with a local friend of a friend and went shopping. Lovely day.

This is a rare four headed palm tree.

Lilly and Maggie are settling in.

 Then, today, Monday, all hell broke loose. By 2:00 pm the winds were gale force, we got off the boat and went to get a beer because it was making me sick. We met some locals who said they have never seen it like this in 30 years. Then our neighbors called us to tell us we had broken a line, and our swim platform was under the dock, bouncing. This photo was taken before the waves got pretty big. We came back and got everything secured, and it started to slow down a little. Slips in the interior of the marina are pretty protected, but we are on the outer edge, so we're getting the full force of the waves coming off the bay.  

Panama City-St. Andrew's Marina

Left Destin at 8am, almost no wind today, the water was like glass! 

Great run from Destin to Panama City, took us about six hours.

Following Bob and Barbara in their 42 ft. Carver that looks almost exactly like ours.

Maggie is better, but all over the boat, moving from one place to another. Here she is watching the scenery go by the windows. 

 Lilly stayed in the bookshelf all day. This is a big adjustment for them.

We saw lots of dolphins today, in pairs and alone, breaching beside the boat. 

However, I wasn't quick enough to get any photos of them. 

That spot on the water is one of them going back under. 

Coming into St. Andrew's Marina in Panama City. 

Many restaurants, stores, and coffee shops within walking distance.

Incredible dinner of Grouper, crab cakes, and scallops, with our new friends, Bob, Barbara and Belinda. 

Good Night Panama City