We awaken to cold temperatures and overcast skies. Most of the day is spent doing boat chores and blogging. Later in the afternoon, we dinghy to the beach and set up our beach chairs on the gulf side of the anchorage. The sand is powdery white and soft to the feel, but the wind has picked up and it quickly becomes quite chilly. We dinghy back to "At Last", enjoy lasagna for dinner and spend a quiet evening. Dave goes to bed early. At 10:30 pm, I decide to call it a night. The wind has picked up quite a bit, so as I am headed to the state room, I look out the starboard door and much to my surprise, a sailboat that had anchored several feet from us is now close enough for me to touch it (or so it seems). I wake Dave and we immediately haul anchor and re-anchor our boat quite a distance away. The crew from the sailboat doesn't even stir, no one looks out to see what is happening. We had been securely anchored and the sailboat had drifted. However, we moved since we wanted to be able to sleep soundly for the rest of the night.
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| Night time in our Destin anchorage |
When we wake up the sailboat which dragged its anchor last night has drifted even further and appears to be almost at one of the docks. Nobody on board this boat has noticed that they are not where they originally anchored. The day is cold and overcast and since we have no place to land our dinghy in town where all the action is, we decide to haul anchor and continue onward.
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| Hauling lines on a chilly morning as we leave our anchorage in Destin |
Monday, November 13, 2017
We leave our slip at the Panama City Marina at 6:50 am. Our destination for the day is Port St. Joe's Marina. This marina is on the eastern shore of pristine St Joseph Bay, and is located between Panama City and Apalachicola, FL. It is a beautiful ride and a great stop. We arrive at 11:50 am. Several shops and restaurants are within walking distance.
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| Interesting "ship" seen on our way to Port St. Joe's |
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| Along the shore |
Tuesday, November 14, 2017 and Wednesday, November 15, 2017
We depart from the marina at 7:20 am. Once again, although it is cool, we have another bright, sunny day for traveling.
Leaving Port St. Joe's Marina
We arrive in Carrabelle at 4:00 pm. It has been a long day. We have gone about 70 miles. We opt to stay at C-Quarters. The slips are shallow at low tide, so Dave docks bow first. The finger pier at the bow is quite short, but it is our only way on and off the boat. With the use of my stool, I am able to handle coming and going pretty well.
Carrabelle is the waiting point for loopers as they look for a weather window to cross the Gulf. A direct crossing to Tarpon Springs is about 170 miles and will take boats traveling 8-9 mph 18-20 hours, most of which takes place at night. Loopers typically leave by 3:00 pm from the anchorage at Dog Island. They are cautioned that they should not arrive at the Anclote River which leads to Tarpon Springs before 10:00 am because there is a sea of crab pots that must be negotiated and daylight is needed to do so effectively. Those traveling the Big Bend Route which is about 214 miles can do so in daylight, but it will take two or three days. This route takes the looper to Steinhatchee the first day. The next day the looper will head to either Cedar Key or Crystal River. Depending on the speed of one's boat, the looper can also go to Tarpon Springs the second day. Crab pots are prevalent along this route as well. Whatever route is chosen, a good weather window is essential to a comfortable crossing. Because I am a fair weather boater, Dave knows that my parameters for traveling across the Gulf are a bit strict.....1-2 foot waves, preferably 1 foot, and no more than 10-12 mph sustained winds. He is also very good about checking at least four weather sources to see if they are in agreement. Eddy's Weather Wag is posted each day on the AGLCA site. Eddy Johnson and his wife have done the crossing several times and he is good about letting waiting loopers know when a good weather window appears for both the overnight crossings and the day time crossings for fast boats. He also includes weather information for those who are doing the Big Bend Route. However, because two or more days are needed for this crossing, the weather window must be at least 3-4 days, rather than 1-2 days. His advice at the Rendezvous was: even though the crossing might be "doable", don't do doable! It isn't worth it!
After we get settled into our slip, we visit with other loopers who are here waiting...Hummingbird, Donna Mae, and a few others. We have an early dinner and then call it a night. In the morning, Dave sees Ivanhoe at the fuel dock. They have decided to do the Big Bend Route and are considering leaving on the 16th. Ivanhoe has done the crossing 3 times. Twice they did an overnight crossing....once was horrible and the second was just okay. The last time they did the Big Bend in two days.....Steinhatchee to Tarpon Springs. It was an excellent crossing so Ivanhoe is going to anchor at the mouth of the river for the night and leave in the morning. Dave tells them we will make a decision and contact them if we decide to do the Big Bend. During the day, we walk into the town which is quite cute. We go to the post office, get delicious sandwiches from the soda fountain shop, visit the state's smallest police station and walk to the IGA to exchange our propane tank so we can once again cook aboard the boat. Several loopers gather for docktails and discuss what their plans are for the crossing. It appears that a weather window is about to open up for the next 3 days or so. Most captains are planning to do the night crossing on Friday night, but Dave and I and the crew of Hummingbird decide to join Ivanhoe for the crossing via the Big Bend. We are all going to Steinhatchee on Thursday and then "Ivanhoe" and "At Last" will head to Tarpon Springs on Friday, while Hummingbird is planning to continue to Clearwater.
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| C-Quarters Marina |
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| Oyster shells are used as gravel in the parking lots |
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| Smallest Police Station Ever! |
Thursday, November 16, 2017
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| Sunrise at Carrabelle |
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| Course to Steinhatchee |
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| A wet and bit windy ride Ivanhoe leads the way |
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| Markers indicate the long channel into Steinhatchee |
Friday, November 17, 2017
We are up very early. We leave our dock at 6:15 am before first light. It is necessary to transit the channel carefully as it is shallow and narrow. I try to assist by shining the spot light on the markers so Dave is able to more easily follow the channel. It is slow going, but we eventually make it to the entrance just about sunrise.
Sunrise in the channel in Steinhatchee
Ivanhoe has anchored overnight outside the channel so they are ready to haul anchor before we reach the end of the channel. Hummingbird has not left the dock yet, but they plan to travel further from shore than us and will be traveling much faster in order to get to Clearwater before dark. Ivanhoe and At Last are on a slightly different course, but we will both end up in the same anchorage for the evening. We have both decided to go to the mouth of the Anclote River just outside of Tarpon Springs. It is a very nice day to travel with less wind and smaller waves than yesterday. Once again we encounter many crab pots and must pay careful attention not to hit any or get any wrapped around our prop. The pots are in long lines, but are marked by round floats which are not very large, thus making them difficult to see. Fortunately, we are successful at avoiding all the pots we come across.The weather is good and our ride is uneventful, but very long. Throughout the day we touch base with Ivanhoe. We arrive at the mouth of the Anclote River a little after 6:00 pm. The sun has set and so we anchor in the dark. Ivanhoe is already anchored when we arrive and there is one other sailboat near us as well. It has been a long 12-hour day and we have traveled almost 128 miles, but we are happy that we are only about five miles from Tarpon Springs while the other loopers who are making the crossing tonight are just about three hours into their journey. We wish them a safe crossing.
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| "Ivanhoe" anchored at the mouth of the Anclote River after our Gulf crossing |
Around 7:00 am, we see the first of overnight crossing loopers heading into Tarpon Springs. It looks like it has been a successful overnight crossing. We pull our anchor at 7:45 am to head up the Anclote River to Tarpon Springs which is about 4.5 miles up the river. Ivanhoe is headed towards Clearwater so we bid them good-bye and thank them for being our "buddy boat" during our first Gulf crossing. We travel up the river. I attempt to find an available slip along the way, but unfortunately, there are no vacancies at the marinas on the river.
Along the Anclote River
We continue up the river and at 9:30 am, as we approach the Sponge Docks, Dave recognizes "Phantom", Herb's boat. Herb Seaton is the captain that we met at Joe Wheeler and attempted to get through the Wilson and Whitten Locks with before 6:00 am when they were going to be closed until 5:00 pm. I told this story in an earlier blog. Herb is the harbor host for the AGLCA in Tarpon Springs. Dave calls him and Herb tell us to pull into the slip next to him and he will come to meet us. Dave decides to raft to Herb's boat. Herb arrives and tells us he has contacted Tarpon Landing which is across the river from his slip and they have space for us. What a great harbor host! We had been told there were no vacancies! The water between the two docks is quite shallow at this point and so we decide to wait until the tide rises to move the boat. Herb gives us a quick tour of the town and drops us off so we can try some of the Greek pastries at Hella's. Tarpon Springs has a very large Greek population and its culture can be seen throughout the town. After coffees, a delicious chocolate baklava for me, and a lemon pastry for Dave, we walk back to the boat, unraft from Herb and cross the river to Tarpon Landing/Captain Jack's.
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| Shallow crossing to our dock at Tarpon Landing |
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| "At Last" safely at the dock |
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| Night time at the dock |
Sunday, November 19, 2017
We spend a lazy Sunday morning on board "At Last". It is a cloudy day. Around noon, we meet Ellen and Frank for lunch at Captain Jack's. They were Dave's neighbors in Derry, NH and they have recently moved to New Port Richey, FL. After a delicious lunch and much reminiscing, we go back to "At Last" for a tour. We spend some more time together and then Ellen and Frank depart.
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| Ellen and Frank visiting "At Last" |
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| Lunch at Capt'n Jacks |
When the rain stops, Dave and I walk into town to explore it a bit more. In the early 1900s Greek sponge divers settled in Tarpon Springs. Along the water, the historic Sponge Docks are a reminder of the once booming sponge industry. Its waterfront is a working seaport and shopping district with the unmistakable feel of a Grecian fishing village. Its downtown proudly displays its lively Greek traditions and community. Dave and I buy some fudge and walk back to the boat. Tonight is our last night in Tarpon Springs.
At the Sponge Docks
At Herb's suggestion, we are going to Gulfport tomorrow for five days and best of all we will be close to St. Petersburg and just in time to have Thanksgiving dinner with my sister, Janice.
Monday, November 20, 2017 to Friday, November 24, 2017
On Monday, we leave Tarpon Springs around 11:00 am after the tide has come in so there is enough water to ensure we will not go aground. About 12:45 pm we pass under the Dunedin-Honeymoon Island Bridge. We consider stopping at Dunedin as we have heard it is a great destination for Loopers, however we continue our journey toward Gulfport. We arrive at the Gulfport Municipal Marina at 4:15 pm. We are assigned a slip for the night, but will be able to move to the transient dock, a floating dock, in the morning when space becomes available. We settle in and around 7:00 pm, Jannie and Tom arrive with "Ruby"! Our Explorer has been staying at Jannie's since we left for Michigan in July. We finally have our own wheels once again! After QACs and a short visit, Tom and Janice leave for St. Pete's and we head to bed.
Gulfport Municipal Marina
Tuesday dawns bright and sunny. We take a walk around the marina and then I locate a laundromat. Dave drops me off and returns to the marina to move the boat. After the laundromat we have lunch at Stella's in downtown Gulfport, a quirky, eclectic sort of town that is reminiscent of "Old Florida". It is nestled on the intra coastal waterway, just south of St. Petersburg. It's artsy and bohemian, friendly and fun. After lunch we go to Tyrone Square. Dave shops at West Marine while I spend time in TJ Maxx. Best Buy is our next stop where we look at televisions and an I-pad mini, but do not make any purchases. On Wednesday morning we take a ride to Tampa to the Apple Store in International Plaza. Dave gets his Christmas present, an i-pad mini. He needs this to use with the controller for his Mavic Pro drone. My afternoon is spent shopping at Publix for provisions as well as the ingredients for the appetizers I am bringing to Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.......Thai Chicken Wraps, Tomato Basil Bacon Cups, Caramelized Onion Dip, and Cajun Crab Dip......yum.
Thursday, November 23, 2017
Happy Thanksgiving!
I am up bright and early to prepare my hors d'oeuvres. We arrive at Janice's by noon. We share a wonderful day with my sister and her friends, Mike, Lois, Paulette, Tom, and of course, Phazer and Echo. The food is amazing and the champagne, Veuve Cliquot, of course, delicious. A wonderful time is enjoyed by all. Around 8:00 pm, Dave and I leave for Gulfport......stuffed and so happy to have spent this holiday with family.
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| Paulette, Lois, Mike, Jannie |
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| Dave |
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| Gail |
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| Echo |
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| Phazer |
Friday, November 24, 2017
In the morning, Dave and I drive to St. Petersburg. We have arrived about 3 weeks before our reservation at the Muncipal Marina in St. Pete's. We stop in to see if we can extend the stay but the gentleman we need to discuss this with is not available. After a little online research, we visit the Vinoy Marina across from the Vinoy Renaissance Hotel in downtown St. Petersburg. We learn we can rent a slip there for a month for a very reasonable price. Our stay at this marina also includes the use of the facilities at the Vinoy which was built in 1926. It is built in the Mediterranean Revival architectural style and is very impressive looking. There is an on-site spa, tennis complex, indoor and outdoor heated pools, a health club, and several dining options. We decide to make the reservation and can arrive tomorrow. The marina is only about a mile and a half from Janice's and will be an excellent walk for us each morning. We spend the day visiting and make plans for tomorrow's departure from Gulfport. Janice and her friend Lois are going to take the boat ride with us.
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Mike drives us back to Gulfport where we board the boat and prepare for our departure. It is a beautiful day and we are anxious to get settled in at the Vinoy. Along the way we are entertained by a group of 4 or 5 dolphins who seem to enjoy following "At Last" for several minutes. We travel about 20 miles in two hours and fifteen minutes. We arrive at the Vinoy, drop off Janice and Lois, and then settle into our slip. The basin we are in provides a beautiful view of Vinoy Park, the bay and downtown St. Petersburg.
Leaving Gulfport Municipal Marina
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| Gulfport Municipal Marina |
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| Filleting fish at the marina |
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| Pelicans in the trees as we leave the marina |
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| Janice and Lois enjoying the ride |
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| The Captain |
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| Our entertainment along the way |
We quickly settle into the Vinoy Marina. It is a lovely spot with beautiful sunrises. Each morning we walk along the bay to Janice's. St. Pete's is a very active community. Walkers, runners, people playing tennis, softball, volleyball, doing yoga, exercising, biking, roller blading........all these activities occur regularly throughout the day. The downtown is filled with art galleries, shops, and numerous restaurants. There is something here for everyone.
The Renaissance Vinoy and the Vinoy Marina
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| "At Last" docked at the Vinoy |
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| View from the stern of "At Last" |
Morning Walk to Jan's
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| Low tide |
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| Another beautiful sunrise |
Since it is the holiday season there are lots of activities happening in St. Petersburg. On Saturday morning we walk to the farmer's market and as we are returning we take in a bit of the annual Christmas parade.
The Farmer's Market
On Sunday, we receive a call from our good friend Ann McCrave. She and her husband, Jeff are in the area and would like to get together. Ann and Jeff suffered extensive damage to their home in St. John, USVI during Hurricane Irma. Jeff has been working on the house for the past two months and has just recently arrived in the states. Ann has been here, spending time with friends and family. We spend the afternoon and evening together, catching up and reminiscing. It is great to see them. They are definitely rebuilding and hope to be well under way by February. We wish them luck and
can't wait to visit them again in the Virgin Islands.
A few days ago when we visited the St. Pete's Municipal, we noticed another Pacific Trawler at the transient dock. There are not too many of these boats on the east coast so, today, Dave makes his way to the dock and introduces himself. John and Marilyn Jorgensen, from Punta Gorda, are the proud owners of "Blue Goose", our sister ship. We are so excited to finally meet someone who has the same boat as us. For the next couple of weeks, we visit with Marilyn, John and Dahli, the dog. We visit each others boats, share meals and exchange boating stories. They leave on the 13th, but we know we will get together again soon. We hope that one day they, too, will decide to do the Great Loop because we know the PT is the perfect boat for it.
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| "Blue Goose" sister ship to "At Last" John and Marilyn |
At the beginning of the month, Dave and I take a ride to Okeechobee to check on the house. We haven't seen the damage from Irma except by photo. We are pleasantly surprised that we survived with only minor damage. The roof will have to be replaced, but for now it is repaired and secure. We visit with our neighbors, Jan and Joanie. It is really good to see them. We stay for two nights and then return to St. Petersburg.
For some time now, Dave and I have been discussing what we will do when we cross our wake and raise our AGLCA gold flag. We know that we would like to visit the National Parks so Dave has been diligently perusing Craig's List and other ads for used RVs. When we return from Okeechobee, Dave makes arrangements to visit a couple of places that have advertised a motor home. First we go to look at one that has been advertised on Craig's List. It is not in good condition and is really not what we are looking for. After checking out another motor home, we google RV dealers and end up in Bradenton, FL at Gerzeny's RV World. After looking at several trailer type motor homes, Monte, the salesman, shows us a used 26' Coachman Freelander. It is a class C. Used is really not what I would say describes this coach. The original owners only took it on one trip to North Carolina and then brought it back to trade it in because it was too small for them. In short, after much discussion and negotiating, Dave and I are now the proud owners of a motor home. We are looking forward to beginning our adventures in the RV as soon as we finish our Great Loop journey.
Our new purchase
At Janice's suggestion, Dave and I check out Fort De Soto, a state park where we hope to have our shakedown camping trip. We take a drive there, ride through the park to check out the sites, then take the motor home to the beach where we watch several kite boarders enjoying the windy day.
Kite boarders at Fort De Soto
On Monday, December 11th, Dave flies to BWI to attend Hamid Gazy's retirement party. Hamid was Dave's deputy when he was at the airport and was Dave's successor. Although it is a fast trip, Dave has an awesome time and has the opportunity to visit with former colleagues and friends. Congratulations, Hamid! You deserve it!
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| Laurie, Dave,Wayne and Hamid Celebrating Hamid's Retirement |
On the flight home, a flight attendant on Delta dubs Dave "the hipster Santa" and sends him the photo below. There sure is a resemblance. Hope he brings me something nice for Christmas.
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| Hipster Santa Dave |
On Wednesday, the 13th Janice, Lois and I go to a production of the "Little Prince" at the Freefall theater. It is well done and the young boy playing the Little Prince does an amazing job. A good time is had by all and after the theater we go downtown for drinks and appetizers at Stillwater Tavern.
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| Enjoying adult beverages after the theater |
Dave and I have been enjoying many of the restaurants in town. Bella Brava is one of our favorites. A few years ago, when we were here visiting Janice, Dave had this amazing dish called Crostada. We ask our waiter about it as it is not on the menu. He explains that it is only a dinner item, but he asks the chef if he will make it for Dave. The chef agrees and Dave is quickly the envy of everyone who walks by. Dave not only enjoys the Crostada for this meal, but it is brought back to the boat to enjoy later......the same goes for the Tiramisu which we shared for dessert.
Lunch at Bella Brava
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| Crostada |
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| Tiramisu |
The fun never stops! On Sunday, Jannie, Dave and I go to the Straz theater in Tampa to see "Love Never Dies", the sequel to "Phantom of the Opera". It is an amazing production....the acting, the music, the costumes, the set.......all awesome!
At the Theater
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| Dave's babes |
She is also quite the decorator and her house is all decked out for the holidays.
We are staying in St. Petersburg until January 13, 2018. Christmas is being spent with Janice and my sisters Kate and Judy will be arriving for the New Year. We are having a great time and know that many more adventures await us. We are looking forward to First Night and the annual fireworks. We are happy to still be here because we know that the end of our Great Loop trip is in sight. We are just a couple of hundred miles from finishing and that thought is truly exciting, but knowing this adventure is soon to end, it is also a little sad......thank goodness we have RVing to look forward to.
