New Orleans to Apalachicola, FL III

Waiting for a weather window....

11/17/2013 We knew we ought to leave Panama City Marina before 7a.m. to deal with a rambunctious Gulf of Mexico and make it through the tricky entrance to Destin Harbor before dark.  Winds were from the NE at 14 knots, and waves 4 - 6 ft. knocking Aventura on her stern quarter.  Getting slapped around drained us both.  Destin Harbor has great anchorages.  Exactly what we needed to turn in for the night early with an expectation we'd be able to play tourist the next day.  Maybe dinghy in to one of the many restaurants and take a walk around.  I woke up to rain and had to move my yoga practice inside (mostly use the cockpit for daily yoga), and it rained all day.  A time to read, make soup, watch Oceans Eleven and putter around.

11/19 We left Destin Harbor before 7 a.m. for an early start to Pensacola Bay.  Finally, a beautiful day and beautiful for sailing.  Winds were out of the NE at 18 - 23 knots, and we slid along on a beam reach at 7.5 - 8.5 knots most of the way.  It was exhilarating!  Probably all sailors would want to sail more and motor less, but, alas, this is not the case. 

We decided to go into Palafox Marina in Pensacola, a great marina and close to much.  We took turns on the bike getting groceries, went for coffee, walked the streets, took care of laundry and other maintenance on our cat, and enjoyed Pensacola. 

11/23 Then on to Ingram Bayou, one of our favorite anchorages. Location:  30 deg. 19.167' N/ 87 deg. 33. 298' W.  A great storm hole along the Alabama Canal (ICW).  Never ever tired of Ingram Bayou.  Beautiful, small and intimate feeling.

Weather forecasts have been worsening as time goes on.  After much deliberation, we decided to head for the Pascagoula, MS area, the first place we could duck into for a several-days nasty weather block.   We left Ingram Bayou before dawn, around 4:30 a.m., and headed for Mary Walker Marina, Gautier, MS.  We wanted to have time while still light to negotiate the new-to-us Pascagoula River.  61 NM later, we made it, but not without some drama.  Fog set in during our crossing in the Mississippi Sound, and the Pascagoula River wormed its way around, with plenty of little tributaries that would have led us into dead ends in the swamp. Plus a slight grounding which Mike backed out of.  On the exit, we will take the shortcut along a canal that crosses the marsh to take us back to N. Pascagoula River and out into the Gulf. That's the way to get to Mary Walker Marina: just past the Hwy 90 bridge (80 ft. clearance) at the entrance to the River, cross the marsh, turn north into Mary Walker Bayou, the Marina is on the south side. It's really simple.

Now at Mary Walker Marina we feel safe from the strong winds, currents, cold and rain.  The Marina is part of Gautier, MS, just across from Pascagoula.  The people at the Marina couldn't be nicer, especially the manager, Sylvia.  She even loaned us her car to get groceries down the street.  Tiki Bar & Restaurant is just a block away.  Good food at a good price.  We have taken walks that included George Martin City Park with its piers that jut out into the marsh.  The view from our cat, which is snugly ensconced in a slip wide enough for us (20.3 ft. beam)...what a surprise!  And the weather window has been pushed back...we have to wait for a window, then on to Gulfport or Long Beach Marina as a last stop before New Orleans, our home port.  Weather!!!

New Orleans to Apalachicola, FL II

From Apalachicola, we headed back to St. Joseph Bay via the inland Intercoastal Waterway (ICW).  As Mike slowly pulled out from Apalachicola Marina, I took pictures of the town's wharfs, buildings, boats and river traffic to illustrate what this area of "Old Florida" is about.  The ICW was its usual enchanting self with wilderness all around and an occasional vessel meandering through or fishermen stalking their prey.  White City was again a nice stop-over.  We met trawlers heading for the western coast of Florida both going and coming back from Apalachicola.  They all have interesting tales of how, when, where and what it means to travel inland America and the coastal waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico and up the eastern seaboard.

White City is approximately 3 1/2 hrs. from Apalachicola and 1 1/2 hrs. from St. Joseph Bay motoring at 5.5 - 6.5 knots.  Aside from good tie-up and depth, there's a clean bathroom and water.  And a country store, namely the Wimico Country Store, about .5 mi. from the dock, and a sign that says "Beer, Bait and Ammo."  That pretty much sums up priorities and perspectives for the region (author's opinion). 

Early morning we witnessed the start of a fishermen's race.  Then on to St. Andrew Bay, which was a day's journey.  Once we crossed St. Joseph Bay and entered the Gulf, we motorsailed to the entrance of St. Andrew Bay with winds on the beam or aft quarter and clocking 6 - 7 knots.  Nice weather invited us to anchor in Bunker's Cove, just east of  the Panama City Marina.  Location:
30 deg 8.406'N/85 deg 38.979'W.  This is where some of the 1% live judging from their boats and homes.  We got into the dinghy and motored/rowed around the get the lay of the land and then settled into a calm overnight. 

We had hoped to explore another anchorage we've been wanting to try out, namely Smack Bayou, just across the way.  But, alas, no water left in the tanks!  There's always something happening to remind you that boats are like independent islands that require much work in keeping them afloat and functional, which includes the necessary power, water, food and other supplies, and the list goes on.  So we headed for Panama City Marina.  And that's where we are for a week because unkind weather has delayed a departure.  For those occasions, shift into tourist mode and turn your vessel into the proverbial "cabin on the water."  Besides, the Marina offers deals for weeklongs; so, ask. 

What is there to do besides chores?  Plenty. In terms of chores, the usual:  laundry, cleaning, maintenance, use electricity and great Internet plus Cable, grocery, turning the cockpit into our back porch, checking in with other boaters, etc.  In terms of what else: 

• walks through the historic downtown and nearby neighborhoods
• buying fresh fish at a nearby fish market
• coffee and poking heads into small shops and bookstore
• take the special Panama City Bay Town Trolley to Panama City Beach and St. Andrew Marina/community
• bike
• eat a few meals out but also fix wholesome meals in
• enjoy our cabin on the water with cockpit/back porch and great sunsets

We're looking at weather windows to depart Sun. 11/17 either for another anchorage or Destin Harbor, which requires heading out into the Gulf, a full day's run.

As one sailing acquaintance once said, "It's all good," meaning relax and make the best use of your time away.  So, double click on the slideshow to get a better view.  And, of course, stay tuned!

New Orleans to Apalachicola, FL I

New Orleans to Apalachicola, FL I

Wednesday, November 6, 2013



This was supposed to be our trip to Tarpon Springs, FL and points south. But making plans where Nature is heavily involved is subject to change.  Oh well! Weather has gotten in the way and we'll just have to adapt.  Sailors and boaters in general seem to know that and don't get unnerved by changes in plans.  In fact, they tend to not have rigid plans.

I arrived in Port St. Joe, FL to meet up with Mike, who had started out from New Orleans with our friend George.  Ina, George's and our friend, helped me drive the 8 hr. trip from NOLA to Port St. Joe.  No problema.  We had a great time together.  Eating, sharing stories and spending a day in Apalachicola (easy 25 mi. straight shot away).  George and Ina left, and we decided to enjoy Port St. Joe before heading off.

We took the Intercoastal Waterway that leads from St. Joseph Bay to Apalachicola Bay via inland.  Normally a 5 hr. trip through swampy areas full of birds and natural beauty.  It kind of reminds us of the Tchefuncte River in Louisiana (off of Lake Pontchartrain).  Instead of motoring straight through in one day, we decided to spend the night in White City.  Not much there except that the town offers a free public dock, period.  It's in the middle of all this nature.  Just a few docks, some picnic tables, and yes a bathroom facility.  We ran into a couple with a trawler that does the loop of inland waterways, hence the name "Loopers" to refer to these types of people.  And there are plenty of those coming down from America's heartland, taking a share turn to the east when reaching the Gulf of Mexico, heading for Florida and up the eastern seaboard, thus closing the circle.  More or less.  Interesting folks.  Great tales.

Now we're in Apalachicola, enjoying a town we haven't tired of yet.  It's old Florida.  A fishing town with nice architectural structures and salt of the earth people.  But it's also trending upwards with the number of visitors that pass through, whether for the seafood festivities or the word has gotten out that there's character in this town.  Art galleries, theater, plenty of restaurants and inns.  There aren't many boat slips, and definitely not much for multihulls like ours.  Though small as catamarans go (Lagoon 37), our Aventura, we have a hard time finding a slip.  And tides/depths are a problem.  But we enjoy this part of Americana very much.

Next we are heading towards New Orleans but plan to stop in some new places. Stay tuned!