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!