New Orleans to Apalachicola, FL IV

But for the kindness of strangers....

11/24/2013  Nothing like grey, cold (really cold) and dreary days to dampen one's spirits.  Having to duck out of nasty weather again and again is one way to feel loss of control.  We stayed in Mary Walker Marina in Gautier, MS for several more nights while waiting for a chance to enter the Gulf of Mexico on our way home.  Optimism did prevail, however, and we found a way to enjoy ourselves.  Long walks through the neighborhoods of Gautier, another couple of DVDs (with popcorn, of course), another meal at Tiki Restaurant, reading, chores, and good talks filled our days.

Yet it's people that made this last portion of our trip memorable.  Sylvia, the manager, that loaned us her car for grocery shopping, also invited us for Thanksgiving dinner, were we to stay on.  And a neighbor sailor just down a couple of slips from us, a liveaboard, knocked on the side of our boat, Aventura, to say that he had a space heater he wished to loan us for the cold nights to come (in the 20s!).  With his and our small space heater, would be comfortable enough.  Yes, we took him up on it and were heart-warmed to have perfect strangers extending a hand.  And, when we finally did take off for the Gulf and then on to our last stop, Long Beach Marina, a couple invited us for Thanksgiving dinner on their boat.

It was Thanksgiving Day when we left early morning for the Gulf.  Passing through Mary Walker Bayou, following the Pascagoula River to the Gulf got us in a good mood.  We motored and then motor-sailed the Mississippi Sound, passing the barrier islands of Petit Bois, Horn Island, and Ship Island. When we had Cat Island on our port beam, we took a sharp turn towards north and entered Long Beach Marina for the night.  Why not anchor off one of the barrier islands?  Winds from the north and we needed shore power for our one space heater.  That was fortuitous, that we should go into the Marina because there we met Ken and Marty on their liveaboard, Carolina.  We had a full Thanksgiving dinner replete with wine, turkey, yam, peas, stuffing, cranberry sauce, apple pie with ice cream....lovely company, and very comfortable on their motorsailer, a Sea Trader.  And these boats are a work of art, with their hand carved doors, magnificent wood accessories, good distribution of space...a real home, Ken and Marty's home.

11/29  We left early for New Orleans, along the Mississippi Sound, into the Rigolets, then Lake Pontchartrain, finalizing with a magnificent sunset on a calm Lake with the New Orleans skyline in the background.  A great homecoming, what we felt we deserved.