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GONE SAILING!!
Tue 10/21/14
The new Bimini and two solar panels have been installed. Everything looks really good! Mike made the Bimini
from scratch, his first try. And he
installed the solar panels with the requisite wiring. Wow!
We've loaded up the boat with provisions, clothing, spare parts and
completed all the maintenance/cleaning.
Ready to go, right? Well, not
quite. Weather in the Gulf of Mexico is
rough and expected to stay so for a couple of days. So, we spend two nights on the boat and play
tourists in New Orleans for a day.
Thu 10/23/14
Left at 8:30 a.m. in rocky seas; waves kick up easily in shallow Lake
Pontchartrain. By the time we slid down
the Rigolets and into the Gulf, things had quieted down. But the wind would increase by evening
through the next morning. So, anchoring
at one of the Mississippi islands was not a great idea, just for comfort
because heavy swaying all night long would have kept us awake. Pass Christian Harbor/Marina is a good
choice. The price is perfect: $21.40 per
night total, including water and electricity, and all taxes/fees. The cheapest anywhere. Shaggy's Restaurant onsite is terrific and
the tiny historic downtown is close. Two
nights in Pass Christian satisfied our desire for biking, good coffee shop,
fresh seafood sold dockside and pleasant views.
We met Smitty with his catamaran, and other folks along the piers who
were headed/returning from somewhere interesting. Meeting people and socializing is easy and
part of the allure of boating. Sharing
stories and info over a sunset beer on one's boat beats many landlubber
activities for sure.
Sat 10/25/14
Left Pass Christian 7:45 a.m., planning to make our way to Petit Bois Is.,
MS, the final one before Dauphin Is., AL.
The wind gods were good to us; we motorsailed at 6.5-7 knts. all the way
to northern Dauphin Is. where we anchored in Pas Aux Herons, near the Mobile
Bay bridge. In time for a nice sunset,
meal and early bedtime. Just watch out
for the flies; they're like cannibals at certain times of the year. A swarm of them seemed to attach us out of
nowhere as we were navigating the ICW on the way there. How those creatures are able to fly long
distances has me completely baffled.
Anchorage: 30 deg. 15.731’ N/88 deg. 09.482’ W; around 3/4 mi. from
shore. No protection if wind kicks up
but very nice anchorage in mild weather and to be repeated again
Sun 10/26/14
We weighed anchor around 8:00 a.m. It was all motoring across Mobile Bay
and inside the Alabama Canal (ICW). Once
in the Canal, it was lovely to see the pretty sights of homes and vegetation
along the shores, past Lulu’s Restaurant (a favorite stop for food and marina
services), The Wharf (a dressy marina and vendors-center, clashing with our
attraction to more natural/funky settings in keeping with sailing), past Wolf
Bay (an anchorage option), and into Ingram Bayou. It was early, 4:00 p.m.-ish and, as we followed
another sailboat in, we wondered if one of our all-time favorite anchorages
might be full. Unfortunately, it’s not a secret. Yet we were lucky enough to share this
peaceful cove with the Southern Cross sailboat that preceded us. Not to mention the Ospreys and dolphins, and
maybe raccoons hidden to us by the vegetation, plus who knows how many other
living creatures. Bill came over from
his sailboat on is kayak to pay us a visit.
After some wine and peanuts and plenty of conversation, Mike was invited
to try the kayak. See pic.
Anchorage: 30 deg. 12.583’ N/89 deg. 24.128’
W
Mon 10/27
We dinghied over to Bill’s sailboat for coffee and admire his well-kept
1980 craft, which he singlehands. We left
for Pensacola, FL around 10:00 a.m., expecting a 4-hr. trip for the rest of the
Alabama Canal, passing through Perdido Bay and Big Lagoon before entering
Pensacola Bay. Pretty all the way. Never get tired of it. Even when the weather is hot – say the 80’s!
Finally in Pensacola Bay we were able to sail without the motors, just the
sounds of nature. Palafox Marina is
great, not only because it is clean and modern, but also because it’s nestled
in the historic downtown Pensacola so easy to enjoy by foot and bike. Every time we come back, there are new
establishments in keeping with the architecture of the area. Between that and the waterfront, there’s
nothing to complain about. Except for
the chores awaiting.
Next: Destin Harbor – St. Andrew’s Bay and Panama City. Stay tuned and don’t
forget to double click on the slideshow for better picture viewing. Hasta luego, amigos!
