Panama City to Apalachicola
We spent the last couple of days at Bay
Point marina with gusty winds & even some rain but managed to
squeeze in a couple of bike rides covering the very extensive
residential part & visiting a bakery. We discovered that our
butane gas bottle had run out which was amazing considering that the
one we started with last May lasted until part way down the
Mississippi. So this current one had only been going for no more than
8 weeks. We think that it may have been bumped or a hose kinked by
the electrician as he crawled over the boat back in Dog marina. Our
new friend bill took Colin to a local shop to replace it.
We left the following morning (Sunday)
to travel to a half way point between there & Apalachicola. This
was a free dock near White City bridge and it was clean & neat
with restrooms but no electricity. We met another looper there –
Gary & Sarah on 'Blue Heron' whom we had docktails with that
night. The water way was through a large bay & into a long narrow
creek called Wettapo. It was a low, isolated, swampy area of long
grasses, palmetto palms & cypress pine and a couple of pairs of
bald eagles. There were sunken boats of all varieties and a few
shacks & shanties on the river banks. We saw only 2 mobile
boats in 4 hours of travel. The
coast guard channel alerted boaters to watch for a tow 302ft long,
65ft wide & 10ft draft which reminded us of our trip down the big
rivers. We were so glad it wasn't near us but up the Mississippi
somewhere.
The
next day was equally easy travelling along another long canal and a
wide but very shallow lake called Wimico. We arrived at Apalachicola
(if you keep saying it a few times it rolls around your tongue quite
easily) marina late afternoon. A fishing wharf with no fancy bits but
we were loaned a golf kart to run around the close environs in. Col
tried to hunt up a hardware place for an O ring that had gone on one
of the water hoses and was causing the water pump to overheat.
However the place indicated on the map no longer existed & the
other option was way out on the highway – no place for golf
buggies. Fortunately Chuck found one on his boat when they arrived
later that day. We spent docktails discussing all the options for
crossing the Gulf – routes and times – with 2 options to review
next morning.
Patriot
(Chuck & Vicky) decided to stay on at Apalachicola for a few
more days as he had obligations to meet with his university project
via wifi & the connection here was secure & strong. We are a
slower boat so decided to take advantage of the good weather window
on Wednesday noon to Thursday noon. This is an overnight crossing
from Dog Island off the coast of Apalachicola to Dunedin on the west
coast of Florida. It will take 19 – 20 hours. We need to leave in
the daylight and arrive in the daylight to navigate the shallower
waters near the coast & avoid crab pots. We are currently
anchored up behind Dog Island (Shipping Cove) in reasonably calm
waters ready for the crossing tomorrow. Chuck & Vicky being a
faster boat have more options when & where to cross & we will
meet up later on down the track.
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