Pensacola to Port St Joe

We left Pensacola along with Gemini Dream, who had caught up to us there.  We left for separate anchorages on the way to our destination at Port St. Joe.  We had selected a nice secluded anchorage next to one of the islands that is located just off of the intracoastal.  Gemini Dream had selected one a little closer that was "puppy friendly" which means that there is a place to go ashore and walk the dog.  The one we selected was next to some property that belonged to a nearby Air Force Base and they discouraged people coming ashore with pets.

As we got closer to the anchorages it was still early, so we pressed on toward Destin, Florida which had both a nice anchorage and was "puppy friendly".  We were getting hungry as we arrived at Ft Walton Beach so we stopped at a "waterside" restaurant and had lunch.  They had a dock, but there was a tremendous tidal current.  Gemini Dream docked so the current pushed them to the dock, but we had to fight both the wind and current to get to the dock, then it was a little tricky getting tied up.  At least when we left, we only had to release the lines and we were away for the dock.  We went a few miles further and anchored in Destin Harbor.  It was very commercial and I'm glad it was not in the summer because it looks like a very popular area for tourists.  I guess the Jetski's drive you crazy in the summer.  It was very quiet for us though that night.

 Cindy's Observations:  This was a first for us, stopping for lunch.  We usually had a snack,  or some type of lunch food while underway.  So this little French cafe was definitely a treat.  While there, we talked with a couple who was wintering at a condo at Destin where we were to anchor. They knew of the place we were told we had to go visit, "The Boat House" oyster bar.

Destin is called Florida's Emerald Coast with miles of sugary sand made of Appalachian quartz.  It is also known as the The Luckiest Fishing Village in the world.
Arriving into the bay by porpoise escort  (they're so friendly)  was this amazing  tiny Lake of the Ozarks on steroids, with much deeeeper pockets. I marveled at all the yacht size boats and multiple condo plexes packed around this bay.  Summertime here would definitely be a buzz for all the party hardy types. 

Tourist attractions

Little seafood place where we ate.

Almost sunset

Destin at Night

Gemini Dream at Sunset

We dinghyed ashore and found a seafood place (what else) and had a few oysters and some cocktails and came home in the dark.
                                              
Cindy's Observations:  After we dropped the hook and settled, the couple from the cafe came by on their boat (Judy B) from their condo to wish us a safe trip and to enjoy our evening ashore.  First we took a dinghy ride to the beach and watched the sunset.  Across the beach was the open gulf.  Soon we would be out there to make our cross.  We made it to The Boat House after sunset and had our oysters and a drink. The walls and ceiling and just about any flat surface were covered in dollar bills from all the patrons. There is another sister Boathouse oyster bar in the keys in which we hope to stop.

 

                                                                      
                                                                      
After a quiet night we left for Panama City and another anchorage.  Matt and Coleen showed us how much faster we could get there if we went "outside" which means leave the safety and calm water of the ICW (intracoastal waterway) and go out a pass into the Gulf.  We agreed to try it and just see what the seas were like "outside".   We followed Gemini Dream out the pass and got bounced around so bad that I decided that we were not going to do this, at least not today.  Gemini Dream turned around also and followed us back into calm water.  They still believe that it would have gotten better if we had gotten away from shore a bit, but we had already had everything come off of the shelves down below.  Pat was below when we went out and  just sat down in the middle of the salon floor to dodge flying objects.

Cindy's Observations:  A wise sailor had warned us, "When you look out to sea and see elephants on the horizon, do not go out."  BELIEVE THIS TO BE TRUE!!!  What we had experienced at Mobile was less pounding than what we had now.  When our table tips over top side we have 3-4 foot waves this we have learned quickly!  Matt was assuring us once we got passed the shallow shore line the waves would lighten up.  After just 20 minutes of pounding we decided to opt for the inside route. 

We took the long way around through the ICW and passed through a couple of large bodys of water and saw a lot of Porpoise, and Cindy got some of the best pictures yet of them swimming beside the boat.

Cindy's Observations:  In order to get these shots, I was hanging over the bow sprit rail.  The camera was held down below me.  This fellow was joy riding directly below the bow dead center.  When they swim beside the boat in your bow wake, they actually turn their head to look at you.  It makes you wonder if the legend is true about sea captains spirits and porpoise.

Coming into Panama City I picked up a Navy ship of some kind on my AIS.  When we looked in the general direction of the target, we saw this tremendous wake.  Bigger than any we have seen from any SeaRay. (SeaRays are notorious for big wakes and being very inconsiderate around other boats) As we were preparing to get rocked, he called us and told us he would go "slow bells" until he passed us.  We sure were glad of that.

Navy ship at "slow bells"

We anchored just off of one of the barrier islands south of Panama City.  We dinghyed to shore with Gemini Dream so they could walk their dog.  The sand was a beautiful white color and very fine.   It even squeaked when you walked on it.

Cindy's Observations:  Shell Island is a must see stop from Panama City.  It is a 700 acre barrier island for wildlife refuge of native animals.  It has the worlds largest bottle nose dolphin population off shore. This was our 1st beach for collecting a few sea shells.  On the beach edge we saw several sea urchins.  Because the sand is so white it will not burn your feet in the heat of summer.  Do to the clean quartz crystals it squeaks when you walk.  We watched the sunset on the beach and were invited for dessert onto Gemini Dream. The day ended on a sweet note.

Shell Island

The next morning Gemini Dream said they were going "outside" to Apalachicola.  We were only going to Port St. Joe but could have followed them as far as there and let them continue on, but the memory of the pounding that we took the day before convinced us to again stick to the ICW.
So we parted ways with Matt and Coleen (again) and they took off for deep water and we continued to follow the lazier prettier route along the ICW.

Cindy's Observations:  This is Gemini Dream in "Blue Water" on the outside of the GIWW.  The chain of islands along the coast is what creates the ICW or GIWW (intracoastal waterway, gulf intracoastal waterway). Until we have to make our cross from the pan-handle to the western shore, we will stay in the ICW.   As you can see the sand is so white , it looks like snow.

Gemini Dream going "out to sea"

 Along the way, we caught up to "the girls" as everyone refers to them.  They are on a small sailboat.  We had first met them in Grafton before we left.  Cindy has been communicating with them by text as we went along.  They anchor a lot more than we do.  I suspect their budget requires it.  They are college-age girls out on an adventure.

Cindy's Observations:  These young gals have got it going on.  Kudos to them on such an adventure.  Their parents should be proud.  They started in the great lakes.  Since Chicago has a low bridge no sailboat mast can go under, their mast was stepped and shipped to Mobile, AL.  It was stepped there to be able to sail again.  This day there was not enough breeze for them to set sail.  They too will be crossing the big bend and we wish them calm seas with a "mild" breeze for sailing.  They also have a dog and cat aboard.

The girls

On the way back from Chattanooga we stopped at Ditto Landing.  Next to us was a trawler that was planning to leave Ditto Landing and go pick up his sail boat and take it to the gulf.  We met him on the way to Port St. Joe, and sure enough he had the sailboat with him tied to his starboard side.  We gave him a slow pass to make sure we didn't disturb his "tow".

Cindy's Observations:  John from Emery EL was a wealth of information when we chatted at Ditto Landing.  We received good info about local businesses, anchorages and marinas from there to the Black Warrior river.

 

Coming into Port St. Joe we passed numerous sunken shrimp boats.  Probably from the last Hurricane.

 

Fixer-upper

We spent 3 good days at Port St Joe.  Pat had won a free week there.  We found a sporting goods store that had diving gear on sale.  Pat and I bought new BCD's that were on sale, and I bought a wetsuit.  They also had a wet suit that fit Cindy, so we got it in case she decides to try snorkeling.

Cindy's Observations:  Pat won the week with a bingo card at Joe Wheeler.
Hopefully this suit will make a more pleasant snorkeling experience.  My last try was in the BVI with a sinus infection and rented equipment.  Not good.
                                                      

 

                                               

                                                  

Cindy's Observations:  Port St Joe is in Gulf county. It was Florida's largest populated county at the time of the  Florida state constitution signing in 1838.  The states first steam railway came through St Joe and was also one of the first in the country.  A few miles away in the 'old St Joseph' Cemetery lie statesmen and the sailor who brought yellow fever to the community which almost wiped out the entire population in 1841.  A few years later a Storm came and took out the rest of the town.  It has rebuilt to the present location and new name.  It was an enjoyable bike ride discovering the towns history.  Close to the marina along the bike path was this pond. It called to me so I had to stop and take a picture.

Lilly pond

 

 

As we got close to the day of crossing the Gulf, we were paying more attention to the weather reports.  While we were at Port St Joe,  the weather guy on the AGLCA blog posted that there was going to be one of the best crossing windows that he had ever seen in December.  Normally the windows only lasted a couple of days, but this one was supposed to last a whole week.
                                                               
We had considered leaving the boat at Port St. Joe for a month and coming home for Christmas.  The only problem was that the weather in January was typically worse for crossing than December.  So we decided to leave Port St Joe early and head for Carrabelle to prepare to jump across the gulf to Tarpon Springs Florida before Christmas.

Cindy's Observations:  After taking pictures of the lily pond  I walked along the shore and was able to find some very nice scallop shells for my grand daughters collection.  When I realized the setting before me, I thought this would be a perfect place to watch the sunset.  So just before the sun set I went back and captured a wonderful shot.