We started the girl up and motored ever so carefully out through the channel that had us stuck, last night. How quickly it gets dark these days! ,...and light, just before 6am.
One other boat was on the magenta line going east, and we soon caught up and passed them heading around the point past Joe's Bayou and into deep water. Phew! as I said before.
In 21.6 ft of water..yaya!
A chop came up early morning, around 5am, and we were swinging a bit. Waz cleaned out the filters while he was down in the lazarette...very little to clean out with lots of water flowing for a while.
Oily looking clouds and a bit cold as we get under way.
The genset is running, so I put the coffee on and the Bagels too. Raisin cinnamon, this morning. We eat them on the flydeck while under way. Good, this Community Coffee!!! We like it. We wont be getting any more, I don't think, so we have laid down quite a store of it in the pantry (under the salon seats).
Moreno Point...to Cobbs point, just past Destin, Florida....more condos, tree line along the water. Blue sky appeared eventually.
Lots of pine..swamp pines? they all look the same to us.
We travel fairly close to the coastline down Choctawhatchee Bay to Pt Washington and West Bay Creek. This is fascinating countryside. There are sand dunes on each side of us and this is a waterway that has clearly been cut through. The damage to the sides of it is notable, as some of the boats we have encountered go flat knackers, and their wake damages the cliffs..small that they are. We see lots of exposed roots on trees and slips/erosion, especially where the land has obviously been cleared and not replanted. Looks like lots of new pine tree plantings, but we both feel there should be some grass of some kind. Not much sign of civilization here.
The creek is about 20 miles and somewhat boring. I thought I wouldn't say that, but there are only so many photos one can take of pine trees and sand dunes...and lovely light!
The end of Choctawhatchee Bay before entering the East Bay Creek. Our view would be closer for the rest of the journey.
It took us an hour and a half to get to the end of Choctawhatchee Bay and into the East Bay Creek which is very narrow. Thank goodness we didn't meet any tows coming along there.
These trees have a tenuous hold on the bank. Lots of trees that were higher up the banks had toppled and/ or had similar tenuous hold.
Pt Washington where we entered the East Bay Creek at 8.52am
The fishermen were tied up to the green pole on the starb'd side as we went through
Entering East Bay Creek and the ICW. It is very shallow around us..1-2 ft off the main channel.
Boat houses in the marsh. The homes are on terra firma further in. You can see the roof of one.
Man was here!
They call this area the Grand Canyon, locally. 9.20am
More sand dunes with animal tracks...not sure what kind.
Right along side the portable drilling rig the huge sandbags are keeping the water from spilling over the bank
I have no idea what they were drilling for...but there was quite a mess here. 10.12am.
This fisherman's hideaway didn't look inhabited, but then so many of them don't...and yet they are!
This skinny West Bay Creek and ICW
You know you are getting close to civilization when you find a fisherman in a boat!
We saw lots of Magnolia along the way, and Fan palms...You know you are in Florida by the wild Fan palms.
More sand hills...or flats
Signs that man has messed with things!
The last bridge before hitting open water at West Bay.
Marshes coming up to open water
The light was so pretty and the water clear, though a lovely tea colored from all the tanins in the water.
Very picturesque...even if it is broken down. Little Egrets were everywhere here. The first sign we had seen of them.
I love the elevated walkway across the marsh to the boat lift and dock.
The West Bay Creek bridge
This fellow was struggling with landing a large 15-20lb fish. He was trying to bring it around the far end of the bridge pier to land it with the help of family. He was busy putting on his orange gloves as we approached the bridge. They aren't supposed to be fishing off this area! but I guess the fishing is good in the narrows.
We saw a bald eagle...but I missed it...although I did try to get a photo.
These were for rent on the other side of the bridge...yes please:)
Past the bridge and into the beginning of West Bay
As we came out into West Bay, the smoke got thicker and thicker....It obviously comes from a fire somewhere along the coastline or inland...it was so thick and smoky we had to shut all windows and glas upstairs. I am allergic to wood smoke...it gives me asthma, so I was super careful to avoid it.
Just after the Panama City bridge we turned to port and entered the Sun Harbor Marina. Alan, one of the harbor helpers was at the dock to show us which one. Waz put her in backwards like a pro, even though there was limited room. I remain in awe of his skills guiding this large vessel. The wind hadn't come up yet, so we were lucky there. If the wind had started, things might have been different.
The wind did come up about two hours later, but not cold.
As we came in to dock we found a small Coast Guard craft getting fuel. Our helper had to run to serve these fellas, so we were rather left to our own devices to finish tying up.
This is the view from the front of the boat...looking out to the Bridge over the ICW across from Panama City to Panama Beach on the other side.
Yachts opposite us, and some covered lift slips.
Yesterday was almost tropical, as you can see...Waz in short sleeves. A huge contrast with today, after an overnight cold northerly swept in. He is tightening the ropes ready for the Big Blow.
We should have taken the time to wash the boat down, but had little energy left after a long trip over several days. In retrospect it would have been a great idea. We will now wait for the warmer weather...yes, it will come back:) to wash all the crusty salt off her. I did a cursory job around the back deck where we touch everything, but she badly needs some soapy water and a good soft cloth.
...and lo! a Koru! Yes this 70+ft yacht is owned by a Kiwi fellow who lives locally and owns several businesses. They tell us that this boat has been here for years and has left the dock only a handful of times, each time requiring the services of TOWBOAT USA!
They tell us that this is a 60ft slip..hmm we stick out a bit, don't we? Still, we are safely in a marina, so let her blow.
As the sun went down, the wind came up and by evening it was blowing a gale. This only increased as we went out to do our two loads of laundry in the main marina building. The later it got, the colder it got, and so by the time we finished the sheets in the dryer, it was necessary to have a sweater on.
The temperature dropped markedly before we turned in around 10pm.
When we woke up this morning, there was a decided chill in the air, and on closer inspection...meaning, a nose out the door...we decided to turn the heat on in the salon. It was nice to have that, as the wind was still blowing (though not quite as hard as in the night).
Warren went out late in the evening to tighten the ropes and put some more out. He wasn't very well dressed, frankly, and today he has a cold. He thinks this started before that, but no doubt the ropes thing didn't help.
I made cinnamon pinwheel scones for breakfast this morning..oops..sorry! I forgot to take photos...so you will just have to image them with sultanas, lemon peel, cinnamon and brown sugar! Washed down with Community Coffee...our favorite!
Seeing as we have electricity from the dock, and it is included in the fees, we felt able to use the cooking applicances more. I put the soup on to cook late morning, and then heated up a couple of Ciabatta rolls to accompany the soup. Two bags of chicken thighs went into the pot along with a bought soup mix...very tasty, and there is lots for tomorrow and the next days lunch.
The freezer is getting rather empty by now, which is a good thing.
I called Enterprise Car Rentals and ordered a weekend special rate for Friday noon, returning it on Monday noon. We like the weekend rentals compared to during the week, as I have said before. Less that $50 for three days rental is pretty good, in our opinion.
We paid some bills and did some other necessaries.
Waz called the diver and organized that, too.
He has about 4 layers on!
You think I am cold??? just a bit, and this is looking into the wind, so more cold than normal. I need to find my gloves! ski gloves!
The wind was a bit vicious..no?
Don't you love bridges??:) and light and patterns and playing with them??
White caps on the bay today..glad we aren't out in them. They are totally different in a large bay that is very shallow, to the equivalent on the sea in and around Auckland in similar winds or less. VERY choppy and it is very hard on the boat. Knocks us about a bit.
Looking down the main road that has just come off the bridge. Down that way are all the malls and shops on this side of the water.
Not the most inspiring place. The marina manager made all kinds of excuses today for the place not being 100%..it seems they are redirecting traffic from the bridge and they are by-passing the marina, so it is for sale.
This doesn't look like it would float! Not sure they even sell tickets from here any more.
Our address!
Coming back into the marina after our morning walk...the sun is out but the wind is nasty and it is freezing!
Having the curtains down at the back certainly helps keep the boat a bit more toasty in the cool and cooler in summer. The dock fingers aren't very long, as you can see..and they taper. I am SUPER careful getting on and off the boat. I don't want to go swimming in this temperature.
I should have taken some photos of the divers today, but I felt it might have been rude. Yes, occasionally I do feel these things:) and adhere to norms.
We made the call today, after a long debate yesterday pm and after talking to our broker, Len, and the former owner, Jack in Tx.
It seemed that the port Propeller was not as it should be and we had a lot of vibration, increasingly towards the end of our trip, yesterday. It could be a variety of things, but we decided to get a diver in to take a look at various options including the Cutlas Bearings which the prop shafts go through the middle of.
He seemed to think the C bearings were fine, after feeling for play. So, we got the port side spare prop out from under the forward cabin bed and took it out back for the divers to replace the existing prop with. We don't know if this will solve the problem, but we don't want to be crossing the Gulf of Mexico for 17 hrs with faulty props or other. We may need to experiment somewhat before going anywhere.
We ascertained that it was the port side that was having a problem by testing each engine for vibration as we throttled up, individually. The starb'd engine was fine but the vibration from the port was pronounced .As I said, we don't know for sure if simply replacing the port prop will do the job...we have yet to find out. We sure wont be going anywhere without finding the problem. We have one more 60 mile day to run before we get to another safe harbor, and this place is better serviced, we believe.
So, here we are at 8.30pm on Wednesday night. Tomorrow, the 14th is Warren's 60th birthday!!! We don't have the car until Friday, so we might have to dine in tomorrow...but we have to make Key Lime Pie first:) We bought a box variety at Costco in NOLA! Lets hope it is worth eating.
I made scalloped potatoes tonight with lots of garlic..to ward off the colds...and microwave cabbage with pork katsu...one of our favorites, but we don't eat it very often as it is shallow fried. Yummy!
Waz has been looking for an Eggs Benedict restaurant, locally, and found an Egg and I, not too far away. We liked this restaurant in Houston, so lets see if it is as good here! Sunday brunch??
Time to get off here..it has taken me all day to catch up, so I am ready to start the book waz just finished:)
TTFN...sleeping in tomorrow..whoppeeeee!!:)
Warren is 60!! what an old fart.... seriously, happy birthday Warren :)
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