Apalachicola, FL to Dog Island, FL

October 29, 2015

Apalachicola is a great place to wait for a good weather window for the Gulf Crossing, so we enjoyed the 4 days we spent there.  Even the windy, rainy day was okay, because it gave us an excuse to rest.

High water and debris on the dock behind us due to the stormy day

There was a community ball field 2 blocks away, so Sasha had a place where there was plenty of room for long Frisbee throws.  Although the Piggly Wiggly grocery store was only 14 blocks away – well within walking distance – we used the marina’s golf cart since we wanted to also get gasoline for the dinghy and ice from Twice the Ice.

Oyster shell pile - oysters are one of the main industries in Apalachicola

Oysters shells are used in landscaping and in place of gravel, among other uses

Rob took advantage of the wait time to finish up the plumbing for the watermaker.  We haven’t put the reverse osmosis membranes in yet, however, because it is better to be in clearer deeper water when making drinking water.  We also straightened up the boat and secured things both outside and inside in preparation for the Gulf Crossing.

The rest of the time, we relaxed, walked around town, and visited with other cruisers.  Discussions of wind and wave forecasts and possible weather windows dominated conversations.  Most people look at multiple sources when trying to make decisions about when to travel and when to stay put, and the most common ones used are:  Passageweather.com, Windfinder app, NOAA marine forecasts, Eddy’s Weather Wag, and www.marvsweather.com.

Lovely flowers were everywhere

Live music at the Bowery - remind us of our niece, Jaki

Spooky cool moon with Halloween not too far away

Since The Bar B and Second Noelle had done the Gulf Crossing multiple times going both ways, we had decided to do the Crossing with them since they didn’t mind us tagging along.  They were looking at the same sources we were and agreed that either Thursday, Oct 29, or Friday, Oct 30, looked like decent conditions.  Like all forecasts, our sources were frequently being updated and changing somewhat, so we finally decided to leave Thursday to anchor at Dog Island and then start across on Friday.

Since it is only about 3 hrs from Apalachicola to Dog Island, we had the morning to tie up some loose ends and then left around 1 p.m.  The wind was from the southwest at 10-15 mph, so we had the wind and waves on our stern mostly as we traveled, with a light to moderate chop.

Shortly after we passed under the second bridge near Apalachicola, we could see workers on small boats harvesting the local oysters which we had eaten at “The Hole in the Wall Raw and Seafood Bar” the night before.  Yes, even Rob tried a baked parmesan oyster and said it wasn’t bad.

Bryant Patton Bridge - goes between Eastpoint, FL and St George Island

Oysters are harvested by people with rakes in small boats like this

Even as we were going along there was still some discussion about possibly just heading out once we got to the inlet if the conditions looked good.  There was a NOAA update around 3:30-4 p.m. which coincided with our arrival at the inlet.  After reviewing it, we decided to stick with original plan.

We got anchored at Dog Island in the cove just east of the inlet.  It was still a little windy as we anchored, so we put out 150 ft  of rode for a depth of 21 ft.  We just have a 2-3 ft section of chain right at the anchor and then the rest is ¾” rope, so we always put out plenty.  Our PO’s never had any trouble with getting the anchor set, and so far we haven’t either as long as we put out enough scope.  None of us had any trouble getting good holding and eventually both the wind and small waves died down.

The Bar B at Dog Island

Second Noelle at Dog Island

There was lots of sandy beach on Dog Island, but since we had already taken our 20 hp Honda motor off of our dinghy for the Crossing, we didn’t go to shore.  Sasha has been on the boat for 2 days straight before, so she should be okay – not particularly happy probably, but okay.

Beach homes on Dog Island

The Gulf of Mexico is just beyond the house and small strip of sand!

Pearl Bayou to Apalachicola, FL

October 25, 2015

Before we began our journey south on Lorelei IV, Sasha was used to being let out in our big fenced backyard in the middle of the night.  I don’t know if she heard things outside, needed to potty, or just got bored during the night, but if she woke me up, I figured it was better to let her out than let her have an accident in the house.  Here on the boat, I still take her out if she whines at me during the night, but even if we are docked, I just take her out on the deck.  While we were in Mobile, we bought a Piddle Place dog potty system, so I take her over to it and encourage her to go.  So far, she has just sniffed it, wandered around deck sniffing the air, and then wanted to go back inside.  I don’t know if the whole excursion just makes her feel better, but she generally settles back down again, and we go back to sleep.

Piddle Place purchase in Mobile, AL

On our way back from our shore excursion this morning, we passed Ray and Linda of Second Noelle just as they were getting underway.  Ray motioned us over to tell us that they had reviewed the weather forecast and were going on to Apalachicola instead of stopping at the White City free dock.  Today was going to be a good cruising day, but tomorrow was forecasted for rain and winds up to 30 mph.  Since we had also planned to stop at White City today and then to go to Apalachicola tomorrow, we had to decide whether or not we wanted to wait out the weather in White City or go on to Apalachicola like Second Noelle and The Bar B were going to do.  We had planned to possibly anchor at Apalachicola, but we didn’t want to be anchored out in 30 mph winds.  Since it was going to be at least 4 hrs to White City, we figured we could make some phone calls and decide on the way.

As we crossed East Bay, we saw a shipyard where tows are built.  Rob said that the blocking used to support the tows are similar to what they used at the Quincy Fire Department  to stabilize a wrecked vehicle.

Tow under construction

Blocking used for support

Either another section or a different tow being built

At the end of East Bay, we entered into another canal section for about 20 miles.  There were some very nice homes along the banks, so we went through about 2 miles of No Wake zone.

Nicely manicured home along the canal

We also saw a number of stranded and wrecked boats along the banks.

This one just looked stranded, so maybe it's still in use

Ray said these pilings and wreck are fairly recent

These sailboats aren't going anywhere soon

The 5 mile canal leading to Port St Joe, another popular place for cruisers to visit, is right before White City.  As we crossed the mouth of the canal, we were surprised to see what looked like a Nekkton dive boat docked a short distance down the canal.  We had tried to book a dive trip with Nekkton Dive Cruises, but then it went bankrupt.  As it turned out, we ended up going to Fiji instead, so everything worked out great.

Nekkton dive boats had a unique design, so this almost has to be one of them

We had already decided to go on to Apalachicola by the time we passed by White City.  Our friends on The Bar B and Second Noelle had told us that although the city dock is a nice place to stay, there weren’t many other services available in town.  Since we were likely to be waiting up to a week for good weather window for the Gulf Crossing, Apalachicola sounded like the better place to have to wait.  As we passed by the dock, there was a house or building being readied to put in the water.  We weren’t sure if it was to be part of the dock complex or if it was going to be floated somewhere else.

The big blocks look like some sort of styrofoam so must be what will float the structure

White City dock complex (part of it is being renovated)

As we got closer to Apalachicola, we began seeing more canals leading off the main canal.  We could see houses or camps down some of them, but many of them reminded us of the waterways we have seen on the TV show, Swamp People.  We never saw any alligators though, and we did see people playing in the water on some sandy banks.

Wonder where this canal leads?

Big nest on the daymarker

The mast on this wreck was put to use too

The Apalachicola Northern Railroad swing bridge is still in operation, but it is automated so that it is always open unless signaled to close by approaching railroad traffic.

Apalachicola Northern Railroad swing bridge

We began seeing more boat traffic, but most of it was people out in their small boats enjoying the day.

Just a couple and their 3 dogs out for a cruise

This small boat doesn't look like it would float 3 guys and a baby in a pack n play

When we arrived at Apalachicola Marina, we were told we were going to be in a slip inside the fuel dock.  It looked like a tight squeeze, but once again there was more room than first appeared, and we made it in fine.  The dock attendant made sure we were well secured in the slip and got the power hooked up.  We went ahead and topped off our fuel tanks, taking 174 gallons.

Lorelei IV in the slip at Apalachicola Marina

Since it is supposed to be rainy and/or windy for the next couple of days, we will likely stay here until the winds die down.  It is close to many shops and restaurants and even has a nice patch of fenced grassy area for Sasha.

Sasha's play yard

The Bar B and Second Noelle are docked a short walk away on another dock owned by the marina.  We all went out to eat at the Owl Café, which has good food – we had a burger and duck fries – and a good selection of locally brewed beer on tap if you are into craft beers.

Ray & Linda (Second Noelle) and Barbie and Bob (The Bar B)

Ft Walton Beach, FL to Pearl Bayou

October 24, 2015

We left Ft Walton Beach around 6:45 a.m. because our plan was to go 72 miles to Pearl Bayou anchorage.  We like to arrive at an anchorage by 4 p.m. so that we have plenty of time to go to shore before dark.  We traveled at 8-8.5 mph to give ourselves some leeway just in case we needed to slow down for no wake zones or other boats.  It is a good idea to find other boats to do the Gulf Crossing with, so we discussed our plans for the next several days with Bob and Ray.  Second Noelle was going to Pearl Bayou just like us, and The Bar B was going to St Andrews Marina, which is about 6 miles before.

We had heard that Choctawatchee Bay can be rough if there is a strong wind out of the east or west because the bay is about 30 miles across running east/west.  Fortunately for us, although the wind was out of the east, it was only 8-12 mph so there was only a light chop as we went across.  Once we were through the bay, we were again in a narrow canal for about 15 miles.

Canal between Choctawatchee Bay and West Bay

The sand banks are eroded into cool formations

I'm sure when the canal was cut in the 1950's, the banks were smooth and uniform

The canal connects Choctawatchee Bay with West Bay.  Although the water appears to widen out, the area outside of the markers is very shallow because you are actually in West Bay Creek for a short distance.

Marsh areas appear as the canal widens before coming into the bay

Narrow channel marked by closely spaced buoys and daymarkers

The (light blue) water outside the canal is only 1-2 ft deep

Eventually though, you come to the bay proper and there is plenty of deep water all around.  There is always some sort of industry along the shore when you have deeper water, and we find it interesting to speculate what exactly is being produced.

Tows ready to push cargo when needed

Stacks of logs for the crane to pick up...

...and load into this conveyor system

Probably some sort of milling operation or sawdust/mulch factory

West Bay leads to St Andrew Bay, which leads to East Bay if you stay in the part of it which extends mostly east rather than south.  If you are interested in looking at charts, here is a link to the NOAA charts that are similar to the paper charts we are using (just more up to date). NOAA GIWW charts.

Lots of pelicans on the bays...this one didn't seems fazed at all by Lorelei IV

Pearl Bayou is located by Tyndall Air Force Base (AFB), right before the Dupont Bridge, which is the western boundary of East Bay.  Ray and Linda of Second Noelle had told us to be sure to go around the red daymarker right by the bridge because the water is very shallow between the daymarker and the western shore of Pearl Bayou.  The water depths are well marked on the charts, but when we were approaching this point, we could understand why someone might be tempted to cut behind the daymarker.  You have to go almost to the bridge to make the turn around the marker, so to your eye it looks like there is more room if you go what would be the wrong way.

We followed the Garmin chart to stay in the deeper water going in and had 14-16 ft going in.  The depth gradually tapered to 11-12 ft toward the back, so we turned around and went forward just a bit so that we could drop the anchor facing into the wind.

Pearl Bayou

We had seen a park on our way in, not realizing that it was part of Tyndall AFB.  On our way into the dock, we saw Air Force boats docked at what looked like a separate facility on the other side of the boat access ramp for the park.  We tied our dinghy to the small fuel dock but did not see any attendants, so we went toward the building which we assumed was part of the park.  We ran into one of the employees who told us it would be fine to leave our dinghy at the dock for a while.  Then we talked to more employees inside the building and were told that dogs were not allowed at the park but that we could go across the street as dogs were allowed there.

3 large Air Force boats were docked here

As we walked up to the park gate, it was then that we noticed that we were actually on Tyndall AFB.  The area across the road was not an official beach and had warning signs of possible rip currents and dangerous wildlife, i.e. alligators and sharks, so swimming was at your own risk.  Since we weren’t planning to swim, we figured we’d be safe.  There was a stretch of grassy area by the water, so we tried playing Frisbee with Sasha there.  We were only partially successful, however, because there were also sticker weeds scattered here and there, and she kept getting the small round stickers with sharp spikes caught in her paws.  A sign warning about dangerous plant life would have been more useful to us.

One of many stickers we had to pull from Sasha

's paws

There was a dirt road leading to a small pier where people went fishing, so we walked a little ways toward the pier so that we could get a picture by the Tyndall AFB sign.

Rob and Sasha

When we got back to the boat, it was such a nice evening with beautiful scenery that we decided to cook outside on the back deck.  A nice gentleman back at Midway Marina had insisted on giving us some catfish as we were leaving, so it was perfect to have the mess of frying it outside.  When he gave us the catfish, he said that he had frozen it soon after catching it, so it would be the best tasting catfish we had ever had.  We dipped the catfish in Cajun fish fry seasoning, and I’ll have to say that it was excellent and flaky, with very little fishy taste.  If we had had more freezer space, I would have been able to take the second bag that he had offered….oh, well, I guess we’ll just have to catch our own fresh fish now.

Frying catfish on the back deck

Perfectly crispy and delicious

English Navy Cove to Ft Walton Beach City Dock, DM 6

October 22, 2015

We had a good night at English Navy Cove anchorage and woke to another beautiful sunrise.  There was another dog on the beach, so Sasha had fun playing with her and trying to herd her around a little.  If only her friend, Daisy, were here to share it with her, because they play together like no one else.

Sunrise at English Navy Cove

Park, pier, and boat ramp

Our plan for the day was to head to the free city dock at Fort Walton Beach, one of the suggestions from Bob and Barbie of The Bar B.  Since the dock is located close to town, we wanted to get there fairly early so that we would have more time to look around and see what was close by.  We pulled the anchor at around 8 a.m. and headed out.

Several tiny crabs no bigger than the tip of a finger came up on the anchor line

Our wind gauge showed that the wind was still from the east at 11-14 mph, so there was a only light chop most of the way, which made for good cruising.  We saw dolphins again, and at one point had as many as 15 of them playing in our bow wave.

Part of Santa Rosa Island along our route is a prohibited area used exclusively by the military.  We saw a military boat and some geared up soldiers in small inflatable boats involved in some sort of training.  It reminded us of the Seal or Ranger training shows on TV.  There was also an impressive-looking radar dome surveying the entire area.

Military boat involved in training

Soldiers in small inflatables or kayaks

Radar dome

Santa Rosa Sound gradually tapers down to an area called “The Narrows”, where the shore on both sides is fairly close.  As we cruised along this area toward our destination, the shoreline on both sides became more developed.

The Ft Walton Beach/Destin area is supposed to have the whitest sand beaches anywhere

A group of moms with strollers power walking

Maybe a biology class on a field trip?

We arrived at Fort Walton City Dock at around 12:30 p.m.  We turned in between DM 6 and the no wake sign and went to the west a short ways so that we could spin around to come into the end of the dock into the wind.  We had no less than 6-8 ft under our keel the whole way.  Second Noelle, a 35 ft Silverton, was already docked at one end of the T, and her captain, Ray, came out to give us a hand with our dock lines.  As it turned out, he and his wife, Linda, are good friends with Bob and Barbie and were expecting them to come in later in the afternoon.

The Fort Walton City Dock is part of a nice city park and boat access ramp.  It is located close to the downtown area, so there is a Publix, as well as a number of restaurants and shops within a few blocks.  There is free water and pump-out at the dock, so we took the opportunity to wash some of the saltwater off of the boat since everything was beginning to feel gritty.

Ft Walton Beach Landing and Park

Map of the town near the dock

When The Bar B arrived, they rafted up with Second Noel.  After they got settled, we all congregated on the flybridge of Second Noelle for docktails and conversation.  Then we all went out to supper at Fokker’s Pub, a place Bob and Barbie had been to before.  We had the thin crust brick oven pizza which was very good.  Then it was back to the boat to take Sasha for a walk and late evening Frisbee session.

Lorelei IV, Second Noelle, and The Bar B