Champ III: Going Places

The adventure starts here.

Scipio Creek Marina, Apalachacola, FL to C Quarters Marina, Carrabelle, FL — November 22, 2013

Good report today on the weather musings, tomorrow should be a good day for a daylight crossing to Tarpon Springs.  Last year we waited 11 days for a weather window so this will make up for that.  We still need to read the latest musings tomorrow about 6:00 to verify that nothing has changed.  I also looked at NOAA and Windfinder and they appear to confirm the Weather Musings.

We left in a cloudy, dreary morning with some heavy looking clouds.  Once out in Apolachicola Bay things started to brighten up.  There was a lot of VHF radio chatter about crossing the golf today.  Boats needing an overnight crossing window will leave today sometime between 2:00 and 5:00.

the wind was up this morning with whitecaps on the bay so it was blowing at least 15 mph and maybe a little more.  It was nice that we turned into the wind after about 3 miles so there was no more rolling.

Some boats had already left for their crossing and there were reports that the waves were 3′ just south of Dog Island near Carrabelle. I m sure the waves probably were 5′ if you were further south in the Gulf.

We arrived in Carrabelle and needed to wait for some of the departing Loopers so we could get a slip right near the fuel dock.  Probably 5 boats left from C Quarters and there must have been another 4 or so that left from The Moorings Marina up the bay.  I hope they all have a good crossing and things are not too uncomfortable. It was quite a site to see all these boats leaving together going out the river to the Gulf.

We had a nice relaxing afternoon and renewed some of the acquaintances from last year.  The people are just as nice as I remembered and still as friendly.  We walk the 2 1/2 blocks to the IGA to do some re-provisioning. The weather turned out sunny and about mid 70’s.  The wind did die down some so I am hoping the waters on the Gulf are settling down for the boats out there now and for us tomorrow.