Mobile to Fort Mcrea to Pensacola (on the dock) at Palafox Pier

It took a little longer to put up the mast than it used to. I guess I am getting older. Up and down the mast a couple of times. Cheryl kept forgetting to remind me of the parts I needed.

Things were really humming around Dog River! About fifty trawlers (real ones) and shrimp boats and mussel fishermen were all over Mobile Bay. They were moving a mussel bed. Some type of reaction to the clearing up of the water in the bay. The water in the bay is getting cleaner so they can replace the old Mussel beds that were damaged by the oil spill. Though the water is all silty and muddy I haven't seen any sign of damage from oil or even any oil. The bay must be about 35 miles North to south and maybe 25 miles east to west at its widest point.

Silt over the last gazillion years has left the bay only about 6 to 9 feet deep all over with many areas less than 6 feet deep.

It was like sailing into another world as we entered the GIWW (Gulf Intracoastal Water Way). We hadn't gone two miles before the water became clearer and porpoises surfaced in the canal! We went about another twenty miles until we reached the site of old Fort Mcrea. This place was a small channel that was too shallow at the east end for us to go out. As we arrived four Blue Angel jets circled us. I have no idea how they knew I was even on my way there. Funny how important people just attract attention!

This was just around the corner from where we have to enter the Gulf of Mexico for a fifty-two mile run to Panama City. We didn't want to attempt this in the windy rainy weather we woke up to so we turned Surona North up into Pensacola Bay to wait for better weather. Rain is forecast for tomorrow but Thursday looks good.