Too hot, Too humid, Too shallow, Everybodys goin north!

We spent a couple of days at Boca Grande. Some call it "Bring another Grand". At $2.75 per foot per night it is no land for old Canadians. We called up a local boat yard and told them we wer'nt quite broke yet. This might be a good time for us to pack it in till the weather cools down. The generator and the A/C make things comfortable in the V-berth but with both of us sitting there looking at each other there is no one to drive the boat. We just pulled Surona up on the hard land and we are headed north (after we visit with friends if we can find them). Greg and Leslie, if you are reading this we are looking for you and afterward we would enjoy seeing Steve and Linda. If you guys are reading this, email us re location.

Holy Crap that's a lot of cash for overnight docking!

When you have A/C you need a generator. We gave Honda $999 plus tax, got some gas, did a test run and got under way around 10 am. Waived good by to the Beemer again and pointed Surona south plying our way down the intracoastal waterway, exploring that slender corrodor of water gently sculpted out of the seaway floor. The weather was a little on the warm side but a nice breeze met us as we passed the mansions with their manicured lawns and their Royal Palms gently swaying. The motor gave us one little pause and then picked up the beat and droned on like there had never been a problem. Dolphins swam in the surrounding waters but few stayed alongside for any length of time. The water in the Gulf Intracoastal Water Way (GIWW) is shallow if you venture out of the dredged channel. We tested this while waiting for one of the 6,778 basquille bridges to open for us. I purposely drove out of the channel to see how deep the water was. Same result as previous tests. The nose went down and the back went up. We were stuck. We wiggled back to the dredged portion and went under the opened bridge. Sometimes I wonder if Cheryl will ever grow up.

We chugged on down the waterway enjoying most of what we saw. I think sometimes in these areas there are boat owners who race around as fast as possible silently sceaming "DEATH TO THE MANATEE". Signs everywhere ask boaters to slow down but still some can't do it. At the same time many boaters are courteous and slow down for us leaving little wake.

The winds were out of the west when we decided to anchor out for the night. We faced her into the wind in Boca Ciega Bay and cinched up bow and stern anchors so she wouldn't swing back and forth in the wind. We were protected from everything but a southeast wind. The winds swung quickly to the southeast. The anchors held like troopers but the waves were hitting us on the side, bouncing us up and down making a lot of noise. I tried to undo the rear anchor line and pay out a little. The stress on the line was so great that I almost lost my anchor while Cheryl tied another line on to the end. After two extra length of lines were tied on we finally let the stern around enough to give us some peace. We watched from a couple of miles to the west as a thunderstorm passed over Largo and Tampa Bay. I fired up the Honda, flicked on the AC and went to sleep.

The next morning we gathered up the anchors and headed south in search of adventure on the high seas. The day was pretty uneventful. Around 4 we thought we needed a shower to get rid of the salt and the heavy humididty of the day so on the advice of Greg and Leslie we pulled up to the dock at The Crowsnest Marina in Venice. The water was clear. we could see sheepshead fish swimming around the boat. The showers were nice and the next morning we borrowed a couple of rickety "loaner" bikes and picked up some breakfast on the beach where a bunch of seniors were doing Yoga. We came back, paid up ($1.75 per foot after Boat US Discount) and headed south. The weather man said a light chop on the inland waters today. I spent quite a bit of time wiping this chop out of my beard and Cheryl was always having to clean her glasses as waves splashed over us in the wind. We hit the worst as we entered Gaspirilla Harbour as the wind peaked out at 28kph and the waves rose to around 4 feet. Uncomfortable for 5 in the afternoon so we went in to Boca Grande Marina and tied up, happy to be out of the rough seas for a while. This place charges $2.75 per foot with no discounts. Welcome to the land of the wealthy in Southwest Florida. No place for a coule of penny pinchers from Wyevale.

Easter Sunday, Tarpon Springs

Bad weather seems to be following us. As we left Wyevale and headed south to Buffalo we travelled in snow storms, that continued around Lake Erie. Our valiant steed, our rental car - a Toyota Yaris, kept us warm and comfortable as we put on the miles. We spent the first night in Grove City. Headed out in the rain in the morning and throughout the day as we travelled to Elizabethtown Tenn. The thunder, lightening and rain continued throughout the night.

Next morning, it was cold and miserable when we got into the car. Thought we should go south to where the weather suited our clothes. We made our way thru Mississippi where I had a conversation over the back of a pick up truck with a fellow mason. Said I hadn't seen anybody sitting picking a banjo. Just good people getting by. We continued to Columbus Mississipppi to pick up the BMW. Stopped in to see some folks we had met when we were there earlier with the boat.

During our visit the sky clouded up and we got some hail for about half an hour. Then we watched a 250 foot cruise boat docking at the Columbus Marina.

We went back to our motel that was strategically located between The Waffle House and Chilis (very good ribs). Everyone was sitting outside. Seems they were expecting some bad weather and didn't want to miss seeing it. Everyone was tuned to Channel 4 , the weather station. The tornado watch was now a tornado warning. There was circular rotation at the high altitude levels but there was no touchdowns. We watched as the storm front approached. Winds and rain like I have never seen before. I hadn't seen such intensity from mother nature. The lightening was never ending, you couldn't tell where one ended and the next began. There was no delay between when the lightening struck and the thunder clapped. Add to this the wailing of the tornado warning sirens.

The following morning only one lawn chair and lounge chair were in the pool. No other proof of our exciting evening.

There was a report of a donkey being lifted by the winds, his reins yanked out of his owners hands, and the donkey dropped 300 yards away. And the donkey was calmly grazing at the time of the report. It was on the news..... so it must be true.

Time to get out of tornado alley and make our way to the Florida panhandle where they only have hurricanes.

Back to the boat. Air conditioning installed, fuel line cleaned out, grocery shopping completed, laundry done, refueling and water fill up, Ready to go again

Perry, returning to boat.

We went home to surprise Michael for his 40th Birthday party. Left Monday to return to the boat. We travelled to Columbus Mississippi to pick up our car. Just in time for the severe thunderstorm warning to change to a tornado watch and then to a tornado warning for Columbus. High winds, lots of rain and hail up to the size of ping pong balls. Lightning was endless. The warning sirens were wailing. And us with a room on the second floor of a Days Inn.

We would watch the weather channel and then go outside to watch the storm.

By 9.30 pm the worst was over and we fell asleep. After driving all day, we were so tired that we had to sleep. I do love the weather channel down here. They sure are accurate. They break into the regular shows to tell you what is going on.

Today we got an early start in the hopes of making it all the way to Tarpon Springs. We ended up calling it a day and stopped for the night at Perry, Fla about 3hours away.

Tomorrows another day.

Team Surona "Stop draggin my keel around"

Yes we are a little tired. After an oil change, a rudder compass swing and a new AIS unit we got under way. The guy at the dock said "No y'all don't have to travel all the way up to Carabelle to start your crossing. Y'all can go out into the Gulf right here". He told us to stay to the west of the marks you see and favour the greens on your way out and you'll be fine. All went well up until just before we entered the channel that leads out. When these people dredge the silt from the channels they leave what they call spoil, or the dredgings piled underwater along the sides. Following his directions we stayed west and upon entering the channel we located an underwater pile of sand. Luckily, we had experience in cultivating the ocean floor. This time no heed was taken as to possible deviations in the bottom. Cheryl is always saying "Go for it" so we were wide open and we hit the sand at a breathtaking 6.5 Knotts and momentum thrust the nose down, the back up and we slid over it like seasoned dozer operators.

We edged her out the channel and pointed her nose to Tarpon Springs, 150 nmiles away ATCF (as the crow flies).

We left the dock at Noon, and traveled the 10 miles to exit the channel at the barrier islands. After swinging the compass, pointed her east at about 2:00pm. Wind speed 10 knots with gusts to 15, south and east, off our front starboard quarter. With the engine we were able to average 6.8 knots (powersailing). ETA was to be 10 am.

For some reason swinging the compass failed to bring any positive results. It wouldn't work properly so we had to man handle her for the next 160 miles. We sailed 40 miles offshore with no landmarks on the horizon to steer by. It wasn't until the stars came out that navigation was made easier. We discovered that the flashing lights that went to the airport were unreliable. The real stars still moved as the night progressed.

We dined on a gourmet meal of canned beans under the stars.

During the afternoon we watched flying fish, porpoises, pelicans, and we were pleased that the buzzards that had followed us from Chicago were no where to be seen. We took turns sleeping and steering. Hour on and hour off with Peter doing most of the work. The waves were 1 to 2 feet which were pleasurable. In light of what we went through a couple of days ago this was a piece if cake. We had a half moon and a sky full of stars.

At one point it looked like torpedos were surrounding our boat. The porpoises had returned. Phosphorescent knives, sliced through the surface and under the boat. We were concerned about hurting them, but that was unnecessary.

Through the night we shared the helm, preparing for the upcoming daylight hours.

The entrance to Tarpon Springs poses a few challenges to the unfamiliar sailor. At the same time as we tried to understand our charts, the motor decided to lose RPM's. Top this off with a mine field of crab pots for as far as the eye can see. Stress? What stress? Stress has become a way of life.

I think the motor sucked up something bad out of the tank, but I will look at that tomorrow.

As we entered the channel into Tarpon Springs, the motor went into what seemed like a death spiral. I put the sail up in the hopes of coaxing her into the marina - 5 miles up the river. And somewhere, I am sure someone said "release the hounds" and 200 mad power boaters approached and overtook us.

To a boat sensitive to sucking up tank algae, tremendous wakes compound the agitation that we really weren't looking for. The motor died, the sail carried us, and one power boater slowed down. We coaxed the motor into running again and were able to arrive Tarpon Springs City Marine, where the pelicans are obviously on drugs. Few things look more stupid than a pelican on a post.

It's 4:15 p.m. Night. Night.

OK we'll go to Baypoint but just for one day!

After our busy day on the Gulf of Mexico we were in the mood for a little R&R from sailing. We were anchored at The Panama City Beach Marina where they raise the boats out of the water and keep them under little Quanset hut like roofs. (see pics). Another unusual thing they do here is around 4am they have someone hired to drive in reverse around the marina with their vehicle going "BEEP, BEEP,BEEP,BEEP...... They stop the odd time to lift something (maybe a Sherman tank) and slam it back to earth. I may have heard this the odd time at home and not known who did it. Now I know. After hearing this one night, I didn't feel like waiting for a second to see if this was some sort of tradition. We called over to our friends at Baypoint and asked if they had room at this Marina. Greg (who secretly wants to be a marina manager so his wife says) said c'mon right in. Leslie says call when you get close' they will instruct you.

We untied and started off to find this out of the way marina. As we started into this channel leading to the marina we had no idea that 20 other boats felt that this was a good time to come screaming towards us and past us from all sides, from behind and from ahead. No rules governed their behavior. My ADD picked this time to kick in and in the flurry of chaotic activity. I located a part of the channel where the length of my keel exceeded the depth of the water. Surona plowed to a halt in the middle of unleashed pandamonium. Having cultivated my share of sea bottoms in my time I was familiar with this activity. I calmly cut the wheel to the left and then to the right. We moved slightly ahead but it took a few minutes to aim the boat in the right direction. We needed deeper water but it is so deceiving, Its all flat on top! We met another friend who told us that in his experience sailing was what you did between groundings.

We eventually made it into Baypoint Marina. Once again here were the walls of white fiberglass. Yesterday some one was delivering a boat to a boat show in Orange Beach Alabama. They had just come across the Gulf from Clearwater in 20 hours in a boat they said will sell for just over two million dollars. Very pretty. I pictured myself running aground in that baby.

What a bunch of people. Everyone has time and everyone has stories. I expect to see George Woods standing here talking. If he ever came here he would never get away. It doesn't matter how big, how new or how little your boat is. Like I said I am into my third day here. I intended to stay one day. I just met a guy who intended to stay one day and a month later he is still here!

We are off to check out "Hunts" oyster bar. Someone lent us their car. They say they know Cliff from Meaford. Apparently at one time these people were going through the channel in Killarney when unbeknownst to them all their anchor chain came loose and paid out. He noticed the boat slowing down so he poured it on! He dragged the anchor and a couple hundred feet of chain until he came to a stop I think, somewhere around The Sportsman Inn. He tore up a waterline feeding George Island. So into every day a little rain must fall. These things happen.

Can't think of anything else to write about.

His boat name is Roy El. Maybe some one reading this has met them. If you did you wouldn't soon forget them.

Why does anyone need radar if they never intend to travel at night?

We spent a couple of days enjoying the town of Pennsacola. It was founded in 1559 by Spaniards originally. We walked a mile or so to a great Seafood Restaurant called the Crab Trap for Grouper Gumbo and the next night found us in Chili's For Ribs. We checked out the next afternoon and returned to Fort Mcrea to prepare for our 52 mile crossing to Panama City. Now it gets interesting.

We spent a quiet night after the jet activity quietened down. We got up at 7ish and we set out for Panama City Beach around 8 for a three hour tour.... a three hour tour or in our case, what we thought was a fifty two mile shot straight across the Gulf of Mexico. Around noon we hadn't progressed very far according to my charts. Greg, from Amalia said somebody told him it was around a hundred miles. I checked around noon and my chartplotter says 56 miles to go to the entrance to Panama City Harbor! It is still five miles more after you reach the entrance.

The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless crew...you know where this is going. The waves built to around six feet with the odd real wild one. They were striking us on the right rear corner and tossing the boat sideways so we were surfing down the waves and wallowing in the troughs. Winds were around 17 knots with gusts to 22. The boat as usual did a great job! We were bobbing around, sometimes surfing like a Hawian sometimes wallowing like a bar of Ivory. Not too bad but it makes for a long day.

Now somebody said you won't have any trouble if you just stay a mile off shore. That wasn't the straight line however so I ended up around 15 miles out at the furthest point. Cheryl remembered this one mile thing vividly as we bounced around.

We watched the sun set. As twilight became darkness we searched the inklike horizon. Still 8 miles to go to the entrance! The rule is NEVER enter an unfamiliar harbor after dark. I still don't know how Cheryl let this happen. We found lots of flashing lights. The question was which ones should we follow? Once we were able to make sense of which markers were which we got Surona pointed in the right direction. Now the waves were hitting us on our Port side! I found the whole day a little stressfull! The Radar guided us in and right up through the maze of Flashing lights to the Panama City Beach Marina. This morning I asked the Chartplotter "How far back to where we anchored last night"? Now it says 86.7 nautical miles. I guess we should have got up earlier!

My first mate stood up valiantly through the whole day. Secretly, I think she might have been holding back a few comments.

We may take a day or two at Baypoint Marina. Bad weather to come in on Tuesday. The next leg will take us outside again from Panama City to Port St. Joe.

From The spaceous salon of the sailing vessel Surona this is Peter and Cheryl signing off for today.