Great Escape: 2011

Friday, November 18, 2011

Nov 13th - Nov 21: Panama City to Clearwater

There is not to much to update at this time. From Panama City we moved on to Apalachicola, FL. Apalachicola provides about 10% of all the oysters eaten in this country and we certainly did our best to contribute. Donald made a two day trip back to Green Cove Springs and the Orlando area for personal business. Returning to Apalachicola, we moved on to Carrabelle, FL which is our departure point for crossing the Gulf of Mexico to Clearwater in the Tampa Bay area.
We had to wait in Carrabelle for a weather opportunity to cross the Gulf. Being on the water for about 14 hours and at night means you want to make sure the weather cooperates. It has been very windy for the last couple of days, resulting in some higher seas. It looks like the winds are suppose to calm sufficiently on Sunday or Monday night which will allow us to make the 150 NM crossing. Until then, we are relaxing.
On Sunday afternoon, after much hand wringing over the weather, 9 boats left Carrabelle to cross the Gulf. We all made it without incident. For GREAT ESCAPE, it was a 19 hour 33 minute journey covering 169 nautical miles. We are resting now and will spend the Thanksgiving Holiday with our great friends Skip and Sharron Moore.

The porpoise have been providing entertainment during
our underway periods. This guy was doing somersaults alongside.

One of many osprey we have seen along the trip

Shrimp boats alongside the pier in Apalachicola

This bush in downtown Apalachicola was
particularly attractive to butterflies

This majestic fellow was posing on a channel marker
heading into Carrabelle

To pass some time in Carrabelle, there has been some
fishing off the bow.The Boyz are there to help

Mufasa checking out the fish in the bucket

"Hey Bro, look what's in there"

Sunset on the Gulf of Mexico

Approaching Clearwater FL

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Nov 7th - Nov 12th: Mobile, AL to Panama City, FL

On Monday the 7th, we left Mobile, AL and headed east toward Florida. Mobile Bay is a large, shallow body of water and about halfway down the Bay we noted a large yacht doing circles in a very shallow area. When we passed, the yacht fell in behind us and asked if we were going to Pensacola. We explained we were but did not intend to arrive there until the next day. He asked if he could follow us because he had no electronics, no charts and his compass was not acting properly. This was a delivery captain taking this 63 foot Broward to the Pensacola area for sale. Talk about God looking out for the welfare of small children and fools. He followed us for about 20 miles through the shallow water and when we reached the ICW decided we were not traveling fast enough so it was see ya. Hopefully he found someone else to follow the rest of the way.

We spent Monday evening at anchor in Robert's Bayou, a very nice cove in Josephine, AL with a dock to take the Boyz ashore and a local tavern we could dinghy to for an afternoon beverage.

The next day we headed toward Pensacola to stay at the Naval Air Station Marina. When we were close to the marina, we observed the Blue Angles practicing for the Veteran's Day Air show. A great treat. Wednesday we did a little walking tour of downtown Pensacola. That afternoon, we got to see the Blue Angles practicing again although it was overcast with a front moving in. The next day north winds were blowing at around 35 knots and we decided it was a good day to stay put.

From Pensacola we made our way to Fort Walton Beach, which has a nice city dock where boaters can spend the night. The weather had cleared and there was a beautiful sunset.

From Fort Walton Beach, it was on to Panama City. During this section there were many, many dolphin swimming along the side of GREAT ESCAPE. Mufasa is fascinated - he can't figure out why we don't stop and try to hook these big fish !!

Next we will continue eastward toward Apalachicola and Carrebelle.