Previous Port: New Orleans
April 5, 2005
Anchorage: N 30013.409
(approximate)
W088055.005
Our first stop past Louisiana was off the beach at East Ship
Island. The surf slapping on the tree-lined beach and the beautiful sand was
so inviting but we regrettably passed it up for Horn Island.
April 6, 2005
Anchorage: N 30014.137
(approximate)
W088039.330
We wanted to spend
some time at Horn Island; unfortunately, a front moved in and made for a miserable, rainy
trip. The wind shifted to the east making the anchorage very uncomfortable.
Conditions didn't improve the next morning so we headed on to
Robert's Bayou in Alabama.
April 7-13, 2005
Anchorage: N 30019.006
W087033.249
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Ingrams' Bayou is a great anchorage if you enjoy the "get away from it all" feel. We stayed six nights before becoming bored enough to leave. There is absolutely nothing around for provisions, touring, walking, etc. The closest thing we found by dinghy was Pirate's Cove restaurant about 1-1/2 miles away. |
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April 14-16, 2005
Anchorage: N 29049.520
W084041.140
Leaving Ingrams' on April 13 at 9:00am, we hit the dreaded Gulf of
Mexico. This was the first overnighter on the voyage. It started out
very choppy and grew worse during the night. What a miserable body of water -
forget weather windows. The wind and current were so strong at our choice
destination (Port ST. Joe), we opted to keep going. The good news was that we
were doing 6-7 knots with a reefed main and the genoa. After a hard night and
two day at sea, we arrived Carrabelle at 7:00pm on April 14.
There is not much to see in Carrabelle but it was an OK stop.
The anchorage was too rolly to suit me, but then, most of them are.
From the beach in this
picture, it's an easy walk to several restaurants and a West Marine Express
store.
The grocery store is quite a bit further away and is best reached by dinghing into town. It is a long dinghy ride and wouldn't be a good idea in unsettled seas. There was no problem tying up at the Carrabelle Marina docks (be sure to ask first). An IGA is just across the street from there. It is not a very big store and the prices are quite a bit higher than we are used to but you can get everything you need.
There is a fairly good, inexpensive restaurant with $1.00 draft beer on the walk mentioned above. It's called The Pit Stop. The order of Junk Fries that were to be an appetizer turned out to be large enough for a meal. They were covered with cheese, chili, onions, tomatoes, olives, and more. Really quite tasty.
Bob's birthday was celebrated here in the Carrabelle Anchorage. The traditional waffles & ice cream breakfast wasn't possible so we settled for waffles, berries, and whipped cream. The new freezer will keep ice cream but it was too far from the store to get the it back before it melts. Of course, the tradition Mimosa Cocktails were great.
After three nights anchored off the Carrabelle beach, we moved
over to Dog Island (about 3 miles).
April 14-16, 2005
Anchorage: N 29047.000
W084030.100
And time rushes on.
Dog Island has given way to the massive real estate developments
that are sweeping Florida's Upper Western Coastline.
As one lady in Carrabelle
explained to us, "They've ran out of room down south and have now found some up
here". Signs of development are everywhere.
Gone are unusual shells waiting to be collected. Most of the shells now - broken into small pieces as they fell victim to the construction equipment. The sandy beaches are now pitted with dune buggy tracks.
The once secluded beaches are now surrounded by homes. Homes that stand empty, always waiting for someone or something. Was the water always so brown? I don't remember it being so.
Even with all that, there is still something, occasionally, that captures the essence of nature and makes the walk worthwhile.
Next Port: Tarpon Springs & Clearwater
