Crossing the Gulf, A Rite of Passage!

We've had an exciting week, crossing the Gulf of Mexico from Florida's panhandle (Apalachicola) to its west coast (Tarpon Springs) overnight on Monday!  The trip took nearly 24 hours of constant running.  We couldn't have had nicer conditions - calm seas and a full moon - but it was still an interesting challenge for Dave and me.

We'll spend a week in Tarpon Springs then will head to Clearwater Beach for a month, two weeks of which we'll be in Richmond for the Christmas holidays.

En route to Apalachicola on Nov. 24

More of the ICW

Bald eagle



MAIA in Apalachicola FL

5 PM on Nov. 26, entering the Gulf of Mexico

The sun sets over the Gulf of Mexico

The sun rises the next day after running all night



The sun rose just in time to allow us to spot crab pot floats,
40 miles out of Tarpon Springs

Entering the Anclote River at Tarpon Springs FL about Noon
on Nov. 27.  From Apalachicola we ran 194 statute miles
across the Gulf of Mexico, 22 1/2 hours!!  Even with a full
moon and calm seas it was quite a challenge!

 

Giving Thanks

Here are the pictures since my last post and up to a week ago...  I'm a little behind!  We had a great trip south from Demopolis AL into Mobile Bay, spent a few days in Fairhope AL (across the Bay from Mobile), then entered the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the lovely Florida panhandle.

South of Demopolis on Nov. 13, an alligator sunning on the bank

Bashi Creek; narrow but we anchored here in Clark Co. AL

From our anchorage in Three Rivers Lake on Nov. 14
McIntire AL

The next morning we waited for the fog to lift before
continuing south

From our anchorage in Big Briar Creek, about a mile from
the Mobile River, about 12 miles from Mobile AL

On Nov. 21 along Santa Rosa Bay in the Gulf Intracoastal
Waterway (GIWW) in FL.  Beautiful white sand
that at first glance appears to be snow!

Starting in Mobile Bay and continuing into the GIWW, we've
been joined by dolphins every day.

Along the GIWW

Sunset from our anchorage by Lower Prichard Long Point
Navarre FL

Happy Thanksgiving!  In Choctawhatchee Bay, we were
buzzed by what looked like a flying pontoon boat.

Thanksgiving sunset at our anchorage in Hogtown Bayou
(near Point Washington FL).  We had a pretty typical
Thanksgiving dinner onboard MAIA.

En route to Panama City FL, we cruised thru a canal-like section
of the waterway called Florida's Grand Canyon

Nov. 23, sunset at Panama City Marina looking toward
the Gulf of Mexico

If It's Monday It Must Be Alabama

Today we are in Demopolis AL, about 200 miles from Mobile Bay.  We started the week in Alabama, got fuel in Tennessee, anchored three nights in Mississippi and spent one night at a Mississippi marina, meandered back and forth between AL and MS and are now back in Alabama until we reach the Gulf of Mexico. 

Soon we'll be back in salt water which I think will feel like home but I'm not sure why...  We've started making plans to come home to Richmond for Christmas.  We'll leave MAIA for a couple of weeks somewhere in Florida's panhandle or west coast.

It's been a scenic week; I'm running out of adjectives to describe the wonderful sights!



The entrance to Goose Pond Marina, Scottsboro AL

Looking east at sunset at our anchorage at
Cotton Springs in Golden MS

Sunset to the west

The next morning we tried to leave the anchorage but
had to re-anchor and wait for the dense fog to lift

Along the Tenn-Tom waterway

Reflections and fog

An oxbow in the Tenn-Tom

Columbus Marina, MS

More water hyacinths in MAIA's wake

A cabin along the river decorated with antlers and other bones

The white cliffs at Epes

Dave says we've finally hit the south now that we've seen
spanish moss

Just before Demopilis AL, an entrance to a creek that looked
as if it were landscaped by man

 

 

Sweet Home Alabama II

This morning we're back in Florence AL after a 400 mile round trip to Chattanooga TN.  Tomorrow we'll officially be heading south again and will be about 450 miles from Mobile AL and the Gulf of Mexico.  We enjoyed meeting and re-meeting other "Loopers" at the rendezvous, and Chattanooga is such a lovely place we hope to return one day.  Fortunately, unlike so many others, we were spared from Hurricane Sandy, experiencing only some brisk winds while in Chattanooga.

The photos...

Some of the nearly 200 contestants in the fishing tournament,
Florence Harbor Marina

At the "Loopers" rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park,
Rogersville AL

This and the next few photos were taken en route from
Rogersville to Guntersville AL (Tennessee River)
 

Painted Bluff

At our anchorage in Honeycomb Creek, Guntersville AL

Moon over the bluff, Honeycomb Creek

Sunset at the Honeycomb Creek anchorage

On the way to Scottsboro AL

The narrow entrance to Jones Creek in Scottsboro

Sunset at our Jones Creek anchorage

Sunset Part II

And then the moon

Some views of the bluffs along the Tennessee River
nearing Chattanooga
 



MAIA and other Looper boats at the dock in downtown
Chattanooga