Crossing the Gulf of Mexico from panhandle to Tampa Bay

 We reviewed at least 8 weather and wave apps and websites and decided to cross from the eastern edge of Florida's panhandle to the Tampa Bay area.  The reason for this crossing is that there isn't any Gulf Intercoastal Waterway in the area. Waves were suppose to be .5 to 2 feet and wind under 10, with up to 14 fora short period during the night.  The reason we leave at 4pm from Carrabelle is to get out past the barrier island into the actual gulf in daylight, and then run all night and arrive near Tampa Bay/Clearwater in daylight to see the crab pots for the last 10 miles into the coast. Crab pots marker bouys have ropes that can get into your prop.
Angie
When we got out into the gulf we had 2-3 ft waves and decided to keep going. We were traveling with our friends from Madison WI, and another boat 1 hour in front of us, and another boat 3 hours ahead of us. The sun set and waves continued to build to 3-4-5 feet and winds up to 14 mph, all on our nose.  In 5 ft waves at 9 mph we had a pretty wild ride. With our flared bow some of the spray when we hit the larger wave would we higher than the flybridge. Not a drop ever came into our open window in the flybridge. I was hard to get comfortable as the helm chair was moving us around, so sometime we sat on the side seat or  I even stood about half of the first 7 hours.  The wind and waves dropped to 10 mph and 2-3 about 1am. This felt pretty good compared to the first half of the trip.
Angie slept some below on the sofa and some above later.  Angie took the helm for a couple hours (3-5am) during the moon rise and I slept. We commuicated with the other boats every hour during the night. We were behind our friend by 3/8 mile most of the night. We got to our marina in Dunedin, FL about noon. It was a sucessful crossing with to mechanical or boat issues. Only our weather station display fell off the wall in the main cabin.

Helm during the night

Pretty happy to calming seas and the sunrise. You can see our friend ahead of us.

Angie's moring nap after taking the helm for a couple hours.

Coming into the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway near Dunedin FL

Our friends after crossing. The couple on the left did a high speed (20-22 mph) daylight
crossing the day before we came across.

Caught my first fish in Florida (mangrove snapper).
I was going to deepwater fish during the crossing but it was too rough.

Angie decorating for Christmas.

Carrabelle FL, waiting for weather window to cross the Gulf

We have gotten in Florida where it is common to to back into your slip due to short finger piers (docks) and that's the only way to get off Maggie Jo. We  are also getting into 2 ft tides, so we can tie Maggie Jo thight but sue long sgring lines that won't matter with the tide.  Also my experience with my dad and me being a part-time cowboy in North Dakota I have been roping the pylons from about 10 ft away (I usually miss a time or two).

Here you can see the short finger docks and we were beside TowBoatUS incase we need a tow, ha.

We are waiting in Carrabelle for a good weather window to cross part of the Gulf of Mexico down to the Tampa Bay area (170 miles, 20 hours, mostly at night).

Niceville, Panama City, Apalachicola, Carrabelle FL

Niceville, Florida- It was a nice day to arrive- We had a nice
meal at their restraurant. 

We saw this sign on our dock but have not spotted an alligator yet.

A beautiful sunset - Florida style.

When you see the hard working shrimp boaters go by. 

Steamed oysters on the half shell with bacon bites and cheese.  Angie even
enjoyed these.

Dolphins are so graceful and beautiful to watch.  As they
followed our wake from the boat they traveled in pairs and almost
look like they were smiling as they played.

Our road signs as we travel -with a watchful eye on us.

Pensacola FL

Pensacola, Florida Naval Aviation museum, our tour leader
served in Vietnam and knew his planes.  We were so amazed
at the amount of aircraft that were displayed.  If you are in
the area do not miss this museum. 

Fort Pickens (located on the Gulf Seashore) was built in 1821 to protect Pensacola Bay and
the communities that were on the main land.  It is a National Park
we enjoyed walking around this area.

Friends recommended this place (Thanks Kathy) and we
enjoyed some good seafood gumbo and oysters.

This picture taken at Fort Pickens park and walking on the sandy beach,

Pensacola Beach/learning video uploading

https://vimeo.com/373404078

Beginning of Gulf Intercostal Waterway

We are spending a few days at The Wharf Marina in Orange Beach AL right next door to Gulf Shores AL.

From on top the Ferris wheel you can see out to the beach high rises.

Getting ready for Christmas.

On the beach.

We stopped at Lulu’s for lunch. This is Jimmy Buffets sister. 

Snack Time.

Bobby’s Fish Camp to Mobile AL Bay

Traveling down to Bobby's Fish Camp-morning fog and lots of debris
from flooded waters.

This is what we were dodging it made the trip a little
stressful.  

This is at Bobby's fish camp where we had Catfish - they
had an interesting decor.  

We had 150 foot of dock space so we were rafted up together,
at this time we were the 4th boat on the first row rafter together.
There are twelve boats here for the night.

We anchored at Mile marker 17 and enjoyed some quiet
we traveled with flooded waters and debris. The life on
a river makes it exciting, peaceful and challenging all rolled
into one.

Here is where we were anchored out with
our friends Watermarks.

This was the twists and turns in the river.
Our course took us through some breathtaking
scenery.

We are entering into Mobile Bay seeing the big ocean ships.We
stopped and docked at the convention center dock and walked
downtown.  We ate at a place called Mama's it was very
good.  After being on the river system it felt good to walk
around and feel the ground.

Angie is on book number 17 on this trip! This is the upper
deck of Maggie Jo.

We are now in bigger water as we cross Mobile Bay as we cross
to Gulf Shores, Alabama.  We have noticed how nice the
Southern hospitality is.  We will now be on a dolphin watch.  

To Demopolis AL

Angie taking a snooze on a cool moring.

I couldn't find a dime to call home.

We anchored and rafted up with our friends that we have been traveling with.
Our evening docktales were Men on the back of Maggie Jo and Women on the back of CaroLinn.
This anchorage was halfway between Midway Marina and Demopolis AL

Pass the White Cliffs of Epes on the River.

Here is Maggie Jo in Demopolis AL.
The Tenn-Tom turns into the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway here.
We are waiting out some heavy rains an the river cresting before we leave on Saturday.

Tenn-Tom to Columbus MS

Whitten Lock was the first lock on the Tenn-Tom. This was the largest drop of 85 feet on this waterway system.
About 6 weeks ago there was a crude oil spill from a tanker in the lock.
It has been cleaned up, but a few little oily pockets in the concrete so we covered our fenders with some $1 tee shirts we found at Dollar General.

Oily fender cover after the lock.

At Midway marina we had to wait an hour in the morning for the fog to clear for traveling down the river.

Angie found a new coffee holder while locking on the Tenn-Tom.
We have 12 locks to get to Mobile AL.

We passed three locations where Scotts Lawn is grinding wood chips and bark to make mulch.
Mostly with Vermeer Grinders.

The Tenn-Tom goes into the state of Mississippi for part of the trip.
This Antebellum style home is in Columbus MS.
We stayed in Columbus for a few days, partly due to rain.

Beautiful day traveling on the Tenn-Tom Waterway.