04/17: Headed out into moderate (15 mph) headwinds &
seas. Long run, 5 hours at 2000
rpm & 8.5 mph. Kicked it up a
bit for last two hours to arrive before Marina closed. Bumpy but uneventful crossing of the
Gulf of Mexico on a somewhat dreary day.
Arrived in Steinhatchee FL.
Chose the Sea Hag Marina (yes, really its name) a place that caters to
fisherman (on the inland rivers they would call it a Fish Camp). Nice folks and a good place to leave
the boat while we go on to Suwannee to spend long weekend with Bonnie’s Mom
& her friend Ruby. Michele
& Chip & 5 kids will be joining us as well. We resume Looping on Monday AM on our way to Ft Meyers (with
several stops along the way) where we will once again leave the boat and head
to Virginia for the Spring Rendezvous and daughter/grand daughter visit. All fall and
winter we heard of and read about crossing the Gulf. Tom, on the Loop’s daily
Forum, would give very helpful crossing guidance re: weather. Friends were
“stuck” in Panhandle towns for days waiting for a break in the weather…..even
when all looked good, the weather can become nasty. Well, waiting until April
has its bennies as we did rock n roll a bit at first but it was downright
smooth for at least the last half. And we finally encountered our first field
of crab pots-forget auto pilots and the “crew” enjoying recreational reading! Lines
from pots tangled around the prop is not a fun underwater adventure. The west
coast of Florida is quite shallow so one enters coastal rivers via long dredged
heavy marked channels. Steinhatchee is a small “old Florida” town on the, what
else, Steinhatchee river. LOTS and LOTS of fishermen returning from a
day in the Gulf-where are the women? Just like upstate New York! Ago figure. Dinner: Burritos friend there would Ice Fish with her husband but once Lake Ontario thawed, only the men went out fishing on their boats-was NOT her choice-go figure! dinner: Burritos
This crossing is boring!!!
Drying out my camera after it spent a night receiving 4 inches of rain while in a basket on the bow---no, DID NOT work once dry.
One of many marks entering the Steinhatchee River
Sea Hag Marina
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