TRAVELS of "CONDUCTANCE"

This morning was the first morning where we could actually see that we are in Florida as most people know it. Folks were out running, walking, biking or getting ready to go on their fishing charter. The Clearwater Beach marina is a great marina near the beach. High rise condos are everywhere and just about any tourist would be happy here.

We decided to head to the beach before heading out. I put the coffee on so that we would have it ready when we got back. The beach was about 5 minutes from our slip. People were out and about by 7 AM. The Gulf was smooth with SE winds.

As we headed back to the boat we talked about the day. We decided to head out to The Gulf to make up time. Deciding to not do the ICW was a wise choice for us mainly due to our time constraints. We took a quick cruise through the ICW for about 10 minutes just to see the sites then headed to The Gulf. From there we thought maybe to make a short day and stay at Sarasota. The water was smooth with less than 1 foot waves. We were able to travel at 28 mph and made Sarasota in a couple hours. We thought we should push on and “make up a day” and stay in Venice. It was an easy channel to get into with Crow’s Nest being right at the mouth of the channel. It is also an easy diesel top up and slip with a large dock. We had 3 other larger boats than us on it by nightfall.

Crow’s Nest Marina is a nice marina for the simple items needed. The grocery store is about 2 miles away but you can take the courtesy bicycle there. Which we did. It took a little over an hour there and back and picked up groceries to put in the baskets on the bike. FYI the wifi is terrible. It is shared with a busy restaurant and even in the “boater’s lounge” directly below the restaurant it is flaky. There is not much available here if you need provisions but the sunset is a must see.

We planned our route to Ft Myers tomorrow, did laundry, checked engines, cleaned up the boat, biked to get those groceries, went for a long walk on Venice Beach and watched the pelicans and the osprey nest directly next to our boat. Mom and 2 babies learning to soar. Amazing. Tonight we turned on the underwater lights which attracted large 2+ foot fish. We have no idea what they are but they are big.

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Up early yet again we set off for an anchor night on the way to Apalachicola. There is a dock with a small park that is about 40 miles away. Aiden is leaving to go home in a couple days so we thought a night on the hook and some plane flying time in calm water would be a nice treat now that temps are cooperating. Crossing the bay and into tight channels to head into a cut in the swamp in calm winds was welcome. Dolphins are feeding and we see several pods just feet away from our boat. As we start into the small channel we see more dolphins in the shallow waters. The swamp is quite nice. The unusual thing we noticed was that the palm trees are green and the deciduous trees are barren. A strange contrast here.

We end up catching up to a tow and its 4 barges with another tow and 2 barges in front of it on this tight channel. Scott asks when or if its okay to pass. The squeeze was closer than we usually get to a barge but we do pass both. At the same time Scott realizes the dock that we wanted to stay at was about 1 mile up from the passing of the two tows. Instead of staying here we decide to make a go to Apalachicola. On this narrow channel there are several boats that have been left to rot on the shores. They do make interesting photo ops. Next we cross Lake Wimico with its notoriously shallow depths. We pass with 10 feet of water at Red marker 10 through 12. After that the water depth opens up to about 12-15 feet. It does seem that the water is high after all that rain that came through on Monday.

So now we are staying at the Apalachicola Marina Inc. It has lots of depths, with ample space on their docks. Diesel and gas, restaurants, showers, restrooms, and an easy walk to town. I spent most of the day arranging on getting Aiden’s flight from Tallahassee. The problem here is no way to get there. There are no rental cars, no shuttles open since its the holidays and no major transportation services. Scott meets a fellow working on the bridge nearby as he pulls up for diesel. They get to talking and the fellow offers us his truck to take to the airport. Now that’s southern hospitality. We also meet a couple from Nautical Dreams U Tube channel. They have put everything into traveling to the Bahamas to wander from island to island. They do have a drone and took some really neat perspectives of this area with our boat and offered us a copy.

While I was searching for transportation and flights Aiden was flying his plane. He was lucky the winds were calm so as soon as the battery needed charging he put it on charge until he could run it again. Scott and Aiden went into town between charging sessions. It’s a quaint little town with antique shops, a museum and lots of shrimp boats. You can get provisions here if you look for it. We’ll be here tomorrow as well. Aiden will work to finish a school project. It is supposed to drop to 40 degrees tonight but for now we are enjoying the windows open and no wind, in Tshirts. Gotta love this!

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Heading out just after sunrise this morning from Grand Mariner Marina the winds are calm but the Bay is rocky. The rustic ambiance of the Grand Mariner is left behind as we make our way approx. 27 miles south in Mobile Bay to the GIWW channel which is another 15 miles heading east to the ICW. The shipping channel is narrow due to the bay being shallow and shoaled over in so many areas. You must stay in the channel. We have our winged buddies following us out for a few miles to where they hop on a larger barge or a shipping vessel with more service area to land. It’s a rocky go only because the winds are coming from the southwest and causing the side waves which tosses the boat around. The extremely narrow channel leading into the GIWW is about half the size of the shipping channel.

Calm waters begin as we approach the entrance. We are slow moving now as we pass homes, docks, and boats. It become obvious that we don’t need to slow as the no wake zones are marked but as a boater you must be aware of your wake. So we slow down a lot and go when we can. We pass the odd barge and its tow. There is a lot of open area on this leg of the ICW so going 28 MPH is often. Most boats are out of the water on rails and the open area is quite rocky. We pass crab pots outside the channel and the odd fishermen. As the time passes the marinas are significantly larger with the larger yachts. Then the sign….Welcome to Florida. We leave Alabama behind.

The crystal white sand of the panhandle greats us a short time later. Then the swaying palm trees. The temps go up to around 75 degrees but the wind keeps it cool. Scott is baking in the sun and puts on shorts and sunscreen. Welcome to Florida indeed.

We decide we’d like to stay at a marina for the night near the beach. The boys think they want to boogie board int he 60 degree water. No surf. Flat water. We stay a Sabine Marina in Pensacola, Florida along the ICW which has showers, restrooms, restaurant and provisions can be supplemented anywhere. It’s off season but most stores are open We took a walk on the board walk, on the beach through the small stores and picked up some quick supplies. This marina is tight to get into but well marked. We came in at low tide but the tide is small here. We had 4 feet clear at the entrance but they are dredging as we speak. It has a yacht club as well as Sabine Marina. There is a large enough pool that you can turn around in and not be shoaled. The sunset was amazing with a beautiful view of the west.

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We woke up this morning and tried to get cell service and internet. Both were not available. The marine radio called for thunderstorms, severe at times, so we decided to push forth to Mobile. Our first stop was Coffeeville lock where we traversed through quickly. No rain and little fog. The problem was that the amount of rain from yesterday over 3 inches has created the smaller creeks to swell and the river to swell. That causes a huge amount of debris in the water. Trees, logs, and water hyacinths everywhere. The fog was still there but not as bad as yesterday. We were able to move but it was slow with the debris. That went on for over 50 miles of debris and slow moving. I told Scott that I felt like the frogger game of yesteryear.
Finally we get cell services. It was overcast all day with spatters of rain. When I look at the radar I realize we have traveled out on a day we probably should not have. The yellows and greens of radar have a luminous glow of red and purple. I let Scott know we are in for some weather and Lady V is aware now too. Glad we are traveling together. We devise a probable anchor spot and hope that we make it to that spot. You can’t just drop anchor here in the inner rivers due to the tows and barges. Next thing that starts up is the weather station on the marine radio that tells us that we are in a tornado warning, not a watch, but a warning. For the next hour we are told to take cover in a lower level of our dwelling away from windows. Mmmmm, what do you do in a boat?

I’m watching the radar, skyping my family to let them know where we are and letting them know our plans. We are continuing to hear on the marine radio to watch for debris flying through the sky, including trees and other debris. We decide that if the weather turns that bad we are dropping anchor where we are and waiting it out down below. We did put on our life jackets some time ago. We see beautiful lightning and loud thunder which indicates the storm is close. As I watch the radar I see some breaks and let Scott know to get going when we can. The good thing at this point is that we are ahead of the debris so we can go 28 mph. As I watch the port side for debris and Scott watches the right and keeps his eye on everything else needed to get through this rain the storm rages on. It’s a battle between losing the cell service to keep up on weather and finding out where exactly we are for the tornado warnings and watching for logs and trees.

Sorry folks not many photos today. This was a tough long day. We went through fog, debris, tornado warnings with take cover now blaring out the radio, incessant rain at times a hard rain, and watching the radar with luminous reds and purples everywhere. We made it into Mobile, Alabama, through the shipping yard (which would have been so great to see), down through Mobile Bay where we have to go south passed our marina to find the channel into the marina and then back north to get into Dog River to Grand Mariner Marina. Dog River Marina is just across the river for those that need that info. That wouldn’t have been bad if we weren’t rocking about with lightening, thunder and darkness to the southwest. A hug storm was coming and we had to be docked before this one hit. It would be a bad one. I added a screen shot from the Ipad. There is a lot more yellow than earlier today. the red and purples were everywhere.

So here we are at Grand Mariner with Lady V. We haven’t talked much with them due to the insane rain, wind, thunder and lightning. I think we are all decompressing over this day.

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Howdy Y’all. We’ve made it to Alabama. Today was a day of locks, 5 locks. All went well and a special thanks to Dillan at Glover Lock for pushing us through just before an oncoming barge. They didn’t have to wait but he could have made us wait. It would have set us back so a very welcome thank you to Glover Lock.

Not much to report on this day where 5 locks down the Tenn-Tom was in order so that we could make our NYE stop at Demopolis, AL. The day was bright and sunny with little wind. Warm temps have been a nice reprieve for us during the nights and days. We still sport the best Lock attire with parkas and other winter staples. The sun makes it so much more inviting.

The Tenn Tom offers an interesting view when traveling south. It has the canal section which was built by the backs of men, the divide section which is the connection between the river and the canal and, of course, the river section. It is its own entity with beauty and tranquility. Very shallow for most of the way. You can see the stumps left after the locks were in place which creates a welcome but beware if anchoring sight. Fishermen were sparse but hard to see those that were there dressed in their camo. It must be hunting season as well as we see several boats pulled to shore with no one onboard.

Entering into Pirates Marina Cove is a bit hairy. It’s narrow and shallow but the marina is a rustic beauty after being in those locks and traveling 87 miles and 6.5 hours. The marina is rather rustic with the operator living in the 2nd trailer. Old T bird cars, trucks, and relics spatter across the open area. The main store and restrooms are a trailer but its great. We have a place to stop. The marina will be undergoing major renovations with new 8 ad 10 ft docks, new power and upgrades. The docks are being made now so Loopers will have a new home to stop to on their way to Demopolis, AL.

We had a walk to the Bevill Lock Museum where the Montgomery Snag boat has been retired. The boat was the last steam snag boat used on the rivers here in the south. Since the Tenn-Tom has only been opened since the 80’s she was the last steamer to clear all those possible “snags” that hindered navigation for both pleasure and commercial barges. She sits at the museum with a replica 1860 home with antiques of that era.

Scott bypassed the relay for the heater so now the heat works better than it has since forever. Tomorrow we tackle 2 locks to make it to Demopolis for New Year’s Eve. I wonder what they do in small town southern USA for such a special night?

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