Days 83 &84 - Thursday and Friday, 4-03 & 04-08 - The Landings at Tarpon Springs, FL to The Moorings at Carrabelle, FL

Using knowledge from a local sailor, we successfully negotiated the shallow "hump" at the entrance to the upper end of the Anclote River channel. Stopping briefly at the fuel dock along the channel for fuel-both our boat tank and the jerry cans we carry on our deck- we set out on our 150 nm, 30-or-so hour passage to Carrabelle at about 815 am. Once we entered St Joseph Sound, we followed the course Gerry entered into the chart plotter around the south end of Anclote Key and into the Gulf. After clearing the Anclote Key Channel, our course for the next 130 miles or so was 320 deg magnetic. The winds were light and variable but the seas were favorable, allowing us to motor sail with both our main and headsail at about 6 kts. As we proceeded along our track we enjoyed a lunch of left-over Greek salad, Greek chow mien, and octopus (well, at least Gerry enjoyed this!).

After lunch, each couple shared a two-hour watch allowing the other couple to catch a nap in preparation for the overnight crossing. Except for the birds, the dolphins and an occasional fishing boat, we basically had the Gulf to ourselves. The water was a sparkling turquoise, the sky a vivid blue, and the cumulus clouds puffy and white- it was a glorious day! Following a dinner of sandwiches and a dessert of the remaining baklava, the crew shared the sunset together on deck and the gulls then went below for their "longest continuing card game" in the South. The guys refueled with one of the jerry cans stored on the deck and began their one-hour-on, one-hour-off, watch routine. Unfortunately, the winds backed so we were essentially dead down wind. We furled our head sail but left the main up. To maintain our speed, we increased the engine rpm to about 2800. Just before darkness settled in, a large tow was sighted several miles to starboard. After tracking it for an hour or so, it became apparent that it would pass well ahead of us. Gerry and Roger sighted several other "contacts" during the passage but all were fairly distant from Last Dance.

During the night/morning, Jean provided the watch crew with sandwiches and tea (prepared in advance by Sara who slept through the night!), cookies and coffee at various times. Once daylight began to break, Sara emerged to help Gerry and Roger with another refueling effort which would provide enough fuel for the remainder of the passage. The winds had become lighter but the aft quartering seas leftover from the previous 18 hours made for an uncomfortable ride with the boom oscillating from starboard to port as the seas passed beneath the boat. Roger finally got tired of this and dropped the mainsail and reconfigured his juried-rigged boom break to limit the motion of the boom under such sea conditions.

The route Gerry entered into the chart plotter brought us right to the outer mark at the East Pass Channel into St George Sound right to the channel leading to Carrabelle. Once into the Sound, the seas subsided, making our run through the Sound and into the Carrabelle River to the Moorings Marina very smooth. Arriving at the Marina at about 1130 for fueling and the dreaded but necessary pump out! Once these tasks were completed, we moved to our starboard-tie mooring on the west side of the entrance to the inner marina harbor. This is the same location we were moored on our southern passage and is convenient to the laundry, bathrooms, and a nicely furnished "chart room" with TV.

After the normal duties associated with mooring- securing bow, stern and spring lines, deploying a fender system and securing shore power, the crew enjoyed a fine lunch served with a "celebratory wine" for the successful passage of 150 nm over a period of 26 hrs 26 min at an average speed of 5.7 kts. Then it was hit the berths for the guys and laundry for the gulls. Dinner was pizza from the local IGA- it's actually very good! Gerry, Roger and, later, the gulls enjoyed an episode of Frazier and a couple of episodes of Two and A Half Men and then it was off to bed for the guys and cards and other activities for the gulls. Our next destination is Apalachicola but the weather prospects don't look good. Therefore, we may layover in Carrabelle for another day. (RKS)

Ps Thanks to Gerry for suggesting the blog title.