Sunday, November 22, 2015

Jolly Bay, Fl to Panama City, Fl Lighthouse Marina

November 22nd, 2015
Sunday
Miles Traveled 50.5
Total Miles Traveled 1413
Day 74

Our Jolly Bay anchorage didn’t turn out so Jolly as the wind increased overnight greater than expected.  Although our anchor held tight, the wave action against the hull and the howling wind kept us awake most of the night.  It was quite a change from sitting on the back of the boat a few hours earlier eating our dinner looking over calm waters.

We had to cross about 2 miles of the Choctawhatchee Bay to reach the GIWW channel and the farther south we went, the steeper the waves.  We finally reached the “Grand Canyon” of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.  This section was “cut” by means of a project of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to connect Choctawhatchee Bay to West Bay, extending about 26 miles.  At 15 miles west of the starting point, the ground elevation rises from 10 feet below sea level to a height of 40 feet above sea level before gradually descending to the 10-foot depth in Choctawhatchee Bay.  For a distance of 4 miles, the sandy banks of the canal loom 50 feet above the bottom of the 10-foot channel.  This channel was a welcome sight protecting us from the wind.






We had planned to anchor in West Bay tonight but 10-15 mph winds are forecast for the next few days.  Some people are happy to see the wind; this guy was flying when we crossed St Andrew Bay. 





 




 

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