Demopolis, AL to Fort Myers, FL

Total Miles Traveled 1269

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I intended to update the blog at least every two weeks but since this is our sixth year of traveling the same waterways, I think updating the blog around the first of each month will be best. 

We spent eight days at Demopolis, AL completing several maintenance tasks, visiting with friends, and waiting for the official end of hurricane season. Our boat insurance coverage will only allow us to be south of 31 degrees North latitude after November 1^st. On October 30^th we departed Kingfisher Bay Marina and with the help of the river current we traveled 93 miles to an anchorage at Okatuppa Creek, only a few miles from our last lock in the river system.  This is a very secluded section of the waterway with very few anchorages, no marinas, or public docks.

On October 31^st we continued through the Coffeeville Lock and traveled 88 miles to the Tensas River cutoff anchorage, this is as far as we can go until November 2^nd.  It’s a good feeling having all of the locks behind us, especially since our summer Pittsburgh adventure. 

We were the last boat in the Lock, a lot of water spraying and leaking around the chamber doors holding back the river.

We continued south on November 2^nd and traveled 30 miles to an anchorage at Big Briar Creek, then on November 3^rd traveled 65 miles crossing Mobile Bay to one of our favorite anchorages at Pirates Cove.  We were very fortunate to have ideal weather conditions for crossing the bay and arriving in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

Not all of the cargo ships are stranded off the coast of California........

After a few days anchored at Pirates Cove, we traveled 65 miles crossing into Florida and arriving at another of our favorite anchorages at Destin harbor.  Our friends on m/v Inked Mermaid caught up with us so we spent the next few days visiting the shops and restaurants along the harbor walk. 

Visiting with friends Josh and Barb from m/v Last Trade.  They are from Texas and have the same model DeFever as ours, a year newer.  They were visiting Orange Beach and have been following our travels and contacted us.  We have contacted each other by email but this was the first time we actually met.  We had a great visit.  

The guy that took our picture said his zipper was open which got quite a reaction from Barb.

On November 10^th we traveled 70 miles to an anchorage at Pearl Bayou near Panama City, then 40 miles to an anchorage in an oxbow near White City.  This is another favorite anchorage and a good place to wait while trying to time the weather for a Gulf Crossing.

This guy gets bigger every time we see him at this anchorage.  Maybe he was able to get one of the wild hogs we heard last year?

A weather pattern was developing for a possible crossing so we traveled 47 miles on November 12^th  to C-Quarters Marina at Carrabelle, Fl to top off our fuel tanks, visit the grocery store, and a few local restaurants. 

On November 15^th we started our 178 mile Gulf Crossing to Clearwater Fl .  There were seven boats crossing to different destinations, and departing at different times, but we were all traveling from the same location and a course within a few miles of each other. 

 It doesn't get any better than this!

You can see the reflection of me taking the pic from the boat.....

You can see m/v Inked Mermaid in the distance

Not a full moon but close enough.

After 21 hours we arrived at our anchorage at Clearwater Beach Florida a little past noon on November 16^th.   Our friends Mike and Jan on m/v Trust Me have been anchored here for a week or so and were planning to leave the next morning, so after an afternoon nap, and a good night’s sleep, we departed Clearwater and planned to meet them at Sarasota in a couple of days.

 This dolphin kept turning to see if I was still taking its picture.

We spent a few days at Marina Jack’s at Sarasota, then traveled 40 miles to and anchorage at Cape Haze, then 14 miles on the 22^nd to an anchorage at Punta Blanca Island.  We stayed at this protected anchorage a few days as a weather system passed through with 20 mph winds.  We normally drop the dinghy and go to Cabbage Key for lunch but the wind conditions kept us on the boat this time. 

Opps!  You have to stay on this side of the red marker.........

On November 24^th we traveled 38 miles to Fort Myers Yacht Basin Marina.  I had to replace the level probe on our waste tank so I ordered a new one to be delivered there and we spent Thanksgiving with our friends Kevin and Jill from m/v Chasing 80.

On November 27^th we traveled 11miles up the Caloosahatchee River to our friends David and Barbara’s private dock.  

We met our friend Rafe on m/v Cat Daddy in 2016 during our Great Loop.  He was heading for Stuart, FL the day after we arrived.

Looks like our Gator friend from last year decided swim by to great us.

David is a Volkswagen enthusiast, this is his "new to him" 1964 model with a little over 64k original miles on it.  

We will stay here until after Christmas to visit with our friends here at Fort Myers, and Moni’s family near Cocoa, Florida over the holidays.