Key West to Niceville, FL

Total Miles Traveled 2383

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Our original departure date to leave Key West was April 8^th, but with the continuous windy conditions making the Atlantic and Gulf too rough for our comfort we waited for a better weather window. 

We’ve used our electric scooters quite a bit while at the marina.  I needed some items at Home depot so I made the 6 mile round trip on the scooter.  It folds and stores nicely on the shopping cart.

Kevin and I got the outfit memo.

During our delay, Moni caught a bug that had been going around so after a trip to the clinic, and the pharmacy, we were good to go on April 17^th.

We had a great weather forecast to travel from our marina to Marco Island, a course that is a little over 100 miles and farther out into the Gulf.  There are not enough daylight hours in the fall to make this trip but with over 12 hours of daylight in April it can be done. 

Sunrise and full moon setting on our departure.

After leaving the Atlantic and making the turn around Key West, we entered the Gulf of Mexico and headed for Marco Island.  After about 30 miles the wind started to pick up and as we continued the wind and waves continued to build.  We were experiencing pretty rough seas and hitting us on the beam, so we tried to tac into them to smooth out the ride.  The wind gust and waves continued to build so we had to abandon our original plan and head inland to an anchorage a Little Shark River.  This course change allowed us to cruise into the waves changing from rocking side to side to up and down as we headed into the waves.  We had spray coming over the bow and up to the flybridge with 4-5 footers or so.  So much for another good weather forecast. 

We had a calm night and continued April 18th to an anchorage at Marco Island.  Moni was still experiencing a dry cough and still not feeling well so we decided to stay a few days before continuing North.  Our friends Randy and Sheri on m/v Priorities arrived here a day ahead of us and stopped by in their dinghy for a visit.  We let them know Moni wasn’t feeling well and it was better to keep our distance until she was feeling better.  I was loading up on 1000 mg vitamin C’s.  They were going to the store, so they picked up some cough syrup for us and brought her flowers. 

Always a couple of tour boats passing through the anchorage.

Smokehouse Bay Anchorage at Marco Island.

We stayed on the boat for 6 days as another weather system moved through.  We departed April 24^th entering the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway at Fort Myers Beach and continuing to an anchorage at Cape Haze, Florida a 78 mile cruise with great weather.

Sanibel Island Lighthouse

On April 25^th we continued north to an anchorage on Sarasota Bay, we anchored in about 12 feet of crystal clear water. 

I watched this guy for about an hour hoping to get a picture of him landing a nice fish….not biting today?

We weighed anchor at daybreak and traveled across Tampa Bay April 26^th to one of our favorite stops at Redington Shores, Florida.  This is a well-protected anchorage and has an awesome restaurant with a boat dock.

We watched three stingrays feeding around our anchorage during our four days stay.

 Since leaving Cape Haze we have been watching the weather for the next possible window to cross the Gulf of Mexico to Carrabelle Florida.  It looked like an opportunity was forming so we departed Redington Shores on April 30^th and anchored at Clearwater Beach.  

I think the trend is to see who can put the most horsepower on the back of a fishing boat.

Here is comes....

We dodged this one, it passed east of us at Clearwater.

We’re not fond of a 22-hour overnight crossing unless we only have one day of good weather.  As luck would have it, we have a two-day window to cruise from Clearwater to and anchorage at Cedar Key on the first day, and Cedar Key to an anchorage at Dog Island, near Carrabelle on the second day.  I’m getting a little gun shy with the “good” weather forecasts, but this looks to be great conditions. 

We had great cruising conditions on both days.

 Leaving Cedar Key at sunrise.

In all of our travels, this is the only area we have seen spotted dolphins, they are smaller and much faster and active, we have seen them jump as high as the bow of our boat....but not today.  We never get tired of watching them.

We lost two lures, but no fish.........I had a hit that almost took my pole, when I grabbed to pole the line ran through my fingers and burn't like crazy.....lost my lure but not my rod and reel.

After topping off our fuel tanks, we stayed the remainder of the day and night at the C-Quarters marina.  We finally washed all the salt from the boat, picked up our forwarded mail, stopped for previsions at the local IGA, and finished the day with a meal at Harry’s Bar and Grill.  This was our first marina since leaving Key West April 17^th.

I read several boating forums to gather information on different boating issues and one caught my eye just before leaving Key West.  We use an anchor swivel; swivels are used to attach an anchor to the chain with the purpose of preventing chain twisting as the boat moves around in the anchorage.  It also assists when retrieving the anchor to the bow pulpit and allowing the anchor to turn into the correct position.  I check this connection every time before and after anchoring.  I read an article on the forum where a boater lost his anchor because the swivel had failed.  He checks it every time anchoring, as I do, but it failed.  He had a picture attached to the article which shows the point of failure…….the swivel was identical to mine!  After researching different swivels and failures I ordered and installed the Mantus Swivel while at Carrabelle.  The swivel is stronger than the chain and does not side load, the most common failure of swivels.  It’s an expensive part, but cheap insurance if you lose a thousand-dollar anchor.  By the way, the boater was able to find and retrieve his lost anchor as he was in the clear waters of the Bahamas.

Mantus Swivel

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k_DcEtcqcRU&feature=youtu.be 

You can see where my old swivel has been side loaded a few times spreading the swivel and distorting the cotter pin to a point of failure.

On April 4^th, we departed Carrabelle as the fog was lifting with the rising sun. 

We cruised 85 miles to an anchorage at Pearl Bayou near Panama City.  

It's always interesting to see what ships are being build when passing this shipyard.  We've watched them build two Staten Island Ferry's here over the years.

Leaving Pearl Bayou at sunrise

Our plan was to anchor at Destin Harbor the next day but the chances of possible severe thunderstorms is forecast for Friday so we decided to get a slip at Bluewater Bay Marina, near Niceville, Florida.  When we called, they said they were full but would try to find a place for us to tie up.  They found a spot, but it was tight!  The wind was blowing, and it took several attempts, it wasn’t pretty, but we squeezed into the slip without damaging our boat, the dock, or another boat.  The stress meter was off the charts.

As predicted the first wave of the storm passed through at about 6:30 am.  We had strong gusty winds and rain, but our boat wasn’t going anywhere.

Our next focus is on the river system, our plan is the leave Niceville tomorrow and hopefully cross Mobile Bay Sunday entering the river system heading North.