Day 33 Nov 16, 58 miles to Bay Point Marina, Panama City Beach FL

7AM....cloudy...53 degrees but felt colder ....we say good bye to Baytown Marina
Saddi took her walk....nothing was open at this time of the morning....oh well....lets go

Captain Joe Lee's Galley

 

Have to know the code to this gate

 

Again we followed our bread crumbs out the channel and set our course to the ICW to avoid the skinny waters around the shoreline.

I'm Ready

 

Away we go

 

Stay between the red and green

 

We head east once we are on the ICW....we are about half way across the Choctawhatchee Bay which is about 30 miles nautical miles long and 3 to 5 nautical miles wide.  2-3 foot seas....ok ride....

There's the bridge

About time for treats

Another bridge to go under....about 3 miles to the "Grand Canyon".  Here again we are in a cut channel that the US Corps of Army Engineers built for barge traffic and of course pleasure boat traffic.  The "Grand Canyon", known for the sand dunes is about 16 miles long to the bridge at West Bay.

Leaving Choctawhatchee Bay

 

Grand Canyon Cut

 

We meet "Danny Sue" Towboat at the West Bay bridge.....looks like he takes up the entire channel....but he says, "come on out in the middle captain...gets shallow along those shores...plenty of room Capt"....we thank him and move toward the middle cause yes we are seeing minus 6 foot depths.

Approaching West Bay and Danny Sue

 

Danny Sue Towboat

 

Neon Sign at the Bridge Civilization Coming

There is a channel thru the middle of West Bay and again you can see the skinny water.  Very little boat traffic....chop is good....we can see Panama City in the horizon.

Look closely...Dophins

 

See that fin...100 pictures later

 

Hathaway Bridge

 

Have to go under Hathaway Bridge into St Andrew Bay again following the markers.  Very interesting to be on water as we have driven the entire area checking out marinas.  We turn south toward the cut and head toward the Grand Lagoon which is Panama City Beach area......here comes a barge...that's ok....

 But then we hear "Securite Securite Sucurite this is........." OK where is the Navy?????  You have to stay away from these guys...they have big guns.... here he comes thru the cut...at full speed.....  We circle and stay out of his path thinking we have a big ship coming....no just a small ship....

At marker 1 we turn into Grand Lagoon....oh my this is skinny water Capt. Follow markers to # 5...starboard into Bay Point Marina.  Stern anchorage....Capt is good at that...ok...we are here...where's the ramp Saddi is ready.......

We had been docked long enough for Saddi to get off the boat and do her thing  when we see Ms Faye walking down the dock.  She found us.  Gerald has been on the boat 22 days and she wants to know if we're still friends..."yes we are....it's been a great trip"... and Gerald is now a "boat bum".

Gerald and Fay are staying at Britt's Condo on the beach....they will pick us up for dinner....time to relax and get ready.  "What is that SOUND?"......."Where is the ramp?"....."No it isn't on the dock!"....."What happened to the ramp?"....."No it ISN"T on the dock!"  Well Rik calls Steve at the office, he came down....they  poke around the water....can't find the ramp....will have to call a diver but it's getting dark so he can't see a thing.....tomorrow morning.....Saddi will be using her "green" grass tonight.  She doesn't care....where's my food!

Our ride comes for dinner at Salt Rock Cafe.  Very nice!!!!  Thank you Gerald and Faye.  Will we find the ramp?????  Stay tuned.