Nanseann: Day 52-53 Dec 5-6, 178 miles to Clearwater Beach Muncipal Marina, Clearwater Beach FL

Today is "D" Day....the day we depart Carrabelle and cross the Gulf of Mexico. Our friends from Pier 11 (Green Turtle Bay Marina) will arrive this afternoon and be ready to make the crossing with us. The REASON you cross at night is it takes you many hours and you need to arrive after the sun comes up so you can see the "crab pots" some 20 miles offshore. If you run over a crab pot it can shut you down if the line wraps around your prop......Seatow...Seatow...where are you?????

C-Quarters Marina

Cindy from Bucket List calls and says three looper boats are leaving earlier because there is a front in New Orleans moving to the Mobile Bay area and could be in the Gulf Thursday afternoon. The dock master, Buddy, at Moorings Marina has advised them to leave as it will take them around 22 hours to cross at 7 mph to Tarpon Springs.

Bucket List

Rik and I walk over to the Moorings Marina to visit with Buddy. He is known as "The Weather Man" of the Gulf. There are two fronts which he shows us on the computer.....the one from New Orleans...expected late Thursday... and one from South Florida expected sometime Friday morning. He advised us to move up our departure time and cross today leaving on High Tide. We will be OK......he showed us a route that will avoid the current running in the Gulf so we will have a smooth ride across the gulf and make better time since we are headed to Clearwater Beach. The weather could go "South" until after Christmas.

Tim, Janice and Coach arrive early afternoon Coach will drive to Clearwater Beach.....he is the "shuttle service" and Tim and Janice will cross the Gulf with us. This is something they want to do....we checked their temperature!!!!

We are here

Coach, Janice and Tim

This is the crew

At 3:45PM we are gone...High Tide is about in...wind laying down....sunshine....Saddi in her spot....Tim and Janice aboard....
We follow our bread crumbs to Red Marker #2 and go through East Pass. We are in the Gulf of Mexico. This is OK..... turn to the east at green #5 and cruise along the south side of Dog Island to red marker #26. It has a flashing signal every 6 seconds. The sun has set.

Out Sunset

We turn south at #26....the waves are fine....the wind is fine....this is OK....but it is dark - no moon yet.....radar is on...chartplotter has our waypoints.......155 plus miles to Clearwater....relax and enjoy the ride....as the night went on....waves increased.....wind increased....the front from New Orleans was approaching earlier. Saddi was looking for the "shuttle service" to Clearwater Beach and lets say we were rocking and rolling across the Gulf. The 1-2 foot seas went to 2-3 foot seas and to 4-5 foot seas....maybe more. Well for 10 hours we rocked and rolled. No shrimp with sauce was served and actually we stayed on the bridge because walking around wasn't a "good" option. We did have a Quarter Moon for part of the way.....we did see blimps on the radar.....not in our path....auto pilot was on....steered 148 degrees....you just rode it out. Capt Rik was on target.

Short story....only story we have crossed the Gulf of Mexico. We were not in any danger....we were just uncomfortable and as the sun was coming up we could see Clearwater Beach.

We had to clean the salt off windows to see the Sunrise

Clearwater Beach @ 7 miles out

Saddi says she could live here

Yes....there are crab pots....yes we dodged them...four lookouts....seas down to 1-2 foot....everyone could get off the bridge and Saddi was able to go to her "green" grass. Save the Shrimp for later where's the coffee!!! We come into the channel.....smooth....under the bridge....turn port to Clearwater Beach Muncipal Marina and guess what.....Coach and dock master are waiting for us.....Again we have stern docking so Saddi's platform can be put on the starboard side. Capt Rik is doing ok after 18 hours on the water......we have some wind...ok....but no one told us about the current to go with the wind.....we finally back in.....bowlines again Julie....
"lines on" Captain"......DOCKED!!!!!
Saddi to the pet area....Coach takes Tim and Janice to the motel.....Rik washes the first layer of salt off the boat and then to bed for a couple of hours......hot showers.....boat put back to normal.....time to relax. 18 HOURS....what an experience!

Thank you Buddy from the Moorings in Carrabelle. If we do it again we will leave from your marina with your crossing advice. That is a given!

Thank you Tim and Janice who wanted to make the crossing.....so glad you did....it took the four of us to sort it all out but we did.

Thank you Coach for the Shuttle Service.....Saddi would have liked a ride about half way....just sorry Wendy wasn't with the group. You know someone has to work!