The Gulf Crossing - Apalachicola to Clearwater

On Thursday we left Apalachicola with a buddy boat at 9am, expecting a 26 hour ride across the Gulf of Mexico.  It was a sunny 50 degree morning with light winds.  We were expecting east winds 10-15 mph and waives 2 foot or less which would make for a great crossing! 

The dolphins leading the way to open water! 

The day and evening ride was great!  Look at that sunset!

Bill and I started taking watch shifts around 7pm.  Bill drove until 10 and then I took the helm from 10 to midnight. A little before midnight another flotilla of 7 boats caught up with us.  They were faster boats and left Carrabelle later in the day.   Bill took over at midnight and I went down to bed for a nap and that's when things started getting exciting. 

The wind picked up to 18mph and the swell was now larger coming from different directions resulting in a very bumpy ride.  The waive height was more like 3 to 5 and it was pitch black until a sliver of moon came up at 3:30.  The radio was busy as the flotilla of 7 made their way around us.  Unfortunately, one of the boats in the flotilla of 7 started experiencing engine trouble and had to call for a tow boat and another boat lost his towed dingy!

Needless to say, we were happy to see the sun come up and Clearwater in the distance!

We made it into Clearwater Beach Marina at 1pm.  The trip turned out to be 27 hours, 196 miles and we used 60 gallons of fuel.  We got tied up and rinsed the salt off the boat, cleaned the cabin (some things got a little tossed around) and went for a nice long walk.  On the way back to the boat we picked up a pizza, watched a little TV and Bill was in bed at 6!  I wasn't too far behind him and we slept like logs!