APALACHICOLA November 28, 2008

After a pleasant night we got up at 7:15 and found it lightly raining. We grabbed our rain jackets and pulled the anchors. If you have wondered how we get two anchors out equally on each end of Catrina, it takes a little team work. First we drop the Bow anchor and let all 225 feet of line out. Second we drop the Stern anchor and let out half of the distance used on the front line as the front person pulls in that much line. And there you are halfway between!



When you pull the anchor out, it is reverse. First you let out all of the bow line which should take the boat back to the Stern anchor. Tom pull sup the Stern Anchor and then motors the boat forward and Debbie pulls in the Bow line. and anchor. However, today she got within 15 feet of the anchor and nothing would budge. Tom drove forward to try to dislodge the anchor which helped a little but it still was stuck. Then Tom muscled the anchor loose and we swished it around in the water to get off all the mud that had held it so tightly! And that is how we got off at 7:45 a.m. in the rain!


We motored along the last 7 miles of East Bay, entered Wetappo Creek for three miles and then took the south prong of the Wetappo Creek, all of which was also called the ICW.



We passed groups of homes along inlets and ox bows.



There are lots of Eagles along this section of the ICW .



We can see activity in a nest.




Twelve miles later we passed the cutoff for Gulf County Canal, a man made passage to the Gulf. We counted 8 fishing boats. Either there are a lot of retired folks around here or everyone took a long Thanksgiving weekend!



We pass a shrimp boat close the Gulf Canal.

The next 8 miles of the ICW are Searcy Creek. Here we can see many ox bows that straighten the river. The canal is narrow enough to make Tom pull to the very side to let a barge pass!


At Mile 335 we reach Lake Wimico, a five mile long shallow “hot dog.” If we do not stay right in the channel, our depth finder beginning beeping at 4 feet. Since Debbie likes to stick to the right side of a canal, she does occasionally get beeped. Tom of the not good ears has not missed it once! He also is quick to catch oversteering. Debbie calls this scenic driving! Poor man has no sense of humor.

There are 11 more miles to Apalachicola and the rivers making up this part are the Jackson River, Salt Creek and Apalachicola River. We cover this 46 miles in 7 ¼ hours.





We search for gas and find two spots at the mouth of the Apalachicola - Scipio Creek and Miller’s. Since we cannot figure how to get back into Scipio and we can drive right up to Miller’s--you guessed which one we picked. It does not look open. Then a man peeks his out of a moored boat and right after that the owner comes down the pier. We gas up and chat. The man (and wife) are very interested in our trip and have many questions. Debbie works on removing bumpers and painters and tying down everything that might bounce off if we have a bumpy trip in the Gulf. Tom fills the 27 gallon tank and 4 more 5 gallon tanks. Now we are ready to sailing across the Gulf if we so decide. You will have to wait until the next chapter to find out!