Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Carrabelle to Port St. Joe and Cape San Blas

After we rescued Austin from the United States' smallest Police Station, we spent an evening at "Fathoms" listening to a pretty good funk band called Cuda Brown!....not what you might expect in Carrabelle.


Can you tell he loves a photo shoot!

Fathoms Steam Room, Carrabelle - the food was good too!

 Carrabelle by Sunset



The next day, we took the scenic trip from Carrabelle to Port St. Joe.  The trip on the "outside" was about 75 miles, but only about 55 miles traversing inside St. George Island, up the Apalachicola River, and then out through the Gulf County Canal.  For anyone unfamiliar with the area, our route is shown below.


The "outside" route is considerably longer as you need to go a fair way out off St. George and Cape San Blas to avoid the shoals that extend several miles offshore.

The river trip was very scenic - again, a seemingly very remote part of Florida, known as "The Forgotten Coast".

 Flat calm conditions just off dog Island....not a breath!

 Scenes from the Apalachicola River - I hear Banjos



It was a very hot day, but the scenery made the time pass quickly.  The trip was uneventful.....well almost.

One way to shade from the sun!

Just before we got to the St. George Island Bridge (65 ft.) we had to cross under power lines.  Yikes - the charts show "authorized clearance - 49 ft"  I missed that while planning the route.  I don't know why.  But why would there be 49 ft. lines within 100 yards of a 65 ft. bridge?  internet search (nothing found), electronic charts, paper charts....49 ft.  A few circles while I called to Tow Boat US on the VHF, and they told us "you are fine, the bridge is 65 ft.......the lines and bridge were taken out years ago by a hurricane and you are good as these are new lines".  Gritting teeth and staying well clear of the mast.......we cleared OK.  Thank you Tow Boat US!!  another example of charts not having up to date information.

On the Apalachicola River, we did hit a submerged log.  We saw and avoided a few, but this one caught us. Thankfully no damage.

We arrived in Port St. Joe at about 5 pm.  The marina and staff here are wonderful - highly recommend it!  I  am a little biased as this area is one of my favorite areas of Florida.  We have a small beach place on Cape San Blas and have been coming here for years.  Unfortunately the house is in a rental program and booked....so we don't get a break from the boat.....but that's OK, it is home!

 A large ketch "S/V Traveler" leaving Port St. Joe

Sunset over St. Joe's Bay

And a few minutes walk from the boat is the "Haughty Heron" - a nice little wine bar that has been visited on many a trip down here!


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