I had to wait a week for a break in the weather so as to
have a good gulf crossing.
We left Carrabelle at 7 am. It was cold but the wind
was calm on St. George Sound. So it appeared to be a good start. But once we passed Dog Island and entered the Gulf of Mexico, the waves started to pick up to around 2 feet. For the next 50 miles the waves ranged from 2 ft to 6 ft. It was like riding a bucking horse. The NOAA forecast wasn't accurate.
As we got within 20 miles of Steinhatchee, the waves finally subsided to 1 to 2 feet.
We arrived at Sea Hag Marina. We had a long day covering 85 miles.
We decided to stay a day and relax before starting the
last leg of 93 miles.
Just like our last stop,the Sea Hag marina office also had a friendly cat minding the store.
The next morning we left at 7am. It was low tide and the channel was less
than a foot in many places. We actually bumped the bottom a couple of times. As
we traveled, there were a large number of crab pots strung out all along this
part of the gulf.
As we approached the mile markers into Crystal River, dolphins joined us for long stretches, welcoming us home.
6 pm on January 19th I docked the boat in its slip and we had returned
to our home port. The Great Loop was completed.
I really enjoyed the boating, the
places I visited and the people I’ve met. It was alot of fun and an awesome experience.