On to Tampa Bay III - The Big Jump

The Big Bend of Florida is that part of the west coast after the Panhandle and before Tarpon Springs approximately. We had to jump from Carabelle to the Tarpon Springs area because of the shallow water at potential stopping points along the route and/or bridges that prevent our entry. This reality requires us to sail overnight. After checking with the local expert in Carabelle, we began the voyage at eight in the morining. He indicated that we would be fine but should head a bit east of a straight line route before turning south because of the wind direction and the current. This dolphin was one of many who traveled part way with us.

We said goodbye to the sun the night of November 24th.

And hello to the dawn on the morning of the 25th. The night had been relatively uneventful, with only some three hours of rougher seas around midnight. It was a cold night and we were bundled up as best we could be. Fortunately, our autopilot, Wilhelm, did a great job of keeping us on course and giving us a chance to stay up under the dodger. Gary was able to get two hours of sleep during the previous afternoon and one half hour in the morning. The four boats stayed together during the passage and helped each other with navigation.

After 24 hours, we reached Tarpon Springs which we determined was full. Since we really wanted to go to a marina, we pressed on to Duneden but couldn't make it through Hurricane Pass because of the low water. So it was on to Clearwater, where we found a nice anchorage in Mandalay Channel. We regained our strength after the long trip and spent time ashore exploring the city. The anxiety of the overnight gave way to the sense of accomplishment a successful passage brought to all the crews.