10/24/17: Apalachicola, Fl.  – Clearwater, Fl. ---Gulf of Mexico Crossing = 180 NM / 207 SM

We left Apalachicola around 9:45 am with favorable weather conditions. This would be the first time we crossed without a buddy boat. Our route took us east across the Apalachicola Bay to Dog Island and then into the Gulf of Mexico. The conditions were vey good and we thought this would be our best crossing yet….

Okay you know whats coming next…

s our good friend Hoppy says, “Its all good till it isn’t”.

Yes you guessed it.

About 1 hour before dark (7:30 pm) the waves started coming from the east and from the west! During the night we tossed and turned with beam waves of 4’ and sometimes higher coming from both directions made for an uncomfortable crossing.  At some point we heard 3 other boats that were behind us talking on the radio about the wave conditions.

We thank God that He was with us and got us to Clearwater safe and sound. We are also very thankful for our boat Twelve Stones a GH37. She is a tank in the waves and we never feared for our safety. 

And believe it our not we passed a tug in the middle of the night. He was coming from Clearwater with his final destination Memphis, TN. 

Plan on spending a few days in Clearwater while the latest Tropical Storm comes through the Keys and Miami. Hope to get moving on Tuesday and headed to Ft. Myers.