Boomtown Casino to Houma

It was another very windy day today, about 20 mph from the SE
We left boomtown Casino at 6:30 and arrived in Houma at 1 PM. Marsha's father was there to pick us up
We did get some rain on the way but needed it anyway to wash off some of the salt  picked up on the trips from The Wharf  and Pass Christian where we got a lot of spray.
We were at home about 3PM all was fine there.

Pass Christian to Boomtown Casino near New Orleans

We Got up early and left the Pass Christian Marina at 6:30 it was windy all night and still blowing about 13 from the South. By the time we reached the Rigoletts it was quite rough. The waves in the sound don't  get too big but are choppy, and bounce the boat around from all directions making it uncomfortable. anything not well secured will fly onto the floor. neither of us get seasick (yet) but some do and say it is no fun at all.
We locked through New Orleans and across the Mississippi River quickly and were tied up at the Boomtown Casino bulkhead by 4PM. Dinner in the casino,
We plan to leave for Houma early and should be there mid afternoon and home a couple of hours later, if all goes well.

Levee work on the ICW East of New orleans it is a big project!

A pumping station in conjunctio with the levees

Flood gates across the ICW part of the project

Sunrise outside Pass Christian

 

 

The Mississippi sound kept getting rougher.

Near New Orleans in the ICW Canal it was calm but the wind was still blowing hard.

Click below to see our location tonight, Boomtown Casino Harvey, Louisianan

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=29.84695,-90.06088&ll=29.84695,-90.06088&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

The Wharf to Pass Christian

We left the Wharf at 6:45 it was hazy but  dead calm. we made it out to Mobile Bay which was also quite smooth too. After we passed Dauphin Island the breeze started picking up stronger and stronger till it was really blowing hard as we passed South of Pascagouola, MS. It was a very rocky ride in the "confused"  chop, mixed with the waves coming in betweeen the Barrier Islands. We kept on, carefully, especially going up or down from the flying bridge finally I started steering from below where the motion does not seem so bad but the visibility is not quite as good. About 4:30 I called the Pass Christian Yacht harbor to see if they had slips, I told them we just needed a spot to get out of the wind for the night, they found something and we entered the Marina about 6PM. After getting siecured in the slip I went to sign in and pay the dockage fee, they told me we had been classified as a "vessel in Distress" so no charge for the stay. Very nice of them I'll have to try that more often!
If conditions are not too bad we will continue West tomorrow and if all goes well make it to New Orleans in the afternoon.
To see our location in Pass Christian Click on the link below:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=30.3107,-89.24799&ll=30.3107,-89.24799&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

The Intracoastal was calm as we left the Wharf

 Jimmy Bufett's sister Lulu's place, Homeport 

A nice looking tug we met before passing under the Dauphin Island Bridge in the background.

The Wharf Marina

We spent the day at he wharf today Our friend Ted drove down from Mobile so we had a nice visit, and lunch with him. Ted keeps his boat Bay Spirit, a Camano, here so we spent some time on it too. After lunch I did some things on Gumbo and had a walk around the Wharf development.
Some bad weather is forecast for the Mississippi sound between here and New Orleans starting Tuesday night so we will try to do a long day tomorrow and again Monday to, if all goes well be in New Orleans and in sheltered water before the front comes through. We probably will not have intenet acess tomorrow night so possibly no post tomorrow evening.
Miles today 0

Pensacola Beach to The Wharf Marina, Orange Beach Alabama

We had the anchor up and were on the way from Pensacola Beach at 8:40, winds were light in the morning but soon picked up to about 10 K. There was a lot of pleasure boat traffic as today is a holiday for many, Good Friday,  making it a three day weekend. We also had some fantastic free shows on the way. As we crossed Pensacola bay the Navy's flying team The Blue Angels started one of their practice sessions, they were doing many of their maeouvers and did about 4 fly overs quite near us, those planes ROAR. Next a group of dolphins tagged along for about ten minutes swimming alongside of the boat jumping and having a great time
    .Around noon we stopped at Bear Point Marina tied up at their dock and went in for lunch. It is not a good place to stop, it is close to the Intracoastal Waterway and there are lots of boat wakes making it VERY rocky. Won't be stopping there again any time soon.
We stopped in Ingram Bayou for a while but the spot I like to anchor was taken so we moved on to The Wharf Marina got there and were tied up at the dock at 3:30
Dinner on board, lunch leftovers.

The Blue Angels Navy Flying Team

Flying by up close

Another pass

A dolphin joins us

And another, this one has some sort of tufts on his dorsal and tail fins???

 Click on the picture to enlarge. Two of the three dolphins had these

Marsha taking pictures of the dolphins

Sunset from the Marina Slip

 Enhanced,  with Photo editor

To see our location at The Wharf Marina click on the link below.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=30.29368,-87.63162&ll=30.29368,-87.63162&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Baytowne to Pensacola Beach

We departed Baytowne at 8:20 it was overcast with a light breeze from the Southeast. We traveled along Choctawhatchee Bay to Ft Myers the along the waterway between the barrier Islands and the mainland. We saw no commercial traffic and only a few pleasure boats today.
About 2:30 we approached Pensacola Beach where we had the anchor down by 3:40 it is a nice spot one we had not anchored at yet the water is 11 feet deep over a sand bottom. We are anchored in front of Hemmingways restaurant, so we launched the dinghy and went in for dinner. We have been to the resaurant several times the food we have had there has always been good. It is a nice place with lots of Hemmingway memorabilia on the walls. It was nice to sit on the restaurant balcony and be able to see the boat at anchor not far away.

In the channel leaving Baytowne ti was nice and calm

Approaching Fort Walton form Choctawhatchee Bay

These guys buzzed us as we cruised along the waterway.

There are lots of military facilities in the area this is one of their towers.

A small plane was dragging this sign as he circled the anchorage a several of times I guess the couple must have been having dinner in one of the nearby places No word as to what she answered.

Wiew from the boat, lots of restaurants and bars in the area being spring, Easter break they are very busy

 

Sunset from the boat, calm, but the wind picked up a little after a while.

 Miles today - 52

To see our location at the green arrow click the link below.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=30.33761,-87.14075&ll=30.33761,-87.14075&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Baytowne Marina

We spent the day at Baytowne I washed the boat, filled the water tank, and did some maintenance on the boat and walked around the town for a while.
Dinner at one of the local pizza spots.
Windy today, heading towards the Pensacola area tomorrow.
mile today - 0

Gumbo in the slip, Tortuga the trawler with blue canvas is in the background. She belongs to friends from Baton Rouge

Baytowne Village is behind the shoreline, taken from the marina.

"80s Tribute Band"  concert in Baytowne square

It was free, but not worth the price. We didn't hang around long.

St Andrew's Marian to Baytowne Marina Sandestin

We left St Andrews at 8:30 this morning the wind was 5-10 from the South. There were only ripples on the water outside the marina. We contined across West Bay then for a long ride down a dredged cut through pine forests. Next we entered Chocktawhatchee Bay which was choppy as the wind now was blowing about 10-15 from the SE. We got to Baytowne Marina and were tied up at the dock at 2:30. Tortuga the boat of a friend from Baton Rouge is a couple of slips from ours. He is not here now though.
Dinner at the Acme oyster place here. We plan to leave here Thursday Morning
Miles today - 46

This dinner cruise boat was damaged somehow, all the doors windows and fixtures are gone. It has been at

the marina for sale for over a year now.

 

A bridge over the waterway west of Panama City

A nice portion of the waterway through pine forests

Eroded banks of white sand

 

This is one of the very few tows we have seen East of Mobile Bay he was pushing 6

barges loaded with coal

                                                         Chocktawhatchee Bay

To see our location in Baytowne Marina click on the link below:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=30.3882,-86.32779&ll=30.3882,-86.32779&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Bay Point to St Andrew's Marina, Panama City

We left the slip at Bay Point at 8:10 AM following the channel out to the bay, I did touch bottom at one of the corners but was able to back off and continue, by 9:30 we wrer tied up at the dock of St, Andrews Marina. after we were settled I took a taxi over to the Bay Medical Diagnostics Lab to Take a PT test for my Coumadin dosage. The clinic was a good ways away but everything went fine. After lunch we took a walk around town.  Tomorrow we plan to leave for Baytowne Marina in Sandestin for a couple of days.

Miles today -  6

Gumbo at the dock, the boat we are facing is also a Louisiana boat I have corresponded with the owner a few times in the past he will be taking it down to the Keys from here. He is in Louisiana this week.

A "Four Headed" palm in the park near the marina, supposedly the only one known, I've never seen another anywhere.

There was also a sugar kettle in the park, during the Civil War this one was used to boil seawater for salt to be used as food preservative

A small local church

St Andrew's Marina from the town's shoreline.

To see our location at St Andrew's Marina click on the link below:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=30.16893,-85.70377&ll=30.16893,-85.70377&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Rosemary Beach to Bay Point Marina

After our Goodbyes to Sunshine and the boys Joshua brought us back to the boat this morning, we stopped at a Winn Dixie to pick up some things we needed. We plan to go across the bay to St Andrew's marina for a day so I can go to a nearby clinic to get a PT blood test for my Coumadin dosage. Hopefully I'll be able to get it done tomorrow and we'll head out again on Tuesday.
Sorry, no new pictures today.
Miles by Boat - 0
Steve

Saturday at Rosemary beach

The wind was very strong all day 15-20 K from the south, the waves were crashing on the beach all day. Not a good day to be out on a boat. We walked around the town and beach doing some sightseeing.  Then BBQed  for dinner.
Below are some pictures taken around town and at the beach.

Friday Bay Point Marina to Rosemary Beach, near P.C.

Friday afternoon Joshua, Sunshine, and the boys picked us up at the marina. We drove over to Rosemary Beach which is about 20 miles East of Bay point. We stopped at a Publix to pick up groceries then on to the condo to get settled. We walked to dinner at one of the many nearby restaurants.
 To see sat. photo of Rosemary Beach click on the link below.

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=30.2781926&lon=-86.016984&z=15&l=0&m=b

Pitts Bayou to Bay Point Marina, Panama City Beach

We raised the anchor and left Pitts Bayou at 8 AM , Wind was light from the North it had switched from the South over night and turned the boat 180 degrees, end for end, no problem. We passed by the paper mill and the downtown marina and out to St Andrews Pass they are doing some projects there and had several dredges and other vessels working along the pass. The marina is on the west side of the pass about a mile down the Grand Lagoon We were assigned a slip and were secured at the dock at 10am.  Did some work on the boat during the day, Dinner at the marina restaurant.
Miles today - 10

Leaving Pitts bayou

A Mercury Outboard  test boat, there are several of these running up and down the bays near Panama City, putting hours on the motors.

The Paper mill just East of the city, you can smell it for miles!

The markers are for the channel into the Bay Point Marina 

Sunset from the slip in the Marina

Click on the link below to see our location at Bay Point Marina.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=30.14529,-85.72836&ll=30.14529,-85.72836&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Apalachicola to Pitts Bayou, near Panama City

We took on 60 gallons of diesel today, we didn't really need to but we were parked right next to the fuel pump so figured we would fill up while it was easy. The wind was calm but picked up some during the day,
We left at 10:15 AM  the first hour or so we were bucking a pretty strong tide, after we passed it our speed increased by a mile per hour.  About half way through the trip we crossed back to Central Daylight Time this happens at White City which is a small place along the Intracoastal. We are headed to Pitts Bayou near Panama City, our friends Rudy and Jill live on their boat there, we will anchor near their dock and go visit them in the dinghy, we went out for some very good pizza for dinner with them. After dinner we went back to the boat.

Miles today 60

Calm conditions as we left the marina

Apalachicola from the river

The Apalachicola River about ten miles upriver from Apalachicola

The abandoned RR swing bridge over the river

There were lots of tree down into the river. I believe the high winds last week caused them to blow over from the already eroded bank

 

Gumbo at anchor in Pitts Bayou near rhe boat of Rudy and Jill

To see our location at the green arrow on Pitts Bayou click on the link below

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=30.12364,-85.59351&ll=30.12364,-85.59351&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1