Sunday 5/10/09 & Monday 5/11/09 Happy Mothers Day! We pulled out of Clearwater at 7:18 am. Not a happy start to Mothers Day fro Pam. Too early! After sliding out Clearwater Pass we turned toward the Florida Panhandle. About the only boat we saw once away from shore was a shrimper. Seas were good with only a 1' to 2' chop out of the N-West. Pretty much on the nose. We had a pretty uneventful crossing until the last 30 miles when the seas kicked up to 3' with an occasional 4' thrown in and came at us directly broadside. Not a big deal, just not the most comfortable ride. About that same time we passed a 100' Air Force tower out in the middle of nowhere. There are several of these in this area of the Gulf. I'm not sure what their purpose is but you can see them for several miles. At 5:38 pm we dropped anchor behind Dog Island, 171.6 miles from Clearwater. Time for a shower!

Monday we pulled out of Dog Island and headed into Carabelle, Fl. to take on fuel at C-Quarters Marina. Not a huge marina. More of a pier with a pump but the friendly dock attendants were ready to take our lines as we came in. (Pelicans) After filling up we headed back out into the GICW which starts in this area and heads west behind the protection of the barrier islands. We passed the oyster farmers in Apalachicola Bay. Past the shrimper fleet in Apalachicola and on through the GICW to Panama City. A scenic ride with some wide spots and some barely wide enough to meet another boat. We arrived at St. Andrews Marina around 4 pm. Fueled and washed the salt off of Tourist. Dinner was at the Captains Table about 2 blocks away where we had a dozen Cajun baked oysters on the half shell (delicious) and other sea food delights. A great place that doesn't look like much from the outside but packed with people on the inside!