Alabama and The Florida Panhandle

     It has been quite some time since I last wrote on the blog. I bet you thought I had given up. Not exactly. We have just been so immersed in the trip it's been hard finding time to stop and write. At the expense of not sounding reporterish I will try and give you all a quick recap of the months events since our last blog and then try and be better about blogging from here on out.
     Before I start going backwards I have to tell you all that today is a very big day for Jeff and I. Today along with three other boats we are making the Gulf Crossing. For those of you who don't know once you get to the Florida panhandle you are faced with the decision of crawling around the elbow to get to the main part of Florida or doing what most boats our size and speed do which is make the 175 mile jump across the Gulf to several different places. We will be going to Clearwater, Florida. You ask why would you travel so far and not just hop across the elbow? As we learned or were reminded at the Rendezvous is that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. And while 175 miles seems far it is much shorter then hoping around and not to mention there are tons of crab pots and shallow water as you hop around. So today at 3pm we will up anchor and head out to the Gulf with our buddy boats make our overnight crossing and god willing and the creek don't rise (I learned that expression from an old boss) we will arrive safely in Clearwater tomorrow at 2pm. Look for the next blog posting about that.
     So back to the recap. The last blog I wrote we had been in Chattanooga, Tennessee. A lot has happened since then as you can imagine. Since then we have made our way down the Tennessee/Tombigbee Waterway all the way to Mobile, Alabama. We completed our final lock of the loop (over 100 locks but who is counting) and traveled over 3500 miles. Once we hit Mobile we were so happy to finally be off the inland waterways. When the river opened up to the bay we felt like we were in familiar water (salt water). Finally things weren't narrow or shallow, we were in salt water and dolphins greeted us and swam along the boat as we made our way into Mobile. We were so happy!! We had classic rock blasting on the radio and we felt like we had accomplished something and were starting the next phase of the trip.

Entering Mobile Bay

Working boat in Mobile Bay

Mobile Bay

Mobile Bay

Once in Mobile we settled in and took our time there. 17 days to be exact. We had some minor boat maintenance done and finally got our brown frown washed off the boat. Because the rivers and canals are so dirty they leave a brown mustache looking streak on the haul of the boat. Just part of the trip. Fortunately for us there were several of our boating friends who were there so we had dinners, potlucks and music parties on the boat. It was a fun place to stop and regroup.

Dinner with Hamp, Jeff and Bern

Friends James, Nancy, Marcos and Lucas

Ladies of the Loop - Laura, Kevin, Me & Nancy

Jeff, Artie, Andrew and James

Tidings of Joy being hauled out in Mobile

While the boat was having some work done we left her there and went back to San Diego for Thanksgiving. It was so nice to be home!!! Although, it was kinda weird too. We had no house to come home to and it felt like a side trip of the loop. We stayed at Laura's house for the week so that was really nice and it was great seeing the family and our friends after 5 months of being gone and to get some Mexican food. 

The three singers Pollak

Eddie and Izzy's Birthday Dinner

Thanksgiving at Laura's House

Another fun thing we did while the boat was in Mobile was rent a car and take a side trip to New Orleans. I have never been and Jeff was there so long ago he said he didn't remember it. New Orleans was only a two hour drive from Mobile and we have a family friend who lives there. We found a cute hotel right in the french quarter and walked around for the day. We met Joe Cox at a Jazz bar and listened to some amazing jazz. We also found a cute bistro restaurant and had dinner. In the morning we ate famous beignets while a jazz trio played in front of us on the side walk. New Orleans has incredible music, good food and just a fun laid back happy atmosphere. We even saw a person on the street we enjoyed talking to.

Street Artist Speaking our Language

Me, Joe, Jeff

Jazz Band

Street Musicians

Street Musicians

Jazz Trio Outside Beignets 

Jeff & I in New Orleans 

When it was finally time to leave Mobile and make our way across the panhandle we were more then ready to get boating again. After we are in a place for a couple of days we are ready to move along. Our next stop was really fun it was  LuLu Buffets who is the sister of Jimmy Buffet. We were told it was a must stop that her marina and restaurant always had music and good food. Both lived up to there reputation. We anchored out and stayed at a few more marinas until finally making our way to Panama City where our friend Hamp is keeping his boat. He tells everyone that he is from L.A. (Lower Alabama) but now lives in Florida. We traveled with Hamp and his girlfriend Denise on and off since Michigan. We were happy to be spending a couple of days with Hamp and getting a tour of his area. Hamp took us out for local Oysters and then we had a few beers while listening to a band play. It was a great afternoon. A couple days later Hamp took us for a tour of an area he used to visit as a kid known as 31A Gratin Beach. It was cute and quiet beach on the Gulf. 

Hamp, Jeff & I Listening to Music

Hamp & Jeff's Oyster Feast

Jeff, Hamp & I Gratin Beach

After leaving Panama City and saying goodbye to Hamp we slowly started making our way toward Carabelle where we would prep for our big 175 mile gulf crossing. We made stops at Port St. Joe, Apalachicola and finally to Dog Island where we would wait for a weather window and rally with two other boats who we would make the crossing with.