Cedar Key to St. Mark's, Florida

We left at day break out of the northbound channel headed from Cedar Key to Steinhatchee. with porpoises following in our wake. We saw two huge sea turtles yesterday. We arrived at the entrance channel before noon and it was a parade of boats roaring out. We checked out the first anchorage off the channel in a no wake zone but it looked narrow. We could not spot the fuel dock at Sea Hag Marina so went up to Good Times Marina and had an easy in with help at the dock. We could see the crowded anchorage at the dead end of the channel. We topped off diesel and water and headed back out intending to anchor in the marked anchorage outside the channel. The weather still looked good and it was early so we decided to head on to St. Mark's. We are anchored off the lighthouse as it is eight miles up the channel to where the St. Mark's River and Wakulla  River join. We plan to head to Carrabelle tomorrow so it made sense to stay out here where there is a breeze.

Sea Hag Marina

Good Times Marina

Nice fuel dock and marina with town homes

Crowded anchorage past Good Time Marina

Anchorage off St. Mark's Lighthouse

near Tarpon Springs to Cedar Key

We woke up before daybreak and were pulling anchor as the sun rose. We wanted to get an early start heading out into the gulf towards Cedar Key. There was already one fishing boat with their navigation lights on casting by the island. The sky was spectacular before the sun rose as we headed out. We saw about half a dozen fishing boats and one sponge diving boat. We made fast tracks as we wanted to get in before noon and we could see the rain moving over Cedar Key as we came in the entrance channel. We are anchored off an old dock for the wild life preserve and can see the bright pink buildings of town across the way.

The early morning sky

Sunrise over Tarpon Springs

Anchorage at Cedar Key

View of colorful Cedar Key

Three Rooker Bar to Dutchman Key

We left Three Rooker Bar and headed back up the Anclote River to Port Tarpon Marina to fill up with diesel and water and dump garbage in anticipation of having a good weather window to head around the big bend of Florida to Carrabelle. A trawler was at our spot at the fuel dock but we easily got in and out and got a free beer huggie with Port Tarpon Marina on it. We headed back close to where we anchored before off Dutchman Key next to Anclote Key.  We took the dinghy towards shore where it was very shallow grassy flats and headed to the tiki hut. We tied up to a downed tree and walked the sandy flats around to the gulf side of the island. All the power boats were tied up along the beach. We walked awhile and here the shore birds were all just sitting on the beach. There was one sailing catamaran anchored off the point which we watched sail away at sunset. 

The crowded anchorage and park at the Power Plant entrance to the river

Sandy flats at tip of Anclote Key

Bird haven

Surprised to see outhouse up on sand dune

Pink colored sand looking out towards the gulf

Birds galore on the sandy flats

One Tree Island to Belleair Causeway Park and on to Three Rooker Bar

The first visitors to the island this morning were two paddle boarders who stopped for a rest. We headed back towards the Belleair anchorage and took the dinghy in to the Belleair Causeway Park. It had six boat launches and a huge parking lot and on the other side a sandy beach where we came ashore. It was less than a mile to the Publix so we stocked up on what we could carry. It was a nice walk in a nice residential area. We then pulled anchor and headed back past Clearwater, Dunedin, Honeymoon Island to Three Rooker Bar. It is a beautiful barrier island and mostly sand bar with half of the beach closed for bird nesting season. The bird calls are like a symphony. We enjoyed a lazy afternoon reading on the fly bridge and then went ashore. We surprised several pink roseate spoonbills in the mangroves. We waded around to the Gulf side and there were shells galore including lots of scallops shells. It was a great walk along the spit with boats lined up on the sound side beach. We are anchored out with one other power boat. There are a few folks fishing and otherwise a peaceful anchorage.

Ducks in the ditch along the boat ramp

Belleair Causeway Park

Belleair anchorage

Three Rooker Bar on the Gulf side

On the sound side

Feeding frenzy

Greeting us in the mangroves at Three Rooker Bar

Anclote Key to One Tree Island near Belleair

We had a pleasant evening at Anclote Key as all boats departed except for two sailboats anchored in two designated anchorages down from us. In the morning, we were awakened by boat wakes with dive flags on small powerboats and scallopers snorkeling in the nearby one foot water.  We headed back south towards Clearwater planning to stop and anchor behind One Tree Island close to the Belleair Anchorage. There was a crowd of small sailboats and hydroplane wind surfers and jet skis and power boats all pulled up to the island. We knew no one would be spending the night so we anchored in time for happy hour.

Along the waterway

Amazing speed hydroplaning

Colorful sailing catamaran

One Tree Island with two Labradors enjoying the water

Tarpon Springs to Anclote Key on St. Joseph Sound, Florida

The restaurant at Port Tarpon Marina had live music on Friday night that we enjoyed listening to from the fly bridge until the thunderstorm hit. On Saturday morning, folks filled the restaurant on the docks waiting on their boats to be lifted into the water from the boat storage shed. By 8 am, the boat parade started down the Anclote River. We joined them heading back down the river and past the power plant anchorage into St. Joseph the way we had come in. We then headed toward Anclote Key along with all the other boats that is the gateway to the Gulf of Mexico. It was a peaceful afternoon of napping and book reading and then all the other boats headed back when the thunderstorm came through. It was a beautiful sunset and great to be back at anchor.

Power plant at entrance to Anclote River heading up to Tarpon Springs

Tiki hut out in the water off Anclote Key

Sunset over Anclote Key

Belleair to Tarpon Springs

We took time for a leisurely breakfast of French Toast and fresh peaches and enjoyed the quiet anchorage. We took off heading for Tarpon Springs passing through Clearwater and onto new territory for us by boat. There were beautiful beaches galore and plenty of boats anchored on the gulf side. We headed up the Anclote River to Port Tarpon Marina where they put us on the T-head fuel dock. We were amazed there is a 4 foot tide change here. The marina has two long boat sheds with power boats docked in the shade. The boaters seem to slow down for the no wake zone by the marinas along the river and we have a beautiful view of green space across the river from us.  We plan to stay here three nights and explore Tarpon Springs. We took the dinghy up to the municipal marina docks near the sponge dock factory and went ashore. We have also tied up to Captain Jack's Restaurant dock as they are closed for renovation. We've been to the historic district, found the alternator shop, electronics shop, hardware store, Dollar General, weekend grocery, meat market and had delicious chicken gyros pizza at Andros Cafe and lattes at Copenhagen Cafe. Looks like we will be here another week waiting on good weather to get around the big bend of Florida. We have had thunderstorms with rain every day. Our last day at the dock we headed to the sponge docks and walked towards Wine at the Docks and tasted and purchased Greek red blend wines. We stopped at the Greek grocery for Greek cheeses and church lady knots and a bakery for a wheat baguette.

A rower quietly skulling along in a shell in the anchorage

US Coast Guard inflatable zooming past 

Honeymoon Beach where you pull your car up on the sand

Looking over the island out to the Gulf

Lighthouse on the barrier islands

Pontoon boats are the favorite of the tourists

With striped boat sheds and pelican flag pole

Amazing what comes up this narrow river

Cruise boats coming down from the sponge docks

Net bags full of sponges

Municipal marina dock near the sponge factory

Cute yard art

Flamingos and giraffes

Tarpon Springs Distillery

Back side of Distillery with sponge diver mural

Sponges hanging up to dry

Sponge shack

Sponge bike

Sponges on display

Greek sponge diver

Octopus popular on the menu

Hand rolled Cuban cigars shop

Tile mural on wall

The Sponge Factory