Panama City to Freeport

It was a very still night and we woke up early to a stunning sunrise. We left East Bay and followed the intracoastal waterway to Choctawhatchee Bay. We have a slip reserved at Freeport Marina..This is the end of our journey that we started on July 1 in Stuart and ended on August 5 close to Glenn's home in Valparaiso, Florida which is Dot's Way new hailing port.

Sunrise over East Bay

With no wind the water was like a mirror

Deceptive shore line

The light poles on the dock are actually clusters of gourd bird houses

Port Saint Joe to Panama City

After a morning of fishing, we dropped Pam and Bob off at the junction of the intracoastal waterway as they headed back to White City and we headed on to Panama City. We crossed East Bay and anchored in West Bay and then will continue on the intracoastal to Choctawhatchee Bay. We passed by Eastern Shipbuilding and Massalina Bayou where we kept our sailboat for a few weeks. The Marinas in Panama City were destroyed by Hurricane Michael and still not rebuilt. There were three ships at the port docks. We anchored off the channel and you could see the ferris wheel lit up from Pier Park in Panama City Beach.

Sunk and abandoned

Miles of saw grass

A Staten Island ferry at Eastern Shipbuilding

Drawbridge entrance to Massalima Bayou and favorite bar Bayou Joe's

Cargo ships at the port docks

White City to Port Saint Joe

We met up with Pam and Bob at the White City launching ramp and we towed their Boston Whaler boat down the waterway out into Saint, Joseph's Bay.We anchored off Saint Joseph State Park, We fished off the beach and also went around into the Gulf of Mexico and fished. We walked the beach and also floated off the boat as it was a hot day. After dinner when all the other pontoon boats were gone, we went out fishing and caught a few keeper blue fish finally. We had a spectacular moon rise over the city of Port Saint Joe across the bay.

A bald eagle or no an osprey up, up and away

Fishing but not catching

Carrabelle to Apalachicola to White City

The wind changed direction in the morning so the anchorage became bouncy but it was cooler with the breeze. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and a lazy morning. We pulled anchor around noon and headed towards Apalachicola. We were surprised for a Sunday the few boats out and about. Once we got in the intracoastal waterway there were more runabouts and folks anchored on the dredge banks swimming. We got to the free dock in White City around happy hour. Luckily most of the boating activity was gone so it was quiet and only an occasional boat wake. We will head out into St. Joseph Bay tomorrow for a day of fishing.

Notice the dragonfly on the end of the fishing rod

Pelican portrait

Maritime museum dock

Fishing fleet

Houseboat across the river

Osprey nest up high

The old railroad swing bridge

St. Mark's to Dog Island off Carrabelle

The current at St. Mark's River had us turning around and around on the anchor but the wind finally died down and it was a calm night. We woke up and got a nice view of the lit lighthouse on the point. Numerous fishing boats got an early start and were the eight miles from St. Mark's to passing our anchorage close to the mouth of the gulf before daybreak. There were calm seas as we set out for Carrabelle and it was the calmest day of the three offshore passages from Tarpon Springs. We came in behind Dog Island instead of coming in the pass and anchored off the beach. From here we have a great view of the blue green waters of the gulf through the sea oats and over  the sugary white beaches.

St. Mark's Lighthouse at daybreak

Seagulls hanging out around the sea buoy

Jelly fish floating past

View from anchorage across Dog Island to Gulf of Mexico

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