Enjoying some "sit time" in Port St. Joe

We cruised into Port St. Joe Marina on Thursday evening as the sun was setting and now today is Tuesday and it seems we will be here for at least 5 more days.  Although it would be nice to get going again, this couldn't be a nicer place to wait for the seas to calm.  We will not be cruising around the part of Florida where it takes a curve toward the south.  Instead we will make a 19 hour cruise along a diagonal to avoid the marshy wetland in the "arm pit".  We have the choice to cross from 3 main areas which include here and also Apalachicola or Carrabelle. Our destination will be Tarpon Springs.  The crossing is done during the night because the winds die down generally and there are very few boats to negotiate around. Typically boats leave Dog Island, just south of Carrabelle at around 3pm and aim to be at the destination at 10am when the sun is not so glaring to impair our vision.  There can be crab pots in the shallower water toward shore and the lines attatched to those pots can foul a propeller so spotting them is critical.  We sit now and wait for the weather guy (a wonderful member of the AGLCA who wakes early every morning to analyze wave action and wind for a 6:30am report) to tell us it is a good time to cross the Gulf.

In the mean time we have walked this town and I know every inch of it.

We have walked by this poor little abandoned sailboat at least once every day.  Great walking paths are all around the town and stores including the grocery are a few minutes away.

Just a beautiful creek we crossed on a morning walk.  No gators in sight!

This is the view from a public fishing area just outside of the marina on our stern.  Across the bay is Cape San Blas which is a gorgeous peninsula that looks out on the Gulf.  We went over there on Friday for a day trip as a last gathering of our little group.  California Lady crossed the Gulf on Saturday in conditions that were not guaranteed calm.  So we said goodby and chose to stay put. 

We used Victory Lap to go to the beach on Cape San Blas on a spectacular day!   

It was so warm that Al jumped in for a swim, not telling me just how cold the water was, so I donned my suit and also jumped in, finding 70 degree water!  It was in and out for me!!

After our beach walk we had lunch on InSpeyered which attracted biting flies.  So Nancy used the elctrified bug zapper to protect us! 

Every night we have the treat of another interesting sunset. Looking into the marina the sky reflects pink shades as the sun sets over Cape San Blas.