Sailing Adventures On Sanctuary

Friday, November 16, 2012

Tarpon Springs, so far

Our first day in Tarpon Springs was great. First, we awoke very rested. After a crossing, sleep is better than usual just because you are tired and glad to be alive. After a relaxing breakfast on a more or less even keel, we started cleaning the boat. It was covered in a paste of saltwater film and it looked like a haven for the homeless inside the boat and the cockpit. The club is in fairly shallow water and at low water we are high and dry. The difference in tides is enough that we have to come in on and depart on a high tide so tide charts are very important to us. After the chores, we rode our bikes over to meet with fellow crossers, Jane and Kent. They were in a nearby marina and equally grateful to be alive and safely tied up. This was their first crossing and first time in Tarpon Springs. We walked along the main tourist street where you can buy sponges and lots of other items unique and not so unique to Tarpon Springs. Unfortunately the tourist trolley was not to be found. This trolley used to make a loop of the main attractions of the town with a knowledgeable driver speaking about the town's history and what there was to see. We had promised this gem to our friends and felt badly that they were not able to experience this foot saving and educational bit of Tarpon. We still had a nice time exploring the shops and area and managed to leave some of our dollars behind. The highlight of the day was meeting up with other crossers Linda and Larry. They are been in company with us out the government cut from Apalchicola. During the night we had lost radio contact with him and had been concerned for their safety. Sadly, they had both been ill and couldn't respond to non-emgency radio calls. They had made it in to the city docks last night as well. It was great to see them rested and well.
Tomorrow will be dedicated to domestic chores, laundry and grocery shopping and the obligitory visit to West Marine. We'll also decide when and where we go next.

Tarpon Springs pictures

Yes, Virginia, men do shop

Pelicans join our place setting thanks to Paula

sponge boat on display in old sponge exchange

sponge factory and store

Tarpon Spring YC at really low tide

The Crossing

Well, we are safely across and at the Tarpon Springs Yacht Club. The best thing I can say about this crossing is that it is over after only (read with a facetious tone) 33 hours. The winds were not what were forecast. We left Apalachicola with the promise of winds that would push us at a comfortable (relatively speaking) angle of heel with minimal waves. We had the minimal waves, thank God, but the wind was not so cooperative. The forecast was for Northeast shifting to North winds at 10-15 knots diminishing to 5-10 knots. Mmmm, we're thinking, a nice broad to beam reach and maybe even a chance to break out the spinnaker, "How ideal". Reality was an east wind shifting to the Northeast after about 24 hours. For the nonsailor that means we leaned over a lot even though we headed in a direction we didn't want to go just to make forward progress. If we had headed straight into the wind we would have had to power through the waves and spend a lot of our cruising kitty on fuel. Besides being an unplanned expense, it would have been uncomfortable even with minimal seas. Since we are on vacation, comfort is an important consideration! Anyway, the wind did eventually shift about 24 hours into the trip and we were able to slowly making our way back to the rhumb line (most direct line of navigation). We finally made it back to where we were supposed to be about 10 miles from the outer mark so we added about 40 nautical miles to our trip or more. The other disappointment of the trip was the total cloud layer. One of the best things about crossing is the number of stars. Also, this time was to be at new moon so the sky was going to be extra spectacular. It was, of course, on the other side of the clouds. As David said,"It was darker than the inside of a cow." I'm not sure how he know this but then again, I don't think I want to know. His grandpa Tye did have a dairy farm so who knows.... One positive thing (besides arriving safe and sound) was the phosphorescence. Living creatures in the salt water give off this chemical when disturbed. A sailboat passing by qualifies as a disturbance and it does create a beautiful bit of wave art along the way. Unfortunately, this beauty does not really adequately make up for the rest. For the younger or more simple reader, that means it was very pretty but not pretty enough for the rest of the yucky conditions! To be sure, dawn was a welcome sight. The weather remained, as it still does, overcast. We came up the Anclote River and happily tied up at one of our favorite clubs, Tarpon Springs YC. Friendly members came out and helped us tie up and get settled. We returned the favor by heading to their bar for a sunset toddy and some of the best burgers around. Not quite as good as our own club's burgers, but close! We then slept for many hours!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Apalachicola-November 13, 2012

We have spent the day roaming around town, working on the boat and getting the latest weather forecasts for tomorrow and the next day. We have reached information overload and quit looking. All the different sources generally agree that the Gulf of Mexico will be relatively smooth with only about 3 foot waves most of the time for the next 48 hours with moderate winds of 10-15 knots out of the northeast. Those are ideal conditions for us. It is enough wind to keep us moving and waves that are very manageable. We can only hope all the sources are accurate. There will still be a lot of praying going on! We'll trade off who stays awake, usually in 2-4 hour shifts. I listen to books to help keep me awake and David has a technique of taking 10 minute catnaps. I can't do that as I know I would sleep soundly for an hour and not wake up until something hit us. Since we'll be going with clear skies and no moon, the stars should be amazing. That is one of my favorite parts about crossing, the gorgeous night sky. We plan to cross to Tarpon Springs and spend a few days resting up, reprovisioning and visiting some familiar spots. It is a wonderful old city with lots of new life. It was made rich by Greek sponge divers and the industry is still active. A great place to eat Greek food.

But back to Apalachicola. We had a superb breakfast at a riverfront restaurant then came back and David worked engine issues while I took care of housekeeping chores in preparation for the crossing. We walked down to a service station that let David use their bench grinder to reshape a bracket to keep it from hitting the engine mount rail. We then went to the local maritime museum. We have been following the progress of this place since it first started. Last time we were here they were still preparing the buildings and working on restoring an old wooden boat. We were pleased to see that the building is not only finished but now houses outstanding displays of this area's history through pictures, narrative and artifacts. Also, the boat is now finished and we learned that the staff is in the process of restoring an old paddle wheeler at another location out of town. Down the street is the project boat after that. We wish them well and the entry fee/donation was well worth it. We'll make an early night of it so we can reconfigure the boat's interior for a crossing. Basically that means we bring the dingy in to the v-berth area and set up a settee berth for sleeping. Everything will be secured from flying around in case of a wave or gust taking us by surprise. I wedge placements around the dishes to keep them from making noise. Even when you are exhausted, some noises can be very irritating. After several crossings we know them all!

One interesting event today was a pelican that kept attacking the boat for no apparent reason. Then we found the reason-a fish in the cockpit. We're not sure if the attacker dropped it or just saw it and wanted it. When David flung it overboard, it was a sight to see the gulls go after it and steal it from each other. Who needs tv comedies!