Cozy Carrabelle

Carrabelle Florida is about 60 miles south of Tallahassee but is about as back woods as it gets this close to the coast.  Described as a sleepy fishing village it has everything we need.  From our slip we look over the oyster shell parking lot, past the dumpster and there is a Ace Hardware, an IGA and a bank. The next block has a restaurant and a couple other marinas.  The engine stopped on our way here from Apalachicola and it was my intent to have a mechanic look at it so we put our name on his list.  Since we haven't heard from him I took another look at it and put a pressure gauge on the fuel line and did my usual tightening and replacing washers until I know I have the fuel-air problem solved.  How many time have I said that? Anyway, we missed the weather window to cross the Gulf and we are sitting here with a couple other boats that have had maintenance problems and are waiting for a good weather pattern to develop. In the winter the weather stirs up the Gulf to the point that a small boat crossing can get bounced around if not careful. Soooooo, instead of sitting here telling stories with the good ole boys that hang out here at the marina/sporting goods store/boat charter place we decided to rent a car and head home.  This town is so small it doesn't have a taxi but the guy at the hardware store said the girl at the other marina had a son that would take us to Tallahassee, which is the closest car rental.  We fully expect the son to show up in a jacked-up 4WD pickup with a gun rack and a trophy on the hood. It's all part of our grand adventure called "The Loop".  We are all packed and ready except for a few things and should be back home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee by Friday night.  Love to all and have a Blessed Christmas.

White City

It has been 5 days since we posted a blog. But we have an excuse!!  We left Sabine Marina and headed East.  We anchored out behind Spectre Island on the intercoastal and the next night we were beside a bridge going to the beaches. We didn't have any Internet service so we could not send out a blog.  Thursday, we made Panama City.  We were on a mission - to buy fuel filters. Our life is, do laundry, buy fuel filters and look for the next place to park the boat.  We found the filters and walked back to the boat. We were ready to drop by the time we got back.  Denniese thinks we walked about 4 miles round trip. We stayed two days at Panama City. The second day was resting up from the first. Saturday we stopped at White City, Florida. White City offers a free dock and a fishing pier.  We watched the locals fishing and the locals watched us on the boat and the pelicans watched us both. White City is the dividing line for the Eastern and Central time zone. If you live West of the highway you are on Central time, East of the highway you are on Eastern time. The bridge and the fishing pier was about it for White City. No email or cell service.  It was a nice place to spend a couple of days.  Monday we took off for Apalachicola, Florida but along the was we decided to go on to Carrabelle instead.  Carrabelle is about 30 miles east of Apalachicola and has been described as a little sleepy fishing village and that is what it is.  But is does have a grocery, and Ace Hardware, a bank and several restaurants all within a short walk of the boat.  So here we are tied to the dock along with several other Loopers waiting for the weather to be just right for a crossing to the Tampa Bay area. The trip for us is about 30 hours of Gulf exposure so we are wanting a good weather window.  Maybe by Friday the weather will be just what we want.  Till then we are here at the sleepy little fishing village in the big bend of Florida.