Florida Panhandle
There are two usual routes to cross the Gulf at the Florida panhandle. Our first trip across in 2014 we opted for the three-day route stopping at Steinhatchie, FL, Cedar Key and then Dunedin, FL. Route 2 is a direct overnight crossing taking nearly 24 hours. The weather was forecast to be beautiful with calm seas.There were 16 other boats planning the overnight crossing. See the flotilla of 17 boats across the center of the photo below. Our group filed a float plan with the Coast Guard and we were set to leave around 3:00 in the afternoon, expecting to arrive Marker 1 Marina in Dunedin the next day around noon.
We set out a little early because King wanted to fish in the channel right outside the entrance to Carrabelle. He was not feeling the best, but he thought fishing would improve him. We met the others and set out into the not-so-smooth Gulf. He continued to feel worse, fever, shaking and a sick stomach. Not what we wanted for an overnight crossing. We didn't know what was wrong, could it be appendicitis, gall stones?? We didn't know. After some deliberation and conjoling from me, we decided it best to be safe and turned around and headed back to Carrabelle. Lee and Suzan had a SAT phone and called the marina. The thing about Carrabelle is the town consists of one restaurant and a couple of marinas. no taxi, no UBER, no medical, no drugstore and a very small police station.
Fortunately, our chart plotter leaves a bread trail showing where our boat has traveled, so to return I just had to follow the bread crumbs back in. It would be dark before we landed back at the marina. The folks at The Moorings Marina were there waiting to help get our boat tied up and a local "taxi service" was waiting. The taxi had come from the nearby town of Apalachicola, FL. about 30 miles away. By now it was about 7:00 p.m. The taxi drove us to Port St. Joe Regional Medical Center, a 45 minute drive.
We were the only patients in emergency, so King was quickly taken into a room. The doctor ruled out various infections, nothing broken, no emergency surgery needed. He thought it was probably spinal stenosis, since he had previously had a bout with this, plus previous back surgery. The morphine and Valium did the trick and King slept and felt better. The doctor gave us a few pills and muscle relaxants and said we could go home. We finally got back to Carabelle about 1:00 a.m. Very tired.
The next day a local boater drove me to Apalachicola CVS where I filled King's prescriptions. He took it easy for a couple of days.
With pain killers and muscle relaxants we decided on a new route plan. We would take the three-day daytime route to Steinhatchee, Cedar Key and Dunedin. See me smiling about that. It was a very pleasant trip.
We were happy to reach the marina, but did not enjoy the attack of the biting noseums. We hurried to the office to register and buy a t-shirt. I did not get one the first time we were there and wanted to get one this time.
I like my mermaid t-shirt.
A beautiful anchorage and fishing at Cedar Key. My new favorite fish - a Bonnethead Shark.
Our friends were concerned and kept in touch with us to make sure we were ok. Lazy Suzan reported about the overnight crossing, calling it the night from hell. It was not smooth waters as predicted. Sometimes the weather does not cooperate. There were 6' waves on the beams of the boats and it was very dark with no moon. Boaters reported items being broken, some people were sick and several boat malfunctions.
Everyone safely reached their destinations, happy to be there and very tired.
We arrived Dunedin Marker 1 Marina. Happy to be here.
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