Week 14 Destin to Carrabelle

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January 22, 2023 to January 28, 2023

Destin, FL to Panama City, FL

Finally caught up with several Looper friends and enjoyed a great night of 'docktails'.  The discussion about making the Gulf crossing started to take on a new urgency.  Up until now, we checked the weather every day using the Windy App, Marv’s Weather Report, and several other apps to confirm both wind and swell. Scott installed AIS at our last stop but our Raymarine Radar is 18-year-old technology and almost impossible to read.  When we saw the first weather window where winds were less than 13 knots and the swell was under 2’ we set off to our second to last stop before the Gulf crossing.

Panama City to Scipio Creek Marina Apalachicola

This tiny waterfront town has a long history. In the the1800's it was the third-largest cotton exporter in the United States.  This community is known for its oyster production and Tupelo honey.  Tupelo honey is produced in the Okeefenokee Wildlife Refuge and the Apalachicola River basin in Florida, where the peninsula turns into the Florida panhandle. People who live in the area actually call this honey, swamp honey, which makes sense because the area where the white tupelo trees grow is actually considered swampland. We spent the day strolling through the shops and enjoying good food and of course picking up a couple bottles of Tupelo honey! 


We stayed at the Scipio Creek Marina. Other Loopers stayed on the 'free wall' offered by the city. 


Scipeo Creek Marina Apalachicola to Carrabelle MarinaT

We secured a slip at the Moorings Marina.  Both fuel and pump-out were available and the amenities for transients are very nice.  We met several Loopers in a lounge area to watch the football playoffs and the conversation quickly turned to talk about the gulf crossing.  The gulf crossing is one of the longest open-water transits on the entire Great Loop

Restaurants were an easy walk from the marina and we took advantage of the time to stretch our legs.  On the way to dinner, we passed the world's smallest Police Station!


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Spending time cruising in our Rosborough 246 on America's Great Loop.

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