At 0720cst, Dan and Old Geezer passed green marker 27 on their way toward the bridge at the mouth of the Gulf County canal. Winds were 5-7, with flat seas, except, for a touch of wind chop. A pair of outbound shrimpers met him as the three ships started their day.
 
Dan had just checked out of St. Joe Marina, and recapped the excellent staff, service, and facility. Having a newspaper, tide, and weather report brought to your dockstep each day is the icing on an excellent cake. Throw in excellent food (Dockside Cafe) , hospitality that includes locals, among them the Commodore of the Yacht Club coming by to introduce themselves, and you've got a fine, fine combination.
 
We'll track the Expeditionary Force's progress through the day, and might just kayak out to greet him. —Steve Haines

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I should have known.
 
I was unable to reach Old Geezer and Dan this morning. It seems that they were out of range, since they cast off early this morning to explore St. Joe Bay and take bottom samples.
 
There was swell, chop, spray, and the odd wave into the cockpit as the intrepid team explored the peninsula, managing to stay off the sand from time to time. Two other sailboats were out, and a few fishermen. Reefed main and lapper were the order of the day. Near shore, several squirrels were sighted, and I suspect they had been blown out of the trees. It was windy in the panhandle today.
 
Plans have been made for an early morning departure from the good folks at St. Joe Marina. The route will take our smallcrafters back up the Gulf County Canal to the IC, where they will take a military left and head for East Bay.
 
We'll be out of touch for a time tommorrow, but will attempt to link up at scheduled intervals. The plan is to press for Pitts Bayou or Bonita Bay, both just west of the DuPont Bridge, and hard by Tyndall Air Force Base. Just in case conditions aren't right, we've reviewed several places to duck in, either for a break or for the night.
 
Our intrepid Expeditionary Force can get out there and mix it up with the elements, but the beauty of being small, shoal, and shippy is that wonderful ability to tuck into small places and wait. That tactile depth finder is a plus, too.
 
I made sure Dan has plenty of bananas for the next leg, and we made plans to link up on the water. More on that later. For now, look at the map of St. Joe Bay, and you'll see several dark indentations in the light colored bottom. I'm not sure that Dan made all of them, but I'm sure he made a lasting impression on the bay.

Regarding maps: The one that looks like Batman's cape is Dan's Estimated route today. The other is his planned route tommorrow.

 

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I am pleased to report that small biting insects are fewer in Port St. Joe than in Carrabelle or Apalachicola. Mosquitos are plentiful, though. Hungry, too.
 
St. Joe Bay was frothy most of the day, so Old Geezer stayed in her slip. dan reports that the PSJ Marina is first rate, with a helpful staff. He was surprised to learn that transients there get a newspaper delivered to their slip each morning.
The food and service there are good, too, and fairly priced. Check 'em out. www.psjmarina.com
 
Since sailing or paddling seemed like work today, we opted for beer by the bay, and supper at the marina. there was also a planning session, looking at charts and working out the next stage of the Expeditionary Force's move west. Tommorrow will involve sailing, paddling, or both, if the weather allows. If not, we'll fall back on plan "B". That may stand for "Beverage".—Steve Haines

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At the upper right is Carrabelle, where Dan launched and did his first bottom testing. Below the point where he came into the sound is the western end of Dog Island, and the pass to the Gulf of Mexico. His route took him under the bridge to St. George Island, then under the bridge at the mouth of the Apalachicola River. He docked just off the river, on Scipio Creek.

When the Expedition cast off , it went up the Apalachicola, stayed to the left, and overnighted in Lake Wimico with the other varmits. This morning, Dan continued across the lake, turned down the canal, and followed it five miles or so into St. Joseph Bay. He took a left past the site of the old paper mill, and went to the Port St. Joe Marina, where he is tied to a tall dock. The boat, I mean.

Don Person suggested the map posting. Thanks, Don!—Steve Haines
 

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The Potter Expeditionary Force has checked in from the marina in Port St. Joe.
Dan recounted his trip upriver in  terms of near perfect sailing conditions, particularly since he was going upstream.
 
When he left Apalachicola, he was under reefed main, but as he neared Lake Wimico, he used Jerry's lapper to good effect. Locals seemed surprised to see a boat under sail up there. I'm guessing it's because there aren't many suspects in the area.
 
Dan found an alligator free anchorage, he thinks. There were lots of fish jumping, and sometimes a big splash, but no 'gators. Just to be safe, he stayed aboard Old Geezer, serenaded by owls and awakened by woodpeckers. There were bald eagles, too, and lots of ospreys.
 
The hook came up this morning, and the Force sailed on, getting 5.5mph in Searcy Creek, according to the GPS. From there it was a straight shot down the Gulf County Canal to St. Joe Bay, and a left turn took him to the marina. By 1218CST he was in a well protected slip.
 
Laundry is on his list for today, and I gave him directions to the nearby IGA, where he can get more bananas. We'll check in on him soon. —Steve Haines
 

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The winds were strong on Scipio Creek last night, provoking Dan to move Old Geezer into the lee of a big boat for shelter. He reports that he finally got some rest, and slipped his lines this morning.
 
Getting underway, Dan was visited by a Park Ranger, as well as a gentleman from Pensacola, and both were impressed by the objectives of the Expeditionary Force.
 
When Dan turned up the Apalachicola, winds were off the gulf, and he was having a grand time, making 4.5 under reefed main. There were whitecaps from the collision of wind and river, but it was the best ride dan has had so far. While we spoke, he was starting to lose some wind, and had a heads'l ready to hoist.
 
Dan will get to Lake Wimico, sail, and settle in for the night. He may be treated to a spectacular sunset, and the symphony will be playing tonight. It is that time when alligators turn amorous, and at night their roar comes across the water like that of a lion. Dan will not leave the boat.
 
There will be a communications check later today, but I doubt that we will connect. The area is remote, and as far as I know, only accessible by water, so we may be out of touch for a day or so.
 
When the Expedition leaves Lake Wimico, it will move west on the ICW and turn south on the Gulf County Canal, toward St. Joe Bay. There is an IGA store there where Dan can get more bananas.
 
THIS JUST IN: Just received a call from Dan, as we had prearranged. The call came through, but we could not communicate, and the connection was lost after 20 seconds. However, this indicates that Dan is on Lake Wimico as we speak.
 
When Dan approaches St. Joe, we'll have communications again, and link up, so that I can show him places like the shark hole. Maybe Pam will take her new boat over there.—Steve Haines

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We had arrived at the boat show in search of Dan, and I was scanning the crowd ahead when my eyes twitched involuntarily to port. "WOW! Look at THAT!"
 
It was so pretty, so red, with such a pretty sheer. If she'd been human, I'd have gone to jail, because I just had to touch. It was ten feet of pretty, built for oars and a two horse Evinrude. It had a centerboard trunk with a plug to keep the water out, but no rudder, and no rig.
 
For a person who sails, a beautiful motorboat is an almost oxymoronic enigma. Being attracted to one is a dilemma like being desirous of someone who lives and thrives on the wrong side of the tracks: what will your friends say? What about your family?
 
I touched and looked and searched for superlatives, and then I saw it. The boat was for sale.
 
I was doomed.
 
I blinked, and looked again at the price to make sure I had read it right. It had to be a mistake. This beauty must surely cost more.
 
It was no mistake. Boat, motor, and trailer for less than the cost of a new sail for most small craft. In fact, the trailer is worth nearly as much as the package. It even has a new spare tire.
 
I was doomed.
 
I stammered, looked at the boat, and looked at Pam. "Well, what do you think?"
 
"Sure."
 
"Sure?"
 
"Sure?"
 
"Sure. Why not."
 
"Oh, wow..."
 
At that point, Greg, the seller, approached. Greg is a boatbuilder, rower, and sailer who, among other things, has worked and crewed on Nina, the replica of Columbus's ship. He did not build this boat, but seemed as impressed as I with the design and quality.
 
Before the show ended, I was summoned by the officials. The new boat had won Best in Show in the Skiff category.  
 
I have told everyone that I bought Pam a boat, and that she should name it.  She agrees that I bought the boat for her, and plans to call it Just One More.
 
I hope she'll let me use it. —Steve Haines

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The Expeditionary Force was foraging Saturday morning, so we vectored Dan to the Piggly Wiggly for bananas and planned to link up. We were soon en route to rendezvous.
 
The weather was spectacular and, unlike the day of Dan's trek, winds were not howling. In fact, along the way, we saw dozens of small fishing boats on flat, shallow water.
 
Arriving in Apalachicola, my handler and I set out to find Dan.  Then things took an unexpected turn......
 
Later, I contacted Dan, and learned that he had foraged successfully; shortly, I spotted him. Strolling down the sidewalk, he  looked normal, except for the large sack of bananas.  Really, how often do you see a Californian in Florida with a sack of bananas? Think about it.
 
The Apalachicola Antique and Classic Boat Show is small, friendly, and fun. It occupies the street next to the river, and is surrounded by eateries. There is good food and cold beer around every corner, but the boats! There are antiques there, but many are finely built small craft of more recent vintage. Canoes and kayaks and wherries and skiffs and oysterboats and cruisers, boats of strips and of ply, but there is aluminum and fiberglass, too. There are sprits and lugs and gaffs, and boats that make you want to row.
 
The crowds are small enough that it is easy to talk to builders and owners, and we were lucky enough to do that. Small boats, smallcrafters, and sunshine are a fine combination.There are other groups there, too- the Apalachicola Riverkeepers, who remind us that we must protect this river and estuary from ourselves, and those who protect the life and habitat of nearby St. Vincent Island.
 
We were pleased to see SeaPearl hull number 1, strikingly different than newer boats, but one hundred percent SeaPearl. All I can say is "WOW"!
 
Old cars and outboard motors are there, too, and odds and ends of boat parts. I missed a metal bodied manual bilge pump, but scored some nice bronze stuff. More on that later.
 
The show ended with awards for boats in several categories, and was followed by a dinner and guest speaker. We opted for a smaller group, and feasted on oysters and Alligator Point mussels. The beer was cold, too.
 
We left Dan well fed and hydrated, with an outline of new objectives for the Expeditionary Force. He was to spend Sunday in Apalachicola, probably eating bananas.—Steve Haines

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Dan reports that he is in fog this morning, and that it is purely weather related.
 
Yesterday's adventure was more than just exploring the bottom and staying dry. Dan reports a close encounter with a beautiful two masted smallish boat busting moves near Apalachicola. It was too rough and wet for the camera, so its image escaped us. We hope to see it at the antique and classic boat show tommorrow.
 
I was reminded again of our community of smallcrafters when Dan pointed out that Rob, a Potter 19 sailor from here in the panhandle, had told him about accomodations in Apalachicola. Turns out, says Dan, that the Water Street Hotel and Marina, www.waterstreethotel.com at the mouth of Scipio Creek, is a topnotch place with as friendly and helpful a staff as he's found in his travels. Papa Joe's Oysters, just upstream, was great, too.
 
Old Geezer carries all manner of electrical adaptors for her portable power source, except the one that matches the plug at his dock. No matter, though, since the people at the hotel had him bring the device to the office to recharge. Elegant and accomodating, aren't they?
 
We'll link up with the Expedition soon, and by Sunday, we'll have a dispatch about the boat show. If you're in the area, come on down. Look for the guys in the ATUS NOG caps.

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We should have known.
 
Today's weather was forecast with uncanny inaccuracy, and great wind astern turned into greater wind on the nose, and a 29 mile sail turned into 18miles+ of motoring. The remainder was reefed and wet.  
 
For the unfortunate among us who do not know the area, Apalachicola Bay is beautiful, shallow, and produces as fine an oyster as ever graced a cracker or a cracker's table. It also produces a chop that can make for a long day in a small boat. But it was no problem for Dan and his Potter 15, Old Geezer, even when he ran aground six or seven times.
 
It is true that we smallcrafters live in a small world, and that point came home when Dan came alongside in Apalachicola. A man had seen him sail under the bridge, and came to investigate; the gentleman was formerly of Port Townsend, home of Small Craft Advisor.
 
Dan reports that the oysters were even finer than expected. We hope he left some for us.
 
And Don, you should have come with him. It's still not too late, you know.—Steve Haines

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