PANHANDLE: DAYS 143-147: EHL 144 Edith Hammock Anchorage - 158.8 EHL the Wharf Marina - DayBreak Marina - Choctawhatchee Bay Anchorage - Apalachicola Anchorage - Carrabelle Anchorage


Edith Hammock Anchorage to 158.8 Wharf Marina: 6.2 mph; 16.0 miles; 2:35 hours

Wharf Marina to Day Break Marina (Pensacola): 7.9 mph; 29.2 miles; 3:42 hours

Day Break Marina to Upper Grand Lagoon Anchorage (Panama City): 9.9 mph; 70.6 miles; 7:10 hours

Upper Grand Lagoon Anchorage - Apalachicola Anchorage: 11.7 mph; 98.1 miles; 8:30 hours

Apalachicola Anchorage to Tate’s Hell State Forest Anchorage (Carrabelle): 13.0 mph; 28.1 miles; 2:10 hours

NOTE: About the EHL thing, the mile markers aren’t as important in Florida as they are on the river. I wish that they were - I would be helpful.


DAY 143: The Wharf Marina: 
Escorted to the marina by a small pod of dolphin and a manatee - love this place!

  • Really nice marina with the BEST showers and captain's lounge - everything you need. Total cost around $100/night. Didn't really care - been on the hook for a week and needed to wash my hair, do some laundry, and walk around.

  • Things are more expensive here, even with the AGLCA or BOAT US discounts.

  • I feel a little crowded - but safe; tons of Loopers and JETSTREAM puts together the best welcoming party!

  • We also spent time with new/old friends from Side Piece, I love time with Kacey.


DAY 144: DayBreak Marina: Jake Adams (Pensacola): 

A BIG Thank you to Jake Adams, owner of Day Break Marina, for making this visit possible!


What a blast from the past! First we had drinks with Annie Wier and her main squeeze, Bill, at the Oar House. Annie was a bride’s maid in our wedding 30+ years ago! Then we were treated to dinner with an old creek friend, Jay Bradshaw and his beautiful wife Jenn, at Jaco’s. I swear - the conversations hadn’t skipped a beat!


While tied up to the dock, I went to Greer’s Grocery Store: What the devil is this? SUBTOTAL $184.24; PLUS 10% $18.42; and a TAX $4.34 - What is the PLUS 10% - who gets that and why did I give it to them? Is this all over Florida? 


DAY 145: Upper Grand Lagoon Anchorage (Panama City):

RDB after the 98 bridge and the canal is in sight


This little spot is right before the Canal leading to Apalachicola. It is quiet and easy with good holding. Google Maps tells shows The Bay Restaurant at the base of the bridge on the water. Maybe it was ‘closed today’ but … I didn’t see any activity and I really wanted to see what that executive chef, Jim Shirley, had to offer. He is suppose to be spectacular.



DAY 146: Apalachicola Anchorage:

We settled across from the city dock and outside the channel with a steady current and good holding. The morning greeted us with about 100 Black Birds perched on the boat. What the devil was that all about? Hitchcock would have loved it.


There ARE marinas here and you CAN stay at the fixed, raw, City Dock for $2.00/ft without electric or water. If you decide to use the city dock for an overnight, the Chief of Police’s number is on the sign, call to leave him a message and he’ll call you back. They should probably just use Dockwa.


We tied to the city dock the next day, for FREE, to walk the town. The town wakes up on Sunday around noon. There is this VW BUG with a speaker mounted to the top and two men who jump out and start playing music, good music, on a whim. Great little town. We had lunch at Half-Shell and to tell the truth, it was like any other fry place with one exception: Oyster Rockefeller: OMG! Seriously! It was the best I’ve ever had. 


HISTORY BY PAIGE

Apalachicola was once the oyster capital of the WORLD until the stroke of a political pen ended a life long tradition and left 700 people without employment; there is only one oyster house remaining. I learned from a local that the  Apalachicola oysters are actually from Texas and repackaged to say Apalachicola. 


LOCAL QUOTE: "We hope those 'bleeding oysterin’ politicians' will get smart and open the beds again in five years - they're (the oysters) are just sittin’ there needin’ some pickin’.”


DAY 147: OUTSIDE Tate’s Hell State Forest  "HOOK" (Carrabelle):

UGH! Hell is the operative word in the name of this location to drop a hook. An anchorage is a safe place, dropping the hook is sleeping where you fall.


We dropped the hook on the Gulf side of the island with winds slapping the boat the whole time. Not the best choice for a good night's sleep before the Gulf Crossing. There are two other yahoos in this spot. Heads up: there is an anchorage just inside the East Pass at Dog Island in Carrabelle - try that one. 


There is a marina, The Moorings, a lot of Loopers use in Carrabelle. It is a little out of the way but said to be safe and sound.

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