Panama City, Fl to Charleston, SC

May very likely be bringing a new to me boat home soon.......anybody crossing the gulf south bound in the next couple of weeks??

Greetings,
Welcome aboard.

Thank you!!!

I think Dimer2 is in the Destin area now and will cross soon to Clearwater.

May want to message him.

cardude01 said:

I think Dimer2 is in the Destin area now and will cross soon to Clearwater.

May want to message him.

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I think he is in Panama City now, if he was able to make his schedule.

This time of year there are many "loopers" and snowbirds making the crossing.
The shortest route is from Carrabelle to Tarpon Springs. We crossed last week from Port St. Joe which added about 60 miles to the trip. Some go direct from Panama City which adds a bit more. I know there are still loopers behind us some of which are crossing this week during a very nice weather window.

You may want to look around the marinas for the AGLCA burgee and talk to members getting ready to cross. There is a bunch of chatter on their web site about weather and who is crossing when but you need to be a member to get most of the useful information. I used several weather sites to determine when we should cross. Pensacola Surf Report (STORMSURF) is one of my favorites, gives you a nice long range sea forecast. Another good one is MarvsBuoyReports which is free but you have to sign up for.

Hope this helps. Chasing 80 is now in Dunedin looking forward to a nice cruise south toward the keys.

I hope your deal works out. Get to Applichicola, Carrabel, or anchor behind Dog Island. This time of year you should be able to find company for the crossing. They usually wait out weather in those places.

Y'all are wonderful.......first thing is the boat deal.....once that works out, I'll have a better time frame....Hope this weather pattern lasts a few weeks!

We crossed a few days ago from Dog Island. Ended up in an eight boat flotilla. They had an 'on the hour' role call on channel 71 and it was all pretty orderly. They were headed for Tarpon Springs but we veered east into Crystal River. It was kinda nice knowing there were other cruisers out there and we followed them on radar and radio for several hours after leaving them. Only saw one other boat (a shrimper) out there the whole trip.

It's on bought my girl last week.......will be crossing the gulf early week after next.....YES!!

So, ended up in Panama City for the last 3 weeks getting this girl in shape for the trip. Ended up with a blown head gasket on port engine due to a clogged heat exchanger. Spent the last 3 weeks replacing every hose, clamp, cleaning all oil. trans coolers, replaced one engine water pump, repaired broken packing gland bolt, replaced all engine and generator fuel line, cleaned all racors and sea strainers , pretty much cleaned the entire bilge with the clothes on my body a little everyday. she's ready. what a task it has been but the amount of neglect was to great to not do this stuff.

But I lost my window with my sailing partner. Now I cant leave till Feb 1st. I have concerns crossing the gulf in February. What say?

wonderfulwade said:

. I have concerns crossing the gulf in February. What say?

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No more concerns in February than at any other time. Just be sure and check for cold fronts coming, since they can make things uncomfortable.

Personally, I like to hug the coast, though, spending a night in Steinhatchee. It is a tad further, but not all that much further.

Ditto what jwnall (John) said. Just wait for a weather window, and roughly follow the two-fathom line. Other little diversionary ports-of-call are Cedar Key and Yankeetown, though both are a long run inshore and/or upriver. Mighty good seafood, though.

wonderfulwade said:

So, ended up in Panama City for the last 3 weeks getting this girl in shape for the trip. Ended up with a blown head gasket on port engine due to a clogged heat exchanger. Spent the last 3 weeks replacing every hose, clamp, cleaning all oil. trans coolers, replaced one engine water pump, repaired broken packing gland bolt, replaced all engine and generator fuel line, cleaned all racors and sea strainers , pretty much cleaned the entire bilge with the clothes on my body a little everyday. she's ready. what a task it has been but the amount of neglect was to great to not do this stuff.

But I lost my window with my sailing partner. Now I cant leave till Feb 1st. I have concerns crossing the gulf in February. What say?

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Normally I'd say just check the conditions and go....but....

This is still a "new to you" boat and since the maintenance hasn't really had a shakedown cruise. I would not, therefore, head across from Panama City. I would follow the coast a while, checking out Port St. Joe, Apalachicola and Carabelle. Once in Carabelle, I would make my decision on crossing.

Carabelle is a great jumping off point to a cross, but also that gives you time to sort out any issues and leaves you with the option of following the coast around. That shortens your crossing by about 60 nm as well.

Here is an interesting weather site, click on the small Gulf Of Mexico Sea Height Icon in the "Control Panel" under the chart.
It has worked well for us we normally leave Apalach. about 3pm, arrive off Anclote Key or Tampa Bay next morning in daylight to spot the many crab trap floats.
Good luck

I second BandB too. From Apalachicola you can run inside all the way to East Pass (at the eastern end of St. George Island), and then decide whether to head ESE across the wide part of Apalachee Bay, or duck up into Carabelle. If you're really of a mind to go exploring, St. Marks is accessible and another funky little old Florida fishing village.

Steve said:

Here is an interesting weather site, click on the small Gulf Of Mexico Sea Height Icon in the "Control Panel" under the chart.
It has worked well for us we normally leave Apalach. about 3pm, arrive off Anclote Key or Tampa Bay next morning in daylight to spot the many crab trap floats.
Good luck

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Where here?

Blissboat said:

I second BandB too. From Apalachicola you can run inside all the way to East Pass (at the eastern end of St. George Island), and then decide whether to head ESE across the wide part of Apalachee Bay, or duck up into Carabelle. If you're really of a mind to go exploring, St. Marks is accessible and another funky little old Florida fishing village.

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We also love Apalachicola so choose any opportunity to go there.

Right here: Tampa Bay Surf Report (STORMSURF)
click on the small Gulf Of Mexico Sea Height Icon in the "Control Panel" under the chart. Place your cursor on the chart and you will be able to pause, step fwd or back 6 hr intervals, or continue running.

Sorry, I forgot to paste the link in post #15

BandB said:

Normally I'd say just check the conditions and go....but....

This is still a "new to you" boat and since the maintenance hasn't really had a shakedown cruise. I would not, therefore, head across from Panama City. I would follow the coast a while, checking out Port St. Joe, Apalachicola and Carabelle. Once in Carabelle, I would make my decision on crossing.

Carabelle is a great jumping off point to a cross, but also that gives you time to sort out any issues and leaves you with the option of following the coast around. That shortens your crossing by about 60 nm as well.

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Smart advise, thanks. Going to run to Carrabelle via the ditch and assure all systems are tight.....it is amazing how good she handles on one engine, a good thing to know. Planning on crossing from there to Tarpon Springs. I'll be glad to have that behind me. Wonder if any transients will still be heading that way in February?

wonderfulwade said:

Going to run to Carrabelle via the ditch and assure all systems are tight.....it is amazing how good she handles on one engine, a good thing to know. Planning on crossing from there to Tarpon Springs. I'll be glad to have that behind me. Wonder if any transients will still be heading that way in February?

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My advice (having done that trip many times) is to run outside from Panama City to Port St. Joe, then cut in and get back on the ICW there and run all the way to Apalachicola. That ditch from P.C. to Port St. Joe is no fun at all! From Apalach you can run out a bit and then turn left and follow the ICW in behind St. George Island over to the East end of it, then run into Carrabelle. Or anchor behind Dog Island. Usually, if there are transients going to make the Gulf run, they will bunch in the anchorage behind Dog Island to wait for weather.

wonderfulwade said:

Wonder if any transients will still be heading that way in February?

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Very likely will be some. Pretty much if you're around a week or ten days you'll always run across someone moving East.

BandB said:

Very likely will be some. Pretty much if you're around a week or ten days you'll always run across someone moving East.

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Hope to blessed with a window right off the bat or I'm going to lose another first mate's time window. Estimating about 15 days total for entire voyage ,,,,,,,in a perfect world

wonderfulwade said:

Hope to blessed with a window right off the bat or I'm going to lose another first mate's time window. Estimating about 15 days total for entire voyage ,,,,,,,in a perfect world

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Well, I just did a cursory check. Right now in Carabelle there's a Gale Warning with seas 6-9' near shore and 9-12' offshore, all on 6 seconds. However, Saturday looks good at the moment.

We are currently in Tarpon Springs and the 'Loopers' are still coming over in batches. 5 boats came in yesterday. As others have said, Dog Island and The Moorings Marina in Carrabelle seem to be the gathering point. The leave around 15:00 so as to arrive in Tarpon Springs around lunch time so they can see the crab pots better. I would time my arrival to be here at high tide as it is a little skinny up here. We are in Turtle Cove Marina, holla when you get here! I will have a well deserved cold one ready for you.

Thanks....I'm gonna need it!

Here is the wind/wave forecast for the week. Not pretty! Scroll down to... Apalachicola / Carrabelle to Clearwater (south of Carrabelle)

Dee Light Website

Plot thickens

well....after buying my boat and doing 3 weeks of work including a head gasket on the port engine......I went home to Charleston anticipating a February 1st departure......after 5 days at home I get a call that my boat sank....WTF! I jump in my truck and haul butt 8 hours to Panama City.....the boat was refloated thanks to a friend with 2 powerful pumps. I arrived at 3AM and had all engines including the generator pickled by 7am.

Long story short.......after much hard work, all engines and the generator are working great......thank you to James at Panama City Marine for all the advise...IT WORKED.

So, the only thing I lost was the fridge, hot water heater, 2 starters and alternators and every 12v positive connection that went under water.

We never pinpointed the reason she sank.

I am not leaving this boat again until I bring her home. New target date: March 1st. What an adventure!!!!

Wow, yes, adventure!

Might want to investigate the reason for sinking a little more maybe? Did you have insurance?

Sorry for the troubles....

If it sank at the dock without a pretty good idea of why....starting a cruise sounds iffy to me unless staying wthin a few miles or so of shallow water.


My quick guess is that 90% of the hundreds of salvage jobs or sinkings I have witnessed were usually pretty easy to determine the cause....or at least have a pretty good idea of what might have. Having no idea is a bit disconcerting to me nd I have a pretty low threshold for hat needs to be right before getting underway


Having a slight idea gives you a headstart when things go wrong.