Friday 8-3-12 en route in the Gulf of Mexico to Panama City, Florida

Want to know what we look at?

Well, this is the view off the starboard (right-hand) side of the boat........

And this is the view off the port (left-hand) side of the boat......

And this is the view looking off the bow (front) of the boat.....

And finally, this is the view looking off the stern (back) of the boat.

A whole lot of beautiful water, skies & clouds.

Dolphins came by to say hello, and two sea gulls hung around for a while.















25 hours after leaving Pensacola, we approach the channel into St. Andrews Bay which takes us up to Panama City Marina. Overnight, we did one hour on, one hour off.   We didn't feel there was enough time to get a proper watch system in place on for just one night.  It worked out pretty well as we both got many naps....not at the same time, either!

We weren't lucky enough to escape one last vicious little thunderstorm with winds over 50 knots & seas as tall at Mr Skipper Man.  Two hours of this was not fun.

Tied up at the visitor's dock, pleased & pretty tired.

Star is dwarfed by Lucky Dog, an 81' mega monster & Champagne Lady, a mere 51'.

Dinner at Bayou Joe's - shrimp tacos, yum.  This has been one of our fave places.  Sat for hours eating overlooking the water & watched the drawbridge open every time a boat wanted to come or go.

I think we were in a bit of a daze.

We were lucky enough to stumble across Friday Fest - the whole of downtown Panama City becomes a street party with at least 3 bands, antique cars, motorcycles, food stands, street performers - it just went on & on.  People out with their kids, parents, dogs.....& politicians of course giving out tee shirts.

Thursday 8-2-12 Up anchor for passage to Panama City, Florida, 114 nautical miles

Morning dawned hot, sunny & slightly breezy.  Today's the day we start our first long, overnight passage.

Raised anchor and set off at 12.30.  Rain started, then thunder, then wind, then waves, and we're still in Pensacola Bay.

Entered the Gulf at 3.00 p.m. where's it rolly with light winds.  Motor sailed on and off until 10.30 p.m. when the wind settled at about 6 knots which made for good, easy sailing overnight.

Pics of our first sunset at sea

Wednesday 8-1-12 At anchor off Paradise Beach Club, Pensacola

White rabbits

About 4 a.m., woken up by lightning in the gulf – checked on the radar and it looked like it was going to stay just there. 

The day dawned clear & breezy, with just a slight change of rain.  Did some accounts, & after coffee, dinghied ashore for a nice, long walk up to the bridge, sat in the little park & read, then back to Paradise Beach Club for lunch.  They very kindly let us plug in the camera battery for charging – the only thing we don’t have a 12-volt charger for.  Well, not any more – ordered from Amazon. 

Back to the boat about 2.00 – loafed & read & cleaned up a bit – Mr Skipper Man had a couple of naps.  Planning our trip to Panama City & Port St Joe.  Waiting for perfect weather for our first passage.

Spoke to my brother.  He’s had his own meet’n’greet with Fiona Joy Hawkins, & now he’s in love.  If he disappears from New Hampshire, look for him in New South Wales.

Tuesday, 7-31-12 At anchor off Paradise Beach Club, Pensacola

Calm, dry night.  Pepto Bismol to the rescue for some slight queaziness.  Morning grey & breezy.  Dinghied ashore for coffee & fruit at The Native Café.  Took J’s Kindle to download some stuff with good wifi.  Rain started & rain predicted for most of the rest of the day….so back to the boat we go, the front passenger in dinghy – W – getting drenched.  That’s ok!  A friendly person at the dock helped hold the dinghy so we could both get onboard – it was that bouncy with waves.  Back on Star where it’s blowing & just spitting rain & a bit bouncy. 

So glad the weather behaved, letting us go to the free Bands on the Beach tonight – it was a Beatles’ tribute group called Not Quite Fab, and they were really great.  A 4-piece bagpipe group came on to help out with Mull of Kintyre, along with Kazoo from the Blue Wahoos.  A really good night.

Slept well in calm & smooth conditions.

A Beatles tribute band......what are they thinking?

These guys were so very good!  

(shame about blue hat guy)

Love the Sgt Pepper look.

Kazoo in the background.  Only at a free concert!

Monday 7-30-12 Leaving Pensacola Ship Yard Marina

Another huge step – and this is a biggie.   For the first time in 47 years, we do not have a car.  Yikers, this feels weird.  Mark & Barbara are now the caregivers to our long-serving, trusty Expedition, which has been a part of our lives for the last 14 years.  Every member of our family & visitors have driven this great car.  And who knows when we’ll next own a car?

So far this year, we’ve found new homes for our van, pick-up truck & now the expedition, and our fifth-wheel travel trailer.  We dismantled our business after 20+ years.  Sold and gave away and donated the accumulated detritus of home & business ownership.  Tenants are in our house and at our business facilities.

Today sees us cast off from the Pensacola dock for the last time.  A big, important day. 

Motored 2 ½ hrs across Pensacola Bay in rain, thunder & lightning to the anchorage in Santa Rosa Sound, just off the Paradise Beach Club at Pensacola Beach.  Weather all around, but anchored in relative dry & calm.  Got the dinghy down, had a tidy up & decided to go ashore for supper at the Beach Club & a bit of a wander around.  Beautiful sunset.  Trying to keep fit on a boat is difficult so we try to walk whenever we can.  A good reason to go ashore.  Anyhoo, the Beach Club was busy & had tv’s going with the Olympics.  Had fish & chips, then wandered down the boardwalk & back to the dinghy.  Back onboard about 9.30 p.m.

July 16th - July 29th

After a couple of false starts and a couple of mechanical problems that have now been sorted, our departure date is now August 1st.

We tried to start our sail in the Gulf, but the winds & waves were not as predicted and not as we liked, so we came back into a nice anchorage we like.  No need to make ourselves (mainly W!) miserable & uncomfortable when it's not necessary.  Besides, the engine bolt problem reared it's ugly head again, so we really need to get that sorted before cutting the shore cord forever.....which meant ordering parts from England, which arrived yesterday & are being installed at this very moment.  Clever Mr Skipper Man!

Our buddy, Lenny, stopped by while we were at anchor - he's been stuck at the marina for 7 weeks getting a new engine - he's headed for New Orleans, then back to his homeport of St Petersburg, FL.  He & his cat, Roscoe, share the boat & seem to hang in the air conditioning most of the time.




Lenny coming...












Lenny going.....













What do we do at this anchorage?  It's just off the barrier islands, & usually we have the place to ourselves.  We dinghy ashore, walk miles on the beach & swim/play in the Gulf, always keeping an eye on the weather, as we don't leave Star alone during a thunderstorm in case of the anchor not holding, which it always has so far.  We go on longer dinghy rides along the shore, watching the dolphins when they're about.  Reading, a spot of cooking maybe, tidying up & planning the next route, doing internet & email round out our lives here.

Celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary!  Our life-long mantra is "We might not get it all together, but together we get it all."  Sums it up really.

Changed our overall plans after deciding that South Florida isn't really for us this year, so we're planning on heading west to Corpus Christi, Texas for a couple of months.  The teak decks need to be redone before they start leaking too seriously, and there are cheap marinas there, plus we lived in Corpus for 18 months in the late 1980's and we really loved it.  It was the starting point for our Alaska odyssey.  As it's about 500 nautical miles from Pensacola, it will be quite the adventure - maybe 4-5 days sailing.  WOW!

After Texas & after hurricane season, we're thinking of heading to Isla Mujeres in Mexico then south to Belize.  Right now we seem to have trouble getting out of Penscola!

So, first, an overnighter east to Port St Joe for a few days exploring, then off on the big passage.  Checking the weather like crazy to pick the perfect time for the perfect crossing to Texas.  Star is an ocean-going boat so she can handle practically anything - but her crew is a tad untested!

Spent an evening watching this young osprey learning how to fly - once he took off, there was no stopping him.










For the first time, missed having telly - we really would have liked to watch the opening ceremonies from the London Olympics, especially the Queen & Daniel Craig.  It's been pulled from youtube - maybe they're making a DVD?

We also miss watching Formula One, but we can follow the action on the laptop thanks to speedtv.com.  So on race weekends, Saturday & Sunday mornings are glued to the computer for lap-by-lap written commentary.  Not quite the same, but the best we can do.

A smartphone has entered our lives - something we said we'd never do.  We need good weather, and when we don't have internet, we can get the weather on the smartphone via cell towers.  I'd been ringing my brother in New Hampshire to see what weather was headed our way - crazy!  At least we didn't have to sign up to a 2 year contract - and I've started texting, something else I said I'd never do.  See....never say never!

Heading out 7-15-12

Final preparation in progress, getting ready for our First Big Adventure, and the last one when we come back to the dock.  Leaving for Redfish Point tonight, then out into the open waters of the Gulf tomorrow for a 9-hour sail to Dauphin Island, AL.  Waiting till this afternoon to leave - giving lots of time for the weekenders to leave Redfish.  Filling up the water tanks, stowing away & tidying up, laundry, trip to Walmarts, leftover Mellow Mushroom pizza before we go - these Colbys know how to how fun, right?

The Blue Angels had their air show yesterday over the beach, in spite of rainy weather in the morning.  So lots of activity at the dock yesterday evening with boats returning from the festivities.  We don't care for the noise of low-flying aircraft, or crowds for that matter, so we listened from a distance.  Hard to escape the noise of those planes!  Some pics from Google -