I just completed a week long camping cruise journeying from Fort Walton Florida to Wolf Bay Alabama. Twenty two Catalina 22s sailed 7 days (4 to and 3 back) along Florida's NW panhandle in the Inter coastal Waterway. We stopped over at Specter Island, Pensacola beach bridge, Big Lagoon, and North Wolf Bay where we had dinner at Wolf Bay Lodge.
Saturday I left the marina and went over to the island about 2:00pm. Some of the cruisers were arriving already. I brought my daughter and two of her friends so they could swim while I chatted. We left the island and I slept one last night in a real bed.
Sunday started nice with light winds out of the southwest. My son was with me for the day. By the time we hit Navarre bridge the winds had clocked around to the west and picked up speed. Kenny put on his life vest. Before long we had to lower sails and motor the rest of the way to Pensacola bridge in 3 to 4' waves. The ride was incredible. Kenny had an E-ticket ride on the bow of the boat. Several times the force of the bow coming down from a high wave would force my motor into the up locked position and I'd have to scramble to get it back down. My wife drove out to the bridge and picked up my son so he could go to school the next day. I brought a tent and air mattress thinking I would be more comfortable sleeping that way but there was no room on the beach beside the boat to pitch a tent. I slept on the dinette side angled so my feet were at the companion way step. There was just enough room to stretch out, but I was too tired to care either way. The air was warm so I slept with the hatch open for some breeze. I don't remember any bugs bothering me that night.
Monday the winds had clocked around to the northeast and had calmed a bit. It was a nice sail out of Pensacola beach but before long the winds had picked up and the waves grew the further we got downwind. By the time we reached the end of Pensacola Bay and heading to the pass, the winds seemed to die down a little bit. It was a short trip in following seas. I was soloing now and couldn't let go of the tiller. I had to forgo lunch. As soon as I hit Big Lagoon and beach anchored I opened a can of chunky soup and I don't remember tasting any of it as it passed my tongue. After lunch I journeyed out to take some photos over the island. I walked on top of the old fort there and took some panoramics. About suppertime I was invited to dinner on 'Last Penny'. We had hot dogs and sauce. The sauce thing was new to me. It's an east coast thing I guess. It was good though. It reminded me of sloppy joe sauce only with out the sweet and vinegar taste. It was made from hamburger and primarily tomato sauce flavored with ketchup, mustard and crushed peppers. After dinner it was just about time for the bonfire and festivities. We all sat around in lawn chairs and talked in groups with the people we sat beside. It wasn't long after sunset that most of us headed off to bed. Again the night was warm and I left the hatch open. I had to use the Off bug spray that night as I had two mosquitoes visit for a midnight snack. Only two, I was dreading Wolf Bay where in 2005 we had literally 1000s invade our boat, inside and out! They stuck to the boat in the dew and left little black marks that are still on my sails today.
Tuesday was a nice day of sailing and we sailed pretty much the whole way to Wolf Bay. Winds were from the SE and blowing just enough to make the trip fast. I stopped at Pirates Cove for a cheeseburger and fries. We arrived at Wolf Bay lodge in plenty of time to make the beds for the night and be picked up by the two boats that had offered to ferry. At the lodge, while most had cocktails, I had 3 lemonades to help rehydrate. For diner, I pigged out on my favorite steak, Rib Eye. We did the usual group picture on the dock in the blazing setting sun. Another ferry ride out to my boat and off to bed. Luckily tonight it was a lot cooler and I could close the hatch to keep the bugs out. I sprayed around the gaps in the companionway hatch and again had a bug free night. Not a single bug on the boat in the morning either. What a difference a wet spring and a drought spring make.
Wednesday we were up early and off under motor as there was no wind. I stopped at Bear Point and got me a couple of sandwiches for lunch and a cup of coffee to go with my cinnamon bun for breakfast. I iced up too for the first time. Gotta love that Igloo 5 day cooler! When we hit the south end of Perdido Bay we were met with south winds and we could finally pull up the motor and set sail. I had to use the motor one time going under a bridge as the wind died and there was current that made me sail backwards. Once I cleared the bridge and rounded the corner into Big Lagoon the winds were great and I moved along at a nice pace. The sail to Pensacola Beach was uneventful and I arrived with plenty of light left. The forecast for that night was winds from the NW at 15-20knots and gusting to 25. Luckily it never blew that hard and we had a good nights rest.
Thursday was a VERY windy day. We put up the small jib and reefed the main and still had some gusts that laid us down. It was to say the least the most exciting day of sailing as far as weather was concerned. After Navarre bridge the winds died down and I shook out the reef. There were still some bad gusts and the winds were from all points of the compass. I sailed in every direction except directly west that day because of the shifting winds. What a pain. Managed to get into the narrows where the wind finally decided to die a little and keep one direction and the sail to Specter island went smooth after that. I picked up my daughter and the dog from the marina and took them over. Later I picked up the wife and we had our last nights campfire. We played our poker crawl hands and I won a fleece blanket with the 2007 NGCC logo on it with a pair of 3s and a pair of 9s. We managed to leave a bunch of stuff on the shore when we boarded the boat. Luckily a fellow sailor collected my stuff for me.
I spent Friday processing the photos and uploading them to Flickr. Friday night we went to the yacht club and had our farewell dinner and watched some slide shows of photos taken during the trip.
All in all, a pleasant if not tiring trip. I managed to make the complete cruise this year and didn't hit any bridges or markers. Yay me!
If you have a Catalina 22 and a good trailer, consider joining us next year sometime in May for the 11th annual Northern Gulf Coast Cruise!
Bon Voyage!
Favorite Photos from the trip
