We pulled anchor at 8:45 am and said goodbye, for now, to Ladybug and Dahlin. The skies were overcast and it was a cool 50°F, but we were in protected waters and the current and tide were with us so at 2200 rpm our speed was a swift 7.5 knots. We were unable to maintain that speed for long, though, and averaged around 5.7 to 6.2 knots for most of the day.
With the overcast skies and chilly temperatures, we were very glad to have the isinglass up in the cockpit. It rained most of the day and the isinglass kept the wind and rain outside. With the heater running in the cabin, we could leave the door open into the cockpit and heat that, too!
The original plan for the night was to anchor on the east end of Dog Island at Tyson’s Harbor. At 2:15 pm we stopped at The Moorings Marina in Carrabelle to top off the fuel and refill our fresh water tanks and inquired about anchoring at Dog Island. The staff recommended that we avoid Tyson’s Harbor because in the winter, it was way too shallow. How shallow was that? “Dry,” was the response. They suggested we try Alligator Harbor which was about 15 miles east of Carrabelle. At 3 pm, it was going to be difficult to get to our new destination before dark, but we went for it anyway.
We arrived at the entrance to Alligator Harbor at 5:15 pm as the sun was setting. There was just enough light for us to find a great spot and set the anchor before it became too dark. We enjoyed grilled chicken and potatoes for dinner even though Gale had to stand out in the rain for a short time to tend to the food. The wind and waves rocked us to sleep and we rested comfortably all night long.
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