Tuesday, December 1, 2009

We prepared for another big blow! The forecast called for a Small Craft Advisory beginning today at 1 pm until late tonight when a Gale Warning was to take effect through Wednesday evening followed by another Small Craft Advisory through Thursday afternoon. Winds would begin coming in from the east this morning and then work their way clockwise around the compass headings, blowing from 15 to 20 to 35 knots, with gusts to 45 knots expected from the south and southwest Tuesday night and Wednesday. By Friday, the winds were to be back down to around 15 knots from the northeast. The seas were predicted to be 20 feet offshore tonight with numerous showers and thunderstorms as well as a much higher than normal tide. A cold front was definitely on its way.

Since Wednesday was supposed to be very rainy and windy, we bought our groceries, did our laundry, retied the lines, put up the isinglass and battened down the hatches. In the past few days, several Loopers had arrived at the marina and were planning to stay put until the seas calmed. Many folks were anxious to get on their way, but they were not foolish enough to set out under these conditions. We were among those looking forward to moving on to the next port and warmer weather.

We actually ate out twice today – both times at the Dockside Café. For lunch, Maureen tried the chili and Gale had the jambalaya – both were excellent. At 5 pm, during Happy Hour, we shared the 2 for 1 oyster special – meaning you were served 2 dozen oysters on the half shell for the price of a dozen. As our friend, Tim, put it, these things were “as big as cow’s tongues!” It was our understanding that 60 percent of the oysters produced for the US come from Apalachicola Bay. They were very tasty, indeed – and, according to Maureen, so was the key lime margarita!

Leaving the restaurant at 6:30 pm, we discovered that the rain had begun.