Day 153: Travel to Destin, FL

December 18, 2023

Day 153: December 18: It was a beautiful sunrise. The AGLCA flag fluttered slightly in the breeze. There was no doubt we would get UW today. Four days in a snug little cove was enough for these wayward travelers.

We poured the coffee and began the process; engine check, look up the coordinates for today's destination, pull up the bridle and don the sweatshirts and hats (Yes we are still chasing 80). Frank and John started the engines to give them time to warm up. At 7:00 a.m. we cut Summer Fling loose, hauled the anchor and got UW, leaving our calm, peaceful anchorage, home to us for the past 4 days. We rounded the point of sand and headed east into the GIWW passing by the dredging operation that keeps this area open and navigable.

No sooner did we round the corner when the dolphins made their presence known. Off to the starboard a flock of pelicans was diving in and out of the water, feeding on whatever unlucky fish happened to be swimming by. Dozens of dolphins joined the frenzy; fins & tails flashing all over the place. What a show!

Off to our starboard was Fort Pickens located on Santa Rosa Island and to our port side, the Pensacola Lighthouse dominated the horizon. We had hoped to visit the fort but there didn't seem to be a place to dock or anchor easily. We tried calling numerous times but no one ever called us back. For the entire trip we have passed many national parks and interesting places we would have liked to stop at but access by boat has been difficult, if not impossible. So we settle for a view from the water.

Fort Pickens, an expansive brick fortress of arched tunnels, is named after American Revolutionary War hero Andrew Pickens. It was completed in 1834 and remained in Union hands throughout the Civil War. We were disappointed we were not able to stop but so be it!

Throughout the cruise there was a constant military air traffic presence. Touch and go's were being practiced; jets flew low overhead back and forth across the waterway. I realized this activity was due to Elgin Air Force Base, located in the western Florida Panhandle between Pensacola and Panama City. It is the largest Air Force base in the world.

Weather conditions remained in our favor as we cruised toward Destin. The ever present dolphins were a sight to see; delighting us with their antics. I am amazed at how fast they travel; we can see them charging toward our boat and the next thing you know they are frolicking under the bow. It was great fun!

Once in the open water of Santa Rosa Sound, John decided to run the recalibration procedure again, hoping to improve the accuracy of the electronic compass now that we have moved the fridge/freezer unit away from the compass at the lower helm. We alerted Frank who was behind us to back off so his wake would not cause interference. The process ran well and we were pleased to see our previous score of 13 climb to 24!

As we approached Destin, a water tower called attention to the fact we were traveling on the Emerald Coast. This is the unofficial name for the coastal area in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. It stretches about 100 miles through five counties: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay which include the beaches of Pensacola, Navarre, Fort Walton, Destin and Panama City. With its clear, emerald green water and soft, sugar-white sand, this area certainly deserves the name Emerald Coast.

We made the turn toward starboard, passing through the Brooks Bridge, stretching over Santa Rosa Sound just west of the Choctawhatchee Bay and cruised into Destin Harbor. Although pretty busy, this was nothing compared to what I would call chaos in the summer months. A very large boardwalk, Destin Harbor is an extremely popular tourist attraction, known for parasailing, jet-skiing, dolphin cruises and more. We were able to anchor inside the harbor which would be impossible in the summer months. We are told boats anchor outside the harbor on the other side of the bridge and take a water taxi to shore.

We dinghied to shore in Frank's tender looking to purchase gas for his outboard, throw away a garbage bag, find a post office, walk the boardwalk and have dinner. It didn't take long to accomplish all we set out to do. We saw that the Boathouse Oyster Bar had a gas pump. Right out front, extending into the harbor, were numerous tiki bar huts, all empty on this December day!

Frank purchased his gas and we unloaded our trash. The young man who pumped the gas was very helpful, telling us we could leave the dinghy while we walked around the boardwalk. He also encouraged us to come back for dinner or drinks once we had checked out the boardwalk.

Many shops were closed and there were not many people strolling along; Despite the cold, there are some benefits to boating during the winter; plenty of room in anchorages and space at marinas and no crowds. A cashier at one of the stores told us it does get a little busy during the holiday season because folks spend the day Christmas shopping at the stores that are open. We enjoyed checking out the boats and shops before heading back to the Boathouse for dinner.

We did end up eating at the Boathouse and were greeted by Preston, the same young man who had pumped the gas. He escorted us to a picnic table out on the dock. I had the most delicious gumbo, loaded with seafood including crab, scallops and lobster. John and I ordered peel and eat shrimp and a cluster of snow crab legs. Both were awesome!

We watched the sunset and a tiki bar hut cruise back to its spot at the dock. Preston commented that it must have been occupied by calm people; real party goers would have the music cranking!