Winter Cruise on a 26C

Carol and I retired last December and headed off in January for some long term cruising. With Time Enough in tow we headed south, eventually launching at Tarpon Springs, Florida. We traveled most days 15-25 nm, three to five hours cruising. Here is a brief itinerary:

Feb. 1 Tarpon Springs - Anclotte Key
Feb. 2 Anclotte Key - Clearwater
Feb. 4 Clearwater - Gulfport(St. Petersburg)
Feb. 8 Gulfport - Egmont Key
Feb. 9 Egmont Key - Longboat Key
Feb. 10 Longboat Key - Venice
Feb. 11 Venice - Boca Grande
Feb. 15 Boca Grande - Cayo Costa
Feb. 16 Cayo Costa - Cabbage Key
Feb. 18 Cabbage Key - Captiva
March 1 Captiva - Ft. Myers Beach
March 4 Ft. Myers Beach - Naples
March 6 Naples - Goodland
March 7 Goodland - Everglades City
March 10 Everglades City - Little Shark River
March 11 Little Shark - Marathon
March 16 Marathon - Bahia Honda
March 18 Bahia Honda - Newfound Harbor
March 21 Newfound - Marquesa Keys
March 22 Marquesas - Dry Tortugas
March 26 Dry Tortugas - Marquesas
March 27 Marquesas - Boca Chica
March 28 Boca Chica - Newfound
March 29 Newfound - Little Pine Key
March 30 Little Pine - Big Spanish Key
April 1 Big Spanish Key - Little Shark River
April 2 Little Shark - Goodland
April 3 Goodland - Naples
April 4 Naples - Ft. Myers Beach
April 7 Ft. Myers Beach - Captiva
April 11 Captiva - Cayo Costa
April 13 Cayo Costa - Boca Grande
April 14 Boca Grande - Venice
April 15 Venice - Longboat Key
April 18 Longboat Key - Gulfport
April 19 Gulfport - Tarpon Springs

Traveling was roughly divided between sailing outside on the Gulf and motoring inside on the ICW. There is a lot of very shallow water outside the channel so you usually motor on the waterway. There is an abundance of good protected anchorages, marinas, interesting places, good restaurants - in short, southwest Florida is an excellent cruising ground, particularly for a shallow draft boat. We anchored out 90% of the time and were very comfortable in a minimalist sort of way. Favorites places were Dry Tortugas and Captiva, particularly Tween Waters Resort and Marina. Most missed were regular showers and friends and family. The weather was beautiful - one day of rain in three months.

For the summer we plan shorter cruises - hope the see many of you on Champlain in July. Next fall and winter - who knows? Maybe Bahamas. If anyone wants further details we can be reached at .

Fair Winds

Bob Ahlers and Carol Moseley
TIME ENOUGH

BACK

Winter Cruise

Winter Cruise on a 26C

Carol and I retired last December and headed off in January for some long term cruising. With Time Enough in tow we headed south, eventually launching at Tarpon Springs, Florida. We traveled most days 15-25 nm, three to five hours cruising. Here is a brief itinerary:

Feb. 1 Tarpon Springs - Anclotte Key
Feb. 2 Anclotte Key - Clearwater
Feb. 4 Clearwater - Gulfport(St. Petersburg)
Feb. 8 Gulfport - Egmont Key
Feb. 9 Egmont Key - Longboat Key
Feb. 10 Longboat Key - Venice
Feb. 11 Venice - Boca Grande
Feb. 15 Boca Grande - Cayo Costa
Feb. 16 Cayo Costa - Cabbage Key
Feb. 18 Cabbage Key - Captiva
March 1 Captiva - Ft. Myers Beach
March 4 Ft. Myers Beach - Naples
March 6 Naples - Goodland
March 7 Goodland - Everglades City
March 10 Everglades City - Little Shark River
March 11 Little Shark - Marathon
March 16 Marathon - Bahia Honda
March 18 Bahia Honda - Newfound Harbor
March 21 Newfound - Marquesa Keys
March 22 Marquesas - Dry Tortugas
March 26 Dry Tortugas - Marquesas
March 27 Marquesas - Boca Chica
March 28 Boca Chica - Newfound
March 29 Newfound - Little Pine Key
March 30 Little Pine - Big Spanish Key
April 1 Big Spanish Key - Little Shark River
April 2 Little Shark - Goodland
April 3 Goodland - Naples
April 4 Naples - Ft. Myers Beach
April 7 Ft. Myers Beach - Captiva
April 11 Captiva - Cayo Costa
April 13 Cayo Costa - Boca Grande
April 14 Boca Grande - Venice
April 15 Venice - Longboat Key
April 18 Longboat Key - Gulfport
April 19 Gulfport - Tarpon Springs

Traveling was roughly divided between sailing outside on the Gulf and motoring inside on the ICW. There is a lot of very shallow water outside the channel so you usually motor on the waterway. There is an abundance of good protected anchorages, marinas, interesting places, good restaurants - in short, southwest Florida is an excellent cruising ground, particularly for a shallow draft boat. We anchored out 90% of the time and were very comfortable in a minimalist sort of way. Favorites places were Dry Tortugas and Captiva, particularly Tween Waters Resort and Marina. Most missed were regular showers and friends and family. The weather was beautiful - one day of rain in three months.

For the summer we plan shorter cruises - hope the see many of you on Champlain in July. Next fall and winter - who knows? Maybe Bahamas. If anyone wants further details we can be reached at .

Fair Winds

Bob Ahlers and Carol Moseley
TIME ENOUGH

BACK