Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay

Sunday morning, January 20th. It is about 50 degrees and windy outside, but the sun is out today. We are still docked at Port St. Joe Marina waiting for a good weather window for the next leg of the trip. Since we have spent so much time here, we may sail directly from here to Key West, provided the wind and weather stays favorable underway. Currently it looks like Tuesday may be a good day to leave. We will have to be careful of the tide when we leave, though. I woke up this morning and realized we were sitting aground at the dock. It is nearing the full moon and the tidal range is nearing its maximum. Our boat draws 5' 10" and I estimate the depth in the marina at low tide this morning to be about 5' 7". Low tide on Tuesday is predicted to be at 10:35, so if we can't leave the dock by 08:00, we should probably wait until 12:00 to leave. We are supposed to meet Rob in Miami on the 31st, but I built enough extra time in the planning that we should still have no problem making it there on time. Rob is a sailor, so he understands weather windows and is prepared to wait for us in Miami if we should be delayed beyond the 31st.

Port St. Joe has been a very nice place to wait for a weather window. The marina here is very nice and the people are very friendly and helpful. There is a grocery store, sporting goods store, hardware store, movie rental, and several restaurants all within walking distance. There is a 45' Cherubini Trawler docked with us on the transient pier. Joe and Judy are the owners and Nancy and I have enjoyed their company. Their boat, named Night Star, is very beautifully appointed. They are waiting for a weather window to continue south, as well. We have been just taking it easy reading, watching movies, and taking care of a few jobs on the to-do list while we've been here.