I am alive thanks to Dr. Bundakwala, who was willing to give me antibiotics to carry on the trip. Amoxicillin and Sudafed seem to be doing the trick. Self diagnosis seems to be sinus infection triggered by cold water submersion. You live and learn.
Today we did laundry, scrubbed fenders and swim platform from the dirty water of the Tenn-Tom and generally piddled around.
Early this morning “My Way” with the Portuguese Waterdog Skipper was preparing to leave. I walked down and reminded them that there were small craft warnings on the Bay but they were going to give it a try. They fueled up and started out of the harbor when the wind started roaring in. Within 5 minutes we had them back in their slip for the day. No sense in taking a chance. Soon there was a tornado warning out for Fairhope and one hit near Coffeeville where we were last Thursday. All day long the winds howled through the marina but we are sheltered in a covered slip behind several other boats that act as a windbreak for us.
Things settled down in the late afternoon and at 1500 we had a meeting with a couple who have crossed the Gulf 17 times. They took charts and demonstrated how to navigate from here to Clearwater. Our tentative schedule is to leave Friday for Orange Beach, then Pensacola, Destin. Panama City, Port St. Joe and Appalachicola.
In Destin we will have Thanksgiving with many old friends and pay a debt to an old and dear friend. Jim Peeler is talking about joining us in staging for the crossing. Then we cross the mighty Gulf of Mexico sometime in early December and head home. An old friend, Goree Waugh, has contacted us and offered to let us tie up at their dock in Venice while we go home. Then other friends Allyn Bell and Frank Reece are considering coming to pick us up for the journey home.
I want to say a word about friendship. We have been more than blessed with good friends in our lives. It would be difficult to make such a journey without assistance and we have constant offers of help. Thank each and every one of you including those who worry about us and pray for us. Remember, we are not the first to ever have to do this and we are fairly well equipped and trained. Yes we will have a crisis or two along the way but it is how you react that determines your success.
Tomorrow 30 mph winds are forecast so we hunker down. They light the Christmas lights tomorrow night in downtown Fairhope.
Today we did laundry, scrubbed fenders and swim platform from the dirty water of the Tenn-Tom and generally piddled around.
Early this morning “My Way” with the Portuguese Waterdog Skipper was preparing to leave. I walked down and reminded them that there were small craft warnings on the Bay but they were going to give it a try. They fueled up and started out of the harbor when the wind started roaring in. Within 5 minutes we had them back in their slip for the day. No sense in taking a chance. Soon there was a tornado warning out for Fairhope and one hit near Coffeeville where we were last Thursday. All day long the winds howled through the marina but we are sheltered in a covered slip behind several other boats that act as a windbreak for us.
Things settled down in the late afternoon and at 1500 we had a meeting with a couple who have crossed the Gulf 17 times. They took charts and demonstrated how to navigate from here to Clearwater. Our tentative schedule is to leave Friday for Orange Beach, then Pensacola, Destin. Panama City, Port St. Joe and Appalachicola.
In Destin we will have Thanksgiving with many old friends and pay a debt to an old and dear friend. Jim Peeler is talking about joining us in staging for the crossing. Then we cross the mighty Gulf of Mexico sometime in early December and head home. An old friend, Goree Waugh, has contacted us and offered to let us tie up at their dock in Venice while we go home. Then other friends Allyn Bell and Frank Reece are considering coming to pick us up for the journey home.
I want to say a word about friendship. We have been more than blessed with good friends in our lives. It would be difficult to make such a journey without assistance and we have constant offers of help. Thank each and every one of you including those who worry about us and pray for us. Remember, we are not the first to ever have to do this and we are fairly well equipped and trained. Yes we will have a crisis or two along the way but it is how you react that determines your success.
Tomorrow 30 mph winds are forecast so we hunker down. They light the Christmas lights tomorrow night in downtown Fairhope.