13 December, 2019 What time is it? Eastern Standard Time

River otter, dolphins and tows.  49 SM today; 7.9 engine hours

Up and ready to go this morning, wind looked good, only troublesome thunderstorms in the forecast.  Visibility appearing really bad with fog and drizzle, but once out of Grand Lagoon and into the shipping channel the buoys and day makers were easier to see.  As we progressed, while it looked like we were in a big cotton ball, all in all visibility improved throughout the morning.  Winds were steady 10-12 with stronger gusts thrown in for fun.  Moderate chop, initially on the bow, then became quartering to beam as we maneuvered east, then southeast and finally NE.  All in all a long bumpy ride across the bay. About 20 mile of pretty open water.  Even in the choppy surface waters, many dolphins came out to play.  It is fun to see them race toward the boat.  They might be riding the bow wake, but we cannot see them.

Entering the last of the Gulf Intercostal Waterway (GICW) the course ahead more resembled a narrow river with high, 10 foot banks, then a coastal navigation route.  We saw a river otter (otter) running along the sand at about MM 325

The threat of severe weather may have move eastward--watching radar and winds, changing forecast.  But, a low off shore to the SW may bring threatening weather later today.  So we continue past original intended anchorage at Wetappo creek, continuing to an oxbow before lake Wimico.  It is reported to be reasonably protected anchorage with good holding.

Through this portion of the GICW we pass through ground zero for sure.  Hurricane Michael made land fall and tore a 100 mile wide path inland. (hurricane) Trees snapped off, those standing void of limbs, branches and leaves.  Lots of debris on all sides of the waterway.  Many homes remain in repair or awaiting repair or maybe will never be repaired.  Numerous derelict boats litter areas, smashed to nearly unrecognizable pieces.  Crossed into east coast time at 1300 CST/1400 EST

Reaching our anchorage, we slowly exited off the ICW into the oxbow, mariner reports having favorable water depth and holding capacity.  Looked good on depth sounder and we dropped and set the hook at 1550 in 10 feet.  Surface water temp at 62.2 degrees.  Anchorage is just off ICW at MM 334.  (map) Watching the weather on iPhone, still a threat of severe thunderstorms in a few hours.

Anchorage in the Oxbow

1139 elapsed SM, 1262.7 hobbs.