14 January, 2020 Final big open ocean crossing

60 SM; 8.4 engine hours

Whew--glad that is finished.  Sense of accomplishment; nothing unique, others have done the "crossing" and some probably in a smaller boat, but we did it.

Uw @0730.  Wispy fog but good visibility. LIGHT WINDS to start and forecast to remain less than 10 knots all day.

Chris Parker forecast received last night.
CWF2 - Depart: crystal river, fl - To: Tarpon springs, Fl - (p) Serenity - 27' , Albin 27 FC

Tue14 should generally be a good day....you're just S of the sub-Tropical RIDGE if high pressure which lies near 30N...and you should have mild mostly SE wind and mild seas. Probably some early morning sea fog, but this should clear by about 10am.

FORECAST:
Tue14 from 4am-10am, departing CrystalRiver: variable wind mostly E-SE@3-8, wind-chop 0-1', some FOG is likely to limit visibility to 1 mile-or-less within about 10mi of the Coast. STRATEGY: motoring S in mild conditions, but with limited visibility.

Tue14, from 10am-6pm, CrystalRiver to TarponSprings: models disagree, but I think the afternoon seabreeze will dominate, so from 10am-6pm wind gradually veers from SE<S<SW<W, all remaining in the 5-9k range, wind-chop 1', chance some sea FOG persists, but probably not as much coverage nor thickness as you saw before 10am, and no other weather related concerns. 

Crossing pretty much as weather briefed.  Boat did well.  Long day, but not beat up.  Salt spray but not too bad.  Zillion crap pots and numerous crabbers out doing their thing.

Anchored at 1540 in 9 feet just as tide falling, should see 6 feet at low tonight.  (map) SST 72.7 degrees. Anchorage near Dutchman key a part of Anclote Key State Park.
Welcome to Anclote Key Preserve State Park
Located three miles off the coast of Tarpon Springs, the park is accessible only by private boat or ferry service.

Continue southbound tomorrow back on the Gulf Inter-Coastal Waterway (GICW) for 150 miles then it ends for good at Ft Myers, Fl.  There it will be decision time.  Go east via the Okeechobee Waterway from Ft Myers on the west coast to Stuart, Fl on the east coast.  Or we continue south toward Naples, Marco Island and then around the tip of Florida to Marathon, Fl in the Keys.  This route is back out in the ocean, but the legs are shorter.  No rush, we are easing down the last 150 miles of the GICW and see what we see.

1310.6. Hobbs; 1455 sm elapsed Sm