Apalachicola Progress is not easy to measure.

I got some great questions asked today:  

Do you ever swim or fish off the boat?  - Tommy Bonds

*Not yet Tommy.  i guess i could buy a fishing license and start fishing, but the water is not clear yet and i'm not tempted to jump into muddy river water with gators and sharks.  Maybe a little tempted, but i'm not doing it.  (i dont know yet where it gets clear, but it will)

Dad got his atlas out today to figure out where you're going next. I mapped on land-- Apalachicola to Clearwater is just over 300 miles on the road. Who will go with you? Is what Dad says true, that your insurance stipulates that you must have more than one person aboard if you go a certain distance from land?    -Sister Lynn

*Ok Lynn it's about 170 nm (nautical miles) going straight across instead of around the coast roads.  I am still trying to find someone to go with.  *YES my insurance only covers ME as a single sailor during daylight hours and 50 miles from shore.  So to sail at night i will need another person.  (i've got some irons in the fire and will report soonest when that's nailed down and a schedule is posted)

Why exactly do you need another pirate? Are there not enough docks between here and there for you to just stop off each evening somewhere along the day to anchor? - Ryan Williams (nephew)

*Great Questions!  Yes there ARE enough places to sail to, but they are too risky to mess with.  The "forgotten coast" is shallow and marshy with lots of islands to hit.  (note - there are no real 'towns' along it.)  The ports are ALL very shallow and narrow with obstacles to hit.  (i look at the charts and see lots of shipwrecks everywhere!)  So, do you take two days and go deep water and straight across?  Or multiple risks of shallow spots to hit?  The Forgotten coast is so shallow and desolate that you spend most time going in and then out of the location, but very little progress is made toward the final target.  To sail stop off each evening - like my original plan - is NOT what people do.  (duhh) It's like playing hop scotch and i'm going to broad jump.  Plan, prepare, and then go!

Sample One - you go out and then along the coast, then back in.  That's a day of travel 61 miles.  (61 / 5 nm = 12.2 hrs)  BUT half your time is spent going in and out.  You really only went about 20 miles.  Sample Two - straight across without stopping.  In two days you are there.  Caveat, it takes a second person.  Ahhhhh, or Yaaarrrrrrrrr as we say.  So that's what i'm working on.  The second person.  (177 / 5nm = 35.4 hrs)

NOW today i followed my usual routine.  Sunrise coffee, pay bills, blog and then go to town. ride my bike, take photos and come home for dinner...    Still working on a second sailor.  Do YOU know anyone?  Wendy Colson says i need to buy a first mate.  not sure that's legal? (I'll check.)