The Big Bend - Day #2

Getting around the Big Bend - Day #2 was by far the most challenging day we've had since we started the trip which is why this post comes a day late.  Fortunately, the Gulf of Mexico was good to us with relatively calm waters and no storms and no fog.  Many of you have asked how Fatty is doing on the boat ride.  I think he's doing just fine when the seas are calm.

Turner aka "Fatty" seems to be handling the stress of the trip just fine.

Day #2 was supposed to be Steinhatchee to Cedar Key.  It was expected to be the shortest of the three days around the Big Bend and was to conclude with a Christmas visit from Bert's family at the marina and an evening enjoying clams.  Cedar Key is known for clams and award winning clam chowder.  Suffice to say the day did not go exactly as planned.

As an aside, when you follow the Big Bend around, it is shallow!   We are fortunate to draft only 3'.  Our prior boat drafted nearly twice that.  Larger boats with a deeper draft can't choose the 3-day Big Bend route and are forced to do the overnight crossing in order to have necessary depth for safe passage.  Another fun fact is that a full moon causes extra low tides.  You may remember I mentioned Christmas was to have a full moon.  So now combine shallow boating waters and an extra low tide and you already know where this story is going. . . .

When we pulled out of Steinhatchee marina slip in the morning it was low tide, four feet lower than when we had come in the prior evening!  Not 30 seconds out of the slip, we bumped bottom.  The first time we've bumped bottom in this boat.  Never a good way to start the day.  Fortunately no damage as the running gear is protected by skegs (protective metal under the running gear).  A clue about the shallow waters should have been the numerous air boats we saw coming into Steinhatchee the night before and also the air boats at the marina.  

Typically, once we are underway, Hilary will call the next marina for the evening and secure a spot.  Hilary called Cedar Key only to be told, it is too shallow and during low tide the docks are mud!   Next thought, holy crap!   Where are we going to stay and what about seeing Bert's family????  Immediately off goes a text to Bert's family:   "Cedar Key is a NO GO!".  Then, frantically out come the guide books for a new location along with the panic that we might have to run all night to Tarpon Springs.    Suwannee River?  No - too shallow.  Crystal River?  No - too shallow.  Withlacoochee River?  Maybe.

A quick call to B's marina up the Withlacoochee only to find out they are full and can't take us.  Please, please, please.  Pretty please, with sugar on top??   Can't you squeeze us in somehow?  

Helen at B's Marina calls Nancy up the road at the Riverside Inn.  Yes, they have room behind the restaurant to take us, but no power hook-up.  We'll take it.

Next come the warnings from Nancy about depth and how to get up the river - 8 miles up the river!  That is an hour for us but at least we can get there before dark and tie safely for the night.  Hilary passes the phone to Bert so he can talk to Nancy's son Zack.  Zack is a fisherman and knows the river.  The sage advice from Zack:  "Stay in the middle".  

Another text to Bert's family:   "Riverside Inn, up the Withlacoochee River in Yankeetown".   A return text:  "OK, we'll find it".  This new cryptic text game is sort of like the boating equivalent of Where's Waldo?

Next the highlight of the day, a full picture of a dolphin, out of the water!  The shot we've been waiting for.

Finally, the Dolphin shot we've been waiting for!

We also got a shot of some out in the lead in front of the boat.

Dolphins lead the way out in front.

Then another low point of the day, the fresh water valve/switch on the head (toilet) that lets fresh water in stopped working and was stuck in the "on" mode.  Unknown to us, the head filled full, over filled, over filled some more, drained into the bilge and in the process emptied what little fresh water we had left on the boat.  This was discovered when Hilary stepped in the room and found herself with wet feet, an overflowed head and a soaking wet rug.  Yuk!   Next comes the hollering:  "Hey Bert, the toilet overflowed".  

Next low point in the day, the fresh water pump quit.  It quit because it had been run dry as a result of the head overflowing and completely emptying the fresh water tank into the bilge.  Fortunately we have two spare fresh water pumps on-board.  Bert added replacing the pump, fixing the toilet fresh water switch and locating more fresh water to the project list for later in the day.  The list already includes several items such as checking engine oil and air conditioner strainer.

Finally we reach the markers to take us into the Withlacoochee River.  We came in at nearly high tide and had frightful depth readings going in.  Will we be able to get out on low tide in the morning?  Hilary watched the depth finder and marked depth on notebook paper at every set of markers for an hour.  We'll double check the tide schedule, do the math and make sure we have enough water to get out in the morning.

It took 1 hour 20 minutes to get up past the red 3 in the circle from the beginning of the markers out in the Gulf.

Remember the advice about staying in the middle?  We'll it is tough to do when you see two shrimping boats side by side headed towards your tiny little catamaran.  Are you kidding!!!  We pass three boats wide "in the middle" of the river.  Two going out and us going in.  Fortunately we all met at a wide part of the river.    Finally after miles of nothing, no houses, no shacks, nothing, we see RiverSide Inn and and welcomed by Bert's family!  They found us.  Zack too.   Zack helped us fill up with fresh water.

Docked at Riverside Inn

After a wonderful post-Christmas dinner at RiverSide Inn with family, back to the boat we go.  Remember, no power so now it is time to fire up the generator to get some air conditioning to cool the boat down!  It is over 80 degrees.  With the air cooling us nicely, Bert gets to work replacing the fresh water pump.  An hour later, we have running water once again and a cool boat.  Things are returning to normal thanks to our Captain who after all the stresses of the day, fixed everything.  He even figured a way to engineer a temporary fresh water switch so the head is operable until the correct part can be located.

After showers to wash away the salt, sweat and grime of the day, off goes the generator for the night and also the heavenly air conditioning.  Oh yea, check the tide charts for the morning and chart the next days route.  Ok - low tide at 10:04 am.  If we get a pre-dawn start we should be out in plenty of time.