Port St Joe

We were sitting on the dock behind our boat Friday night and we were trying to decide what to do. we both had Monday off so we decided to go to Port St Joe in the morning. It is only a four hour trip at our usual 8 knots. Next morning we got up picked up some ice and headed out. We stopped at the fuel dock for 50 gal of diesel, we hadn't taken on any fuel since June. Although since we only burn 2 gallons an hour at cruise we do not spend much time at fuel docks.

The weather was going to be beautiful in the morning and the wind was going to change form an offshore wind to an onshore. This would cause the waves to build but we had plenty of time. With the seas almost flat we made the run on the outside. As we approached Cape San Blas the wind switched and increased rapidly. There were white caps in St Joseph Bay. The smaller boats were crawling back into the marinas fighting the chop. About 1330 we arrived at the Port St Joe Marina, it is a friendly and inexpensive Marina. You can walk to the grocery store from the marina it is about 100 yards. it is an easy walk to downtown Port St Joe.

We ate at the oyster bar at the marina and retired early.

There was an other trawler behind us on a 42 ft Present sundeck trawler, Dual Dreams. They were in Port St Joe for the week and then they were heading to the keys and then the Bahamas. Wish that was us.

It turned out there was a songwriters contest that weekend and many places were having live music. We found a place called Haughty Heron. The second floor is actually a 3 bedroom 2 bath place you can rent out.

We had lunch at Sunset Grill which is a mile from the marina. Great food and nice owners. Have to try the Lobster Bisque. They only make it on Saturdays.

 The seas were going to be 4 to 6 ft so we decided to return on the inside in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GICW) also know as the ditch.

It was a great trip and with a favorable tide we picked up almost a knot of speed for most of the way. It was so peaceful almost no traffic.

We had dolphins on both sides of the boat for almost 2 hours. We arrived back to Panama City at 1600. What a great relaxing weekend. We need to do that more often.