Today we spent sleeping in, cleaning the boat and planning for the next week of our cruise. Did take time to visit Lulu's Restaurant. Bill was in heaven taking in everything. He took lots of pictures!
We enjoyed our dinner at Lulu's with Fred and Kathy, MV General Fun and Jim and Lynn, MV Acadia. Then, of course, we had to make the requisite purchase at the gift shop. Bill needed one more T shirt and coozie! Must admit I got a T shirt also.
Bill also took the drone up earlier this morning to get some shots of the marina and restaurant.
As we started off with a windy and rainy day, we waited out the weather til 12:00 and left Homeport Marina to head to our anchorage at Ft McRae.
We followed the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway GIWW through the cut canal section for the first 2.5 miles before it opens up into Wolfe Bay. Along the way we passed Orange Beach, AL and a lot of pine forest.
Wolfe Bay separates the barrier island from the mainland and its shoreline is filled with homes whose docks extend 150 -200 feet into the bay. The waters are very shallow close to shore.
In the distance you can see the larger condominiums that are on the beach. Pine forest and marshes still dominate the mainland.
Splashes alerted us to dolphin in our wake. Three ran with us about one mile. So much fun watching them surf with us. Almost immediately after the first group of dolphin left, we had two more join us in our bow! Sorry, it was such a cloudy day the pictures did not turn out.
As we got closer to the pass at the end of the barrier island, we left Wolfe Bay and entered Perdido Bay and the great state of Florida. Then our travels took us behind Perdido Key and it’s older homes and condos.
Here is the chart of our travels today so you can see the bays and passes.
As we went under the South Gateway Bridge the waters open up and we travel past Big Lagoon State Park on the mainland with its picnic areas, camping and boat ramps and the Johnson Beach National Seashore on the very narrow east end of Perdido Key. We could see the Gulf over and between the sand dunes of the seashore.
Once past the state park, the outskirts of the city of Pensacola line the mainland and the Johnson Beach National Seashore continues on all the way to Pensacola Pass.
Had to negotiate around a large dredge operation to get into our planned anchorage.
Once past the dredge, we anchored just west of the pass in a protected area with the National Seashore on one side and a large spoil island on the other. We joined two other boats who had anchored here before us and two more joined the anchorage after us.
Once we got settled I caught Bill stowing lines and fenders.
We hoped the sun would come out, but so far it has stayed cloudy with a bit of drizzle. Had several planes fly overhead as they took off from Pensacola Naval Air Station. Hoped to see the Blue Angels who are based here, but so far, no luck.