Tarpon Basin, Key Largo, Florida

I had an interesting email from a fellow named Steve. My response was so long I thought it might make a decent log report. Here is our communication. If you are not a boater it may not hold as much interest for you as other logs. So prepare to delete.

Steve wrote in part:

"I did not find anything relating to your crossing the gulf from the
panhandle to the west coast of Florida. I would be interested in hearing how
that went, where you departed from, did you have to wait for weather, how was
the weather at crossing etc. and where did you land?"

MV Skinwalker replies:

We have heard many a scary tale of crossing the Gulf of Mexico, so we started making our plans with much trepidation.

Our crossing was to be from Applachicola to Clearwater after having rejected crossing from Panama City. We stayed with T&T friends in Panama City monitoring the weather closely. We have always felt there was never any concern if we waited for the right weather, yet still nervous about it.

Now we have interviewed dozens of people about the crossing and listened to their stories. Most were tales of discomfort to down right frightening experiences. During our listening, we found a very prevalent thread almost completely hidden. Once we discovered the thread end we pulled it. We went back to all the people we had talked to before and pulled the thread harder and harder. out of about 2 dozen experiences. the frightening ones and the ones of discomfort all had a comon element.

Time constraints.

They, to a boat, did not wait for the weather they preferred but took reports that they said were "good enough". Now lets face it. If the weather is predicted at 10 knots it can easily move up to 15 or more with gusts or down to 5 knots. Also some of the boats did not check weather at their destination or did not allow for a creeping forward of a system faster than predicted or one slowing down stallling in their path.

We have no time restraints.

We followed the weather for a week and saw what looked like a good clear window. We moved to our holding station at Applachicola and stood by for our preferred prediction. As silly as this is going to sound we waited for 0-5 knots or light and varable. We had also positioned our trip in the calendar so we would maximize the opportunity of good weather.

We left Appalachicola in calm seas of 6 inch height and they continued to build until we reached Clearwater where they were 12 inch seas twenty four hours later. It was a cakewalk.

I know the literature reads to pick your window and everyone tells you to pick your weather window, but until you do it you don't quite understand that you must pick your weather window CAREFULLY. Once you have selected the one you want, make sure it is big enough and that it includes not only your start but destination.

As you read this I know it may smack of a slightly 'greater than others' attitude. It really shouldn't because everyone can pick the right window if they chose to wait for it. There is no secret. But sometimes it requires a lot of Patience.

I am not sure that anyone has to get caught in weather with proper planning. I know, I know sooner or later we are told it will happen and we will get into some nasty stuff. I also bet it will be because we compromised "our weather window" or hit an isolated local condition.

We have a 10% rule. We don't want to be out in anything greater than 10% of our boat length.

We picked this up from a delivery Captain we met on the Dog River in the fall. I think he is on to something.

Lynn & I are about the most ignorant cruising people on the water. But we are not stupid. We like comfortable travel days. Our friends like comfortable traveling days. We live and cruise on the boat full time. We can afford to be picky. There is nothing better than to be hunkered down in 8' of water in a 360 degree protected anchorage with 125' of chain behind a 80 lb anchor lounging in the pilothouse berth munching on good vittals and reading a good book while nature does her thing at 20-30 knots.

I guess you can say we are a little conservative in our decision making. We find it also reduces our fear level and increases our comfort quotient. Now, when we start cruising the Caribbean it may be a different story. But, maybe not.

Capt'n Lynnie and Skinwalker