Date: January 17, 2014
Day on the Cruise: 210
To: Panama City Marina, Panama City, FL
Statute Miles: 53.7 SM
Time: 6.0 Hrs
Cumulative Miles: 5,366.3 SM
On Board: Susan, Chuck, Maggie, Trooper, Peanut
Tonight we are at the Panama City Marina in the City of Panama City, FL.
Today ended on a tragic note for Mark on Moppsy II. We arrived at the Marina in downtown Panama City about 2:00. Moppsy II is a big Sea Ray Sedan Bridge that can easily make 25-30 mph, but today, Mark and wife Linda left with us, Sun Gypsy and Free at Last. Moppsy II picked up the lead and got to Panama City maybe 45 minutes to an hour before we did. We were the third boat in, Free at Last was behind us.
The docking order was the same as the arrival order. Moppsy II tied to the face dock ahead of Blue Moon who was ahead of Free at Last. Sun Gypsy took a slip.
We all went to dinner at an Italian restaurant about three blocks up the main street from the Marina. It is a local place and was pretty good. After dinner everyone went back to their boats. We watched some TV and about 9 or 9:30, I got up to go to bed. I looked out the front windows of the boat and saw multiple emergency vehicles on the street by our dock, all with lights flashing. I could see people in the cabin of Moppsy II which was docked in front of us. I could also see people standing on the dock between our boat and Moppsy II.
So, Susan and I went out on the dock and saw Rick and Leila from Sun Gypsy. We learned that Mark was getting ready for bed. He tripped on the steps in the cabin and fell down. This resulted in a compound fracture to his ankle. Bones were protruding through the skin.
The Paramedics and other first responders were very proficient. They put him in a soft bag type stretcher and manhandled him off the boat up onto the dock. They then got him to an ambulance for the short ride to the Hospital.
Out of nowhere, a looper couple who were living on their boat across the way appeared and gave Rick the keys to their car. They said take it and use it for the emergency. Rick took Mark's wife Linda and followed the ambulance to the Hospital.
Mark went through emergency surgery to fasten the bones back together.
Rick and Leila from Sun Gypsy were amazing. They organized everything at the scene and had logistics worked out quickly and calmly. What great people!
The Panama City medics and firefighters were also very professional. I wondered how many boat related injuries that they had worked. They were very adept at getting on and off this big boat, and their teamwork and communication in getting Mark over the side and up on the dock was impressive. When tragedy strikes, people respond.
A scary thing to me is that I have taken that same fall that Mark took. I have stumbled down the three steps in our cabin when it was dark and I couldn't see. Yes, I was very sore for a few days. I have also fallen down the steps from our fly bridge when coming down in rain that made the steps slippery. Susan has also taken falls on the trip. This thing called doing the Great Loop is not for the faint of heart. There are real dangers out here that we face every day. It is very comforting to be traveling with good people!
Now back to the trip at hand today. We departed Sandestin at about 8:15. Choctawhatchee Bay was pretty choppy as we headed North, but after clearing a point of land, we turned East and the ride became very smooth.
We passed under the US Highway 331 Bridge, then a short time later we were in the Canal that connects Choctawhatchee Bay and West Bay. This canal is about 17 miles long. The canal is about the size of the Tombigbee River. It has a lot of twists and turns.
It was great to see the bridge at the Eastern end of the canal at West Bay. This is a nice, new, high bridge that replaced the old lift bridge that was a two laner and had been there for years. Out into West Bay we motored. Right after we passed under the bridge, a Coast Guard small boat zoomed by me on the starboard side. He couldn't have been more than 15 feet from my hull, and he was flying. His three Mercury 300 hp engines were pushing the fool out of that boat.
Soon we were turning South and approaching the new Hathaway Bridge that connects Panama City with Panama City Beach. The wind picked up smartly out of the West and hit us on the Starboard beam, rolling us a little bit.
Under the bridge and we saw the Port of Panama City. There were several coastal freighters in port, tied to the big piers.
We turned more East, visually found the Marina that was our destination, and arrived a little after 2:00. We refueled before going in behind Moppsy II.
Tomorrow we are supposed to go to Apalachicola, but I bet that this will change because of Mark's injury. Rick wants to make sure that Linda is taken care of and that all the details of what to do with the boat and how to get Mark home to Hilton Head are discussed. Rick and I alsomight have to help move the boat somewhere else.
Meanwhile, there is a weather window for Thursday and Friday of next week that we are watching. Time will tell.
Thanks for Reading!
 |
| Panama City, FL |
Today ended on a tragic note for Mark on Moppsy II. We arrived at the Marina in downtown Panama City about 2:00. Moppsy II is a big Sea Ray Sedan Bridge that can easily make 25-30 mph, but today, Mark and wife Linda left with us, Sun Gypsy and Free at Last. Moppsy II picked up the lead and got to Panama City maybe 45 minutes to an hour before we did. We were the third boat in, Free at Last was behind us.
The docking order was the same as the arrival order. Moppsy II tied to the face dock ahead of Blue Moon who was ahead of Free at Last. Sun Gypsy took a slip.
We all went to dinner at an Italian restaurant about three blocks up the main street from the Marina. It is a local place and was pretty good. After dinner everyone went back to their boats. We watched some TV and about 9 or 9:30, I got up to go to bed. I looked out the front windows of the boat and saw multiple emergency vehicles on the street by our dock, all with lights flashing. I could see people in the cabin of Moppsy II which was docked in front of us. I could also see people standing on the dock between our boat and Moppsy II.
So, Susan and I went out on the dock and saw Rick and Leila from Sun Gypsy. We learned that Mark was getting ready for bed. He tripped on the steps in the cabin and fell down. This resulted in a compound fracture to his ankle. Bones were protruding through the skin.
The Paramedics and other first responders were very proficient. They put him in a soft bag type stretcher and manhandled him off the boat up onto the dock. They then got him to an ambulance for the short ride to the Hospital.
Out of nowhere, a looper couple who were living on their boat across the way appeared and gave Rick the keys to their car. They said take it and use it for the emergency. Rick took Mark's wife Linda and followed the ambulance to the Hospital.
Mark went through emergency surgery to fasten the bones back together.
Rick and Leila from Sun Gypsy were amazing. They organized everything at the scene and had logistics worked out quickly and calmly. What great people!
The Panama City medics and firefighters were also very professional. I wondered how many boat related injuries that they had worked. They were very adept at getting on and off this big boat, and their teamwork and communication in getting Mark over the side and up on the dock was impressive. When tragedy strikes, people respond.
A scary thing to me is that I have taken that same fall that Mark took. I have stumbled down the three steps in our cabin when it was dark and I couldn't see. Yes, I was very sore for a few days. I have also fallen down the steps from our fly bridge when coming down in rain that made the steps slippery. Susan has also taken falls on the trip. This thing called doing the Great Loop is not for the faint of heart. There are real dangers out here that we face every day. It is very comforting to be traveling with good people!
Now back to the trip at hand today. We departed Sandestin at about 8:15. Choctawhatchee Bay was pretty choppy as we headed North, but after clearing a point of land, we turned East and the ride became very smooth.
 |
| A View Out of the Front Door this Morning |
We passed under the US Highway 331 Bridge, then a short time later we were in the Canal that connects Choctawhatchee Bay and West Bay. This canal is about 17 miles long. The canal is about the size of the Tombigbee River. It has a lot of twists and turns.
 |
| Approaching the US 331 Bridge Across Choctawhatchee Bay |
 |
| In the Canal between Choctawhatchee Bay and West Bay |
It was great to see the bridge at the Eastern end of the canal at West Bay. This is a nice, new, high bridge that replaced the old lift bridge that was a two laner and had been there for years. Out into West Bay we motored. Right after we passed under the bridge, a Coast Guard small boat zoomed by me on the starboard side. He couldn't have been more than 15 feet from my hull, and he was flying. His three Mercury 300 hp engines were pushing the fool out of that boat.
 |
| Approaching the west Bay Bridge |
 |
| Heading into West Bay Near Panama City, FL |
Soon we were turning South and approaching the new Hathaway Bridge that connects Panama City with Panama City Beach. The wind picked up smartly out of the West and hit us on the Starboard beam, rolling us a little bit.
 |
| Approaching the New Hathaway Bridge. It is WINDY! |
Under the bridge and we saw the Port of Panama City. There were several coastal freighters in port, tied to the big piers.
 |
| The Port of Panama City |
We turned more East, visually found the Marina that was our destination, and arrived a little after 2:00. We refueled before going in behind Moppsy II.
Tomorrow we are supposed to go to Apalachicola, but I bet that this will change because of Mark's injury. Rick wants to make sure that Linda is taken care of and that all the details of what to do with the boat and how to get Mark home to Hilton Head are discussed. Rick and I alsomight have to help move the boat somewhere else.
Meanwhile, there is a weather window for Thursday and Friday of next week that we are watching. Time will tell.
Thanks for Reading!
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