Date: January 26, 2014
Day on the Cruise: 219
From: Sea Hag Marina, Steinhatchee, FL
To: Pete's Pier Marina, Crystal River, FL
Statute Miles: 101.0 SM
Time: 11.15 Hrs
Cumulative Miles: 5,560.8 SM
On Board: Susan, Chuck, Maggie, Trooper, Peanut
Tonight we are at Pete's Pier, a ramshackle marina at the head of Crystal River, FL. This place is not real impressive! It is one of two marinas in Crystal River. The other said they did not have enough water depth or power for our three boats.
Wakeup call was at 3:30 this morning. OMG, what were we thinking???? Free at Last, Sun Gypsy, and Blue Moon all answered the bell, and we were off the dock at Sea Hag by 5:10 AM.
Free at Last led the way because he had a big boy search light that we thought would let everyone see better in the pitch black dark. Sea Hag has some big flood lights that light up the entire dock area, but once we got away from the docks, it was VERY dark!
The Isinglass on our fly bridge enclosures was fogged up, so we had to lift the front panels up to be able to see. So, Susan and I had our heavy coats and gloves on. Mine was zipped up as far as I could get it to cover my throat and face. I was coughing and wheezing and freezing as we ventured into the channel to the Gulf.
When we came into Steinhatchee the other day, I was very pleased with how the channel was marked with large red and green markers. When I saw this, I knew that it would not be a problem going out of the channel in the dark, and it was not. The channel markers were very reflective. Steve would paint them with his searchlight. Sun Gypsy came next and I was at the rear of the procession. My searchlight worked very well in illuminating the channel markers as well.
We also left on a rising tide, meaning we were bucking the current as we traveled to the Gulf. This mattered little as we only wanted to travel between about 3 and 5 mph. There was plenty of water depth in the channel.
It took maybe 45 minutes to get to the Gulf. When we got to the Gulf, Sun Gypsy took the lead and we set a course Southwest to get to deeper water. Unbelievably, we had very few crab pots on the route that we selected. We could see the pots that were there with our search lights, and we steered around them using the "Crab Pot Shuffle".
Crab pots are a necessary evil in the Gulf, I guess. I love crab, so I do not begrudge the watermen putting pots out as they do to make a living and bring us the delectable crustaceans with the sweet white meat. What I do begrudge are the elected officials who do not see fit to establish crab pot free fairways coming in and out of the significant waterways along the coast. Oh well, I will now get off the soap box!
As we meandered to the Southwest, the swells from the West picked up and started rolling the boat. Not bad by any means, but just enough to make me feel a little green. I popped two Bomine when I started getting queasy, and this held off the urge to verbally salute the great state of New York into a blue five gallon bucket that we had on the fly bridge. The swells did subside as we got farther South, thank goodness.
The first light of sunrise faintly appeared on the Eastern horizon to our port side about 6:30 AM. By 7:00, we could see the water pretty good, and by 7:15, there was enough light to douse the searchlights and resume normal navigation. Sunrise occurred about 7:30, and the day was on!
The trip South was generally uneventful. I increased speed and passed Sun Gypsy so that I could get beyond the swells and get to feeling better. We hit the Red Number 2 buoy Southwest of Seahorse Reef off Cedar Key right on que. The autopilot worked great today!
At the buoy, we made the turn to the East and ran for 20 or more miles through Crystal Bay into the mouth of the Crystal River. About 12 miles in, we passed three tows that were hanging out at the entrance to a very well marked channel into both the Florida Barge Canal and the Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant. Passing the tows, we encountered strings of crab pots with which we dealt all the way to the River.
The seas were amazingly flat and what little swell was to our stern. I could just picture having to deal with the pots in a rougher sea with 3' waves making it hard to see the crab pots.
One other interesting deal on our leg to the East was the absence of a true horizon. The weather turned very hazy and you could not distinguish where the water ended and the clouds began. I am thankful for the chart plotter which helped us keep orientation, and the big power plant that told us we were heading East toward shore.
We had been warned about how shallow Crystal River was. People told us do not go into Crystal River. Well, after getting into the River, we found a well marked channel that was plenty deep. We saw 4.5' under our keel in only one or two places. We feared that the speed limit in the River would be idle speed, because this is where the Manatees congregate in the winter, but there was only one real idle speed zone. Several slow speed zones and much more 25 mph zones in the channel!
The River was wide and no real trees on the banks, but rather more open grass land with lots of palm trees. I pictured Crystal River as being a narrow river with overhanging trees and foliage. Alas, it was not to be. Very disappointing!
I had been through Crystal River by car on two lane US 19 many times. The downtown looked to be right at the head of the River then. Now, US 19 is four laned and is a hard walk from this marina. Kings Bay is at the head of the River and is where the marina is located. There are houses all around the banks of the bay. No sign of the springs or clear water where the manatees hang out. But, there were plenty of "Manatee Tour Boats" that advertised that they would take you to swim with the Manatees. Yea, right! I wanted nature and clear springs, not commercial Dave and his retired buddies charging an arm and a leg to see Manatees that I have seen elsewhere in the wild. VERY disappointing. If this hadn't been the closest place to stop at a marina for the night below Steinhatchee, I would have run right by it!
We took on fuel and got a half arse pump out with a fitting that really didn't work on my system. It got most of the stuff out of the tank. It was free! We were then assigned to a covered slip on the rickety docks across from the fuel dock. The metal roof over the docks was rusting and full of big holes where it had rusted through. Make a note of this when you read tomorrow's Blog!
I should have been more diligent when I saw Free at Last pull into the slip next to me. He bent his antenna as it hit the roof over the slip. Not enough clearance even near low tide. Hmmmm. Make a note of this when you read tomorrow's Blog.
We tied up and hooked up power. By this time it was close to 5:00, almost 12 hours since we crept away from Sea Hag in the dark. A lady who lives aboard her sailboat came and welcomed us to the Marina. Very nice. A nice couple joined her and introduced themselves. They had a boat like Free at Last, only one size larger. Everybody wanted to talk, and for the first time since I can't remember when, I was so tired standing there, I just had to excuse myself and go back to the boat and sit down to decompress.
The mental fatigue of having gotten up at 3:30 this morning, then running in the dark and then dodging crab pots in the dark, then rolling in the swells and finally coming up an unfamiliar River had plain gotten to me. Dinner was on board and we were in bed before 8:00.
Tomorrow we will get out of this place and head to Tarpon Springs. The weather is supposed to be nice again with calm seas and little wind. One more day to get off the Gulf!
Thanks for Reading!
Tonight we are at Pete's Pier, a ramshackle marina at the head of Crystal River, FL. This place is not real impressive! It is one of two marinas in Crystal River. The other said they did not have enough water depth or power for our three boats.
 |
| Crystal River, Between Steinhatchee and Tarpon Springs |
 |
| We are about 8 miles from the Gulf of Mexico |
 |
| Marina is on Kings Bay at the Head of Crystal River |
Wakeup call was at 3:30 this morning. OMG, what were we thinking???? Free at Last, Sun Gypsy, and Blue Moon all answered the bell, and we were off the dock at Sea Hag by 5:10 AM.
 |
| It was very dark at Sea Hag Marina when we left this morning! |
Free at Last led the way because he had a big boy search light that we thought would let everyone see better in the pitch black dark. Sea Hag has some big flood lights that light up the entire dock area, but once we got away from the docks, it was VERY dark!
The Isinglass on our fly bridge enclosures was fogged up, so we had to lift the front panels up to be able to see. So, Susan and I had our heavy coats and gloves on. Mine was zipped up as far as I could get it to cover my throat and face. I was coughing and wheezing and freezing as we ventured into the channel to the Gulf.
When we came into Steinhatchee the other day, I was very pleased with how the channel was marked with large red and green markers. When I saw this, I knew that it would not be a problem going out of the channel in the dark, and it was not. The channel markers were very reflective. Steve would paint them with his searchlight. Sun Gypsy came next and I was at the rear of the procession. My searchlight worked very well in illuminating the channel markers as well.
We also left on a rising tide, meaning we were bucking the current as we traveled to the Gulf. This mattered little as we only wanted to travel between about 3 and 5 mph. There was plenty of water depth in the channel.
It took maybe 45 minutes to get to the Gulf. When we got to the Gulf, Sun Gypsy took the lead and we set a course Southwest to get to deeper water. Unbelievably, we had very few crab pots on the route that we selected. We could see the pots that were there with our search lights, and we steered around them using the "Crab Pot Shuffle".
Crab pots are a necessary evil in the Gulf, I guess. I love crab, so I do not begrudge the watermen putting pots out as they do to make a living and bring us the delectable crustaceans with the sweet white meat. What I do begrudge are the elected officials who do not see fit to establish crab pot free fairways coming in and out of the significant waterways along the coast. Oh well, I will now get off the soap box!
As we meandered to the Southwest, the swells from the West picked up and started rolling the boat. Not bad by any means, but just enough to make me feel a little green. I popped two Bomine when I started getting queasy, and this held off the urge to verbally salute the great state of New York into a blue five gallon bucket that we had on the fly bridge. The swells did subside as we got farther South, thank goodness.
The first light of sunrise faintly appeared on the Eastern horizon to our port side about 6:30 AM. By 7:00, we could see the water pretty good, and by 7:15, there was enough light to douse the searchlights and resume normal navigation. Sunrise occurred about 7:30, and the day was on!
 |
| Right behind Sun Gypsy at sunrise. We all used our spreader lights to be able to see the boat in front of us. |
 |
| Sunrise on the Gulf of Mexico this morning! |
The trip South was generally uneventful. I increased speed and passed Sun Gypsy so that I could get beyond the swells and get to feeling better. We hit the Red Number 2 buoy Southwest of Seahorse Reef off Cedar Key right on que. The autopilot worked great today!
 |
| EarlyMorning on The Gulf of Mexico |
 |
| Following Sun Gypsy in The Gulf this Morning |
 |
| Very Calm Gulf of Mexico |
 |
| Gulf of Mexico |
 |
| View out the Front Door this Morning |
At the buoy, we made the turn to the East and ran for 20 or more miles through Crystal Bay into the mouth of the Crystal River. About 12 miles in, we passed three tows that were hanging out at the entrance to a very well marked channel into both the Florida Barge Canal and the Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant. Passing the tows, we encountered strings of crab pots with which we dealt all the way to the River.
The seas were amazingly flat and what little swell was to our stern. I could just picture having to deal with the pots in a rougher sea with 3' waves making it hard to see the crab pots.
One other interesting deal on our leg to the East was the absence of a true horizon. The weather turned very hazy and you could not distinguish where the water ended and the clouds began. I am thankful for the chart plotter which helped us keep orientation, and the big power plant that told us we were heading East toward shore.
 |
| Cruising east Toward Crystal River |
 |
| Nuclear Power Plant at Crystal River |
We had been warned about how shallow Crystal River was. People told us do not go into Crystal River. Well, after getting into the River, we found a well marked channel that was plenty deep. We saw 4.5' under our keel in only one or two places. We feared that the speed limit in the River would be idle speed, because this is where the Manatees congregate in the winter, but there was only one real idle speed zone. Several slow speed zones and much more 25 mph zones in the channel!
The River was wide and no real trees on the banks, but rather more open grass land with lots of palm trees. I pictured Crystal River as being a narrow river with overhanging trees and foliage. Alas, it was not to be. Very disappointing!
 |
| Heading up Crystal River |
I had been through Crystal River by car on two lane US 19 many times. The downtown looked to be right at the head of the River then. Now, US 19 is four laned and is a hard walk from this marina. Kings Bay is at the head of the River and is where the marina is located. There are houses all around the banks of the bay. No sign of the springs or clear water where the manatees hang out. But, there were plenty of "Manatee Tour Boats" that advertised that they would take you to swim with the Manatees. Yea, right! I wanted nature and clear springs, not commercial Dave and his retired buddies charging an arm and a leg to see Manatees that I have seen elsewhere in the wild. VERY disappointing. If this hadn't been the closest place to stop at a marina for the night below Steinhatchee, I would have run right by it!
We took on fuel and got a half arse pump out with a fitting that really didn't work on my system. It got most of the stuff out of the tank. It was free! We were then assigned to a covered slip on the rickety docks across from the fuel dock. The metal roof over the docks was rusting and full of big holes where it had rusted through. Make a note of this when you read tomorrow's Blog!
I should have been more diligent when I saw Free at Last pull into the slip next to me. He bent his antenna as it hit the roof over the slip. Not enough clearance even near low tide. Hmmmm. Make a note of this when you read tomorrow's Blog.
We tied up and hooked up power. By this time it was close to 5:00, almost 12 hours since we crept away from Sea Hag in the dark. A lady who lives aboard her sailboat came and welcomed us to the Marina. Very nice. A nice couple joined her and introduced themselves. They had a boat like Free at Last, only one size larger. Everybody wanted to talk, and for the first time since I can't remember when, I was so tired standing there, I just had to excuse myself and go back to the boat and sit down to decompress.
The mental fatigue of having gotten up at 3:30 this morning, then running in the dark and then dodging crab pots in the dark, then rolling in the swells and finally coming up an unfamiliar River had plain gotten to me. Dinner was on board and we were in bed before 8:00.
Tomorrow we will get out of this place and head to Tarpon Springs. The weather is supposed to be nice again with calm seas and little wind. One more day to get off the Gulf!
Thanks for Reading!
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