open seas

We crossed the Gulf from Apalachicola to the Tampa area and are anchored just outside Tarpon Springs in behind Anclote Key, a nice protected spot as it's supposed to get nasty later this week. The seas were a little rough at first but settled down as we approached the coast.  It's a little strange being way out there just listening to the hum of the diesel and staring at the horizon wondering what your going to do when things go bad, and of course things do go bad. Boating is about survival, as Elle points out, so you wake up every day, grit your teeth and Choose Life.
Joyce went down under the boat with the breathing gear and cut away a crab pot line from the prop, which was very exciting. The water's starting to get clearer and warmer as we go south so we can put on less wet suit when we swim.
Chris Nannig called and will visit today which will be a lot of fun, and then we'll just hunker down and wait for this cold front to blow by before we continue south. Running 10 hrs a day gets tiresome and it's lovely to lay about and read and do the occasional chore.