Leaving Is Such Sweet Sorrows

Three more days, we’ve stayed in Apalachicola! The people are so very friendly and welcoming and genuinely care about their community, with volunteers picking up trash and tending the park gardens. Because it’s so small, an individual citizen can make a difference. Most of the people we met were concerned for the town’s positive image and loved living there…. and it showed. I enjoyed the small town hospitality and found it hard to leave; the dock became “velcro”.

A Civil War re-enactment came to town Friday with the “US Navy” blockading the port. One morning a small wooden steam-powered launch passed close by SeaDream, headed for the Battery Park. Later, shots were exchanged right beside us between the launch and a “Rebel” schooner from the nearby Maritime Museum. All very exciting!

Linda M. and I toured two antebellum houses, driving a golf cart loaned by a new friend, Harry, owner of a huge nautical artifacts shop a hundred feet away. What fun! Harry’s daughter, Ginny, lives aboard SeaDog, a Defever 53 docked behind his house. We had great fun sharing boat stories and learning about Apalachicola from her.

Mike spent a morning visiting Bob Linsley, a local gallery owner and artist and high-tech business owner, who just happened to graduate high school the same year as Mike in Memphis and knew several friends in common. What a small world!

On Sunday morning, we finally took in our lines, sounded our horn and turned into the Apalachicola River for the 60-mile trip to Panama City by way of the ICW. Mostly we passed through cypress swamps.

About 4:30 pm, Linda and Fred turned right toward the marina and we turned left to anchor in Smack Bayou. The cove is a perfect anchorage with a very small entrance, well protected from all wind and waves and room for 4 or 5 SeaDream-size boats. We anchored as a dolphin family with a small baby swam near by. The evening was quiet and calm as the sun set over the bay.  If we had more time, there’s a lovely white sand beach nearby…. If only all anchorages were this nice.

Louis and Paco, Bob's dog.

Civil War launch.

Civil War chaplain and wife in camp.

Cypress swamp.