Day 204, November 14, 2012 (Apalachicola):  We spent an extra day in Panama City. The distance to Carrabelle is about 45 miles where we plan to stage ourselves to cross the gulf with our buddy boat, Blue Heron. We took the opportunity to walk Panama City Beach with Reed and Misty, taking in the local thieves and Schooner’s Last Local Beach Club. 

Day 198, November 9, 2012 (Pensacola, FL): Great stop! Pensacola has lots to offer. First up is Palafox Marina in the heart of the old town. Good for loopers, too. Dockage is 25 percent off with BoatUS and the harbor is five-star—that is *****. 

Day 192, November 4, 2012 (Fairhope, AL): Once out of the hills of Alabama into the coastal plain south of the Coffeeville Lock, we enter mangrove bayous (see below) and ever enlarging fields of marsh grass. The bird life abounds and also is more typical of the salt marsh. We have cleared our last of 149 locks!

Day 188, October 30, 2012 (Demopolis, AL): Our groupie has changed, again. Until Joe Wheeler we had been hanging out with One September, Good Karma, Jim’s Joy, Sareanna, and Catmandu. Some crews went home to visit while others continued on to Chattanooga up the Tennessee.