Friday, November 9

Scipio Creek - Apalachicola

On the waterfront - Apalachicola

Bar at the Gibson Inn

Gibson Inn - Apalachicola

The start of our day was a short bike tour of historic St. Andrews - a section of Panama City that was highly recommended by a "friendly local" that we had met while swimming in the Waterfall Cove on Lake Pickwick earlier in the summer.  He insisted that we should not miss this spot ......... well we could have!
Next we headed down East Bay toward the Wetappo Creek.  It was fun cruising at full throttle throuogh the mirror like waters.  The Wetappo Creek and Apalachicola River took many bends & curves through the surrounding cypress marsh.  A wonderful reminder that not all of Florida has been wildly overbuilt.
Today's cruise completed the Panhandle GIWW - the section of the Waterway from Pensacola to Apalachicola covering around 200 miles of pleasant inside cruising.  It meanders through passages of modern development, forests of deciduous trees, cypress swamps and bayous.  Narrow channels connect big, clear, open bays and sounds with barrier islands protecting this entire area.
Mid afternoon we arrived in the charming village of Apalachicola, renowned for its local oysters caught fresh from the bay's beds.  Charlie was in heaven - I even found the fried variety to be delicious.  It is also home to Dr. John Gorrie who in the 1830s invented a machine that made ice.  While the invention was originally designed to help yellow fever patients, it changed the world by making southern climates more habitable and Happy Hour happier.

Floats at the Tin Shop - Apalachicola

A walk around town is a trip back in time.  This river town has been wonderfully restored and showcases many B&Bs, art galleries and oyster establishments.  We would have enjoyed spending more time here, but with a small weather window to complete the 170 mile offshore run ahead of us we decided to push forward.