Category: Gulf Coast
Sailing Florida – Clearwater to Gulfport
We are on a race against hurricane season in our sailboat down the west coast of Florida – for this leg of the journey we stay inshore from Clearwater, FL to Gulfport, FL and pass under a few bridges, enjoy the Florida houses, and moor up to our first mooring ball. And of course, we…
Last Leg of the Gulf of Mexico Crossing
With the tropical storm diversion, the Gulf of Mexico crossing really got divided into three legs: It’s this third leg of the journey that is the focus of this week’s TFJ episode (watch below) and the topic of this blog post. Another Offshore Sail And this time it was easy – not like the first…
Florida Panhandle, Explored by Sailboat
When mother nature throws a curve ball, get ready for an adventure! And that’s what we had in the Florida panhandle. It was unplanned, unmapped, and untouched by enough time – we could have easily enjoyed 2-3 weeks in the Florida panhandle. There were swamps, bay sailing, small towns with charm, coastal sailing, and offshore…
Caught in a Tropical Storm while Crossing the Gulf of Mexico
The first three days were calm, relaxing, almost comically easy – but that’s not what crossing the Gulf of Mexico is known for. The Gulf is known for confusion, steep waves, and various wind directions. And that’s what we got when Tropical Storm Claudette caught up to us as we crossed the Gulf of Mexico…
Crossing the Gulf of Mexico from Texas to Florida
The plan was simple – we’d leave Galveston, TX, and follow the rhumb line to Clearwater, FL. After all, there was little to no wind in the forecast, so we’d basically motor across. This is how chapter 2 of our Journey would begin. The problem is, Cadence is an ocean-designed coastal cruiser, so she only…
Intracoastal Waterway: Sailing from Port Aransas to Galveston
The intracoastal waterway (ICW) is a well-protected way to travel over 3,000 miles in the United States from Texas to the Northern Atlantic coastline. We recently discovered 5 important insights while sailing from Port Aransas to Galveston, TX in the ICW, and that’s what we’d like to share in this post! But first… The ICW…
A Little Fog, And a Bunch of Fog in the Gulf of Mexico
We take to the Gulf of Mexico again from Galveston to Port Aransas, but this time we’re faced with fog, fog, and more fog. This episode is more of a sailing vlog, a day in the life at sea in the Gulf of Mexico. The first day wrapped up with good wind and a solid…
Plans for Sailing The Gulf of Mexico During Hurricane Season
Okay, we know June is not the best time to cross the Gulf of Mexico on a sailboat, but that’s the hand we’re dealt. And we gladly take it, but we’ll play this hand with a healthy dose of caution and planning. As is, we have three plans for sailing the Gulf of Mexico and…
Texas Coastal Cruising Mud Island to Matagorda Harbor Marina
The Texas coast – a place of natural beauty, commercial shipping, wildlife, and nature’s power. Sailing the intracoastal waterway (ICW) comes with its own challenges, but it’s an excellent way to see the beauty and experience the joys of the Texas Coastline. Here’s a video and blog about the ICW from Mud Island to Matagorda…
High Wind Training for Novice Sailors
After having owned a sailboat (Cadence, our Catalina 387) and sailed for just over 6 months now, I would still consider us novice sailors. Heck, 16-18 knots of wind gets me nervous and starts a series of aggressive reefing over-reefing. Mostly, we sail upright because, yes, it’s comfortable, but also because we don’t have the…