Keep those cards and letters coming!
After several unsuccessful attempts at aligning the moon and
the stars, not to mention tropical storms, three boats all captained by crews
who are old enough to know better set off one hot day in July for a cruise from
our home port in Gulfport Florida through Pass-A-Grille Channel into the Gulf of Mexico heading
south to Bunce’s Pass bound for Mullet Key Bayou.home of Ft Desoto.
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| Ft Desoto - No Wake Zone Enforcement Squad |
Not an epic journey perhaps, nonetheless a Google Earth
photo taken at the entrance to Bunce’s Pass featured a nicely found sailboat
heeled over on the beach without the slightest trace of water to be found. Bunce’s Pass, you must understand is not
maintained nor does it feature markers.
Water depths vary from Heron Knees to Davie ’s Locker in scarce a beam width.
Of the three participants, Miandros, HideAway, and Smooth
Sailing, only the shallowest draft boat, HideAway at 28 inches had an electric
depth finder. Miandros used her handy
lead line while Smooth Sailing took soundings several times with her always dependable
keel. While all three depth finding methods are
accurate some have less desirable outcomes than others.
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| Sailing HideAway's Course Plot |
Sailing a course of 215m from Pass-A-Grille channel marker
7A HideAway tacked towards Bunce’s Pass
north shore when the Ft Desoto Park water tower was 120m. Depths of 12 -15 feet abounded. The north tower of the Skyway Bridge
A radio broadcast from Miandros called us back to lead the
rest of the fleet in. In the process
the HideAways somehow employed a five year old way point that put us well south
of the new channel in 4 feet of water.
Not cause for great alarm but we ended up showing the rest of the fleet
good places not to go rather than a good path to nirvana. Eventually the best navigational aides
proved to be fishing boats anchored on the edge of the channel, larger power
boats coming out and the bright green color of the water.
Once you are past the beach the channel is marked but be
advised the depth of the water on the marker’s northern edge is more suited to
fiddler crabs than sailboats. No mistakes are allowed. HideAway experienced a main sail malfunction
that required a stop over at the Ft Desoto boat ramp and those wonderful
floating docks while the rest of the fleet searched the southern reaches of the
bayou for the best anchorage. The
channel going into Mullet Key Bayou is well marked and at pretty high tide is
6-8 feet deep. Miandros, the largest of
the three became the anchor boat with Smooth Sailing rafted to starboard and
HideAway to port. The waters around the
point are 8 feet at high tide in a large area. The crews rested during the hot
afternoon. The coolest place on HideAway
proved to be below decks in the wind-sock cooled breeze.
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| Sunshine Skyway Bridge viewed from Mullet Key Bayou |
Story telling and snacking had hardly begun when Dan, the
best weatherman around, announced that we had two minutes to leave the raft and
maybe another five to drop the hook as far away as possible. Dan noticed that the big US flag flying at
the park’s entrance had changed directions indicating to him a tempestuous wind
was close at hand.
We barely had our anchor set when the severe storm covered
the bayou with two and three foot breakers. (See the video “Small Boat Big
Storm on the Sailing HideAway You Tube channel). The rigging howled, the rain
pelted and HideAway did a rock and roll dance to make any hippie proud. Eventually the storm passed and the rain
cooled air provided a treat for the adventurers. After building the second raft, story telling
went on well into the night with much joy and laughter; a proper sailor’s party
at a great gunkhole.
The morning brought with it a forecast grimmer than the
previous day. Instead of waiting for the
afternoon tide as planned, the crews decided to risk low tide to beat the coming
storms. HideAway lead the way, but
unaccustomed to following channel markers was forced to make an abrupt course
change as her rudder smelled the bottom and a green marker appeared to
starboard. Miandros steamed straight down the middle of the channel followed
closely by Smooth Sailing. Moments later
Steve declared his depth finder – the keel mounted one – had found the
bottom.
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| Sailing HideAway After the Storm |
While Linda called out depths of six feet at HideAway’s bow
her Capt. had to raise the rudder to get close enough to throw Steve a
line. We pulled and tugged Smooth
Sailing quite awhile before admitting defeat.
No sooner than our tow line was stowed Steve announced he was free. The he wasn't. More tugging ensued with no noticeable
effect. Apparently small boats make poor tow trucks.
While we contemplated anchoring choices Smooth Sailing again
began to float free. Steve motored
another hundred feet before his outboard motor prop suddenly became airborne
and he proclaimed that he was “Surely aground now”. More tugging and pulling followed and
another white flag rose. We all
concluded the best form action is inaction and prepared to wait out the tide. Another
moment passed and Smooth Sailing was free at last and a new procedure of
pulling someone off a mid channel sand bar discovered.
That would be one explanation, but it could have been Myrtle
The timeless legend, fashioned moments ago, has it that a
mullet grew to such enormous size that it could not escape the confines of
Mullet Key Bayou. Despite the various
tales of over-served locals attempting to explain baffling malfunctions, trips
over the board and the odd grounding, it should be pointed out that no one has
actually seen The Mullet Myrtle.
A growing number of mariners know Myrtle is partial to the
narrow channel leading from the bayou where she is inclined to sleep away the
night at low tide. After all who would
be foolish enough to navigate the narrow channel at low tide in first place?
Myrtle, the Great Mullet Spirit, likes nothing better than
to play a game of catch and release with the unsuspecting sailor much like the
local fishermen do with her brethren.
Need I say more?
Once free of Great Mullet Spirit shenanigans, the three
amigos motor sailed under jib alone to the Gulf of Mexico ,
safely crossed the far offshore 5 foot shoal and set a course for home ending a
fine, if far too short gunkhole cruise.
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| Bunce's Pass- Sailing HideAway |
SMALL BOATS ROCK!
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