Some Kind of Wonderful?!

Weather changes everything... plans to travel far today and anchor out changed with new small craft warnings starting at noon today on Santa Rose Bay, where we had to travel, and gale force winds in the Gulf. We sped for safe harbor at Ft. Walton Beach and were tucked in here by 1043a after leaving Pensacola Beach about 650a. Tucked but not tied. They have piles here and a joke of a finger pier. The Captain had to back in so we could get from the sun deck off the boat.... to walk the “finger” pier to the main dock you must literally HUG a pile which stands in the middle of this tiny pier and is only slightly smaller than the pier is wide...... if a big wind comes … well, no way will I walk it!

Just like every place we have been we are strangers to the facilities... I had viewed on line the way this marina houses the permanent resident boats in covered storage with low curved roofs so I was able to spot the marina from the channel but there were no signs and no one about.... we decided to go toward the fuel dock....if they think you are buying fuel they will surely show up... but no one came.  I was at my post on the fore deck with my ear about 6 inches from our boat horn, the Captain decided to blow it!!!!  I am pretty sure my heart skipped at least two beats... it felt like it went right through me!!!... so startling that I was near tears! Then I lassoed a pile for the port bow line...since the pile was only about 2 inches from the boat rail I can't brag but when I started to tie it... Captain yells too tight... I loosened it...then he wants me to pull it in... I end up tying it exactly where I had it to begin with....then the starboard pile had to be roped.... Captain undoes my port line to loosen it and as he pushed on that pile with a boat hook to get Miss gg over toward the starboard pile.......he tells me to hurry and wrap the line around starboard bow pile... it is farther away and much higher than port pile....it took me about 4 tries but I did it...unfortunately I misunderstood......I did it wrong....I put a noose around it instead of looping it......he rushes over to get it off the pile with the boat hook while Miss gg is still near it.........I tried to calm the Captain saying we had time... but he was still in a hurry... we really didn't know when the big wind would hit here...undoing my now tangled line as fast as I could I suffered a stinging rope burn across my face and lip because the line snapped back in my face!  Wasn't this suppose to get easier?!

We were here an hour and the Captain was still tying/adjusting lines...we are on the outside here and the wind will surely blow us tonight but I think if we get loose we will take most of this dock with us...no lines left in my line deck box!

It is amazing that I am still in love with this fella!  And I think he kinda likes me, too!  We have co-existed in a little more than 400 sq ft for over 6 months and my love for this Adventure has only grown!  Yeah, Some Kind of Wonderful!   

Leaving the dock at Pensacola Beach. 

Good-bye Boys!

I love the way the Floridians paint their water storage tanks.

Under this bridge and out into the Gulf ICW channel.

 A 16 inch Finger pier???

A closer look.

Ominous clouds... storm's acomin'

When tomorrow comes we will assess the weather... right now they are saying it will be settling down by 9a instead of the earlier report of 12noon.....we had thought we would be waiting out the wind all day Wednesday......It will be cold, in the 50s with wind starting out at 26mph... always a challenge...always an Adventure!