Fair Hope to Fort McRee
The destination @ Ft. McRee
Still fighting the crud, we moved slowly in our routine prep for leaving Fair Hope, Alabama Marina. The temps continued to be quite comfortable and the sun was shining. Both are always welcome, but the way we have felt physically, they were especially encouraging, giving us hope that the worst of our current condition was behind us. After a pump out, we eased into Mobile Bay, south by southeast. The waters were flat, breeze mild. A couple hours into the day, I saw our most recent traveling friends on AIS . We could not have timed our rendezvous any better had we tried and ended up on the Gulf ICW in single file, once again. Talking on the radio, we realized we all had the same sunset destination in mind.
Mobile Bay fades behind us…as the storm moved in 
The Gulf ICW waits our entrance
There are mixed reviews about traveling with buddy boats. Some say you don’t develop your skills as well when depending on other boats. Nor will you meet as many people because you withdraw to your small community. I completely disagree. I’m pretty Type A, so I don’t tend to sit around and wait on people to make decisions, nor do I have the patience to debate the “best” way to approach a journey. But what I have found is that most people we meet are pretty sharp, even if not highly experienced. And seldom do we encounter an ego that has to be in charge. As a result, our collaborations prompt learning from others, we enjoy the peace of mind of safety in numbers, and new friendships always result. So, we have become big advocates of the buddy boat-team-attitude system. Traveling together teaches and does not hamper the learning experience.
If you have followed this blog since inception, you will remember our guardian “angels” Michael & Gabriel. It’s nice to have them back, now that we are in the saltwater.
Tacky Tacos looked like a fun place for a lunch stop, but we wanted to make it before dark. Maybe next time around. 
Minimal barge traffic here, but the scrap business still warrants it. I wonder how many of these cars are there because of storms.
Our 47 NM from Fair Hope to Ft. McRee took about 7 hours. We passed through Wolf Bay, Perido Key, and the Big Lagoon before arriving at the well protected basin of Ft. McRee.
The fort itself is essentially gone. Construction started in 1834 and was completed in 1839, by the United States. It is located on the eastern tip of Perdido Key and was named after Brevet Officer Colonel William McRee. Along with Fort Barrancas and Fort Pickens, they protected the Pensacola Bay. During the Civil War, Ft. McRee was hammered by the Union until it was virtually destroyed. Not much now to see, it more resembles another big sand dune/island along the Gulf coast.
The lighthouse across Pensacola Bay 
Sand bar covered with birds, forming part of our surroundings 
The storm slowly moving in 
Prehistoric Pterodactyl sightings are very common. One can’t be too careful. Small animals and attractive women are especially susceptible. I had to disguise Amanda as a man. It’s just too hard to train a new mate at this point in the journey.
It is a beautiful setting as an anchorage for boats. I understand it is a very popular spot on the weekends in the warmer weather. With plenty of room for many boats, I can see how it might be a great venue for a big flotilla social event. The storms of the past couple years have made it quite shallow in spots, so it was a little tricky finding a good anchor location. We hit bottom 4-5 times looking. After settling our anchor, our friends on Jo-Ca, Bliss, and Onward filled in around us. With mild breezes from the East, we all had room to swing and enjoy the day’s end in this well protected tidal basin. Before sunset, and before the final rain set in, we donned the dinghy and ran over to the shoreline. Our friends from Jo-Co had taken their dog, by dinghy, for a little exercise, so we puttered over and joined them on the beach. But soon the rains came and we scurried back to the boat, cutting our little exploration adventure far too short.
A short dinghy ride before sunset.
Dinner and a little TV/reading and we put our running noses and cough to bed once more.
Our friend boats, (L-R) Jo-Ca, Bliss, and Onward with the sunset as a nice backdrop
Merry Chrstmas i hope you both start to feel better!
Thanks, Nick. Merry Christmas!