Reunion Voyage: Apalachicola a Tourist Day

The day started off gray and windy but brightened considerably though the day. We are in Apalachicola, Florida. The Captain and First Mate decided not to pursue the gulf crossing due to a less than favorable forecast. Therefore, we decided to see the town which was actually very interesting, and authentic. There were quite a few excellent stores with high quality, unique merchandise. Also the town had a very nice waterfront area with working shrimp and oyster boats. Through various times in history this was a huge center for cotton shipping, sponge harvesting and shipping, lumber and the oyster industry. It was a very significant port, and later, a crucial crossroads for the railroads. During the Civil War it was occupied by both the Union and Confederate sides at various times. We also visited a good maritime museum that showed the history of the river and the gulf. People are very friendly, and we were stopped on the street by people who told us about the history of the town and welcomed us to the area..... "How y'all doin' and where y'all from?"

We had lunch at the Hole in the Wall restaurant, where we had more excellent local oysters. And of course, we topped it off at an old fashioned ice cream parlor, where you order one dip, but really get two.

After exhausting ourselves shopping we headed back to the marina where we had to move Reunion to raft up next to another trawler as they are expecting more boats and tens of thousands of people this weekend, due to their annual Seafood Festival. Our trawler neighbors (M/V Bodacious) are trying to complete the Great Loop which they started in 2010. But they started in San Diego, which means they came through the Panama Canal! That is a lot of miles at 8 mph. Tonight we ate on the boat with a delicious steak dinner grilled out, and watched the shrimping boats cruise past at sunset. A very good and interesting day!