Day 70 - land Ho!

Miles cruised 193, fuel purchased $750.00, fuel gallons 348, slip fee $110, daily high temperature 84*F,We sat at anchor at Dog Island from 1:30 pm until 10:00 pm. There was no wind and the sea state was flat as glass. Andy and Priscilla cooked dinner, which consisted of salad, saffron rice and a London broil steak cooked in our convection oven. We always eat very well on the boat. With the generator running to cook dinner the TV was also on to help kill the time. No sundowners tonight. We have to stay awake all night. We will use 4 hour shifts on the helm. That will provide enough time to get some sleep between shifts. We have tried two hour shifts previously but they did not work out as well.It is pitch black outside. The moonrise for a half moon will be at 9:37 pm. Our plan is to cross the gulf in tandem with George and Pat on Reflection. Their plan is to do a slow cross at 10 mph until daylight and then speed up. We do not want to get near shore until after 10:00 am. That way the sun will be high enough in the sky not to blind us and we can see the crab pot buoys. The three other boats that were anchored at Dog Island took off at 2:00 pm.Our course across the Gulf of  Mexico We crossed the gulf with Reflection in the lead. They turned on their spotlights in their aft deck to make them easy to see. At 6:00 am I hailed them on the VHF radio to advise them we were diverting from their course. We are heading to John's Pass which is south of their entrance to Clearwater. I didn't want them to think I feel asleep at the wheel and headed off course.Reflection at anchor at Dog IslandEddy the weather wag's promise of a flat crossing was short lived. By 1:00 am the winds were blowy out of the NE at 20 and the wave heights increased to 2 - 3 feet. The seas were quartering on the port beam so it was a bit rocky but not a bumpy ride. Bumpy would have been waves on the nose. Once we to the ICW on the Florida west coast all will be flat, flat, flat again,We sighted some of the taller buildings in Clearwater at 10:00 am. "Land Ho". Our fuel is down to less than 1/4 of a tank so it is time to make landfall.It was time to fuel up.Bonus photo for you dreamers out there.Bonus photo #2Carl (Chef) Wooden - quote of the day."There is nothing like lying flat on your back on the deck, alone except for the helmsman aft at the wheel, silence except for the lapping of the sea against the side of the ship. At that time you can be equal to Ulysses and brother to him."(Quote by - Errol Flynn)