White City Park

Well Jason came on removed the carb for a recleaning.  We added two more filters in line so there are 3 filters on my little outboard.  The next morning we are off with the engine idling fine.

 Very foggy on departure, Bird Island is the last land we see until the Tyndal Bridge and this is in the Intercoastal Waterway

Dolphin escort

The hope was to get to White City Park along the Intercoastal from Panama City to Apalachicola.  We decided to stop not far after Wetapppo Creek, anchoring in the channel but far enough out of the way just in case one of the barges came through.  The fishing was no bueno! Again!  In the morning we started the motor and it died,  on the next try it started and idled while we undid the Bahamian Mooring.  

Just before White City at the intersection of the two waterways was our second pair of Bald Eagles

Entrance by road

It was fairly early when we got to White City Park.  We tried to idle into the docks but... Yes you guessed it!  The damn engine wouldn't idle.  So with slack tide and mostly still water I just rowed over in the dinghy and tied us up.  Arrrrg!  Three filters and still trash in the carb.   Pulled the #2 filter and no more black stuff as on the very first day.  Checked the clear #3 filter and nothing.  Must be more corrosion inside the rebuilt carb that keeps doing it.  So saving 250+ vs buying the completely new Mercury carb just sucks now.  When I get a chance I will pull it off and clean it out.  AGAIN!  It runs good except at idle.

Tin serving up the Sheephead Sushi our first night at White City

Sushi and a Movie

When we got tied up we met a quite aged man in a little red truck.  We asked about a convenient store with a hysterical answer.  "Well the store that has been here for 84 years closed two days ago.  We're trying to get it open again soon."  He informed us that he was raised just across the channel and gave us a short story of the 3 barge outfit that used to own the dock and how it was passed from Federal to State to County and then the dock became part of White City.  There is Water, 110 electric, a great little fishing rail and other pic-nic style actives here. We talked with several fishermen that had loads of "One time..." stories but most seemed to be there to catch Croakers by the 5 gallon bucket fulls. They also seemed to catch the local pelicans often.  We did manage to catch some Specks that were undersize but never got any of our own "One time..." stories.   We also met a family on a catamaran headed to Tampa area.  We also watched the local Otters bobbing their heads up occasionally.

One of the otters,  shhhh!  They are the first thing Tin has not named!

 One of the barges cruising the narrow channel,  I needed two photos from my angle it was so big

s/v Gemini Dreams from overhead at White City Park

Also there is no AT&T phone service at White City so the Mommy Alarm was ringing.  We even tried walking on the bridge to gain height but no service.  Then on our last morning as we were untying the lines we had service.  Barely one bar so I tried a text that said failed.  A few moments later the phone rang and we checked in just before we had no service again.

 Note:  You need citronella and screens here at night!


w