The past week has been a never-ending loop of checking the weather, making route plans, changing route plans, talking with other Loopers, then repeating it all the next day. It’s officially time for the infamous Gulf Crossing. 

As I mentioned in last week’s post, there are two options to tackle the Gulf Crossing: The “Big Bend” route or the entire crossing from Carrabelle to Tarpon Springs. Here are the main pros and cons of each:

Big Bend Route: 

Pros:

• Can be done in all daylight hours
• Takes you through some of Florida’s most pristine wilderness areas

Cons:

• Need three good weather windows
• The three overnight stops have shallow waters, making it tricky for deeper-draft boats

Direct Gulf Crossing

Pros:

• Done in a single weather window
• Straightforward navigation — pointing your bow straight across open water

Cons:

• Requires an overnight passage
• Takes you about 40 miles offshore, with no possible bailout options

*These pros and cons are based on an average looper speed of 7-8 knots

Once a route has been decided, it’s time to determine your “Go/No Go” criteria and keep a close watch on the weather. Many Loopers like to watch forecasted wave heights, but Evan and I have found they are rarely correct. Instead, we keep a closer watch on wind speed and wind direction. Our “Go/No Go” criteria are always, without exception, wind gusts under 15 knots. We actually prefer gusts under 10 knots, which is truly fair weather cruising, but that is because over the last 4,000 nautical miles, we’ve learned how our boat handles open water.

In addition to the preferred wind speed being under 10 knots, we are aware that our boat does not handle beam seas well. This isn’t as big of an issue when we’re already waiting for low wind days, but if we choose to go out in winds closer to 15 knots, the wind must be projected to come on our bow or stern. 

There is truly no right or wrong decision. What is important is knowing what you and your partner are comfortable with, and having a strong understanding of how your boat performs in certain conditions. 

There were no days last week that met our criteria, but several Loopers did make the crossing with less-than-ideal conditions. Luckily, they all made it across safely. We jumped from Apalachicola over to Carrabelle, which is where the majority of people start their crossing from. We’re currently hunkered down at Pirate’s Cove Marina while we wait for our weather window(s). This upcoming week is looking promising!

Cheers to continuing this adventure!