Sailing on the Governor Stone

It's not often, well, it doesn't happen to me at least, that I get to sail on a sailboat built in 1877.   Last weekend I shipped out, loaded with Dramamine and with fully charged batteries (plus some extra's) in my camera bag.    You have to know by now, if I go anywhere I take a camera with me, and sometimes I even get a good shot or two.     

The Governor Stone is a schooner built in Pascagoula, Mississippi in 1877.   She has been around for 135 years and is still being used, albeit not for what she was originally built for.   Now she gets to take people out for a short sale and lets' us experience a very small taste of life back then.    Here's a link to some more information about the history of the Governor Stone.  

Anchored in Carrabelle

We had a motley crew aboard when we set sail last weekend.   But even though most of us had no clue what to do the Captain and First Mate got us whipped into shape.

The sails were furled and ready to go us, the rigging was ready...

Lines were coiled...

All was shipshape and ready to go as we motored slowly out of the harbour, taking care not to get in the way of any docks...

Then as we got out of the way, the sails were up and away we went...

There is just nothing to describe the feeling of skimming along, propelled by the wind, no diesel fumes, no motor chugging away, nothing but you and nature.   Of course I did keep my bottom firmly planted on the deck as I didn't want to get in the way.     Some of the people knew what they were doing, and I did not want to end up in the drink cause I got in the way.   Not that I would have minded getting wet, but there are things that live in the ocean and some of them aren't all that friendly.  

Self portrait

Along the way we were also told about some interesting facts, that when the water coming out of the river meets the ocean, you can actually see a difference between the waters.

See the white line in the water?    The dark water on the other side is the brackish fresh water, colored with tannin, and the lighter colored water is actually the gulf.    And in the background to the left is the Tillie Miller Bridge coming into Carrabelle.   The land right in front I believe is Timber Island. 

And after our brief tour of the gulf we were greeted by this guy, sitting on a marker, on our way into the dock. 

I did take some more pictures of the water, the shoreline, etc.   But really, they weren't all that interesting.   

If you do get a chance to go on an old time sailing vessel like the Governor Stone, take advantage of it and sail away.      I'm glad I went, even though I get sea sick, and am not the fond of being out on all that water with just a little boat between me and the sea dwellers.