Traveling east from Mobile Bay, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway ends just past Mile 375 EHL in St. George Sound, Florida, and doesn’t begin again until Tarpon Springs, Florida at Mile 150.  To span this gap, you have two choices, both of which involve heading out into the Gulf of Mexico.

You can leave the Waterway at Mile 355 EHL, and then head south and enter the Gulf of Mexico through Government Cut, or you can leave the Waterway at Mile 375 EHL near the Saint George Sound anchorages, and enter the Gulf through East Pass. It is about a 170 to 175 statute mile trip from East Pass to either Tarpon Springs, Florida, where the Waterway begins again at Mile Marker 150, or to Clearwater, Florida, which is farther down the Waterway near Mile Marker 135. If you choose to go to Tarpon Springs, be careful because the entrance channel is prone to shoaling.

The Gulf of Mexico is wide and deep with no obstacles in this area.  Marine traffic is almost nonexistent except for the occasional shrimp boat. When you are approaching the west coast of Florida, time your arrival for after 10 a.m. There are crab pot floats that can appear as far out as 10 to 20 miles off the coast. With a low morning sun angle, seeing these floats can be difficult, and running over one of them can ruin your whole day!

You also have the other option of making the trip in short jumps around the Gulf by first heading to the Steinhatchee River with a controlling depth of 5-½ feet, continuing on to the Crystal River with a controlling depth of 4-½ feet, and then finally ending in Tarpon Springs. However, this route will take you three days of good weather on the Gulf to complete as opposed to your needing one day (and overnight) of good weather, if you take the direct route. Taking the coast route will also add between 55 and 60 miles to your crossing.

To add some safety and comfort to the crossing, consider the following:

• Travel with other “Loopers,” as there is often safety in numbers. Knowing that there is at least another boat nearby in case something goes wrong will add to your confidence when making this passage.
• Travel when seas are 2 feet or less.
• Speak to a meteorologist about sea, wind, and weather conditions in the Gulf of Mexico prior to your crossing of the “Big Bend of Florida” – call the National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Florida at 850 942 8833.
• If you are not used to traveling through large bodies of water, take sea sickness medications before you start out.

Stay safe out there, and enjoy the journey!

Captain George and Pat Hospodar are authors of “Reflection on America's Great Loop (A ‘Baby Boomer’ couple’s yearlong boating odyssey)”, and their new book, “The Great Loop Experience from Concept to Completion (A Practical Guide for Planning, Preparing, and Executing Your Great Loop Adventure)”, which will be available November 2014.