The whys and wherefores of that statement will be forthcoming. But for the moment it's sufficient to say that's my only regret from this year's Florida 120. The brainchild of Scott Widmier, this year was the fifth running of the group cruise in the scenic Pensacola area, bounded by the endless sands of a national seashore and featuring vast sounds and bays for small and shallow boat cruising. The first two FL 120s had given me a taste for the area, but I had missed the next two because of a work conflict and a last minute illness.

Scott made some changes to the Thursday-through-Sunday event (run the week after Mothers Day). One was it would not start at the funky Pirates Cove, just over the Alabama line. Instead, you could start from wherever you wanted, but on Thursday night, you were expected at Spectre Island, eight miles or so east of Navarre Beach. The flexible starting location encouraged flexible starting times. Scott was planning to be in the area a day or two early for some extra sailing, and so were some other participants. My plan was to drive over Wednesday afternoon, get Oaracle (my Jim Michalak Frolic2 design) in the water. Sailing buddy Scott Gosnell, in his new Normsboat Fiddlestix (another Michalak design), and I had a rough plan to meet that night, perhaps at Navarre Beach if conditions allowed.

I only got lost once (if I paid as much attention to the relevant road maps as to the nautical charts, this wouldn't happen) finding Shoreline Park in Gulf Breeze (the recommended launching site) and eventually got parking and launching fees paid and Oaracle in the water and rigged. We shoved off with a light southerly breeze nudging the boat along at 2.5 to 3 knots. The Pensacola Beach bridge was about a mile ahead on Santa Rosa Sound. The setting sun was 96 million miles, more or less, behind some clouds off the stern.

Oaracle ready to be set up at the beach next to the launching ramps at Shoreline Park

Given the conditions, the initial plan was to slip under the bridge, past the hubbub of Pensacola Beach and then ease up to a section of the National Seashore and drop anchor for the night. It had the attractive feature of allowing me to sail as long as I wanted, and then take a right turn to a protected beach. I didn't figure to go far. But then instead of going lighter, as I expected, the wind picked up somewhat until Oaracle was doing 4 to 5 knots, not quite hard on the wind, with a whisp of spray reaching the cockpit now and then.

I've always enjoyed night sailing, but this night was turning out to be special. Pleasant temperature, ideal winds for Oaracle, easy navigation with well spread out channel markers (most with flashers), and no unexpected shoals. The lights of Pensacola Beach's hotels and condos faded astern as the lights of Navarre Beach's condos rose ahead with nothing in between on the barrier island. Despite a long day that included half a day at work and a four-hour drive to Shoreline Park, the sailing was refreshing. The isolation was near complete. Only two powerboats went by. As Navarre neared, I angled southward out of the marked channel to make for the beach where I planned to anchor for the night. Not long afterward, a tug and its string of barges went by in the channel; an impressive sight at night and one I was glad to view at a distance. Around midnight, Oaracle nosed to the beach at Navarre, next to Juana's restaurant, famed in FL 120 lore.

Tired and contented, I settled for a little trail mix for dinner and resolved to eat a big breakfast. The new 4.4 pound Bruce anchor went out - I was experimenting to see it it was big enough for Oaracle - to keep the boat just off the beach and floating at low tide. A check of the weather radio revealed an unchanged forecast. Although there would be considerable cloudiness for the next couple days, chances of rain were minimal and wind forecasts were favorable. With hatches open to catch the easing breezes, a very gratified sailor went to sleep in Oaracle's small cabin.

A gentle bumping woke me just before 6 a. m. The wind had all but died and gone from the southeast to the west southwest, leaving Oaracle nudging the shore. The anchor was reset quickly and the promised big breakfast - oatmeal and instant eggs! - was suitably enjoyed. Scott Gosnell called. He had stopped with a group that included Scott Widmier and John Bell - a friend from past Florida 120s and Everglades Challenges - between Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach. I had gone by them in the night. There was an interesting small trimaran anchored nearby, which I correctly surmised from a fellow 120 participant. Dalliance was modified from a Chesapeake Light Craft proa design by her builder and owner, fellow Tallahassee resident Ron Falkey.

The wind veered a bit more southerly and increased some, and I picked up the anchor at 8:30 a. m. The mizzen as used to back away from the beach - the first time I had done that maneuver - and the main went up. We ran down paralleling the bridge to Navarre Beach and then ducked under the bridge once we reached the channel in a freshening breeze. Once past the bridge and nearly hard on the wind, it became apparent the sail wasn't set right. Oaracle has three reefs and has luff lines rigged for each reef and led back along the boom where they can be reached from the cockpit so reefing can be accomplished there instead of going on top of the cabin. Unfortunately the line for the third reef instead of running down the luff had taken a detour over the front edge of the yard which prevented the luff from being tight. I eased the sail and went on deck to clear the line and nearly ended the trip there. I reached out for the mast to steady myself and the boat immediately took a sharp heel to leeward. The boat came back when I let go and I realized grabbing the mast, even with the sail almost completely eased, was like a giant lever trying to turn the boat on its side. My weight already being too high while on top of the cabin didn't help. I managed to get the line clear without grabbing the mast and retreated to the cockpit, happy to be dry.

We romped along, with the wind heading a bit more so we were hard on the wind. The wind didn't feel that strong, but foam streaks started appearing on the water and I had to ease the sail a few times. So I put a reef in the sail with the result the wind slackened a bit. Oh well. I was in no rush and there was still plenty of breeze to move Oaracle at a good pace. We only had eight or so miles to go today. I had not been this far east before (the first two 120s had stopped at Juana's) and so paid careful attention to the chart. There were shoals next to the channel and the sound narrowed considerably. A couple of tacks were necessary to stay in the channel, it was enough to keep the sailing and navigation absorbing. Almost before I knew it, the Spectre Island waypoint loomed up on the GPS at 11:15; I was glad for the navigational help because from the water, it looked like a peninsula jutting out from the southern shore. But I verified its islandness by sailing around it and then pulling up on the western shore.

Looking southeast from the top of Spectre Island; this powerboat is about to have its solitude severely disrupted.

Making the beach at a deserted Spectre Island.

Because of my head start, I was the first from the Fl 120 there and the island was deserted except for a large powerboat on the southeast side. The occupants of that poor powerboat were about to have their seclusion shattered; not only as the flotilla of the Florida 120 headed for the island, but there was also a gathering of Catalina 22s congregating there. I did a little exploring of the island, puttered with a couple boat chores, and greeted the next few boats in. After a light lunch, I retreated to Oaracle's cabin for a nap to make up for the previous night's short slumber. There's a note in my log, "Hoping Scott Gosnell gets here with his new Normsboat soon so I can go for a sail."

When I woke from the nap and looked out, I was bracketed by Normsboats! Scott was to the north in Fiddlestix and his friends John and Amanda Huft had parked Happy Adventure on the other side. It was quite a sight. John and Scott had collaborated and helped each other build their boats, achieving launches on a few weeks earlier.

John Bell's Core Sound 17

A crowded beach at Spectre Island.

Scott took me for a circumnavigation of Spectre Island and I admired the nice touches he had build in, including racks on the inside of the main bulkhead and a bridge deck, which gave extra storage under it for the cabin. Most of the boats had arrived and we had a nice view of the anchored and beached fleet. Later, at the nightly campfire, Pat Johnson pointed to the western horizon where the sun had just set and the planets Saturn and Mercury (a fairly rare sight since it's at best just a few degrees above the horizon) were visible. Perfect end to the day.

Friday dawned clear with a few puffy clouds. A proper precursor for a day of flawless conditions. Oaracle slipped away from the beach at 7:15 a. m., a few minutes behind the Normsboat twins. The wind was light, and we gurgled along at 2.5 to 3 knots (the reef was out of the sail), although it picked up after few minutes and the speed went to a comfortable 3.7. I was feeling slightly decadent for using the autopilot and only had to sit back and enjoy the ride and the scenery.

We eased by John and Amanda on Happy Adventure and then passed Pat Johnson on his Micrortrawler. Pat was anchored at a narrow part of the ICW so he could take pictures as we all paraded by.

A Hobie and a 22 foot boat from fellow 120ers went by and I sailed for a bit with Scott and Fiddelsticks. The wind picked up so we were doing around 5 knots as we approached the Navarre Beach bridge. To commemorate that this was a cruising event, I decided to stop again and pick up some snacks and an extra gallon of water. Several other boats paused too, including Brett Hahulski with his 16 foot Precision. He was towing his crew, Chip Doneth, on an inflatable tube. It as a rather noteworthy entrance.

Brett Hahulski tows Chip Doneth to the beach at Navarre Beach, a landing made with style!

We got underway about 11 a. m. And soon fell in with Scott and Fiddlestix and had fun practicing station keeping. The wind kept us going between 4 and 5 knots on a perfect day with enough clouds to keep the edge off the sun. It got me reflecting about the character on some of the small boat events that have sprung up around the country. The Texas 200 (which I have not done) has the reputation of a boisterous downwind ride. The Everglades Challenge dishes up an ever changing menu of wind and seas. The Florida 120 seems to specialize in providing near perfect sailing conditions. (although the hardest rain I have ever sailed in came during the 2010 Florida 120 . . .)

Scott and I separated as the Pensacola Bridge approached, and I enjoyed Ron Falkey slipping by on his sleek tri.

Dalliance, a Chesapeake Light Craft proa design built by Ron Falkey.

Once past the bridge, I sailed to the south to stay close to the north side of the barrier island, to cut down the chop and hopefully stay away from most of the powerboat traffic. The wind picked up and we averaged between 5 and 6 knots. At some point, I became aware that Scott and John Bell with Bandaloop, his Core Sound 17, were behind me (I think Scott called me on the radio), so I slowed down until they caught up. I confess to feeling a bit like a hapless merchantman in the days of yore being pursued by privateers watching the bows of the Core Sound 17 and the Normboat slice through the waves as they caught up. It then became a sort of impromptu sailing/camera club meeting as we sailed in company and shots pics and videos of each other.

Since the wind remained offshore, we stopped at Ft. Pickens for a quick look around (my first time there) and a visit to the facilities. It as then a quick trip across the mouth of Pensacola Bay to the nights stopping point on Sand Island.

But what a short jaunt it was! The winds were up a bit and there was a bit of a sea running in the inlet. We swooped over the waves at between 6 and 6.5 knots, and admired a Sea Pearl (sorry, I missed the crews' names) as it came passed by us in the tumult. We got to Sand Island around 5. It was good to relax after the long day of great sailing. Several sailors collaborated to fix the separated centerboard pennant on Charlie McLemore and Izzie Lussier's Compac Horizon and there was much walking the shore, admiring of boats and general chatting.

The fleet beached and anchored at Sand Island, south of the Pensacola Naval Air Station, on Friday night.

At the campfire that night, there was discussion of the next day's run to Blackwater Bay, an area I had never been to and was eager to explore. But I was also concerned. The weather radio was calling for southwest 5 to 10 knot winds on Sunday, which would be a head breeze as we tried to get back to Shoreline Park. The previous FL 120s had been on had a shorter last day with a course usually with the prevailing winds. It didn't take much imagination to foresee a scenario that had me getting back home at midnight or later and having to be back at work the next day. I should have planned better and spent more time looking at the course - and as noted earlier, taken that Monday off from work so there would be no concerns that ideal conditions would be needed. Oh, well. Separately, John Bell, who had a longer drive home than I did, reached the same decision.

I figured on accompanying the fleet well into Pensacola Bay, perhaps to the first bridge of the day, but that didn't work out. A minor pet emergency at home had me turning around earlier than hoped in Saturday morning's light airs that eventually wafted Oaracle back to the launching ramp.

*****

According to organizer Scott Widmier, 52 boats were signed up to participate in the 2013 Florida 120. Not all showed up, but an exact number is not certain because boats came and left each day. The first two nights had 36 boats (but not entirely the same 36) and with five boats each night stopping elsewhere along the course. There were a few less on Saturday night. To me, this is one of the strengths of the event. Can't get four days off to participate? Fine, come for a day or two as more than one person did. Want to go longer? You can do that, too. Several people came up to two or three days early to get in some extra sailing, and I think a boat or two stayed for an extra day or so. If one day's run seems to long, you can pick your own anchorage or camping site and then rejoin the fleet the next day. To get more information about the Florida 120, visit its Yahoo Groups page or look it up on Facebook.