# Florida's Gulf Coast Ports Brace for Tropical Storm Elsa **URL:** \ **Category:** Marine Weather\ **Created:** [July 6, 2021, 4:59pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/floridas-gulf-coast-ports-brace-for-tropical-storm-elsa/59937 "2021-07-06T16:59:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kennebec\_Captain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/kennebec_captain/32/13_2.png) [@Kennebec\_Captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kennebec_Captain)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2021, 4:59pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/floridas-gulf-coast-ports-brace-for-tropical-storm-elsa/59937/1 "2021-07-06T16:59:26Z")
> **[Florida's Gulf Coast Ports Brace for Tropical Storm Elsa](https://gcaptain.com/floridas-gulf-coast-ports-brace-for-tropical-storm-elsa/)** > > The U.S. Coast Guard has set port condition Zulu for the ports of Tampa, St. Petersburg, Manatee, and Ft. Myers in Florida ahead of Tropical Storm Elsa effective Tuesday at... ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/d/1/d18dcec74d28d7cddb9e8dd5482da393bd287780.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![fredwx](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/fredwx/32/3873_2.png) [@fredwx](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/fredwx)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2021, 11:39pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/floridas-gulf-coast-ports-brace-for-tropical-storm-elsa/59937/2 "2021-07-25T23:39:54Z")
# Elsa less than forecast for Tampa Bay [Elsa less than forecast for Tampa Bay - Ocean Weather ServicesOcean Weather Services](http://oceanweatherservices.com/blog/2021/07/20/elsa-less-forecast-tampa-bay/) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/d/8/d82c8a0e4edce1d98ccc0b25ba4db7940d5060de.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![SeaEagle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/seaeagle/32/17788_2.png) [@SeaEagle](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/SeaEagle)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 8:45am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/floridas-gulf-coast-ports-brace-for-tropical-storm-elsa/59937/3 "2021-07-26T08:45:24Z")
Glad our friends went to Belle Chasse from St Pete before Elsa. Although a minimal hurricane, they cause big problems for the tug guys. . Smart move sirs. ---
**Author:** ![mixednuts](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/mixednuts/32/11999_2.png) [@mixednuts](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/mixednuts)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 10:16am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/floridas-gulf-coast-ports-brace-for-tropical-storm-elsa/59937/4 "2021-07-26T10:16:53Z")
To bad the Captain of the El Faro didn’t feel the same way ---
**Author:** ![SeaEagle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/seaeagle/32/17788_2.png) [@SeaEagle](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/SeaEagle)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 1:16pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/floridas-gulf-coast-ports-brace-for-tropical-storm-elsa/59937/5 "2021-07-26T13:16:21Z")
It does make me sad the decisions El Faro captain made. He was a decent fellow. Even going the Bahama route as he did weeks before would have been rough. But survivable. Company pressure and ETA’s was quite evident here. But in the long run, the captain made a bad call. That girl told him numerous times this is a fucked up plan. Called her mother to relay that . Dealt with these things for quite some time in GOM and East Coast… NEVER EVER trust hurricanes to do what the forecasters think they will do. Much better forecasting nowadays, but keep your distance regardless. It’s your boat or ship. Be safe and fuck everybody else that are not on your vessel. That attitude served me well for many years. Sorry for my French. ---
**Author:** ![mixednuts](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/mixednuts/32/11999_2.png) [@mixednuts](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/mixednuts)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 1:30pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/floridas-gulf-coast-ports-brace-for-tropical-storm-elsa/59937/6 "2021-07-26T13:30:23Z")
We were told by the office that Katrina was going to go across the gulf and hit Texas. So we started heading for the SWPass Well you can guess what happened next ---
**Author:** ![SeaEagle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/seaeagle/32/17788_2.png) [@SeaEagle](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/SeaEagle)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 2:09pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/floridas-gulf-coast-ports-brace-for-tropical-storm-elsa/59937/7 "2021-07-26T14:09:56Z")
The “Office” although meaning well were not my best friends. As I said in a prior post, although Juan was a minor hurricane, and did all I could to avoid it, did a loop de loop and came back out from shore in Louisiana. Smacked me off of Alabama after circling for days with a light 250k barge. Was not fun, but we held on to it, disappearing in the waves at times. A former respected captain told me to keep the head up and don’t let it get sideways. Thank you " Captain Bear" … it worked and I listened to you as a mate. The newbies should keep their ears open when someone is showing them something without trying too hard to make them feel like a student. I was lucky to sail with a few of these guys. The “Animal Captains” Bulls and Bears. Worth bazillions and great mentors. By the way, both from North Carolina. Hurricane Alley.