New Orleans to Port St. Joe - Nov 2010 - Part V

11/29/10. Bear Point and that area along the Alabama Canal from Mobile Bay through Perdido Bay and Pensacola Bay is delightful. There’s something about the nature and people that is very attractive. And it’s not too far away, some 3 days on Talisman. Even shorter if and when we do upgrade to another, faster vessel. We explored Ingram’s Bayou, Bear Point Marina and its live-aboard community and Robert’s Bayou across the way, Holiday Harbor Marina on Perdido Key, and Palafox Marina at historic downtown Pensacola. We have yet to experience Wolf Bay (along the AL Canal), Big Lagoon (connecting Perdido Bay and Pensacola Bay), and Bayou Chico (western side of Pensacola), as well as restaurants like Pirate’s Cove (yes, we know, it comes highly recommended).

Once we left Bear Point Marina in Lower Alabama (along AL Canal), we could smell Home. This part we had done before and it was straightforward. There aren’t too many anchorages or marinas on the first leg of this trip back home. The first 50 nm include Mobile Bay, Dauphin Is. and then the beginning of the Barrier Islands facing the Mississippi Coast. Given the SE winds to 15 kts., protection in Mobile Bay and on the leeside of Dauphin Is. did not seem sufficient. We did a good 6.5 kts, spiking to 6.7 kts. for much of the 8 ½ hr. run. That night we anchored on the north eastern side of Petit Bois Is., snuggling in a crescent with depths of 10-16 ft. about 1/3 mi. from shore, and that has worked for us before. We were expecting winds to kick up to 20 kts.; so, we raised our mizzen, laid out 70’ of chain + 45’ line, and set the anchor alarm. Coordinates: N 30° 12.338’ and W 88° 26.593’, southwest of marker R 17.

The next day we realized the predicted strength of winds did not materialize. Nevertheless we were attentive to weather info and changes as we headed for Cat Is.’s northern shore for anchorage that evening. We passed Horn and Ship islands with a favorable current so that we were doing 6.8 kts. most of the day. On a whim we decided instead to change course to North and stay at the Long Beach Marina. This would be the last night of the trip and we wanted a good fish dinner and the marina amenities including WiFi as a prize. We knew that the final day of our trip, next day, would be a good 12 hrs. to our home port of South Shore Harbor Marina in New Orleans.

Leaving early from Long Beach we passed Cat Is. and aimed for the Rigolets that connects the Gulf of Mexico with Pontchartrain Lake and New Orleans. After clearing the several bridges that mark that passage, we made it to harbor on a refreshing close haul that delivered us through sunset and late evening straight into our Harbor. It was exciting to sail at night. We had only done it once before: Destin Harbor (see previous blogs of this trip), where the markers weren’t lighted and the depth sounder kept going off, and using Gina as a lookout on the bow. Interpreting lights and using the chart plotter to guide you (radar not necessary this time) was a change to using the naked eye. We’ll have more occasions to sail at night when we cross from the Panhandle of Florida to the peninsula’s western coast. But that’s for a next trip, whether on Talisman or another boat.

All in all, this was a great trip, notwithstanding the cold spells, the nasty winds at times, and having to change plans here and there. But there were many amazing sunrises and sunsets, beautiful places and friendly people to more than compensate for the less attractive spells. With every new trip, one always learns something new, and builds a little more confidence with the boat, functionality, and one’s ability to adapt. We sailed further this time and will sail further next time. All in the name of adventure and curiosity at what lies around the next corner.

SUMMARY OF TRIP ITINERARY:

South Shore Harbor Marina, New Orleans, LA (HOME) -- Cat Is., MS -- Petit Bois Is., MS -- Ingram Bayou, AL -- Holiday Harbor Marina, Perdido Key, FL -- Palafox Marina, Pensacola, FL -- Destin Harbor anchorage, FL -- Panama City Marina, St. Andrew Bay, FL -- Port St. Joe Marina, St. Joseph Bay, FL -- Bay Point Marina, Big Lagoon (St. Andrew Bay), FL -- Rocky Bayou (Choctawhatchee Bay), FL -- Grassy Point (Foot of Pensacola Beach Bridge) Sta. Rosa Sound, FL -- Bear Point Marina, Lower AL (AL Canal) -- Petit Bois Is., MS -- Long Beach Marina, MS -- HOME

HIGHLIGHTS:

Ingram Bayou and Rocky Bayou anchorages -- Palafox Marina & art market in Pensacola historic downtown -- Port St. Joe & Dockside Cafe -- shark wrestling with prey -- dolphins -- live-aboard community at Bear Point Marina -- sunsets -- Alabama Canal & Perdido Bay

New Orleans to Port St. Joe - Nov 2010 - Part IV

11/20/10. One beautiful bay after another! Passing through them all we realized it would be hard to choose one over the others. St. Joseph Bay, St. Andrew’s Bay, Choctawhatchee Bay, Pensacola Bay, and Perdido Bay all were lovely in their own way and had special features. The weather and schedules are the only factors limiting our time in each one. It just means there’s plenty to explore the next times around.

We left St. Andrew’s Bay before 7:30 a.m. We weren’t sure of passage conditions, changes in weather, and how good the anchorage we had selected would turn out. After the “excitement” at Destin Harbor - the challenges of risky depths, unlighted markers, and arriving when dark - we wanted to make sure we entered the new (to us) anchorage at Rocky Bayou early enough. Plus we wanted to enjoy the sunset before turning in for the night. Winds were NE closer to 15 kts. and it was cold. We passed under the Hathaway Bridge into the ICW which first part is a rather large bay (West Bay) and then becomes a narrow canal (around 20 nm), which locals affectionately call “the ditch.” At the end we entered into Choctawatchee Bay, got to the approximate midway point just past the bridge that connects the north shore to Destin, and took a turn to starboard toward the northern banks where two bayous offer purportedly good anchorages. We made our way up Rocky Bayou to its northwestern section and anchored in 9-10 ft. of water. The 50 nm run on that day was worth it. And we got to enjoy the sunset in an ideal setting. There are probably hundreds of pretty bayous along the northern Gulf Coast. This one was tranquil, with unassuming residences dotting the shoreline, close enough to Destin, but far enough to preserve its uniqueness and naturalness. Highly recommended. Our coordinates just in case: N 30° 30.615’ and W 86° 27.226’.

The next challenge was to clear the Ft. Walton (Brooks) Bridge the next day. Reports had it as 49.9’ give or take 0.6” for the tides. Our 47’ mast + some for the antenna and Windex meant we would just make it, and we did. But it was a little bit of tension as we neared and then cleared, followed by exhilaration once through it. At that point we had crossed Choctawhatchee Bay and had entered the Sta. Rosa Sound (ICW) that would take us to Pensacola Bay and beyond. Since we had traveled outside in the Gulf on the way to Port St. Joe, the return trip was to include the inland route for variety’s sake. Had we not been able to clear the infamous Bridge, we would have had to return to St. Andrew’s Bay and go out into the Gulf. The bridge at Destin that leads to the Gulf is even lower than the one at Ft. Walton. No way.

Sta. Rosa Sound is even more enjoyable than “the ditch” because it has quite a few communities, boats, and a few marinas along the way. We went under the 50’ Navarre Bridge and then finally the Pensacola Bridge that connects Gulf Breeze to Pensacola Beach. Right past that Bridge, above Red 142, is a good anchorage at Grassy Point. It was 48 nm from Rocky Bayou to Grassy Point, and we made it in time for the sunset again. Coordinates: N 30° 21.035’ and W 87° 10.014’.

We had had good weather the day of travel to Grassy Point, but it promptly deteriorated the next day when we were to cross Pensacola Bay (which seems to be often choppy) and enter the Alabama Canal (ICW). SE 10-15 Kts. was predicted, but it felt like at least 15 kts. as Talisman hit the waves. We had let out the genoa and began motoring but soon had to furl the sail up again. We could see Pensacola and the general area where Palafox Marina is. That was a great experience (see previous posting).

Entering Perdido Bay was like coming home. We had seen it before both in last year’s trip to this area and the current trip going to Port St. Joe. We decided to stop at Bear Point Marina, located at Mill Point at the beginning of the Alabama Canal. We were here last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. There’s a live-aboard community, which is very lively. The way the boat slips are situated adds to the sense of community. The atmosphere is laid back. The restaurant, Flippers, is decent and has great views, as does the Marina. On a good day, one can dinghy over to the other side of the Canal where Pirate’s Cove is for its famous hamburgers and entertainment.

So we’re feeling like home, also knowing the real home and Thanksgiving are awaiting us in New Orleans, a few nights away.

New Orleans to Port St. Joe - Nov 2010 - Part III

11/16/10. Bad weather had us holed up again, this time in western St. Andrew’s Bay at the Sun Harbor Marina. We had hoped to get into Hathaway Marina, which is (was) just past the Hathaway Bridge that leads into the long ICW inland stretch to Choctawhatchee Bay (Destin & Fort Walton) area. Sun Harbor is on the northern side of St. Andrew’s and we wanted the south side for protection from stiff southern winds, 20 kts., several foot waves and lots of rain. We did have a very bumpy ride from late yesterday afternoon through late morning today. The winds are still obnoxious and there’s possibility of thunderstorms throughout the day, but it seems the main threat has subsided.

There’s less to do here as we’re far from really interesting areas. No doubt we got spoiled at Panama City Marina and then Port St. Joe Marina. They both had “historic downtown” areas with restaurants and shops, pretty bay views, and simply places to walk to as a distraction.

When we left Panama City Marina we sailed and motor sailed outside in the Gulf to Port St. Joe, our ultimate destination. Winds were a comfortable N/NE at roughly 10 kts., finding that we could “speed” along at 6.3 kts. on a near reach some of the way. That’s pretty good for Talisman; she’s old but still managing. And we enjoyed sailing for a change. It seems the gods of wind have not been too kind to us on this trip so far. We have been banking on doing better on the return home (New Orleans).

Port St. Joe Marina is delightful. The Marina offers what sailors usually look for – power, water, fuel, pump-out, restrooms and showers, boat store, WiFi, good depths on approach and within the marina, protection from weather, and friendly staff. But we also were surprised to receive a daily paper and even a muffin on Sunday. In addition, there are several “front porch” spots with seating and gas grill for use. And, besides the closeness to its cute little “historic downtown” (2-3 blocks), there’s also a full grocery store for serious provisioning (1- 1 1/2 blocks). Sometimes the fun at a marina has to do with the atmosphere, such as live-aboard sailors who like to chat it up, and/or a down-home restaurant/café that caters to local boaters. There were both at St. Joe’s and we had a good time hearing some of their stories.

Don’t miss the pictures of Lollygag in the slide presentation at the head of this posting. This uniquely manufactured boat (somebody put this together in a most interesting way) is outfitted for both the internal waterways of the U.S. (making the Loop, as they call it) and sailing outside. The mast is a wooden hinged mast that can fold down for the low bridges inland and straighten up for sailing.

We contemplated visiting Apalachicola, which is 20-30 min. away by car/taxi, but we ended up not opting for it due to weather reports advising bad weather on the way. Our understanding is that the town is quite unique, an old settlement with southern architecture and great food. Boaters can take the ICW, which represents 27 nm. Going outside in the Gulf would have almost doubled that (52 nm). Surely we’ll get there next time.

So we left Port St. Joe on Sun. 11/14 and headed for Big Lagoon. We had hoped to anchor instead on the eastern side of St. Andrew’s Bay at Redfish Point or Smack Bayou nearby. The weather sailing to St. Andrew’s was good: variable winds at 5-10 kts. But we knew to expect increasing (southerly) winds and storms. We wanted to stay close to the Gulf so that on Wed. 11/17 we could take advantage of a fair weather window to make it over to Destin Harbor. So we decided to book at Bay Point Marina for a few nights. Bay Point is a sister marina to St. Joe though very different. The overwhelming number of big yachts made our 36.5 ft. Pearson seem like a bug. We would have enjoyed it more had we not decided on a different route for the next several days.

Given weather conditions and another front scheduled for the area, we decided to move over to the northern and western portion of St. Andrew’s Bay. Traveling inland might bode better for the next few days. Hence our stay at Sun Harbor Marina to ride out the latest weather and position ourselves to transit the inland ICW to Choctawhatchee Bay. Our plan is to travel on Wed. 11/17 to Rocky Bayou or Boggy Bayou nearby where we plan to anchor. Both bayous are roughly just past the mid-point of Choctawhatchee in the northern part of that Bay. From there we would aim for the “Narrows” (Santa Rosa Sound, also ICW), hoping to make a stop at Fort Walton Beach at the beginning of the Sound. Here’s hoping to a continuingly exciting adventure!

New Orleans to Port St. Joe - Nov 2010 - Part II

Wed 11/10/10. Pensacola was refreshing. After darkness, rain, wind and a general downer, we had a good time in Pensacola. Three days of sun and mild temperatures regenerated us. In addition, we happened on the Great Gulf Coast Art Festival, a yearly art market in Pensacola’s downtown that is very entertaining and chock full of good arts and crafts. Plus it was walking distance from Palafox Marina. The Marina is really first class, completely refurbished from the hurricanes that have plagued the Gulf Coast through 2005. Floating docks, lots of space to accommodate large Cats and trawlers, power up to 100 amps, the usual services plus cable at your slip, WiFi, and a restaurant with a great view of the harbor and outside bay. The only thing missing was a grocery nearby. You can get coffee, meals, museums and attractive walks in, but you would be hard pressed for groceries.

We decided to go out into the Gulf to reach Destin. Weather sources reported a N/NE 10 knot wind, good for motor sailing. But instead the wind ended up right on our nose, therefore (slower) motoring. Slow movement means we were able to appreciate the schools of Dolphins that seemed to accompany us along the way and an abundance of jellyfish (that explains the sting medication at all the ship stores). We even saw a stingray jump out of the water.

We would have anchored Gulf side, but the winds increased by the time we got to the Destin Pass. Luckily we had researched another option, which was to enter Destin Harbor. For a boat with a shorter mast, going under the Destin Bridge and into the Choctawhatchee Bay would have been another option. However, that was a no-no for us given that Talisman requires 49’ clearance and the Bridge only provides 48.9’. By the time we entered the Destin Pass it was quickly becoming dark. Depths became a real problem as soon as we turned toward the very narrow channel that leads into the Harbor. The depth sounder went off too many times, and visibility was almost nil, not to mention how confusing the markers were for a first time entry. Yet, somehow, we were able to see (Gina leaning as far forward as possible) what seemed like masts pointing to the sky. Next morning we were greeted by the vision of a calm and protective body of water, like a giant swimming pool. We were surrounded by 7 or 8 sailboats at safe distances. How pleasant and what a relief! Our position, in case: N 30° 23.412’ and W 86° 30.181’.

Again out in the Gulf and heading toward Panama City, we finally saw a sailboat moving parallel to us. At last, we commented, another sailboat going our way. Though we were both motorsailing into varying NE 6 mile winds, it quickly overtook us. As we entered St. Andrew Bay where Panama City is, there it was anchored in back of Shell Is.

One of the more attractive features of the large Bay is the amount of trees and other vegetation. After viewing the ever so Spartan beachfronts from Pensacola to the Panama City Pass, this was a nice view. We decided that next time we’d have to anchor at Shell Is. as well. This time, however, we went into Panama City Marina to use the services of the Marina and explore the old downtown which is just 1 block away. Marina staff is very welcoming and bend over backwards to please. Though older it has plenty of slips (240 in total) with some accommodating Cats and other large boats.

Downtown Panama City, at least the 10 blocks or so that we walked, are like a throw back to the 1970’s with some improvements. Panama City will not be high on our list for next time, unless we need a marina. The Bay is, however, because it is the next logical point between Destin and Port St. Joe, our ultimate destination.

New Orleans to Port St. Joe - Nov 2010 - Part I

New Orleans to Port St. Joe – Nov 2010 – Part I

Thursday 11/4/2010
After two weeks of preparation, we finally headed out on Saturday 10/30/10 at 10:00 a.m. from South Shore Marina in New Orleans for a several week coastal cruising trip. Last year we had anchored off the MS barrier islands (Cat, Ship, Horn and Petit Bois), Fort Morgan on Mobile Bay, then passed into the Alabama Canal (ICW inland), anchored in Ingram Bayou, and spent some time at Bear Point Marina during a spell of bad weather. It was our final destination before turning back. We were so enchanted with the prettiness of the Canal and the surrounding areas and communities that Capt. Mike and I, Gina, determined to return, plus go beyond. See the 2009 travel logs for more information on that trip.

http://sailgulfcoast.blogspot.com/2009/06/la-ms-al-trip-may-june-09-part-i.html
http://sailgulfcoast.blogspot.com/2009/06/la-ms-al-trip-may-june-09-part-ii.html
http://sailgulfcoast.blogspot.com/2009/07/la-ms-al-trip-may-june-09-part-iii.html
http://sailgulfcoast.blogspot.com/2009/07/la-ms-al-trip-may-june-09-part-iv.html

Briefly, our trajectory so far has been:

Sat 10/30. New Orleans to the western, southern tip of Cat Island. Had to motor because the wind was on our nose out of the East at 5-10 kts. Got there in approx. 9 hrs., anchored outside the shoal area that surrounds the Island. We used our main Delta anchor, plus a stern Fortress, and raised the mizzen sail to better balance Talisman. We barely had time to make a meal, take a shower, and tuck in for the night.

Sun 10/31. We left just after 8 am, from Cat Is. to Petit Bois Is., the last MS Island just before Dauphin Is., AL. We sailed south of the islands, out in the Gulf, to make better time. We sailed some and then motored some. The pass between Horn Is. and Petit Bois took us to an anchorage with a splendid sunset on the north side to protect from southerly but medium winds.

Mon 11/1. Weather reports were warning of bad weather headed our way. We had to motor all the way, passing Dauphin Is., crossing Mobile Bay, and reaching Ingram Bayou on the AL Canal. It’s not just attractive but also offers great protection on all sides. We anchored planned for the next few days throughout which bad weather would turn into worse. We would have to find a marina to ride out the weather.

Thu 11/4. This year we planned to add on Perdido Key, Big Lagoon, Pensacola, Destin/Ft. Walton, Panama City and Port St. Joe. That’s the plan; reality is another matter. For now we’re holed up at Holiday Harbor Marina on Perdido Key for a few days while a low pressure area with heavy rains followed by a cold front with gale force winds play out. For the next few days the winds will be out of the North at 25-30 knots with gusts up to 35 for today, but increasing tomorrow. The idea of anchoring in Big Lagoon, where the spots are on the south side, or crossing the shallow Pensacola Bay to reach another marina is not attractive. But we will watch out for the weather throughout the next few days, looking for a window of opportunity.

We heard from the harbormaster of Palafox Marina, downtown Pensacola, that there would be a festival there this weekend. So, we’re raring to go. Let’s see if the weather cooperates.