New Marina at Bay St. Louis, MS

When leaving Pontchartrain Lake and the Rigolets, LA, and entering the Gulf of Mexico, the first marina available to our 37 Lagoon, Aventura, is the Bay St. Louis Harbor & Marina, MS.  It's just past the railroad bridge and before the Hwy. 90 bridge.  It's quickly accessible and convenient  All those times when a marina makes more sense, given weather conditions.  Or simply to enjoy a quaint, historic town with plenty restaurants and retail, all within walking distance from your pier.

For us, Bay St. Louis Harbor or Pass Christian Harbor make sense for the first night or last.  In fact, they're just over 5 mi. apart.  Possibly just a bicycle ride apart.  Bay St. Louis Harbor has joined our list of alternatives to the Mississippi Barrier Islands when weather dictates safe harbor.

Always looking out for new opportunities and planning the next trip along the Gulf Coast!

Aventura Eastbound III

Headed Home to New Orleans!

Thu 11/6-Sat 11/8/14

Santa Rosa Yacht & Boat Club (SRYC) was a pleasant surprise.  Nestled on the north side of the Pensacola Beach Bridge, it's easy to ignore in favor of Little Sabine Bay or other anchorages along the Pensacola Beach side of the Santa Rosa Sound. But SRYC is actually a good stopover: attentive staff; very nice bathroom/shower; use of their Club Room with Cable TV; free pump-out and clothes washing; WiFi; and, really close to shopping and eateries.  We biked to groceries and coffee.  One can also cross the street to eateries nearby, or bike to plenty more.  Of course we needed to take advantage of all-of-the-above right at that point in the trip.  So, we did.  The only minus was the layout of the marina in terms of protection from wind and waves.  Not much protection there because there's a low wall separating slips from the open waters.  But no problem.  We were not facing bad weather.  That would come later on.

Sat 11/8-11/14

When we left on the morning of the 8th at around 11:00 a.m. it was dreary and a bit cooler.  The idea of anchoring in Big Lagoon off Pensacola Bay was  the original plan.  However, as we passed a favorite spot, one which Mike calls "The Cut" (because it cuts through to the entrance/exit to the Gulf of Mexico), we saw a large group of boats.  How so many power boats and sailboats crammed into the small body of water at the foot of Fort McCrae was a wonder.  And then we remembered: the Navy Base across the way (part of Pensacola) was putting on an air show!

Change of plans: pick another spot along the Alabama Canal.  We entered Robert's Bayou at 3:15 p.m.  We had long known about it and even entered to explore it with our previous sailboat (a monohull).  But we were hesitant to take Aventura in with its two hulls/keels (20.3 ft. wide beam) in such a narrow passageway that had shoaling on its east side to boot.  Talking to other sailors and reading reviews convinced us that we could enter without grounding if we took it slowly and carefully.  That's what we did with success and, wow, were we happy.  The Bayou had been cleared of old, abandoned boats that used to populate the precious anchorages.  Robert's Bayou is so pretty with its untouched nature throughout and tasteful homes woven in along some of the banks. Anchored in 10 ft. of water.  Position: 30 deg. 19.423' N/87 deg. 32.033'W

Plus there's Pirate's Cove, a legendary, laid back, rustic eatery.  Drinks, food, and views of the Alabama Canal are good.  But it's the characters that frequent the place that make this a must for transient boaters.  We rowed our dinghy over there twice and enjoyed. We also rowed to the Josephine Picnic Area on another bank, and explored other parts of the Bayou.  Lovely, lovely, lovely!

Tue 11/11/14

We left at 9:00 a.m. thinking of going into Dog River, just off Mobile Bay, but weather reports indicated several cold fronts headed south over the next week or so.  We were doing 7.5 kts. along the AL Canal (a strong current in our favor) and passed up Dog River to make it to the Mississippi Barrier Islands.  We knew we had just that one day and night to anchor at one of the islands, and then we'd have to find a marina along the Gulf Coast for a few days, waiting for another good day to make headway toward New Orleans.  We reached Horn Island, MS just in time for the 6:00 p.m. sunset, anchoring on the northeast side of the Island.  Just past what seemed like a convention of pelicans.  Too many to count.  And settled at a spot where we'd feel the least rocking overnight.  Position:  30 deg. 13.707'N/88 deg. 35.355'W

Wed 11/12-15/14

Once again in Pass Christian Yacht Harbor, the first and last port of call on this trip. We hunkered down for a very chilly few days.  Saturday would bring milder temperatures, wind and waves for our trek back to Pontchartrain Lake and New Orleans.

Forget the bike riding.  Bundled up to the nines, we walked to Shaggy's for dinner one night and to Cat Island Coffeehouse one morning.  Otherwise, it was popcorn, our one DVD, reading, chores, and bonding.  Of course bonding; that's one of the sought after prizes of our sailing adventures.  And, yes, some conversation with other sailors.  That can be interesting and often informative.

Sat 11/15/14

Brr!  Cold day but we had to leave by 7:30 a.m. to make it back to Lake Pontchartrain and our New Orleans home port before dark.  We watched the fishermen congregating in certain parts of the Mississippi Sound, the barges that lumbered along in single file in the ICW, took turns at the helm, and tried to stay warm. Hot tea, hot chocolate and hot soup got us through the nine hours it took to get us there.

The discomfort of cold or dashed plans didn't diminish the feelings of satisfaction and pleasure at adding another chapter to our sailing adventures. So, we're already thinking about when and how to embark on the next trip.

Arrivederci!  Hasta luego!  Until the next time! Oh, and remember to double click on the slideshow (any of the slideshows), if you want to see the pictures and in a larger format.

Aventura Eastbound II

Thu 10/30 - Mon 11/3/14

Knowing that we would face strong winds on the nose and much wave action, we determined to set out at 7:00 a.m.  for Destin.  Usually an 8-9 hr. run on the outside, in the Gulf of Mexico. Of course, I couldn't sleep since I wanted to get up before boat preparations to do my yoga.  Weather predictions had underestimated conditions.  After 4 hrs. of 25 knt. winds on our forward quarter and 3 ft. waves, making only 4 - 4.2 knt. speed at best, we decided to turn back.  At that rate and discomfort we would have probably made it to Destin after dark, and would have had to start all over again slugging forward to St. Andrew's Bay (Panama City area) the next day.  Fall was up to its old tricks of warm and little wind, then cold and heightened wind.

Back to Palafox and enjoyable downtown Pensacola for long bike rides, Saturday Farmer's Market, meals and chores.  Good provisioning at Ever'man Grocery and Joe Patti's Seafood, both within 1 mi. of the Marina, easily done on bikes. Our outings took us to East Pensacola, which is quaint and different, and to the Bayou Chico area with its marinas.  Last sailing trip we had met a group of avid Catalina 22 sailors that rendezvous and caravan along the Gulf Coast and elsewhere every year.  This time around we met the Fort Walton Yacht Club boaters that were loosely travelling together along the ICW's Sta. Rosa Sound, Pensacola Bay and the Alabama Canal.  Just having a great time together, and probably old friends by now, as they do this often.  Always good to meet others and swap stories over drinks/food.

Mon 11/3/14

Our plans have changed since I only have a month to vacation.  No problem.  We  turned our attention to the Sta. Rosa Sound, with notions but no plans.  We started out around 10:00 a.m.  Sailing and/or motoring along the Sound is very pleasant because there are communities on both sides and plenty of places to duck into.  At the Pensacola Beach Bridge, we turned South to explore Sabine Bay and check out anchoring possibilities.  Very cute, indeed.  We determined to come back for a night.  Then we proceeded East toward the Navarre Bridge area that another sailor had raved about, namely the south side Navarre Beach anchorage.  The winds were a little strong that day for an unprotected spot; so, we decided to stop halfway (kinda) at Big Sabine, on the south side of the Sound, where a jetty of land with some trees would somewhat protect us from Easterly winds expected to pick up during the night.  Another sailboat must have come to the same conclusion; so, two of us anchored nearby overnight.  Position:  30 deg. 21.238' N/87 deg. 03.511' W

Tue 11/4/14

We left around 9:00 a.m. and arrived at the Southwest side of Navarre Beach Bridge at noon.  Juana's Pagoda loomed on the horizon, a place we were told we must experience.  Getting there was tricky: head south off the ICW just before the Bridge (when coming from the West); stay between the markers for pipelines, but also watch out for a shoal area like a finger that intercepts the "passageway."  The light wasn't right to even notice the difference in color of the water that might indicate shallower areas.  We were grounded but briefly in a sandy bottom.  Mike backed us out of it swiftly.  Most of the area has 16 ft. depths.  We got in as close as possible to Juana's.  Position:  30 deg. 23.065' N/86 deg. 51.911' W

The day turned lovely and warm.  We rowed our dinghy to shore, sat under one of Juana's palapas, had a beer and watched Aventura resting on smooth waters.  Ah, nothing like a nice afternoon in a pleasant, new place to erase the memories of nasty weather and broken plans.

Wed 11/5/14

Off to Little Sabine Bay at the other end of the Sound, by Pensacola Beach.  We left at 9ish and arrived at noon, the wind and possible current moving us along nicely.  Little Sabine Bay is quite attractive: not too large nor small so that one appreciates the surrounding community of pretty homes, boats and commerce without hearing much of the noise.  There was another Lagoon 37 anchored there!  We rarely run into any others as there was a short production line before Lagoon moved up to its 38 model, etc.  Position: 30 deg. 20.018' N/87 deg. 08.710'W

The water was flat, mirroring everything.  Fine weather for dinghying over to Shaggy's Restaurant and a walk on Pensacola Beach.  Shaggy's is a small chain with restaurants in Pass Christian, Biloxi and Pensacola Beach.  Good atmosphere along with fetching views.

Thu 11/6/14

We left Little Sabine Bay towards noontime to make the 45 min.run to the Northeastern side of Pensacola Beach Bridge where the Sta. Rosa Yacht Club (SRYC) is at Gulf Breeze.  Weather conditions would be deteriorating over night with high winds and cold setting in towards the late evening.  Plus we needed provisions and, why not, some landlubber pleasures such a biking and lattes. 

Stay tuned for the rest of our stay at SRYC in Gulf Breeze and the rest of the journey headed back home, with stops at new and favorite anchorages and marinas.  Hasta luego!