Florida Gulf sailing - any ride along interest?

[EngineerSailing]

I'm in Pensacola getting rigging at Zern rigging

Charts show too many Low fixed bridges to continue on the ICW from Pensacola to Apalachicola

So trying to figure out how to break it up to Tampa/Clearwater going outside in the Gulf???

Thinking
Pensacola/Navy Cove => Mexico Beach => Dog Island/Apalachicola => Cedar Key => Tarpon Springs/Clearwater

Planning to leave Pensacola Thursday unless weather holds me on anchor

 

[EngineerSailing]

This will be my first overnight sail to arrive in the next day

 

[mjsouleman]

for trip planning weather one of several weather resources is https://nowcoast.noaa.gov/ for marine alerts.

this morning (1-3-2025) there are small craft warnings in Pensacola

 

[nquigley]

I wonder, are you were in that wonderful little anchorage at Fort McRae? It’s a great jumping off point for leaving Pensacola and going out into the Gulf.
I had no trouble on the intercoastal waterway between Carrabelle (via Apalachicola) and the cut that goes down to Mexico Beach and Port Saint Joe. There is a too-low bridge at Destin so I went directly between Pensacola and Port Saint Joe (about 100miles). I have not yet tried to get south from Carrabelle. That’s on my agenda for March so I’ll be very keen to know what stops you made heading down the Gulf Coast.
A commercial fisherman advised me to stay on the shallow shelf near the coastline when navigating in the northeast corner of the Gulf. If you take more of a beeline out into the Gulf, you can experience some very nasty seas.

 

[ky ed]

I highly recommend these stops

Appalachacola as a do not miss spot. Safe spot to anchor, napa auto parts, good grocery store with dry ice, local artist studio in alley, cemetery and most important the fresh fish market along sea wall has tbe very best EVER grouper cheeks fresh shrimp smoked salmon and FREE ice! Local bars worth a walk about so close so very good, best ousters on tbe plannet!

Then there is quaint lil Carrabelle. The pirate restaurant left side of carrabelle river awesome food and tell Marcus the owner that kyle on the big ole morgan ketch sent you and he may offer you a spot to tie up on his dock and a ride to get supplies, there is a full service shipyard and travel lift that allows you to work on your own boat (very tare now a days) keep an eye out for shrimpers unloading at public dock and ask for some shrimp they will sell you some if you stay out of their way. Also a nice grocery store a block from water with ace hardware next door. The closest walmart is over 45 miles away and that's a damn good thing. So friendly of a place.

Dang then there is Destin Harbour must stop also. But watch out for outgoing current with inshore winds cause it could.be a real pucker up of a cut! Call local seatow captain for advice Very cool harbor well protected with night life on boardwalk. Short dinghy ride to crab island is worth the trip.
Have fun good luck.

 

[ky ed]

F

I wonder, are you were in that wonderful little anchorage at Fort McRae? It’s a great jumping off point for leaving Pensacola and going out into the Gulf.
I had no trouble on the intercoastal waterway between Carrabelle (via Apalachicola) and the cut that goes down to Mexico Beach and Port Saint Joe. There is a too-low bridge at Destin so I went directly between Pensacola and Port Saint Joe (about 100miles). I have not yet tried to get south from Carrabelle. That’s on my agenda for March so I’ll be very keen to know what stops you made heading down the Gulf Coast.
A commercial fisherman advised me to stay on the shallow shelf near the coastline when navigating in the northeast corner of the Gulf. If you take more of a beeline out into the Gulf, you can experience some very nasty seas.

Fort McRea is my second favorite anchorage when i did my loop. Quiet weekdays and crammed full of local boats on weekends. Keep an eyeout for the one flippered dolphin in cut he is known to beg for fish from passing boats. Fun loving local folks set up a water slide on the dunes. Walk about around old fort is cool.its haunted so be wary of that!

 

[ky ed]

I absolutely loved the panhandle. Clearwater was ok. FYI... Make sure you have a pump out log for last 12 months even if you have to make one up.FWC is not so friendly around clearwater towards transient sailboaters. They will sneak up on you and look in Windows, anchor lights, current tags, up to date safety gear. MAKE SHURE YOU HAVE YOUR Y VALVE IS ZIP TIED OFF OR LOCKED WITH KEY NOT ON BOATS IGNITION KEY RING! Make Shure your bilges are oil free and not a drop of oil gets into water or big big trouble, oil sheen is a $67,000 ticket! Watch out for pirate ship wakes when dinghying around. There is a Publix grocery store with easy walking distance if you tie up to mangroves by gulf breeze condos along Gulf Breeze road. The fancy restaurant right there is great for lunch if you got money in the kitty. Search You tube "fwc karen" and you see the attitude of fwc towards transiant boaters! I think you have to file something with fwc about where and how long your staying in that area. Check before you have trouble!

 

[nquigley]

Was Clearwater particularly bad for the hyper surveillance you mentioned, or do you find that common throughout the Gulf Coast to Florida?
Thanks for the advice about having a pump out log. I never would’ve thought of that.

 

[ky ed]

Was Clearwater particularly bad for the hyper surveillance you mentioned, or do you find that common throughout the Gulf Coast to Florida?
Thanks for the advice about having a pump out log. I never would’ve thought of that.

I think jodi the fwc officer specializes in dealing with transients and abandoned boats. I know the number of boats abandoned in tampa bay and surrounding areas is astronomical. FWC is dealing with this all the time. Regretably this derelick problem is shaping the future of coastal cruising. Great loopers, anchor outs and live aboards that are unfortunatly lumped together as the same problem. How florida handles this is setting precedant for the above groups along the entire US coastal areas. Those who over stay their welcome who drop their hook in the wrong spot next to a community of cop callers. I feel Affluent citizens are choreographed and organized to rid their community of derelict vessels and cruisers passing through.

 

[ky ed]

Oopsy that got posted before my proof read and wasnt quite done. Gotta go to work for awhile but i will continue this evening. Thanks, ky

 

[David Vaughn]

I’m enjoying this discussion and tips about the Gulf coast as we make our way down there this spring. Thanks.
But I couldn’t help it, a mental picture of Officer Jodi and twenty seven eight-by-ten color glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was to be used as evidence against us…, popped into my head.
Dang, I’m old.

 

[Loren Beach]

and twenty seven eight-by-ten color glossy pictures with circles and arrows

"You can get anything you want........"

 

[ky ed]

Was Clearwater particularly bad for the hyper surveillance you mentioned, or do you find that common throughout the Gulf Coast to Florida?
Thanks for the advice about having a pump out log. I never would’ve thought of that.

I had no problems along panhandle. Other than a few bad decisions i made, a gale that blew me onto beech, 5 waterspouts and some big waves from not staying on top of the shelf and generator starter problems.
The problems with fwc began in highly populated areas, I felt unwelcomed and as if i was looked down upon because i was a coastal cruiser live aboard aboard an old Morgan 415 from 1982. She just wasnt all shiny and new, i kept her decks tidy and as anchored out as far from docks and homes as possible constantly heading south. Peeps just were not so friendly along west coast of Florida.

 

[ky ed]

Do a search for "THE 72-HOUR: RULE ILLEGAL TO ANCHOR" Start with you tube then read the laws recently put on the books for Florida, Georgia, California. Then just sit in your dang armchair and let that sink into your sailing infected mind. The dreams we all shared have of late almost came to a sudden abrupt stop. Mired in the mud flat of buracracy. The freedom of dropping your hook where you please is quietly being out lawed by countries, stayed, cities and counties. It starts with save the enviroment or sea cows or sea grass or some obscure rare triple whitted pitsullwitzle bird that is down in numbers. Dont get me wrong please! I love nature more than you could ever know. I will go to great lengths to observe breeeding manatees or to taste the unique sweet saltiness of of an Apalachicola bay oyster or to see a very rarely checked off the avid birders list tamaupilis crow scavenging alongside the wretched poor abandoned orphaned and forgotten children of mexico at the Mexico city dump fighting over a moldy heel of bread. Then watching knives glint in baking sunshine as kids fight over a damn blown out flip flop. As the putrid oder of the biggest dump in the world floods you nostrils.
THE PEOPLE WITH THE GOLD OWN THE LAND AND THE POOR OWN THE SEA. Is not so true any more!

 

[EngineerSailing]

FWC came and poked at me for being on a Mooring Ball in Pensacola
That's why I'm going back to Alabama is to reset the clock

Florida is 90days continuous in state and max of anchored in 1 area 2 weeks continuously
I've been at a work marina re-rigging and having welding done for 2 months (had planned this being done in a few weeks) but holidays and things found to be worse than expected
Florida's anchoring permit makes no sense, from what i understand if you are anchored in 1 place for 10 days you have to have gotten the free anchor permit, but you still have to move by 2 weeks

I plan to be in Panama City FL by end of next weekend, Haven't decided if i'm stopping in Destin or not, if the tides are favorable i'll probably pull in

 

[ky ed]

FWC came and poked at me for being on a Mooring Ball in Pensacola
That's why I'm going back to Alabama is to reset the clock

Florida is 90days continuous in state and max of anchored in 1 area 2 weeks continuously
I've been at a work marina re-rigging and having welding done for 2 months (had planned this being done in a few weeks) but holidays and things found to be worse than expected
Florida's anchoring permit makes no sense, from what i understand if you are anchored in 1 place for 10 days you have to have gotten the free anchor permit, but you still have to move by 2 weeks

I plan to be in Panama City FL by end of next weekend, Haven't decided if i'm stopping in Destin or not, if the tides are favorable i'll probably pull in

Its a complicated mess. Where did common sense go? Safe harbor, emergency repairs, storm protection and the right to anchor are out the window. To me its simple, no boat shall be without a perso n aboard at all times. Eliminates the anchor out storage, unattended boats dragging anchor, boats sinking, look outs, monitoring systems, maintaining etc.

 

[ky ed]

Its a complicated mess. Where did common sense go? Safe harbor, emergency repairs, storm protection and the right to anchor are out the window. To me its simple, no boat shall be without a perso n aboard at all times. Eliminates the anchor out storage, unattended boats dragging anchor, boats sinking, look outs, monitoring systems, maintaining etc.

Destin Harbor is cool spot to drop your hook. Safe, boardwalk, restaurant, bars, cheap fuel at fishermans dock, along with dinghy access, groceries and some boat parts a8vailable. Be wary of sandbars and more importantly out bound tide flow with onshore winds can make it a bit hairy. Call local seatow captain for advise and current situation. They are friendly and don't want you hung up on shifting sandbars or for you to put your boat or crew into danger.

 

[EngineerSailing]

Its a complicated mess. Where did common sense go? Safe harbor, emergency repairs, storm protection and the right to anchor are out the window. To me its simple, no boat shall be without a perso n aboard at all times. Eliminates the anchor out storage, unattended boats dragging anchor, boats sinking, look outs, monitoring systems, maintaining etc.

a person on board at all times is over kill, especially on a mooring ball, have to go get groceries, supplies etc at some point
but perhaps a courtesy flag change weekly though the month, proving the boat has been attended weekly would be more reasonable, 1st week of month blue, 2nd week green, 3rd week orange etc, repeat each month

 

[EngineerSailing]

UPDATE
I did the 92nm from Pensacola to Panama City
Took 28+ hours, and after 3am when the moon went down was very dark in the Gulf

I was surprised by the number of large vessels that did not show up on AIS, makes be think I should replace my radar cable sooner than later

 

[nquigley]

Congratulations!
I hope you’ll have time to stop in Port St Joe. You can anchor just past the Marina breakwater, about 100 yards off the beach (a little further out at high tide) and dingy to the beach - it’s safe to leave it up on the shore for a couple hours. The marina people are very nice. If you get fuel there, they will probably let you use their washing machine and showers.
There are several nice restaurants within a five minute walk of the marina or the beach - have a look at the little Italian place - and it’s nice to walk around there. There’s a great bakery just past the Italian restaurant, and there is a hardware store about 10 minutes walk past the bakery where you can get your propane tank refilled.
There is a very convenient cut from Port St Joe back up to the intercoastal waterway, if you want to use it to carry on to Apalachicola and Carrabelle instead of sailing around the outside.
I sailed to PSJ from Pensacola (~105 miles), so I don’t know what the intercoastal waterway is like between Panama City and PSJ.