Where to sail near Pensacola, FL?
Good evening wrinkle boat lovers, Anybody been sailing in Pensacola recently? Got any suggestions on where to go, what to see, what to eat? Pensacola isn't a hard and fast destination, I was just thinking of it because it's within striking distance of Atlanta. I'm all ears for other interesting sailing destinations on the northern Gulf. Charlie -- M-15 #411 Earth, USA, GA, Atlanta
Where to go? From Atlanta take I-85 to I-65 in Montgomery, then south to exit 69 toward Flomaton, Al/Century, Fl. In Flomaton take US-29 south, which will take you toward downtown Pensacola about 30 miles away. There are several ramps near the downtown area…see Active Captain. Pensacola Shipyard on Bayou Chico is a great place to launch with inexpensive and secure tow vehicle/trailer parking. You can call Julie in the main office for more details. The Pensacola Waterfront has some great eateries. Joe Patti’s is a seafood outlet that has fresh seafood from all over the gulf at good prices if you want to cook your own, and a great deli with good seafood selections. You can sail into their pier to shop. The Fish House is a great waterfront restaurant with reasonable prices (no dock). Jackson’s downtown is the best steak house. Great places to sail to from Bayou Chico and spend a day or two are: - the sand islands at the entrance to Bayou Grande, just south and west of Bayou Chico. Enter through the channel and anchor south and west of the channel and the islands. During the week you may have the islands to yourself. They are scenic and a great place to grab sun and swim and relax. - Pensacola Beach. About a hour and a half sail south of Bayou Chico. Anchor or pull up to the public dock in Santa Rosa Sound between Gulf Breeze and the town. There is a sailor’s night spot in a small inlet just west of the bridge to P’Beach. Can’t remember the name right now. Tight entrance and a bit busy on summer weekends but not so busy in the fall. -Just east of the entrance to the bay from the Gulf is Ft. Pickens, a developed park and a great place to hike and learn a bit of the military history and history of the reign of the several nations that have governed West Florida. You can anchor off the beach and swim or wade onto the strand. There’s a visitors fee. -Just west of the entrance to the bay there is a well protected anchorage between Richardson Island and Perdido Key. Great place to spend a day or two, swimming and exploring. Old Ft. McRee is on the key, not developed like Pickens but you can hike and climb all around it. Enter the anchorage from the west by taking the ICW channel between Richardson (locals sometimes call this Sand Island) Island and the mainland, then turning south and then east into the bay, staying clear of the shallow areas near the west end of the island. -If you continue west from this anchorage through Big Lagoon, you are on the ICW with some barge traffic, but the lagoon is wide and great sailing. Prevailing winds are generally from the east or southeast so you will likely will be sailing downwind. Numerous anchorages, or you can continue west into Perdido Bay and visit Pirate’s Cove near Josephine, AL. Nice lagoon to anchor in, out of the bay if there is weather. Great, laid back, no frills restaurant with some of the best homemade burgers you’ll find anywhere. -Just west of Perdido Bay is Ingram’s Bayou. Spectacularly quiet anchorage that will be memorable if you visit. You will have coffee with dolphins at breakfast if you anchor here. Only a few hundred yards off the ICW but you’ll feel like you are in paradise. -If you continue west into the ICW canal you can visit LuLu’s restaurant in the canal cut. Lulu is Jimmy Buffet’s sister and the ambiance is parrothead. Come on down!! If you think you can make it, give me a private message and I can help with any logistics or other info you feel you need.
On Sep 20, 2015, at 9:20 PM, Charlie Fortner <charlie@rentrof.net> wrote:
Good evening wrinkle boat lovers,
Anybody been sailing in Pensacola recently? Got any suggestions on where to go, what to see, what to eat?
Pensacola isn't a hard and fast destination, I was just thinking of it because it's within striking distance of Atlanta. I'm all ears for other interesting sailing destinations on the northern Gulf.
Charlie -- M-15 #411 Earth, USA, GA, Atlanta
I've made 3 trips there and used the Shipyard Marina; it was first class. Has showers as well as a hose bib to wash salt off the trailer. It is only a few miles from the museum at the Naval Air Station. Check with them to see when the Blue Angels practice. You can anchor behind Sand Island and watch the show from the dune top. My first trip was with the B.E.E. R. cruise in early June. Most were larger boats like Macgregors that did a lot of motor sailing to drinking anchorages. Still a fun bunch though. 2nd trip was the Florida 120 in mid-May. This is a small boat group. My M-15 was larger than 4-5 of the boats. They have a number of good anchorages to visit. By going on these trips I learned enough about the area to do my own cruise later. Note- I tried to go to Joe Patti's but on first trip most docks were crowded with fishing boats. On 2nd trip it was low tide and I didn't want to get all of my fenders out to tie to the fixed piers at low tide. On Sun, Sep 20, 2015 at 10:20 PM, Charlie Fortner <charlie@rentrof.net> wrote:
Good evening wrinkle boat lovers,
Anybody been sailing in Pensacola recently? Got any suggestions on where to go, what to see, what to eat?
Pensacola isn't a hard and fast destination, I was just thinking of it because it's within striking distance of Atlanta. I'm all ears for other interesting sailing destinations on the northern Gulf.
Charlie -- M-15 #411 Earth, USA, GA, Atlanta
participants (3)
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Charlie Fortner -
Michael Murphy -
Wilson Frye