Florida panhandle

[Steveeverton]

I’m trailering my tomcat to florida panhandle. I’m thinking the Pensacola or mobile area would be a good place to launch. I’ll need a slip for a few weeks and storage for my truck and trailer for a couple of months. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks [/img]

[JamesTXSD]

Hi Steve - Dr Bob will be the one to give you advice on all things Pensacola. No doubt you have checked climate charts, but it can be a bit chilly in the Panhandle in the winter if you are headed there soon... expect low 60s for a daytime high in Jan and Feb. (definitely warmer than Idaho, though). Get down to latitude 26 or lower and you have a better chance for moderate winter weather. Good luck with the plans.

[thataway]

Best place to leave the truck and trailer is Pensacola Shipyard complex. They have nigh security. Any of the public ramps I would not leave a rig for any prolonged time.

If you need a dock, Side tie, fixed height, I allow people to leave their boat at my house for a month max. Happy to help out any C Brat. As we age, Marie and I are less active. We do have our Caracal on our boat lift now. If we have the Caracal on the trailer, we will allow folks to use our boat lift--up to a Tom Cat.

I personally don't see any reason to launch in Mobile. Full disclosure: I live on Perdido Bay, Not downtown Pensacola. Perdido Bay is the Alabama state line. We are closer to Orange Beach and Gulf Shores than Pensacola by water. By land--closer to Pensacola. (The down town marina (Palafox Pier) no longer exists. The one by the Fish house is more protected and has slips for transients. It would be technically "down town". I have many friends on Bayou Chico, which is much closer to down town, and is where the Pensacola Shipyard is located. At times these friends will rent out a side tie to known friends...

[gulfcoast john]

Steve,

Sorry you didn’t make it to the Looper Rendezvous in Fort Myers last January. We had a great time, then stayed six weeks at the 5-star Pink Shell Marina and Resort for $31/night. Too bad Ian wrecked that marina and many other FM marinas. It will take years to rebuild, avoid the area except Moss Marina, which reportedly is open but with no power.

We agree with Jim that the panhandle is a great place for boating, but awfully cool in March. We’d usually be down in South Florida or the Keys in winter. Here’s a better and much warmer Adventure to consider which we plan for April after my knee rehab. It’s not that much further for you from Idaho but covers much more warm FL cruising. It’s basically launching near Tarpon Springs, cruise down the west coast of FL (which we like better), then do the south FL loop with a stay in the Keys.

Get a Waterway Guide spiral bound Southern (FL) edition; use the free online version to confirm marinas etc. Active Captain is abandoned and worthless.

Get your required Everglades Boater Ed Certificate here to anchor in Shark River or enter any part of the Everglades:

https://provalenslearning.com/national-park-service/everglades-boater-education-course#:~:text=The%20Everglades%20Boater%20Education%20Program%20consists%20of%20the,ver%20este%20curso%20en%20espa%C3%B1ol%2C%20haga%20clic%20aqu%C3%AD.

Make every fourth day a “Weather/Options” day. This works for us over our 40 years of cruising on 13 trailer boats.

Buy a 50A to 30A 125/250V adapter (NOT 125v only). This allows you to transient in a vacant big slip even if it only has 50A shore power. The marina will only charge you the 30A fee.

Strongly advise an EPIRB (or PLB at minimum) for the Everglades leg, there is no cell service and may be no boat in VHF range on this offshore but shallow run.

Trailer to and launch at Anclote River ramps, up to ten day rig storage at kiosk. Cruise up river to Tarpon Springs and transient slip. Rig storage nearby at
https://tarponboatandrvstorage.com/ esp if they will prorate monthly rates. Mate flies into Tampa Intl, Lyft to your Tarpon Springs area marina.

Consider a few days at the 5-star Moorings Marina Sarasota…access to marina hot tub, Gulf pool, beach, gym, shuttle to St Armands Circle etc but 35 ft min transient fee.

Head down to the Keys; stay a couple weeks in Marathon; Banana Bay or Bahia Honda or Faro Blanco (it has the best pool).

Complete the South Florida mini-loop up Biscayne Bay to Stuart and cross Lake OK back to Fort Myers. Bus back up to Tarpon Springs if you don’t want to backtrack.

https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Fort-Myers/Tarpon-Springs

This version takes the OK east at Fort Myers. A low RR bridge MAY be closed for three weeks in April, but there is no official USCG notice yet. Watch for official notices.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/brightline-planning-three-week-closure-165250401.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

We choose marinas based on bathhouse, wi-fi, pool, proximity to a six mile beach or town walk, and proximity to laundry and provisions every fourth day. Your priorities may differ.


Day #


SM # or distance

2
Launch Clewiston public ramp
to Rolands Mar m75

rig to Ahwad's, ride back to Rolands
3
OK route 1 if calm, rim route if not
to JIB MAR alt Admirals Cove
1004 ALT 1007
81 SM
4
Lighthouse Point Mar

1053.7
54 SM, NO WEBSITE
6
LPM to Palm Bay Club Mar
alt lunch @ the Cove mar or Crandon Pk mar 1094
1085
23 SM
7
PBC to Elliot Key wall (no services)

1115


9
EK to Plantation Founders Park Mar


1155


10
FP to Faro Blanco Mar alt Bahia Honda
2 weeks in a Marathon Mar with pool

25
FB to Shark R anchor (Everglades)

Boaters Ed certificate required
26
SR to Marco Island Mar
alt Esplanade Mar



27
Marco Is to Calusa Is Mar
alt Ft Myers Moss mar no power


29
MM to River Forest Mar LaBelle


30
RFYC to Rolands Mar


This table didn't post correctly, I can send it gmail.



Hope this is helpful in some future cruise, if not this one. You can stretch the 30 days to 45 or more. PM or call with any questions. On the east side, we don’t much like the ‘concrete canyons’ from Palm Beach to Miami with no wake zones and expensive marinas, but it’s warmer than here!

Cruising the Panhandle is warm and pleasant in mid April to early June. In July/Aug we’ll head up cruise the Trent-Severn and Georgian Bay and Via Rail back to the rig storage and ramp at Trenton.

However, you can’t beat Bob’s generous offer regarding storage to Brats!

Safe Travels!

John

[thataway]

What???

[colbysmith]

Bringing this thread back up, as it seems the most recent and somewhat related to my question. My wife's best friend and her husband have invited us down to Gulf Shores sometime to visit during their stay there of a few months. I'm looking at possibly suggesting we go the last week of February, take the boat, and then head over for the Hontoon gathering in March. I've never been to Gulf Shores, let alone taking the boat down there. There is not room to park the rig at our friend's rental, so I'm looking for somewhere I can park the trailer. I'm also looking for advice/suggestions on boating. I can leave the boat slipped on the water at a marina to use that week, or I can just park it on the trailer for the week we are there, and then onward to Hontoon. TIA. Colby

[thataway]

Ask and you will receive. If I am still around next year, you can park the trailer at camp "Thataway". Even if I am not around, I am sure that Marie would let you park here.

Gulf Shores I believe is on a salt water pond--not accessible to the ocean. Orange Beach to the West of GS, is on Cotton Bayou, and has access to Perdido Pass. We live on upper Perdido Bay and our nearest Gulf Coast access is Perdido Pass. Many of our friends who visit Gulf Shores, come up to our place for a visit.

The condos which have slips on the water accessible to the ICW or ocean are in Orange Beach area--to the East of Gulf Shores.

[colbysmith]

Thanks Bob. And I enjoyed the call. Rosanne said hello and thanks for the hug. Colby