I think you could add the unique goal on this cruise that “We anchored on the bay side of every island in the Gulf Islands National Seashore and walked part of the Gulf shore of each.” You’ve seen them all in your previous Gulfport to App cruise.
We have completed 95% of our goal to hike every public Gulf beach between Key West and New Orleans, although it took 35 years so far. Anclote Key, Caladesi and Cayo Costa in the plans.
Launch at Jones Park Marina, Gulfport, MS.
http://www.gulfportmarina.com/
Follow me using Satellite view on Active Captain and the ‘measure path’ tool. I concur with almost every comment and anchorage reviews; in fact I authored some of them.
Beach on West Ship Island (pier is for the ferry and Park Service only). Path to Gulf well marked, beach concessions and snack shop there. No glass allowed, rangers check your coolers. Must be off Island by sunset. After sunset no one there to enforce that. OK to anchor as close in as you can get.
Next up, Beach at east or west tip East Ship Island, only 2.1 miles of Gulf beach.
Next up, Horn Island is the crown jewel. No condos in sight. No anchoring within 500 feet of the marked Osprey nests, but OK to beach near but not on the Ranger Pier to walk over to the Gulf side between cordoned areas. The Gulf side trailhead is usually marked with some kind of debris pile…NOTE IT CAREFULLY, IT CAN BE EASY TO MISS ON YOUR RETURN. Cell coverage iffy. There are only 2 other unmarked cross-island trails requiring local knowledge, just ask. The interior is filled with thorn bushes and deep lagoons with gators. No water, no services, part-time ranger, pristine wilderness.
Round Island is now just overwashed rubble, skp it and the un-named small island in Horn Island Pass, its off limits due to bird nesting and is dredged channel sand.
Next up, Pettit Bois Island. You can see the un-marked cross island trail mid island and a tongue of deep water, but the lights of the Pascagoula shipyard and refinery detract from a ‘wilderness’ feel.
Next up the west tip of Dauphin Island is a wildlife refuge and nice Gulf hike but not part of GINS system.
Crossing Mobile bay can be rough esp with a north wind, often calmer soon after sunrise and before PM heating cranks up the sea breeze around noon on any day that gets over 80 degrees.
You’ll pass The Wharf and LuLu’s (and the Thataway compound) before Big Lagoon and Johnson Beach. The second anchorage to the east on the Active Captain satellite map allows hiking the Gulf side, to the west to Pensacola Pass is often deserted. DO NOT use the “ Big Lagoon North” anchorage as that is the barge fuel dock for the NAS Pensacola fuel farm. That captain often has to do some truly alarming maneuvers to wrestle his loads over there. Zoom in on the “Naval Air Station Trout Point Nature Trail” boardwalk, that’s where we do our 6-mile daily power walk so we see this going on every few days. You know how 5 short horn blasts ‘’or more” is a danger signal for idiot boaters who don’t own a VHF radio? Our personal record to date was hearing 27 fast blasts (not just 5) when 2 jet skis were interfering with the fuel barge skipper on a windy day. PS the mis-labelled “Toll Booth” is the NAS back gate so do NOT offer the officer your credit card or she might ask ‘is this a bribe?’ and spread-eagle you.
Ft McRae cove is also nice on weekdays but can be party-like crowds on weekends. If you like gospel music, this is not the place to hear it. Be there on a Tues or Wed to see Blue Angels practice, usually at 1130, lasts 50 minutes.
http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/nnam ... .29.18.pdf
Unlike the Miss section of GINS, the Florida section does not cordon off the Osprey nests. This is because there is a different Federal Government for Florida than for Mississippi…at least that’s what the Ranger told me when I asked. This section does have a lot more Least Tern nesting in the dunes, so only use designated cross-over paths or where you can see storm-tide overwash areas. The eggs are invisible in the sand. If terns are dive-bombing you while projectiling bird #2 loads on your head, you are too close. They are amazingly accurate at this.
Next up, avoid the “Ft Pickens” anchorage, lots of wakes and it’s often used for a scuba class. Take the next one to the east, marked “Santa Rosa Island” which has gulf access via a designated walk-over to the parking lot. There are a few rocks in the shallows but easy to see and dodge them.
See Pensacola before the next and last GINS anchorage, labelled as ‘Navarre Pavilions’ which is really the Opal Beach section. Restrooms and outside cold showers in season. If you cross by road you’ll have to show your Natl Parks pass or pay at the Gulf side parking area. I’ve never had Rangers ask boaters for this but I suppose they could.
Santa Rosa Island east of the Highway 399 bridge is now all off-limits Eglin AFB to Destin Pass. When we were both Active Duty and stationed there in the early 80’s we hiked it and sailed a Hobie-16 there. It’s the most beautiful area of all before the USAF built some weird looking towers.
So there you have my suggestion on making this cruise more unique than 99.999% of cruisers. Very few people have hiked the Gulf side of every island in GINS on their cruise. Very few people know how extensive GINS actually is. You pay taxes. It’s yours. Enjoy it before it gets too hot.
Consider a rental car or UHaul F150 for a 1-way cruise with only 2 weeks.
PM me if any questions or to exchange phone numbers.
Happy Cruising!
John
