anyone sail up to Horn Island MS by the Horeshoe?

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JonnyQuest

JonnyQuest

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May 18, 2010
543
Oday 27 Gulfport, MS
Dreaming of not needing a dinghy to get close enough to the barrier islands here in the Gulf Coast. I have read that it is deep going up to the horseshoe on the north side of Horn Island but is it steep enough to nose up and hop off without a dinghy? Or is that just crazy thinking?

Would love to hear from you veteran Gulf Coast island hoppers on sailing near to and up to the islands here on the Mississippi Coast.

Photos too if you got them.

Thanks!
 
rhythmsurfer

rhythmsurfer

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Oct 29, 2010
136
Hunter 36 Pensacola
What do you draw? It depends of course on the tides and the wind direction, but generally not a good idea.
 
Rick Webb

Rick Webb

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Jun 2, 2004
3,509
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
I've Done It

There and on the west end of Ship Island but that was before Katrina have not been out there since.
 
sailaway78

sailaway78

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May 11, 2005
3,431
Seidelman S37 Slidell, La.
Barrier Islands

For the most part the bottom comes up real fast on Ship, Horn and Petit Bois Islands. I guess you could nose up if you have a small, shallow draft boat. But I wouldn't advise it. Using a dink is no big deal, when compared to dragging a boat off the bottom. There is also a lot of current runnning through there when the tide is rising/falling. You can anchor in 20 or more feet of water, and be within a couple hundred feet of shore.
 
JonnyQuest

JonnyQuest

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May 18, 2010
543
Oday 27 Gulfport, MS
Ahh, the messy details....I don't have a shallow draft. Mine is a 4.5 feet fixed keel sailboat.

I was expecting in reality needing to dinghy in. I guess that's more like how pirates woulda done it in the olden days anyway.

A couple of popular guides list the horeshoe on Horn as a good anchorage. What about Ship and Cat? Do most sailors anchor northwest of the pier on Ship Island? How about Smugglers Cove on Cat- or is there a better spot for sailboats?

More details please and thanks.
 
Rick Webb

Rick Webb

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Jun 2, 2004
3,509
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
West Ship

That is exactly the spot west of the pier. We would do it in a Hunter 34 with a five and a half foot draft. Only problems we had was when the ferry boat rolled in and threw a pretty good wake up on the beach.

We anchored from the stern with a twenty pound kellet with an anchor set by hand on the beach. This allows you to pull in the bow line to climb up on the boat and when you release itthe kellet pulls the boat away from the beach.

The Horseshoe on Horn and the Quarintine Station on East Ship were great places to anchor but again I have not been there since Katrina
 
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