Deer Island Anchorage at Biloxi?

[JonnyQuest]

Hey local MS sailors. Looking closer along the shoreline, to sort of gunk hole. Not a lot of options for that on the MS Gulf Coast however.

What about deer Island off Biloxi? Charts don't seem to show anything, but is there any space to get close into shore and out of the navigation channel to explore deer Island with a cruising sailboat and 4 1/2 foot draft?

Thanks

JQ

 

[RussT1950]

Jonny, I know this has nothing to do with Deer Island, but we went to the Ocean Springs harbor and spent a few days there last month. Its only $15.00 a night for niceslips with new showers also. You can walk in to town and eat or shop, great place.
Russell

 

[JonnyQuest]

Thanks Russ, we have thought about doing that too, Ocean a Springs is a cute town.

 

[rgranger]

I checked out Active Captain. It does not look like you have a lot of options. Here is a screen shot.

 

[JonnyQuest]

By the way Russ, I kept my boat at Oak Harbor marina for about six months during the BP Oil Spill debacle. Nice harbor and facilities.

 

[JonnyQuest]

Thanks rgranger, Active Captain is a great resource! I have seen one or two boats anchor I the north side of the channel there. With such a small channel that wouldn't be hard to get across to Deer Island, just close to the hwy and shore lights.

I was considering Deer Island as an easy/close overnight destination anchorage that would still allow the kids to explore a "pirate island".

 

[rgranger]

Pirate Island sounds fun!!!! Do you have a canoe or kayak you could tie to the back of your sailboat? It looks like you could get close to shore but not close enough. You could raft in the last few yards with a cooler and some lawn chairs... whoooo hoooo good times.

 

[BigEasy]

Recently read a book by Scott B. Williams, "Exploring Coastal Mississippi". The author is a sailor & kayaker and has explored the MS coast extensively. Really a good book about the MS barrier islands as well as navigation info. It was published in 2004; therefore, there are many changes to the area since Katrina.
The author cautioned about extremely shoal waters with hidden tree stumps and oyster reefs surrounding most of Deer Island. For deep draft vessels, he emphasized anchoring far from the shore/beaches and dinghying ashore. He said he even ran aground in his kayak! Last, he cautioned about the abundance of snakes in the underbrush....YIKES!!
Don't think I will be going there.
Seriously, I highly recommend the book for those of you who want to explore the MS coast.

 

[JonnyQuest]

That's the idea. I used to have a nice inflatable but had a senior moment and left it in the dock box during Hurricane/TS Isaac. Raft, Magma grill, dock box and all now belong to King Neptune. But kids rafts can do for now and with such a short distance in calm waters.

Now to figure out moving the cooler and lawn chairs!

 

[JonnyQuest]

Hey Big Easy! Snakes...the Admiral will never go for that! I have that Williams book and had not consulted it Out of date maybe, but much info still applies such as stumps, snakes, etc.

Good info, thanks.

 

[BigEasy]

Jonny, hopefully someone out there will publish an updated guide to the Gulf Coast in the near future. Even Claiborne Young's Cruising Guide to the Gulf Coast is over 10 years old. So many changes have taken place since the storms. But, the marinas and marine facilities are continuing to come back better then ever along the MS coast.

 

[RussT1950]

Jonny, I now keep my boat at the Long Beach harbor in the summer months. I talked to you one day over there. I did keep my boat on the same pier where Victor keeps his boat.
Russell

 

[JonnyQuest]

Jonny, I now keep my boat at the Long Beach harbor in the summer months. I talked to you one day over there. I did keep my boat on the same pier where Victor keeps his boat. Russell

I remember meeting you Russ and your wife too while giving your boat the cleaning if I recall!

Good to connect the dots, thanks for pointing that out. Was your boat named "Imagin" or something close to that?

 

[RussT1950]

The boats name is Imagination.

 

[rgranger]

Now to figure out moving the cooler and lawn chairs!

The first pic below is a barrier island in the Pamlico Sound, NC.
The second was taken from the island and you can see my boat at anchor. Notice the color of the water. It was very shallow and I had to anchor out that far.

The third pic is... ... I had some of those fold up stadium chairs in the boat, I bungee tied them to the top of the cooler and floated it all to shore with the lunch in the cooler. Just make sure the drain plug in the cooler is closed.

 

[shemandr]

Re pic #3: You really need to find a hobby to relieve all that stress!

 

[Rick Webb]

Not the Best Spot

It is very shallow very far out and not with sand with muck and mud. East ship or Horn Islands are not too far away and much better place to hang. There was a pier on the northwest side to get to Deer Island not sure if it is still there. Might want to check Google Earth to be sure.

 

[JonnyQuest]

It is very shallow very far out and not with sand with muck and mud. East ship or Horn Islands are not too far away and much better place to hang. There was a pier on the northwest side to get to Deer Island not sure if it is still there. Might want to check Google Earth to be sure.

I've been to West Ship for anchoring and it was indeed nice. East Ship and Horn isl are next on the list.

Thanks for the info on Deer island.

 

[sailaway78]

East end of Deer Island

For day tripping the east end of Deer isn't bad. Get to it off the Biloxi channel. I wouldn't want to spend the night, but it is decent if the weather is not a problem. Between Deer Island and the mainland, there's not much. Probably enough water to get out of the channel, but you would have to double anchor to stop any swinging.

 

[Rick Webb]

Looked at Google Earth

There has been VERY significant changes in the last couple of years. Looks like they have done a BUNCH of beach restoration on Deer Island. I'll bet to protect the casinos and paid for with BP money.

Anyway the charts I'm sure are not current and anyone (like me) who tells you what it is like who has not been there very recently is not going to paint a realistic picture. So go there yourself and check it out. Let us know what it is like now after you do.