I am newly berthed on Mobile Bay and would like some feedback on popular overnight destinations, anchorages, etc. Thanks in advance for any info! Kevin s/v carpe sinum
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Bob Howie
Overnights
With family in Mobile and formerly from over in Gulfport, I can honestly say you are certainly in the right bayside community for sailing. The Fairhope Yacht Club and surrounding area has always had a great reputation. You might look into trips over to Pensacola and check out the Pensacola Bay and Escambia Bay areas. Dauphin Island can be fun. A little further west, you have the Petit Bois chain as well as Horn Island off the Miss. Gulf Coast. Horn is a gorgeous place, but just be aware there actually are alligators out there; not overly aggressive and somewhat reclusive, but without any fear of humans. There's all sorts of gunkholes along the Mobile Bay area to explore. You might stop by the FYC and ask around there. I'm sure they have lots of info. Good luck.
With family in Mobile and formerly from over in Gulfport, I can honestly say you are certainly in the right bayside community for sailing. The Fairhope Yacht Club and surrounding area has always had a great reputation. You might look into trips over to Pensacola and check out the Pensacola Bay and Escambia Bay areas. Dauphin Island can be fun. A little further west, you have the Petit Bois chain as well as Horn Island off the Miss. Gulf Coast. Horn is a gorgeous place, but just be aware there actually are alligators out there; not overly aggressive and somewhat reclusive, but without any fear of humans. There's all sorts of gunkholes along the Mobile Bay area to explore. You might stop by the FYC and ask around there. I'm sure they have lots of info. Good luck.
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Frank Walker
Mast Height
Kevin, you now reside on the western end of the best crusing area in the south east. In the ICW to the east are several isolated and beautiful anchorages (Wolf Bay, Ingram Bayou) Big Lagoon near Pensacola, Little Sabine(not isolated but protected) and the western Santa Rosa Sound. However unless you take a chain saw to that mast the Navarre bridge is it. After Navarre there are a series of 50 ft bridges that will limit your travel. If you come outside then St. Andrew Bay at Panama City is good (busy in summer) and St Joe Bay is relatively quiet but gets pretty shallow in the southern end. I should also mention Destin again if you come outside. It is pretty but a little busy in the summer months. I have a Hunter 30 with a 50 ft stick. I just barely clear most of these bridges if the tide is not too high. The VHF antenna takes a beating. Other than the bridge issue welcome to cruising heaven. Frank Walker SV "Calculatin"
Kevin, you now reside on the western end of the best crusing area in the south east. In the ICW to the east are several isolated and beautiful anchorages (Wolf Bay, Ingram Bayou) Big Lagoon near Pensacola, Little Sabine(not isolated but protected) and the western Santa Rosa Sound. However unless you take a chain saw to that mast the Navarre bridge is it. After Navarre there are a series of 50 ft bridges that will limit your travel. If you come outside then St. Andrew Bay at Panama City is good (busy in summer) and St Joe Bay is relatively quiet but gets pretty shallow in the southern end. I should also mention Destin again if you come outside. It is pretty but a little busy in the summer months. I have a Hunter 30 with a 50 ft stick. I just barely clear most of these bridges if the tide is not too high. The VHF antenna takes a beating. Other than the bridge issue welcome to cruising heaven. Frank Walker SV "Calculatin"
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Jerry Smith
Mobile Sailing...
Kevin, I live directly across Mobile Bay from you on Dog River. I sail a Hunter 31. Welcome to the area. Mobile Bay is a great place for sailing because if you want to just take a day sail, the Bay is large enough that you can just follow the wind and sail for hours in one direction. A nice day trip is to sail from Fairhope to and around the Middle Bay Lighthouse and back to Fairhope. This lighthouse is located by the ship channel South of Gilliard Island in the middle of Mobile Bay. A nice multi day trip is Horn Island. Horn Island is about a 3 hour sail west from the Dauphin Island bridge. Horn Island is very secluded and is a very nice overnight stay when the wind is out of the South, Southeast, and Southwest. Another nice trip for you would be to sail west to Dog River. Have a meal at the Mariner Restaurant and sail back to Fairhope. Dog River is also a nice overnight anchorage. The Mariner Restaurant will let you dock overnight if they are not too crowded. For a longer trip, you may want to take a multi day trip to Orange Beach or Pensacola Pass. As mentioned earlier, Ingram Bayou is a very nice overnight anchorage with protection from almost any winds. There are so many nice trips that it is virtually impossible to give you all of the details here. If you would like to contact me through the owners directory for more detail information, please feel free to do so. Jerry Smith S/V Windseeker
Kevin, I live directly across Mobile Bay from you on Dog River. I sail a Hunter 31. Welcome to the area. Mobile Bay is a great place for sailing because if you want to just take a day sail, the Bay is large enough that you can just follow the wind and sail for hours in one direction. A nice day trip is to sail from Fairhope to and around the Middle Bay Lighthouse and back to Fairhope. This lighthouse is located by the ship channel South of Gilliard Island in the middle of Mobile Bay. A nice multi day trip is Horn Island. Horn Island is about a 3 hour sail west from the Dauphin Island bridge. Horn Island is very secluded and is a very nice overnight stay when the wind is out of the South, Southeast, and Southwest. Another nice trip for you would be to sail west to Dog River. Have a meal at the Mariner Restaurant and sail back to Fairhope. Dog River is also a nice overnight anchorage. The Mariner Restaurant will let you dock overnight if they are not too crowded. For a longer trip, you may want to take a multi day trip to Orange Beach or Pensacola Pass. As mentioned earlier, Ingram Bayou is a very nice overnight anchorage with protection from almost any winds. There are so many nice trips that it is virtually impossible to give you all of the details here. If you would like to contact me through the owners directory for more detail information, please feel free to do so. Jerry Smith S/V Windseeker
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Howard R.
Pirates Cove
Kevin, I spent 7 months in Mobile most of which was on the Dog River side (Dog River Marina) but took several trips here and there. Pensacola was great, REALLY GREAT! But if you like the old Woodstock type (just gotten alittle older) sailors then Pirates Cove is the place. Beer is a little pricey but they have bands on the weekends playing mostly 60s-and early 70s music out on the deck overlooking the entrance tothe marina. And as long as your spending money ( and we spent alot in the 4 days we were there)they won't ask you for a dime in transit fees. Only thing I would do is get charts of the bay even an old one because the water is shallow just about everywhere except near the shipping channel and at night at low tide it's really easy to run aground in an area you was just sailing in alittle earlier that day. If that happens do what the locals do, just throw out your anchor, go below and pop a few tops. When you wake up the next morning and the tide has came back in, your back in business!!! Happy sailing, Howard R. Whitaker Misty Blue Nashville,TN.
Kevin, I spent 7 months in Mobile most of which was on the Dog River side (Dog River Marina) but took several trips here and there. Pensacola was great, REALLY GREAT! But if you like the old Woodstock type (just gotten alittle older) sailors then Pirates Cove is the place. Beer is a little pricey but they have bands on the weekends playing mostly 60s-and early 70s music out on the deck overlooking the entrance tothe marina. And as long as your spending money ( and we spent alot in the 4 days we were there)they won't ask you for a dime in transit fees. Only thing I would do is get charts of the bay even an old one because the water is shallow just about everywhere except near the shipping channel and at night at low tide it's really easy to run aground in an area you was just sailing in alittle earlier that day. If that happens do what the locals do, just throw out your anchor, go below and pop a few tops. When you wake up the next morning and the tide has came back in, your back in business!!! Happy sailing, Howard R. Whitaker Misty Blue Nashville,TN.
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mark gullickson
Dog River
I just bought a boat in Mobile. It is at Turner Marine on Dog River. I expect to be back there in a month or so. Maybe we could say "hello" and compare notes. I have a C
I just bought a boat in Mobile. It is at Turner Marine on Dog River. I expect to be back there in a month or so. Maybe we could say "hello" and compare notes. I have a C
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