NOLA - Tampa St. Pete's???

[Dale Wilson]

I plan on moving our boat from New Orleans to St. Petersburg shortly after the first of the year. Will probably hopscotch New Orleans, Slidel, Biloxi, Mobile, but then think we'll head straight for Tampa Bay. We have about three weeks, so we can wait awhile for weather, and if things look too bad we can keep to the intercoastal. Looking for thoughts, comments, considerations, etc. Oh yeah, she's a H450. Appreciate your help.

 

[Glenda Wolfe]

We've been from Slidell to Clearwater Beach twice

once on a friend's Caliber LRC47 in Nov. 2001 and then in Dec 2001 on our Hunter Legend 45. We did an overnight from Oak Harbor Marina to Big Lagoon near Pensacola. Then from there to the Clearwater Municipal Marina in Clearwater Beach, FL. Both times we motored the 25 hours to Big Lagoon. Big Lagoon is a great anchorage and there is fuel available there. We mostly sailed from Big Lagoon to Clearwater Beach. When we returned from the Caribbean spring of 2003 we returned from Clearwater Beach to Big Lagoon, but then did the ICW from there back to Slidell. We anchored near Ingram Bayou east of Mobil Bay and on the north side of Petit Bois. Then the weather turned ugly so we went to the city marina in Gulfport. From there it was a motor day back to Oak Harbor Marina.

 

[Jim]

Travel time

Glenda, How long did it take to sail from Big Lagoon to Clearwater Beach, FL and what time of day did you get underway/arrive?

 

[Glenda Wolfe]

We left Big Lagoon around 8am and arrived at

the Clearwater Beach Municipal Marina about 2pm the second day - approximately 54 hours. It takes about 1 1/2 hours to motor out of the entrance to Big Lagoon to get into the Gulf and about the same time to motor past the entrance buoys, under the bridge and thru the maze to Clearwater Beach marina. In between you can sail as much as conditions allow.