Panama City Beach Florida

Jan 10, 2011
319
Macgregor 25 675 Lake Lanier
Well my boat is in the driveway getting cleaned to the last corner. The outside is getting shiny following the directions I have found on this site. I am repairing the last few things including the mast tip that his a bush as I was parking at night.
I will finish this by Spring Break and hope to go to Panama City Beach and try out Shell Island. I also want to know other interesting places to visit.
I love to fish and I use a canoe for a dingy. This provides a fishing platform in any situation that I want to meet.
I have not been to Panama Beach in 10 years and I do not know anyone who lives there.
I would like to know if my plans are reasonable and if there are any places I should be sure to visit on the trip.
 
Oct 11, 2009
2
Oday 1976 Trailer
When we do Panama City, we put in (and have a camp site) at St. Andrews state park, and play in the bay, then headout thru the pass to "blue water".

But, Cape San Blas (state park @ Port St. Joe) is out favorite in the area.
 
Jun 2, 2004
3,390
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
Crooked Island, way more interesting than Shell Island and fewer tourists
 
Jan 10, 2011
319
Macgregor 25 675 Lake Lanier
I plan to go to the Panhandle for my next few trips. Is Panama City Beach a bad place to go during Spring Break? April 2 - 9. I am not a big beach person. I want to try good places to sail and fish.
The next cruise is the BEER Cruise in June. This is Pensacola.
I like waking up and finding that there are a few dolphin, the fish are biting and the view of the ocean is beautiful.
I have spent time in Sarasota, Punta Gorda. I know the area of Sarasota like the back of my hand. I loved the sailing and the fishing there is good. Punta Gorda has better fishing, however, I have only spent a few hours in Punta Gorda. I enjoy that area but it is a long ride from Atlanta. I think that the Panhandle is a shorter trip. I don't know if the quality of the sailing and fishing will be the same. I want to know the best places to visit on my trips.
 
Jun 2, 2004
3,390
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
Panama City and Panama City Beach are two different locations

There is no where to dock or launch from other than Grand Lagoon in Panama City Beach and this time of year I would go no where near Panama City Beach.

Look to the east of Panama City. From what you describe you are looking for I'd suggest starting out in Appalachicola there are great locations and awesome fishing just to the east and west. Also if the weather becomes and issue there are routes on the inside you can take to Port St Joe which is a wonderful destination in and of itself
 
Sep 30, 2013
3,538
1988 Catalina 22 North Florida
Don't forget Carrabelle, just a little further east. Great sailing, nice marinas (we use The Landings). It's a genuine "old Florida" cracker town, so don't think you can hit up Publix or Walmart while you're there. I once asked a local if they had a RedBox in town, and he looked at me like I had just fallen from the moon.

I would choose between Carrabelle and Panama City based on the wind direction at the time of your cruise. The coastlines run at about a 90 degree angle to each other. So if there's a NE/SW wind, go to Panama City. NW/SE wind, go to Carrabelle. Unless you're opposed to hours and hours of beam reaching. :biggrin:
 
Jun 2, 2004
3,390
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
No Publix not even a Wal-Mart, there is a Piggly Wiggly in Port St Joe and Apalachicola and a Dollar General in Apalachicola and Carrabelle.

If I were drawing up the itinerary I'd do a mini-mini-Great Loop. Put in at White City on the ICW do the ICW to Apalachicola then do the outside between Indian Pass and Port St Joe and Back to the ICW to Port St Joe. That is one of the really nice things about that area you could sail every day for a week and not hit the same spot yet you would never be a days trip from the origin.

Being in Atlanta you could also put in at Columbus and sail to Apalachicola. That would be a really fun trip.
 
Jan 10, 2011
319
Macgregor 25 675 Lake Lanier
Ok. I went to Ft. Walton beach in Florida. It was a beautiful place to go and visit. The weather was very changeable and the locals said it was not normal. The fishing was terrible. I did not go out into the Gulf because it was too windy(my new main is on order). I think that there is so much fresh water in this area that you must go out on the Gulf a little way to get good fishing. I did get to see a baby porpoise playing with a small fish. It kept throwing the little fish in the air and then chase it around.
I went to this place because of the small town environment and I found a place with a nice water view and a dock. I will try somewhere else next year.
 
May 1, 2012
2
Macgregor 26x Niceville, Bluewater Bay
We will put in at Niceville around the 1st of July. Head out to crab island. then do an over night at Baytown wharf.