I am planning a sailing trip, and have been looking at the Apalachicola Bay area. I don't know anything about the area, except that it looked good on a florida map. I will have 7-8 days of sailing time... Any suggestions on good runs with anchorages along the way, if the wind is good this time of year, and any favorite restaraunts or marinas? Thanks for any information anyone may have! Richard
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A Better Choice
Richard, Apalach Bay is generally pretty shallow and not a great cruising ground. Either St Joseph Bay or St Andrew Bay just up the coast is a much better bet. If you come to St Andrew Bay and the weather goes to pot, you can join your brethren out at Panama City Beach.
Richard, Apalach Bay is generally pretty shallow and not a great cruising ground. Either St Joseph Bay or St Andrew Bay just up the coast is a much better bet. If you come to St Andrew Bay and the weather goes to pot, you can join your brethren out at Panama City Beach.
Richard to Appalach
Hey Richard. I wrote a reply to you in the Running the pass at Destin Fl thread before I saw this post. I have to agree with Frank that St Joe Bay is the better cruising ground (my home waters). If you want more info on this area, just let me know.
Hey Richard. I wrote a reply to you in the Running the pass at Destin Fl thread before I saw this post. I have to agree with Frank that St Joe Bay is the better cruising ground (my home waters). If you want more info on this area, just let me know.
Richard what type of boat???
Is it a bay boat or cruiser?? There is a lot of shallow water in Appalachicola bay. A great inside sail is Santa Rosa Sound!! You can stay inside from Destin to Pensacola and with a south wind it is great. Port Saint Joe is also a great area. I am studying charts towards Cape San Blas. Sonofasailor how far offshore should you stay going around the cape to Carrabelle?? Out to the buoy??? Where is the shark hole in PSJ?? Tom
Is it a bay boat or cruiser?? There is a lot of shallow water in Appalachicola bay. A great inside sail is Santa Rosa Sound!! You can stay inside from Destin to Pensacola and with a south wind it is great. Port Saint Joe is also a great area. I am studying charts towards Cape San Blas. Sonofasailor how far offshore should you stay going around the cape to Carrabelle?? Out to the buoy??? Where is the shark hole in PSJ?? Tom
Carabelle
I would stay out to the Bouy R2 (approx 2.5 miles due south of Dog Island. Coorditates are N 29 44.50, W 084 32.20) It si a straight shot in the well marked channel between St. George Island and Dog Island into Carabelle. Shark hole is on the bay side of the St. Joe Penninsula almost due south from Port St. Joe. Approximate coordinates are N29 49.60 W085 24.30. You approach the panninsula as if you were going into PSJ. Once you round the point, continue east until you get to the second small bay. that is shark hole. stay outside the marker bouys as the water is extreemly shallow at the point. the bay area is quite deep. we anchored in 38' of water and were only about 50 yards offshore. That was the area we saw a whale shark last sumer. Some friends of ours were in their boat and were moving in to anchor. We were just sailing around about a mile out, enjoying the day. They got us on the radio and said "strike your sails! you gotta motor over here as fast as you can. this is the biggest damn fish we/ve ever seen!" when we got there, we chased that fish around for over and hour...I think he was playing with us. He was longer than our boat (we were in a Chrysler 22 at the time). I have some pics of him. mainly his fins. Jayne (our friend) wouldn't go in the water the whole weekend...LOL
I would stay out to the Bouy R2 (approx 2.5 miles due south of Dog Island. Coorditates are N 29 44.50, W 084 32.20) It si a straight shot in the well marked channel between St. George Island and Dog Island into Carabelle. Shark hole is on the bay side of the St. Joe Penninsula almost due south from Port St. Joe. Approximate coordinates are N29 49.60 W085 24.30. You approach the panninsula as if you were going into PSJ. Once you round the point, continue east until you get to the second small bay. that is shark hole. stay outside the marker bouys as the water is extreemly shallow at the point. the bay area is quite deep. we anchored in 38' of water and were only about 50 yards offshore. That was the area we saw a whale shark last sumer. Some friends of ours were in their boat and were moving in to anchor. We were just sailing around about a mile out, enjoying the day. They got us on the radio and said "strike your sails! you gotta motor over here as fast as you can. this is the biggest damn fish we/ve ever seen!" when we got there, we chased that fish around for over and hour...I think he was playing with us. He was longer than our boat (we were in a Chrysler 22 at the time). I have some pics of him. mainly his fins. Jayne (our friend) wouldn't go in the water the whole weekend...LOL
Thanks!
I really appreciate all the information you all have provided. I have a Mac 26s, so I will probably stay away from apalachicola bay. I am thinking of starting around Pensacola (old aircrew training grounds for me) and lazily making my way east until reaching mexico beach. Sharks hole sounds like a definate spot to check out! That must have been an amazing thing to see a fish bigger than the boat! Thanks again for the info. Maybe I'll see ya'll out there! Richard
I really appreciate all the information you all have provided. I have a Mac 26s, so I will probably stay away from apalachicola bay. I am thinking of starting around Pensacola (old aircrew training grounds for me) and lazily making my way east until reaching mexico beach. Sharks hole sounds like a definate spot to check out! That must have been an amazing thing to see a fish bigger than the boat! Thanks again for the info. Maybe I'll see ya'll out there! Richard
cola to cola article
I found the pensacola to apalachicola article. It is in Cruising World; oct 2003.
I found the pensacola to apalachicola article. It is in Cruising World; oct 2003.
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