Status of the Big Lagoon

[JohnnyMac]

There’s a place between Sand Island and Fort McRea just west of the Pensacola pass the Admiral and I referred to as the Cove. Does any of you Gulf Shores/Pensacola sailors know the condition following Hurricane Sally?
Thanks

 

[WayneH]

Rearranged, surely. It's our favorite anchorage in the area, too. Protection on three sides from the local thunderstorms.
Let me call some of my darkside friends and see if they have been there lately. My boat is still on the hard, missing her rudder.

 

[WayneH]

Here's what my friends are saying. The west entrance is still open. The two new cuts to the west are diverting part of Big Lagoon water at this time. What that means for the cove depends on whether they stay 3-4 deep, silt in or get deeper. In My Opinion, the new cuts should silt in and the cove will remain open.

One of these days, I might get brave and attempt the east entrance. But only if the Admiral is not with me.

 

[JohnnyMac]

Wayne, I don’t know what you draw, but I walk the east entrance. In a week, we’ll give the west entrance a try. I’ll be sad if it shut off. We’d over night there to watch the Blue Angels practice.

 

[SFS]

If you guys are talking about the place I think you are, I stopped there at the end of Day 1 on a delivery from Mobile to Tampa. It was too hot to sleep below, so I moved up onto the foredeck. I was awakened at sunrise the next morning by the sound dolphin "blows". I was the biggest pod I've seen in the US, probably 15 or 20 animals. A magical place, and the Blue Angels don't hurt.

 

[BigEasy]

All good anchorages in Big Lagoon; Sand Island Cove, Spanish Point, and Redfish Point. Anchored overnight several times at those locations. As Wayne mentioned, Perdido Key was breached in two locations. Yet to be determined if the National Park Service will repair the breaches or let nature run its course. Never did time it right to see the Blue Angels fly over; however, always saw dolphin. Beautiful area to overnite.

 

[JohnnyMac]

Planning on overnighting there next weekend. Five years ago when we moved to PCola I remember being skittish about entering the west side. Over the years we got to know the bottom of the cove. Also, where you can get close to shore at Spanish or Redfish point. We’ll see how it has changed.