Sailing Pensacola

[s/v Faith]

It is kind of funny, I have owned a home in the area for 8 years, but it is a new cruising ground for me.

I found this web site that looks promising, and might be useful to anyone else cruising there, or planning to;

   http://sailingpensacola.com/forum/index.php

[s/v Faith]

looking for a place to keep the boat.  Have a couple of ideas, but would love to hear if anyone has any leads.  The going marina rate is $10 per foot per month!

[CharlieJ]

There's an anchorage up Bayou Chico just across from PSMC. When we were there last it had quite a few boats moored there, seemingly permanently. Let me check with a few friends we have in P'cola and see what we can turn up.

[s/v Faith]

Thanks Charlie,

  Kinda funny.  Just a few minutes ago, I decided to find out what BEER was.  I recall you and Kurt, and Connie talking about it as an event that had something to do with Pensacola.  So I Google 'Beer cruise' and got this excellent article.

  So I am enjoying this account of Herriot's BEER cruise adventure and come across

Herriot had covered 23 miles or so, her longest adventure from any launch point to date. Charlie Jones (a sailors gentleman by any measure) invited us to raft up with Laura and him on "Necessity" , since he was already anchored with a big plow.

;D ;D ;D

[CharlieJ]

lol- Yup- Necessity was our Lindsey 21. In that article is a pic of Laura sitting in her cockpit. We've made 4 BEER cruises to date.

Couple of pics of Tehani over there. One anchored off Juanas Pagoda and the other at anchor in Mosquito Cove, just off Fort Mcrae.

[AdriftAtSea]

That's actually cheap compared to the rates I'm seeing up in New England. :(

looking for a place to keep the boat.  Have a couple of ideas, but would love to hear if anyone has any leads.  The going marina rate is $10 per foot per month!

[Shipscarver]

Much cheaper than Tampa Bay.  Enjoy.

[s/v Faith]

Think I have found a place that charges $5 a foot.... now if only we can get under the bridge...  :o

[s/v Faith]

It has been a couple months since I posted this, we have had a bunch of new folks join since the last post.  I wonder if there are any Pensacola Sailors here now?

[dnice]

I don't know much about Pensacola, but if your in for a weekend trip, St. Andrews Bay in Panama City is a great place to visit.

I've spent most of my life there (not there now unfortunately) and its a wonderful bay, Huge and 100% protected, great anchorage all around, if your into fishing and snorkeling, it doesn't get any better. PC is second only to the keys for scuba diving and snorkeling.

There are several marinas and yacht clubs, a few other sailing clubs, so if your into racing it may be worth the trip....

One of the highlights is Shell Island... You can  spend days there snorkeling and scouring the beaches, there is good anchorage on the bay side of the island and a small spot inside the 'pass' protected by the jetties where you can camp out for as long as you want.  you can literally swim with the local dolphins,
and the whole time you are just minutes away from normal shore life activities.

There are about 5 marinas I can think of, a navy base, 3 state parks, and it is a direct link to the ICW.

http://marinas.com/view/marina/2546 -  pc marina

[s/v Faith]

I split the hurricane related posts off and started a new thread here.

[Pixie Dust]

I second dnice's comments on St. Andrews Bay in Panama City.  It has 3 separate bays, close cut to get offshore, lots of marina's, both affordable and "fancy...ie costly", little hidey holes for any weather including safe hurricane holes, pull up to the dock restaurants and quiet little spots as well as ICW right there.  I kept my boat there for 2 yrs prior to dropping the lines and heading out.   Great place to spend some time.   Of course, when I took my boat over to Pensacola for a few days,  I had a GREAT time there as well.   LOTS of places to explore!
The panhandle is a beautiful place to gunk hole. 

[AdriftAtSea]

Hey Connie—

How's it going stranger?  Did you have a good Thanksgiving??? How is Pixie Dust? Where is Pixie Dust??

[Pixie Dust]

I had a great Thanksgiving!  Ran up to Tally to have turkey with the family, then down to Ft Lauderdale for this medical course Dec 1-12.  Pixie is still in the Exumas where I will be as soon as this class ends.   :D   I do not seem to be able to handle stateside life for much longer than 1-2 wks.  :)

[AdriftAtSea]

Connie-

You've gotten spoiled by life in the islands. :)

[DaleG]

Just a quick post. I've sailed the area myself several years ago, anchoring off the AF base (PC) and using the dink.  It has to be one of the better cruising areas. The people are friendly, food is great and you get just enough of a seasonal weather change to make life interesting. I am still land-locked in Korea working for the US military, but will be back to sailing next summer. I recommended the area to a friend (trawler-type) and he should be there by now. His last email he was around Lauderdale.
DaleG

[s/v Monomoy]

Just a quick note to any of you who may be near Pensacola in a couple of weeks.  The BEER Cruise is coming up on its 9th event.  June 4th is the skipper's meet and the cruise is the 5th through the 8th.  The cruise has its own website at www.BeerCruise.info if you want to check out the route and skipper list.  So far 56 sailboat have officially signed up and we'd love to see even more there.

Disclaimer...  I don't have anything to do with organizing the event and am just a sailor who enjoys the cruise.