<snip>
If any of you are responding to Garrett and Jean's request for
favorite places to anchor on the GICW (Gulf =Intercoastal Waterway)
between Mobile AL and Apalachicola FL as well as favorite places to
visit, favorite Marinas,etc, please include us on a cc. to your
email, as we will be in that area in the next few weeks.
With the caveat that this information is a year and a half old I offer
this modest contribution:
Pirate's Cove Marina in Orange Beach -- a funky kind of place. First
built in 1932, it had been modernized in some ways, but damage from the past
storms had not all been repaired. Enjoyed the great hamburgers supposedly
made famous by a Jimmy Buffet song at the marina grill. The water is
noticeably clearer than Mobil Bay. Our 42' boat (47'-3" overall) fit easily
enough, but you'll find it snug if you're very much larger.
Palafox Pier Marina in Pensacola was a new and very spiffy marina opened
only a few weeks before our visit. It had all the latest amenities, but
several deficiencies. The electric service was a scant 215 volts, the cable
TV did not include the (duh) Weather Channel, and the seawall design
permited a substantial sea surge to penetrate from what was then a rough
Pensacola Bay. A trolley provided easy access around this interesting small
city.
Ft. Walton Beach, The Boat Marina -- nice place but open to Santa Rosa
Sound. The "no-wake" concept hasn't taken hold in this part of the "Redneck
Riviera", so it was a little rolly. Good restaurants in walking distance.
Orange Beach -- Zeke's Landing is a nice marina in a pretty area. The
approach is a little tricky and requires your full attention. We draw 4
feet. I was glad it wasn't 4 1/2. Good restaurant. Popular with
sportsfishermen, so be prepared for an early wake-up call. You can view the
Floridization of Alabama from here as huge areas are being paved over to
provide parking for high rise condos.
Vaughan Mitchell
M/V Kate
42' Hatteras LRC
Aransas Pass, Texas
<snip>
>If any of you are responding to Garrett and Jean's request for
>favorite places to anchor on the GICW (Gulf =Intercoastal Waterway)
>between Mobile AL and Apalachicola FL as well as favorite places to
>visit, favorite Marinas,etc, please include us on a cc. to your
>email, as we will be in that area in the next few weeks.
With the caveat that this information is a year and a half old I offer
this modest contribution:
Pirate's Cove Marina in Orange Beach -- a funky kind of place. First
built in 1932, it had been modernized in some ways, but damage from the past
storms had not all been repaired. Enjoyed the great hamburgers supposedly
made famous by a Jimmy Buffet song at the marina grill. The water is
noticeably clearer than Mobil Bay. Our 42' boat (47'-3" overall) fit easily
enough, but you'll find it snug if you're very much larger.
Palafox Pier Marina in Pensacola was a new and very spiffy marina opened
only a few weeks before our visit. It had all the latest amenities, but
several deficiencies. The electric service was a scant 215 volts, the cable
TV did not include the (duh) Weather Channel, and the seawall design
permited a substantial sea surge to penetrate from what was then a rough
Pensacola Bay. A trolley provided easy access around this interesting small
city.
Ft. Walton Beach, The Boat Marina -- nice place but open to Santa Rosa
Sound. The "no-wake" concept hasn't taken hold in this part of the "Redneck
Riviera", so it was a little rolly. Good restaurants in walking distance.
Orange Beach -- Zeke's Landing is a nice marina in a pretty area. The
approach is a little tricky and requires your full attention. We draw 4
feet. I was glad it wasn't 4 1/2. Good restaurant. Popular with
sportsfishermen, so be prepared for an early wake-up call. You can view the
Floridization of Alabama from here as huge areas are being paved over to
provide parking for high rise condos.
Vaughan Mitchell
M/V Kate
42' Hatteras LRC
Aransas Pass, Texas
