Cruise from Panama City to Destin on the inside

[Hampton]

Any serious gotcha's from P.C. through the inter-coastal to the West? It doesn't look like the ICW is marked that much in that area, so, does that mean just avoid hitting the bank?

We're headed West for the Jazz Festival and a weekend at the Baytowne Marina, with a bunch of others.

No, we're not going to cruise every weekend, just every weekend for these two weeks.

I do know about the entrance to Baytowne being very narrow and the need to follow the channel getting there.

Thanks in advance.

 

[chuck1]

Can't help on ICW but sure hope you take lots of pictures :thumbsup: Still waiting to see the one from your last cruise.

 

[fragmag]

I live in the Destin area, but I'm too new to boating to be much help. Hopefully when this weather lets up I can start learning my way around here better and be of a bit more help. Have fun at Baytowne, it's supposed to be a great time.

 

[Kenpcfl]

Any serious gotcha's from P.C. through the inter-coastal to the West? It doesn't look like the ICW is marked that much in that area, so, does that mean just avoid hitting the bank?

Nope....easy cruising through the ditch between West Bay and Choctawatchee Bay. Follow whatever markers are on the chart in West Bay and Choctaw, but don't worry too much about the ditch. It's very similar to your trip east of PC in the canal.
-Ken

 

[Hampton]

Thanks again.

Set sail (STS) tomorrow mid-morning.

Drinking by 4:00, not that that is what it's all about, but it sure is fun!

 

[fwebster]

I guess you are gone by now, but following the unmarked ICW isn't hard since you are running in a ditch most of the way. The only tip I would offer is to be very careful and stay in the center of the channel and do not get outside the area that is marked. The bottom in the West Bay area is mud and it sticks like glue. If you hit it at anything more than an idle you are stuck and cannot back off .........but Sea Tow will love you!

 

[Hampton]

Thanks, Frank. The cruise over was un-eventful. They really took good care of us at Baytowne. Capt Ron is a class act. The docks aren't great, though. My fender broke out 4' of the dock support 2 X 12 or whatever it was. The fragment took a small bite out of my boat, but nothing significant.

See the Weather thread under general discussion for details about that stuff.

The area is great for seafood, shopping, friends, and relaxing. They give you bikes to ride, free ice, a newspaper, cable TV.... They had extension cords and adapters for my shore power. I didn't even have to ask.

The dock is like a highway for golf carts. It's kind of fun, but it's a little distracting some times.

I highly recommend it, but I would ask in advance for a solid area to dock. I was along the opposite side of the transient docks between two boats in their slips. There was plently of room, but it wasn't designed for docking. I had to invent ways to protect my boat, and in 35 plus knots for a day and a half, it matters.

 

[fwebster]

That is my least favorite marina to visit primarily because of their N-NW exposure. Ever try to sleep on a boat in a slip with a 3-4 ft chop going on? Even with a 28,000 lb 45 ft. boat under you it is a miserable experience. We just don't go there until after the winter-spring winds are done. But it is a neat place.

In the winter we prefer Blue Water Bay on the north side of the bay just west of the mid-bay bridge.

 

[Hampton]

Soooooooo, a week after our Sister-in-law and her husband's visit, we are blessed with yet another pre-planned trip. My wife's sister and husband had wanted us to join them on vacation. We 'splained that we had already spent all of our vacation money, but they were welcome to join us for a local vacation - that was last week - and it was awesome.

This week, our local boat club had planned a trip to SanDestin, Fl. We signed up for that as well, so we get another wonderful trip on Shell's Island:

This is the Resort at SanDestin:

Some of the Docks:

And More Docks:

 

[Hampton]

I see now that I failed to capture the true beauty like the Marina store, the shops at Baytowne, and the intra-coastal waterway, but I did get some pictures of us. Here's our friends Craig and Pat with my wife Shelli:

(Craig was encouraging everyone to notice Shelli's new necklace)

Here Shelli and I enjoy the scenery near the marina:

And finally, a view to the SSW from our boat, across the bow of our friend's 500 Da, and to the condo's on the beach at Destin:

 

[chuck1]

Great pics, Thanks for sharing them :thumbsup: