Pascagoula To Mobile Bay

[nolandinsight]

Repositioning a Morgan 35 from Gautier/Pascagoula to Mobile Bay. What routes are best/safest, and what can I expect as far as area specific hazards and sail time between the two?

[iSaint]

Shallow around the barrier islands, lots of traffic and gas rigs in Mobile Bay. I have little experience but that's what I have to offer. :P

I'm in Ocean Springs, do you need help relocating her?

[Capt.Fred]

30 years ago this month, I sailed 4,400 miles from San Francisco to Biloxi. Then it was a simple Intracoastal Canal motor and sail to Mobile Bay. Where are you headed in Mobile Bay? After staying at the Faihope Marina For a couple days. (A very nice town) It was suggested that I head East another 20 miles to deep white sandy bays and bayous. No more mud. I have been nestled in Roberts Bayou (Pirates Cove) in Arnica Bay for 30 years now. This is also a great jumping off place to the Western Carribean to the jungle rivers in Central America. I'm sorry...What was the question again? Call me if you want free help. (251) 987-1200) Capt.Fred

[nolandinsight]

iSaint,

I am trying to decide between the Sound or the Gulf for sailing her back to Baldwin County. My concerns are water depth and ICW traffic in the Sound. Do you have any experiences to offer?


Fred,

We live in Robertsdale and are trying to decide on a marina. The Eastern Shore makes more sense for access to the boat, but the Bon Secour, Wolf, Arnica Bays area seems to have more opportunity for fun, variety, and coastal amenities.

Oh, the original question was Mississippi Sound or Gulf of Mexico side of the barrier islands for the trip home.

[Capt.Fred]

The ICW usually is no less than 12 feet deep in this area. It is no problem with your Morgan. There is no comparison between sailing in ho-hum Mobile Bay and the beautiful deep sandy coastal bays. OK, try Barbers Mariner in Bay La Launch. It is a new mariner and it seems to have lots of openings. It is about just as far from Fairhope in Mobile bay to Robertsdale as it is to Barbers Mariner. That would be the best starting out place for your boat. From there you can scout the area. BTW, unless you are a seasoned sailor, the outside is a bit more complex on this route than the ICW. Good luck, Capt.Fred

[iSaint]

No practical experience, sorry.

[Capt.Fred]

nolandinsight,
BTW, wait for a West or SW wind for a fun sail. It won't be fun at all sloshing into Easterly winds. You probably know already, that sailors pick their weather.
Capt.Fred

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Capt.Fred

nolandinsight,
BTW, wait for a West or SW wind for a fun sail. It won't be fun at all sloshing into Easterly winds. You probably know already, that sailors pick their weather.
Capt.Fred

Spring and summer prevailing winds are usually SW in that area................

and that wind gets going usually sometime between 1100-1300 when there are no weather systems nearby.

[Group9]

It's going to be a lot more trouble to go out in the gulf than to just follow the ICW to Mobile Bay. I've made that run so many times I have lost count.

Be careful of the shoals on the north side of the ICW as you approach the Dauphin Island bridge from the west. There is quite a bit of barge traffic in that area, but I don't know of any place it is dangerous. Dauphin Island bridge is either 65 or 75 feet clearance wise, so you are good there.

Make sure you fuel up before you leave as there is no really good place to get fuel with a sailboat on that route and you will probably be motoring a good bit of it. Once you get to Mobile Bay, there are marinas everywhere, though.

[nolandinsight]

The weather window is key, absolutely. It sure would be nice to pole out the jib and have a nice run the whole way! The 1100-1300 time frame fits when we could get to the marina and get going, so that's a plus. I got my hands on a chart, and I'm aware through stories of the channel issues around Dauphin Island, thanks for the reminder. I've definitely decided to stick to the sound rather than the gulf. I appreciate everyone jumping in here to help out!

[Group9]

Originally Posted by nolandinsight

The weather window is key, absolutely. It sure would be nice to pole out the jib and have a nice run the whole way! The 1100-1300 time frame fits when we could get to the marina and get going, so that's a plus. I got my hands on a chart, and I'm aware through stories of the channel issues around Dauphin Island, thanks for the reminder. I've definitely decided to stick to the sound rather than the gulf. I appreciate everyone jumping in here to help out!

It's an easy run, really. I've even done it at night once, where I was coming from Mobile Bay and arrived at Biloxi at 7:00 am.

I think most of the horror stories of that area are all based on the couple whose sailboat was run down by a barge and killed (and not even found for several months as their boat was pushed down into the mud by the barge). They anchored at night, just east of the Dauphin Island bridge, really close to the channel, in a place most people would have never anchored for fear of being run down by a barge.