Panama City Beach Florida

[White island]

I would appreciate information on free or cheap dockage in this area for November 2013. the ones I have contacted are in the neighborhood of $600/month which seems very high. I am staying in Venture Out and would like to have the boat very close.

[White island]

Originally Posted by White island

I would appreciate information on free or cheap dockage in this area for November 2013. the ones I have contacted are in the neighborhood of $600/month which seems very high. I am staying in Venture Out and would like to have the boat very close.

Opps, forgot to mention that I only draw four feet.

[GordMay]

Smack Bayou is located on the opposite side of the Northern Gulf ICW from the Panama City Waterfront, just slightly west of Massalina Bayou.

See ➥ Cruising Guide to the Northern Gulf Coast: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi ... - Claiborne S. Young - Google Books

[tamicatana]

ActiveCaptain.com

[denverd0n]

You're certainly not going to find free dockage, and you're unlikely to find it "cheap" either. If you want "free or cheap" then you're going to have to anchor out.

Good luck.

[White island]

Thanks guys. I will try Smack Bayou and active captain.

[Gemini Dreams]

Go to active captain.

Remember and use the word Transient when dealing with the docks.

Closest anchor spot is just off St Andrews state park, near the cut has deeper water the inner lagoon anchorage is shallow but we have not been into it. Don't know if you will be hassled by the FWC or not. The park may charge you for using the dock and I don't know if you can dinghy to Treasure Island or Pirates Cove marinas for a fee or not. The marinas in the Lagoon are oriented to power boaters and commercial.

Do you need to get to your boat everyday? Or are you just putting it somewhere while you stay at Venture Out? It is a long drive and a very long bus ride with 2 to 3 different bus changes to the down town marinas and anchorages.

You can anchor at shell island across the cut (party time weekends SI#3) and further in much quieter SI #1 & #2.

The City Marina for around $300+liveaboard fee if needed.

you can try laid back marina just inside Massalina Boyue for around $275 plus deposit.

Massalina and go under the bridge to the ONLY free dinghy dock in town at the City Marina

There is the St Andrews marina also around $300 with the best selection of food nearby.

There is also Sun Harbor Marina at the Hathaway bridge for about $275. Stay away from the SW slips. Strong SW winds every afternoon. Four blocks from the bus hub.

And there are a few others around but I do not know where you were told $600?

W

[EddieS]

Watsons Batou east of PC
Thanks
Ed

[White island]

Thanks Gemini Dreams. you sound very familiar with the area. I believe the $650 marina was Pirates Cove just past Venture out.

I will want to use the boat several times a week, depending on weather. I would like for it to be easily reached.

[Gemini Dreams]

It could be worth the $300 or so to have it that close if you trip 3 times a week. Here is the scenario (sp) from last year's bus schedule.

You want to go to the boat. You need to be at Alvin's island actually just past it toward Treasure Island at 7:10 am and take bus 7 to the College across from Sun Harbor.
You leave the College on bus 4 at 7:30 to go to the City Marina and get there at 8:00. Massalina is a 4 block walk and St Andrews is on the way.

To get home you take bus 4 from the Marina stop at the top of the hour and take 7a to Walmart at the bottom of the hour and take 7b from walmart back to Alvins Island.

The bus only runs every TWO hours on Saturday and Not at all on Sunday.

Watson and any other Bayou to the East would be 4 busses and a lot of walking without a car.

If you do use the bus buy a pass and protect the print and strip with a card case.

If you drive it is still 30 minutes just to go the 5 miles across the water.



from Venture Out take Thomas Drive right to Publix and Winndixie and the small West Marine two doors down from McD's. Half hitch tackle right across road from West Marine.

from Venture Out take Thomas Drive left to Walmart.

from Venture Out go across the Hathaway bridge and stay in the right lane to go to the other marinas and stay on 15th street to stop at the larger West Marine. Tell Lise I said Hi.

Jasmine has lunch sushi, 2 rolls and a salad or soup for $10 on the way to Publix and Winndixie

Hunt's oyster bar across from St Andrews marina is the perfect "Panama City Styled" restaurant. You must eat there once to really understand what Panama City used to be. Expect plastic and paper not linen. Apalachacola oysters are cheaper in PC than in Apalach.

Uncle Ernies and the Shrimp Boat next to St Andrews Marina are the current tourist spots to eat.

Have fun, pm me if you want more information.
W

[White island]

Gemini Dreams, you sound very familiar with the PC transit system. Gave you seen the big yellow oval sign nailed to a tree in some bodies yard? I was patiently waiting for the bus when I turned around and saw the sign. It said "I do not know the bus schedule. if you want to know it ride the bus". I guess the guy had one too many people interrupt his nap to ask when the bus or trolley would come. I finally have up and called a cab, which also took a long time to arrive.




it is hard to get around PCif you don't have wheels.

[Gemini Dreams]

Originally Posted by White island

Gemini Dreams, you sound very familiar with the PC transit system. Gave you seen the big yellow oval sign nailed to a tree in some bodies yard? I was patiently waiting for the bus when I turned around and saw the sign. It said "I do not know the bus schedule. if you want to know it ride the bus". I guess the guy had one too many people interrupt his nap to ask when the bus or trolley would come. I finally have up and called a cab, which also took a long time to arrive.


Attachment 66493

it is hard to get around PCif you don't have wheels.

Ahhhh Grocery Outlet! Yes I know the spot. The #6 bus comes by there at about 20 till except on Saturday it is every two hours and never on Sunday. If you get the old lady with short wiry brown hair and you are more than 20 feet from the stop she keeps going and says "They weren't at the stop". Seriously, I have heard it more than just a few times. The #4 bus is on the other side of GO.

I forgot to add that sign to my references of "Give me money or get the hell out" mentality. Of course that is a private residence but typical of PC. The Halloween store last year ran with a sign saying NO RESTROOMS! and made people go to West Marine or Burger King.

Cabs are on Island Time in PC along with Island pricing. PC is so sprawled out that a ride is easy $20. And I think they have a $10 fee for just crossing the bridge in addition to the price.

W

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by White island

it is hard to get around PC if you don't have wheels.

It's hard to get around ANYWHERE in Florida if you don't have wheels! I've lived in 5 different states during my adult life, visited dozens more, and I think Florida may well have the worst public transportation I have ever seen.

The really idiotic part is that the transportation options BETWEEN cities in Florida are not too bad. There are a number of rail lines available. For example, I could take a train from Tampa to Orlando or Miami if I wanted to, relatively cheaply and easily. But I'd have to drive to the train station in Tampa, and when I got to Orlando or Miami I would still need a car there, so it really makes a lot more sense to just drive myself to those cities.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

It's hard to get around ANYWHERE in Florida if you don't have wheels! I've lived in 5 different states during my adult life, visited dozens more, and I think Florida may well have the worst public transportation I have ever seen.

The really idiotic part is that the transportation options BETWEEN cities in Florida are not too bad. There are a number of rail lines available. For example, I could take a train from Tampa to Orlando or Miami if I wanted to, relatively cheaply and easily. But I'd have to drive to the train station in Tampa, and when I got to Orlando or Miami I would still need a car there, so it really makes a lot more sense to just drive myself to those cities.

Having used it, I can say that the public transportation in St. Petersburg is surprisingly good. All the schedules are available online. If you stay at the Gulfport Municipal Marina, you're not more than a few blocks from a bus line. They have several major transit spots where you can pick up buses to other destinations.

I don't recommend staying at Blind Pass Marina because there's a wicked current and it's markedly difficult to maneuver a boat at the slower speeds needed in a marina, but you can take a city bus to the beach, and then a "trolley runs up and down the entire length of the beach (Pass-a-Grille all the way up to Clearwater) and runs every 15 minutes.

In Gulfport if you're willing to walk half a mile you'll find a number of really good restaurants, too, and Gulfport, FL is a very friendly town. It's unofficial slogan is "Keep Gulfport Weird!"

You can also stay -- as a live-aboard -- at Pasadena Marina. That marina is on two buslines and close to at least three more. It's just a short hop (you can walk it if you can walk 2 miles or so) to St. Pete Beach, which is often rated as one of the five top beaches in the country. Again the Beach trolley can take you to any number of good, reasonably priced restaurants as well as a Publix (but there's also a Publix and a SweetBay within walking distance of that marina).

At Twin Dolphins it's a two mile walk either of two nearby Publixes. A lot of people walk to the store and then take a taxi back, which won't be terribly expensive. There's also any number of restaurants very close to that marina. Public transportation not real good in Bradenton/Palmetto.

There's also a Wal-Mart about 3 miles away. The West Marine is more like four or five. For those who haven't been here recently -- the West Marine has moved.