We spent a nice weekend awhile back in Bay St. Louis, MS and found it a cute little town and noticed that they had a nice municipal marina. I was wondering about the boating in that area? I never hear anything about anyone visiting that part of the coast. Curious about the barrier islands and if they have any better sand, waves, and water than along the coast?
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Anyone ever cruise the Mississippi coast/barrier islands?
- Thread starter BillE
- Start date
Gulfcoastjohn
New member
BillE,
We lived on and cruised the Mississippi coast and barrier islands in 5 trailer boats for 22 years before retiring and moving to Pensacola in 2017. The Mississippi Sound is muddy and brown from the 5 rivers that empty into it (and occ the Mississippi river via a spillway). The 27 miles of sand beach along Highway 98 between Bay St Louis and Ocean Springs is dredged. The Gulf side of the barrier islands has clearer water and whiter sand, esp on incoming tides. We’ve hiked the perimeters of all of them many times and tent camped and boat camped on them hundreds of times.
Horn Island is an awesome pristine barrier island wilderness at 15 miles long by 2/3 miles wide and 9 miles out (can be rough). Only access is by private boat. The interior is filled with deep lagoons with alligators and impassible brier patches with only 2 cross-over trails (you’d never find these without local knowledge) and the Ranger dock trail. A perimeter hike was a two-day athletic summer adventure (we had to give up half-marathons in 2007, now it would take us 3-4 days). 2 lagoon outfalls could only be crossed at low tide.
But hey, a simple boat visit would entail anchoring at East or West end and walk only as much as you want, not the whole 31 miles with a CamelBak.
The Gulf Islands National Seashore (GINS) stretches 160 miles from Mississippi to Florida barrier islands. All the Florida sections can be reached by car via bridges (and you can take your 45 ft motor coach RV to camp at Fort Pickens). The Mississippi GINS barrier islands that can only be reached by boat include Cat Island (a portion is still privately owned), West Ship (a concession tourist boat leaves seasonally from Gulfport), East Ship, Horn, and Petis Bois.
I tried to outline some local knowledge tips regarding cruising the GINS in this thread in my April 22 post:
http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=26312
As we cruise-adventure and explore full-time now, we have yet to discover a gem that competes with Horn Island.
But we’ll keep looking for one! After Hontoon we’ll be exploring the Everglades and the 10,000 islands, perhaps ONE of them?
See you guys at Hontoon, and we’ll loan you our authoritative pre-Katrina Horn Island tome, which is still available but the price has doubled:
https://www.amazon.com/Horn-Plenty-Seas ... enty+books
Cheers!
John
We lived on and cruised the Mississippi coast and barrier islands in 5 trailer boats for 22 years before retiring and moving to Pensacola in 2017. The Mississippi Sound is muddy and brown from the 5 rivers that empty into it (and occ the Mississippi river via a spillway). The 27 miles of sand beach along Highway 98 between Bay St Louis and Ocean Springs is dredged. The Gulf side of the barrier islands has clearer water and whiter sand, esp on incoming tides. We’ve hiked the perimeters of all of them many times and tent camped and boat camped on them hundreds of times.
Horn Island is an awesome pristine barrier island wilderness at 15 miles long by 2/3 miles wide and 9 miles out (can be rough). Only access is by private boat. The interior is filled with deep lagoons with alligators and impassible brier patches with only 2 cross-over trails (you’d never find these without local knowledge) and the Ranger dock trail. A perimeter hike was a two-day athletic summer adventure (we had to give up half-marathons in 2007, now it would take us 3-4 days). 2 lagoon outfalls could only be crossed at low tide.
But hey, a simple boat visit would entail anchoring at East or West end and walk only as much as you want, not the whole 31 miles with a CamelBak.
The Gulf Islands National Seashore (GINS) stretches 160 miles from Mississippi to Florida barrier islands. All the Florida sections can be reached by car via bridges (and you can take your 45 ft motor coach RV to camp at Fort Pickens). The Mississippi GINS barrier islands that can only be reached by boat include Cat Island (a portion is still privately owned), West Ship (a concession tourist boat leaves seasonally from Gulfport), East Ship, Horn, and Petis Bois.
I tried to outline some local knowledge tips regarding cruising the GINS in this thread in my April 22 post:
http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=26312
As we cruise-adventure and explore full-time now, we have yet to discover a gem that competes with Horn Island.
But we’ll keep looking for one! After Hontoon we’ll be exploring the Everglades and the 10,000 islands, perhaps ONE of them?
See you guys at Hontoon, and we’ll loan you our authoritative pre-Katrina Horn Island tome, which is still available but the price has doubled:
https://www.amazon.com/Horn-Plenty-Seas ... enty+books
Cheers!
John
John gives an excellent description of the Islands of the Mississippi Sound. There are a number in Louisiana. I have been by them, not heavily traveled by pleasure boaters. Some fishing and camping (The Chandeleur Islands are closest to Mississippi. These are part of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge. There is excellent birding.). The whole MS delta is part of a disappearing coast line. The silt is no longer deposited as it was naturally, and erosion is taking its toll.
John makes a subtle comment about the Islands after Katrina--There have been a number of hurricanes, and they really do a number on these Islands. The Fort Pickens Was decimated by Ivan (and others) about 15 years ago--and they still have another 20 years before they will be anywhere near what they were like.
Marie, in another life, used to go to Horn Island, and Ship Island when she lived in pascagoula, Ms. pre and post Hurricane Camille. These Islands seem to get hit with a major storm about the time they have recovered from the last....
In a relatively short geographical time, these Islands will no longer exist. Sure, take the C Dory and explore--be aware of the various regulations and the weather--but would be a great trip. We always stop at Bay St. Louis when we are running going along the coast that way. Lots of really great towns, time seems to have forgotten (and Hurricanes have destroyed a number of times.)
John makes a subtle comment about the Islands after Katrina--There have been a number of hurricanes, and they really do a number on these Islands. The Fort Pickens Was decimated by Ivan (and others) about 15 years ago--and they still have another 20 years before they will be anywhere near what they were like.
Marie, in another life, used to go to Horn Island, and Ship Island when she lived in pascagoula, Ms. pre and post Hurricane Camille. These Islands seem to get hit with a major storm about the time they have recovered from the last....
In a relatively short geographical time, these Islands will no longer exist. Sure, take the C Dory and explore--be aware of the various regulations and the weather--but would be a great trip. We always stop at Bay St. Louis when we are running going along the coast that way. Lots of really great towns, time seems to have forgotten (and Hurricanes have destroyed a number of times.)
Thanks for the info, John. We are going to have to miss Hontoon this year as our available window for travel was just too tight to make it worth the trip. But this is our last year for working!!!!
About the MS coast, I was curious because I know that hundreds of Loopers come down the Tenn-Tom to Mobile bay and everyone turns Left toward Bama and Florida. I was just curious if anyone ever turned Right and explored that part of the coast?
About the MS coast, I was curious because I know that hundreds of Loopers come down the Tenn-Tom to Mobile bay and everyone turns Left toward Bama and Florida. I was just curious if anyone ever turned Right and explored that part of the coast?
Tex (Bixby Club) has gone down the Mississippi, as well as done the Ten Tom. Tex has also done some alternate waterway exploration in Louisiana. It is truly a very interesting area. The TV series seem to portray some of the land fairly well... I believe that Salty also went down the Mississippi. There is a very active charter boat community out of Venice, LA, which is the mouth.
I have done the trip to and from Clear Lake, Tx (Galveston Bay) several times from Pensacola, and a long time ago I did the waterway from Galveston to Brownsville. Entirely different than what we have to offer in Florida. My personal feeling was it was not "Cruising" -- but I was basically doing deliveries.
We will miss you all at Hontoon. Better weather there than what you are getting in Nashville! (We have been watching the weather channel, and thinking of what a great time we had with your all up there!). Good on the retiring!
I have done the trip to and from Clear Lake, Tx (Galveston Bay) several times from Pensacola, and a long time ago I did the waterway from Galveston to Brownsville. Entirely different than what we have to offer in Florida. My personal feeling was it was not "Cruising" -- but I was basically doing deliveries.
We will miss you all at Hontoon. Better weather there than what you are getting in Nashville! (We have been watching the weather channel, and thinking of what a great time we had with your all up there!). Good on the retiring!
Local weather? You mean the rain, rain, and more rain? The Commodore Yacht Club is completely underwater, restrooms flooded, office trailer ruined, no access to docks except by canoe if you have one! Good thing that our docks, and boats, float! I saw boats on trailers floating around the trailer lot! Yes indeed Bob, we are ready for some sunshine!