NW Florida Adventure

[gulfcoast john]

Hi Friends!

We are planning a NW FL out and back from Pensacola to Biloxi to visit and hike on some of the spectacular sugar white sand barrier islands we love, including Horn Island.

We (me, who needs knee replacement surgery) are now limited to walking 7 miles per day, rather than running 15 miles when we were both running the New Orleans Half Marathon back in 2007. They had beer at the 10 mile mark, and I will always remember how much we liked that idea, although we did not partake at 7 AM, as we both thought it was just a wee bit early. Not in New Orleans, but to each their own.

We plan to walk the 7 miles West end of Dauphin Island, which we have never done in our Quixotic quest to hike “all the public beaches and islands between Key West and New Orleans” we established back 40 years ago. (for 110 heat advisories we make adjustments, but don’t cancel).

We are 95.7% there, which might (or might not) be where you are on your personal bucket list. Anclote and Egmont Key, Cayo Costa and Caladesi Islands are on on the bucket list.

We welcome suggestions other than ‘don’t even attempt it!”

John

 

[Molly Brown]

Hey John....

Caladesi has a real nice, cheap marina with none of the amenities you strive for normally. Floating docks and has never had more than a handful of boats overnight the times we have visited. Great walking.

Cayo Costa is very nice as well but you will have to anchor out. When you come down this way let me know and I'll come out and spend some time with you. Give me a chance to exercise my new Suzukis

When you get to Biloxi say hi to Glenn for me.

James

 

[jennykatz]

James I thought you were going with the Mercury’s maybe Suzuki gave better price?
Actually Cayo Costa used to have docks you can stay at but are not floating docks like Caldesi island both state parks used to give a discount to over 62 retired Floridians Jim W

 

[WeekiTiki]

Spent the night off of Anclote a few weeks back
Mosquitoes were horrid and had to move farther off-shore

Stayed there in the cabins on Cayo Costa twice now
But it's been years ago
Prior to the cutting down of the Australian pines along the beach
And the building of actual bathrooms with a grant from the state

First night on Cayo Costa I left my Mako at the dock where the ferry comes
Then moved it around and anchored off the beach
Wind came up and my Mako looked like a bobber in the surf

Luckily I'd anchored it securely but it was scary to say the least

There's a tram that's towed the mile across the island from the dock
And the office sold ice which was a plus

Friends that met us only lasted two nights
Coons stole all their food

After a week on the island my girls swore they'd never return

 

[Molly Brown]

Jim....
Went with the Suzi's for the 2.59 to 1 gear ratio, offset shaft put the center of engine weight closer to the transom, for a good price, and finally because the shop is just across the bridge 6 miles from my house. Not only that they were personable and took the time to answer all my questions and give me financial breaks everywhere they could. I'll be doing all the rigging but they will hang the motors for me. After removing those old heavy Honda's and crating them for transport it's a lot easier if they do that part. I'm saving 85 lbs in weight total.....

John...
Cayo Costa has fixed docks you can use during the day but overnight is not permitted. And yes, the bugs can be bad. I'd been there just a few weeks before I meet up with Glenn on Mae-C and there were no bugs. When I went to meet Glenn there were 6 bazillion even during the day. Had to pull away from shore to do his oil change. That said, wintertime, early spring would be the best time to visit. Since we installed AC bugs be damned. We just close everything up before dusk and fire up the AC once the sun is down....

James

 

[SnowTexan]

“all the public beaches and islands between Key West and New Orleans”

Whoa. How many miles of trail is that!? I have section hiked parts of the PCT and the CDT and then I realized I prefer going where there are no trails. Or going where there used to be trails and seeing what is there now. I suspect that is the adventure you have been on all these years: old shipping routes, the seasonal highways of Americas first peoples, merchant stops, smugglers hideouts, beaches walked on by European explorers and civil war soldiers, islands people outside of the region have never heard about. That is far more than going for walks on beaches. You are stewards of the modern incarnation of these places, and the experience of being there now as it exists similarly or in stark contrast to the places that once were (or still are?). Please tell us, or someone, that story!! Why that area? Where did
You start and what kept you coming back? What did you find personally and what is the significance of this adventure to you? I hope you reach the 100% mark and then start another list!!! Good luck!

Nigel

 

[gulfcoast john]

Nigel, thanks for your kind comments.

When we started this quest we were 26 years old and in love and looking for an excuse to buy trailer boat #1. Now we are 65 on trailer boat #13 and still in love and still on that quest.

Maybe partly we like it because no other couple we knew of was doing it or even considering it (unlike the Great Loop or the Appalachian Trail or hiking to the highest point in each of the lower 48 states, which for Florida is 110 feet off a rest stop on I-10).

Partly because of the usually fascinating history barrier islands are likely to have, as you guessed. Partly because they tend to disappear faster than geologic changes rebuild new ones during our lifetime. Partly because the planning and logistics are always challenging enough to be interesting. Partly because we just thought it was a cool idea, but again we were 26 and in love.

When we met we were both active duty AF stationed at Eglin AFB and liked the 12 miles of AF-owned Santa Rosa Island beach that we could access at the guard shack with ID cards and some or any lame excuse. Then the AF built some weird looking towers and stopped allowing access even to AD with TS clearances, so it seems unlikely to us that another couple will bag that particular 12 mile section ever again. (If you have, sing out now!).

Horn Island off the Mississippi coast is the crown jewel. We hiked the 30 mile perimeter a hundred times (generally over 3 days) during the 22 years we lived in Ocean Springs. We moved to Pensacola in 2017. If you are stuck inside hunkering down, we highly recommend this 2005 book:

https://www.amazon.com/Horn-Plenty-Seas ... 1578066816

Katrina’s 34 vertical foot storm surge hit nearby Pass Christian in August 2005 and changed a lot. Including the trajectory of the author, a New Orleans clinical psychologist who became with this book an able naturalist. She describes visiting Horn by paying a Park approved concessionair boater to haul her and her spouse out there to camp out in tents over multiple seasons. Her appendix includes 11 single spaced pages listing the plants genus and species on Horn and Petite Bois and 7 dense pages on the birds of both.

Over 22 years in Ocean Springs, MS we grew to know many of the characters she described in the book. The chief scientist of the Gulf Coast Marine Lab was a neighbor.

After Katrina, author April became a very well respected speaker and PTSD counselor in the New Orleans tragedy who helped untold thousands through their grief and loss.

To us, this all seems just another example in how what seems like personal disasters can turn into personal triumphs if you are humble and have some of what the Greeks thought was ‘hubris’.

We are happily resigned to the fact that we’ll likely never complete this quest, mainly because much of the Chandelier chain in Louisiana is off limits during nesting season and very far offshore (up to 65 miles from Gulfport, MS) and very rough in the winter.

The good news is that we’ve found that many private islands that can only be reached by private boat or seaplane (like Dog Island off Carrabelle, FL) allow boat beaching and walking below the high tide line.

Like the Great Loop, we’d rather visit ‘the best parts’ of our quest multiple times even if we never finish the whole thing.

Nigel, thanks again for your interest!

James,
Thanks for the advice, we will take it.

Respects for all our Brat friends,
John

 

[Storm Dog]

Hi John

Good to see you make your way this way soon. We'd like to see you guys in our current stomping grounds. I've been to Ship Island, but that's about it. I've just recently bought a boat and have been working nearly every day here for a couple of years. We commute from Colorado Springs about 4 times a year to work on refurbishing houses. I don't know much about the barrier islands other than what's on the web. I did read that Admiral Farragut organized his fleet here at Ship Island prior to his successful attack and capture of New Orleans during the Civil war. His fleet was visible from Biloxi.

Ship island was cut in half by Hurricane Camille in '69 and repaired by the Army Corps of Engineers in 2019.

I bought a trailer to use for Mae-C while we're working here. It's a '97 Magic Tilt that I'll have to set up to hold the Dory. Pictures to be posted.


Glenn

 

[SnowTexan]

Thank you John for the glimpse into your motives and adventure. Love to hear and pass on these inspiring ways of living and doing in divisive times.

 

[gulfcoast john]

Greetings from Biloxi, MS, only 2 states away from home!

Today we headed out the Pensacola Pass into the Gulf of Mexico, headed west about 20 miles and cut back in at Perdido Pass. A few slams but nothing worrisome (I don’t advise Brats to take this route as the Gulf can turn snotty fast). The Gulf ICW is available but has a long no-wake zone off Perdido key. Even though it showed 88 degrees inside, with open windows and a big RTIC tumbler of ice water we were very comfortable.

Crossed Mobile Bay (long fetch, choose a weather window).

Stopped at the west 10 miles of Dauphin Island for a beach walk...pristine and beautiful.

Got in to the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor about 3:30. Gassed up at $2.60/gal, hooray! $3.20/gal even at our NAS marina in Pensacola. As usual during Gulf summers we prioritize getting shorepower aboard for the Coleman 15k BTU AC, and we have the cabin down to 73 degrees after dinner. Masks required inside public buildings but we saw good social distancing and common sense.

Marina has clean showers with AC. We shared a giant fried seafood platter with french fries and fried onion rings and debated about whether we should each take an extra Lipitor 20mg tonight, decided not to.

Tomorrow we hope to head back out the 15 miles to Horn Island and re-explore parts of it before returning to this marina.

The new props did not fall off so I assume I must have changed them out correctly.

Enjoy your boat and your next Adventure!

John

 

[hardee]

John, Sure glad you are enjoying your trip. Sounds great, and WOW, sure glad you have air conditioning. Our's was on today, 70-ish, and 30 knot on shore winds on the big strait. 4-6 foot waves 6-12 seconds. Good day to not be going across Juan de Fuca, but now the front is passed and musical docks will be playing again for the weekend.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

 

[gulfcoast john]

Greetings from Dauphin Island marina, AL!

Yesterday we walked along the Gulf side of Horn Island, (part of Gulf Islands National Seashore) taking dips along the way to cool off. It was calm and beautiful, 30 water miles round trip from the marina. Glenn on Mae-C texted re a meet but we declined, being the Covid sissies that we are.

Today we walked along the sound side of Petite Bois Island (all part of Gulf Islands National Seashore). Again very calm and beautiful, no waves. A bit warm at 92 degrees. Enroute, 88 degrees in the cabin was very comfy with the center window open at 22 MPH and a big RTIC tumbler of Crystal Lite.

Tomorrow, we hope to again cross the 20 miles of Mobile Bay and head back home to Pensacola. We have had multiple instances of the port engine not cranking when the key is moved to ‘Start’ on starting. Then on the 3rd or 5th try, boom, cranks right up in under 2 seconds like nothing happened.

Eileen says she thinks she hears a ‘click’ or two then. A google search reveals most likely a bad starter relay.

Now 71 degrees in the cabin and we are very comfy for the night. The marina charted ‘breakwater’ is demolished, and lots of daylight wakes. Go to Fowl River for calm docking.

In an old book the late Claiborne Young wrote that the Point Clear Marriott marina was very nice with a great breakfast buffet in the dining room overlooking Mobile Bay. We stayed there in 2010 or so and agree. However, now Active Captain reviews say it is $5.00 per foot per night and in addition you have to be staying in the resort. I believe this is most expensive marina in the US (and with cheap fixed wood docks). Do any brats have an example higher than this charge?

Any advice on the non-cranking switch issue?

Cheers!
John

 

[colbysmith]

John, regarding your starter. My Merc was doing that on Midnight Flyer, but was sporadic. I finally changed out the starter and that fixed it. Someone told me that sometimes they can develop a dead spot on the windings or something internal. Or maybe it was the solonoid, which is more or less part of the starter. Most times it would work normal. Then once in a while nothing, and I'd hit the key a second or third time and it would start right up. Later, after replacing the starter with a new one, I pulled the old one apart and cleaned it up. Perhaps it's working normal again now, I don't know. I stuck it in the box of the new one, and I think I still have it. Unless I already took it to the auction this past March. If I still have it, I plan to bring it to the auction next year. (I think I replaced it before going to Alaska last summer.) Colby

 

[gulfcoast john]

Thanks, Colby.

This morning at Dauphin Island marina we had a great boat breakfast and prepped to get underway. With one line to cast off, the port engine (#1 per Garmin) absolutely refused to crank, rather than to crank right up on the 3rd or 5th or 10th try in under 2 seconds flat like nothing had happened.

Eileen says she hears one or maybe two clicks.

I feel very fortunate if I can hear a Navy jet overhead at low altitude.

Engine #1:
“Me? You Criticizing me, man? I recently eventually started right up! And you two were off Petit Bois Island, MS, which even Sea-Tow has never heard of, even if you had been within VHF and Verizon range, which you guys were not! What’s your beef, Dude?”

Eileen:
“Are we going to have to stay here, or go 50-60 miles at 6 MPH on one engine? I don’t like either option!”

I knew I would have to do SOMETHING to impress this woman.

I knew it might be a failing electrical relay issue, and that it therefore might have something to do with, like, you know, electricity? Perhaps?

Explained this with fake confidence to my young beautiful bride.

Therefore I chose to start up #2 (cranks up in under 2 seconds flat), press in it’s fast neutral button to generate some Happy Juice, and turn the Engines battery switch to Combined.

Then I turned the key and…#1 started right up in 1 second flat!

Eileen:
“Oh, you’re so wonderful!”

Engine #1:
“You owe me one, Dude!”

Engine #2:
“How come I never get no respect for just doing what I’m supposed to do?”

Me:
“Thank you, God.”

We crossed Mobile Bay again in calm conditions (can be rough). Uneventful trip home and we are safe and sound.

This was a ‘let’s get out of here for a while’ expedition and it worked for us. Times are tough, but it’s possible to boat and do it safely without undue risks.

Tomorrow I call for an appointment for Engine #1 with the Yamaha tech.

If #1 chooses to be on good behavior and the diagnosis is UTR (‘unable to replicate’) it will get a new starter and relay and hopefully, a new attitude.

And you thought having a Millennial in his childhood bedroom was difficult!

Stay Safe and healthy!

Pics on the last page of the Cat O’ Mine album.

John

 

[colbysmith]

John, does each motor start on a different battery? IF so, perhaps your battery is bad or not getting a charge. Just a thought anyway, for what it's worth... Colby

 

[hardee]

John, Good temporary fix on the fly. And good planning -- that appointment you made. Always good to be TCB, Taking Care of Business.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon