Best cruising guide for Northern Gulf Coast

[salty4568]

I would imagine this has been hashed over sometime previously, but my search didn't turn up one, so ....

We're planning to leave Rockport, Texas for the Keys and the Bahamas in a few months. I would like your opinions on the best cruising guide from here to the Keys and/or Marathon. The "Cruising Guide to the Northern Gulf Coast" by Young has a notation that it is out of date due to Katrina, at least until later this year.

Thanks,

Skip

[PBzeer]

Are you planning on go straight across, or by the Waterway? If by the Waterway, Dozier's Southern Guide Book (unless they've renamed it) covers Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, as well as the Bahamas. They should have it at West Marine if you want to look at it. It's what I used when I left Clear Lake.

[salty4568]

Hi, John,

We'd like to split the difference and coast a bit offshore, with stops along the way, and probably do some of the Waterway, too. We don't want to motor all the way, though.

Thanks,
Skip
"Brigadoon"
Rockport, Texas

[PBzeer]

If you want to do that, I'd suggest offshore to the Calcesieu River, then to East of New Orleans on the waterway, then you're back offshore as much as you want to be.

[sidney777]

Hello, you can go into Gulf at Panama City you will avoid some narrow river-like areas on the way to Apalachicola( The wide areas are too shallow to anchor). Ft. Walton Beach,Fl has a free dock,water,pumpout, and you can walk two blocks to large grocery stores, all types of restaurants. Enterprise will allso "pick you up". West Marine is about 1,-2 miles away. Plenty of places to anchor near Pensacola. ( Port St. Joe; has a Deep Bay surrounded by peninsula. Just Beautiful. Has marina you can get into easily).
Believe me, Mobile Bay is something to avoid,shallow water, narrow channels to get to Marinas, bad weather,wind.
Miles & time between N. Florida Port entrances from/to Gulf can put you in the dark. Destin,Fl has very beautiful Blue water and great place to anchor.
Many Military/Air bases. Coast Guard may board you. Restricted Military NO sail areas along this northern coast. My Chartplotter GPS illustrated these areas.. Fl, Northern Coast is deep, just gets deeper as you go out. Many Great Circle route Cruisers go from
Aplach to Steinhatchie, Fl (1st spot you can enter) @80 miles. VERY shallow near Steinhatchie, Crystal River,Yankeetown.