Boating around Gulf Shores Florida??

[Leroy]

For spring break we are looking at going to Gulf Shores and want to take our MC.

I know there are some people on here from there. Where are the best places to go for boating, fishing, skiing, etc? Any suggestions for doing this? Realize the salt water issues.

Meeting another family in Indy that has done this before and has the navigational maps and such.

[Ski-A-Rees]

If you come to the Sarasota / Bradenton area, you can ski in fresh or salt water. In the Bradenton area you can ski in the manatee river which is fresh if you go far enough up stream and the river flows into the gulf which then you could cruse down to Sarasota through the intercoastal. The river empty's into Tampa bay and you can go to Anna Maria Island or go out to The Sunshine Skyway. This would be a great place to vaction espically if you found a place to rent with a boat dock! Sundays to could come to Ski-A-Rees and watch a free Water Ski Show.

[Stritt]

When we lived in MO a few years ago, we towed the 205V to Key West for the week. Best trip we EVER had! Water was beautiful, dolphins by the boat the kids loved it! Becareful with the salt water! I thought I rinsed the boat after the first day, well the next day we came back and the boat had salt crystal dryed on the boat everwhere. The ramp we used had a flush out system which was nice. The trailer, make sure you really flush it well. Any paint chips were soon turned to rust. The traveling with the boat for 1400 miles each way was no big deal, but it took a little xtra gas :eek:

Now that we live down here, we have a 197.....needless to say it is not going in the ocean.

[mgurley]

Some friends and I routinely go to that area to go offshore fishing. However we usually just put in at Ft. Morgan marina and head out into the gulf.

The Bay should be a great place for boating etc.. though. You should be able to find a launch in Mobile Bay realativly easy.

Be sure to check out the Flora-Bama it is a great little bar right on the beach. It was pretty heavily damaged by Ivan, but I hear they are open again. We have pulled right up to the beach on our fishing boat and gone in to have some great times.

[dmac]

If you are going to Gulf shores, I would look to get into the intercoastal and head to the east toward Orange Beach and Perdido Key. We frequented that area for the 10 years we lived in Pensacola. The IC has enough bays and inlets that you are able to find places to ski, etc. I would got that route before I would go out in Mobile Bay. The IC is more or less protected. The downside, salt water.

[dmac]

Be sure to check out the Flora-Bama it is a great little bar right on the beach. It was pretty heavily damaged by Ivan, but I hear they are open again. We have pulled right up to the beach on our fishing boat and gone in to have some great times.
I second the recommendation for the Flora-Bama. It has a lot of history and Jimmy B. has been known to show up from time to time. I am glad to hear that it is open again.

[Leroy]

Thanks for all of the inputs, we have found 4 houses for rent on the beach around Fort Morgan that are also pet friendly. Amazing to me, right off the deck is the beach and ocean. I think all of them are recently opened again after being repaired from the hurricane. Also called the Ft Morgan Marina and they said call back week or so before coming and they should have many more slips in. Could also part at the rental house.


Any other input greatly appreciated, never been in that area before. I wasn't even sure if 23' Maristar would safely handle the water there!

[dsoby]

Leroy,
I hope that you are doing your homework before going to the Alabama gulf coast in the near future. We vacation down there every summer but the information that I am currently getting is that the Gulf Shores area pretty much doesn't exist anymore. Most of the beach sand has been blown away leaving bare clay on the shoreline and that most buildings including shops and restaurants are gone. We usually hook up with about 10 families from around the country in July and the consensus from most is that they are going to skip the trip this year. There is a large (usually) fresh water lake in Gulf Shores but it is presently closed due to all of the debris and I'm sure that it is very salty after Ivan.

[Leroy]

dsoby; Thanks for the info. I've heard of Gulf Shores State park lake and damage there (think that is the lake you are talking about). They said the hurricane cut a canal from the ocean to the lake. People keep saying there is sand there and it isn't clay around Ft Morgan. They did say the dunes were flattened. Presently report is 51% of the restaurants have reopened, so you get the feeling there is a lot of construction there.

I would really like to talk to someone that's been there as tourist or lives there.