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Moonstruck

Moonstruck

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Joined
Nov 27, 2008
Messages
8,276
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Moonstruck
Vessel Make
Sabre 42 Hardtop Express
When the weather has cooled a little, and the inverter problem is resolved, It would be nice to do some leisurely, local cruising. In thinking of places, it suddenly dawned on me that we are within 15 miles of a great one----Vero Beach. They have mooring balls, dinghy dock, showers, lounge, WIFI, and a free bus shuttle to the beach and town. You can be dropped at West Marine or Publix super market. The marina waters are well protected from wakes.

For cruisers, it doesn't get much better than Vero Beach. Many of you have probably stayed there on your North/South runs.

Another good place is Pecks Lake about 25 miles south of Ft. Pierce. Beach access is good, but it is exposed to some daytime wakes. Much more isolated than Vero.

I am sure that many of you have some favorite close by places. Let's hear about them.
 
Timely post Don. I will be doing a yacht delivery in mid to late August of a Bertram from Wilmington, N.C to Vero Beach. I haven't been through Vero by boat since the Mid 80's.
 
Well, you're probably mostly interested in east coast destinations but we do have one or two halfway decent places to go out here in Indian Territory.

Here are four of our favorites that range from about 20 miles to perhaps 30 or so away from Bellingham. Since my job prevents us from taking but one extended cruise a year we go to all four of these spots as weekend cruises as frequently as we can year round.

1. Sucia Island 2. Prevost Harbor 3. Westsound 4,5 Reads Bay
 

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Marin said:
Well, you're probably mostly interested in east coast destinations but we do have one or two halfway decent places to go out here in Indian Territory.
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No this is equal opportunity. Beautiful pictures Marin:thumb:. There are great cruising places all around our coasts. They Great Lakes have some great ones. The picture Per posted of his boat anchored at Catalina Island was especially nice:thumb:. Anymore?
 
Not as exotic as Vero Beach or the PNW, but sometimes you can't beat the peacefulness of being anchored out in a quiet cove on the TN River. :)
 

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Don, When we were over in your area I particularly liked the Stuart anchorage. The marina personal were nice and helpful and they provided a bus service to several places in town. Well protected and the price is hard to beat.
Closer to home I like Englewood Beach and Pelican Bay both on the west coast of Florida.
But my all time favorite is Moores on the north end of Longboat Key. Just 18 miles from our slip, great food nearby and the neighborhoods around Longboat Key are fun to bike around.
First picture is the Stuart Anchorage
Second is Englewood Beach
 

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Dog Island and Apalachicola are hard to beat for us, Dog Island has 3 good anchorages, all with beautiful white sand beach access/views and clear water. Apalach is a great little victorian (3,000 souls) town with awesome seafood and multiple dirt cheap marinas.

Unless it is the time of year when people are making the jump from Carrabelle to Tarpon Springs as part of the loop we often go a week and only see one or two other cruising boats up here.

I will try to dig up some pics.
 
Tim, all great places that I am familiar with. Pelican Bay is like a second home to Moonstruck. The canal at Boca Grande was great until the water rights ownership dispute started up. Here is a picture near Moore's inside Long Boat Pass. It is a great anchorage.

img_95648_0_15ce11d2c4461089481de343bdd407d6.jpg
 
Dougcole said:
Dog Island and Apalachicola are hard to beat for us, Dog Island has 3 good anchorages, all with beautiful white sand beach access/views and clear water. Apalach is a great little victorian (3,000 souls) town with awesome seafood and multiple dirt cheap marinas.

Unless it is the time of year when people are making the jump from Carrabelle to Tarpon Springs as part of the loop we often go a week and only see one or two other cruising boats up here.

I will try to dig up some pics.
Click to expand...

Doug, please post pictures of the Dog Island anchorage. I haven't been to the beach there, but have stayed behind the island while waiting to cross the Gulf. Horn Island in Mississippi is also nice. They both get very crowded on weekends. I'm surprised no one has mentioned anchoring behind Perdido Key in Big Lagoon near Pensacola.

I noticed that you refer to Applachicola as Appalach. That's very local you know.
 
Here's a shot of the upper end of the Appalachiacola, from last yr when bringing my boat home. This was just after TS Lee had gone through hence the missus wearing flannel PJ bottoms late in the morning. I truly wish we lived closer to this area as it was my favorite cruising of the trip.

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As far as big lagoon goes it is a beautiful spot to anchor, missed it by that much (in Maxwell Smart voice). Read my thread about bringing my boat over for a few chuckles. Around here though, there's Picnic Island, the cove in the miserable mile, Lover's Key and pelican bay. I hope to make it to both of the last two soon and I'll shoot some pics.
 
Bay Springs Lake on the Tombigbee Waterway is the spot for me!! The water is the clearest around and there are some beautiful and quiet coves to get away from it all.
 

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Be careful they don’t call it "Velcro Beach" for nothing. We have known many on their way south just stick it out in VB
:rofl:

Moonstruck said:
When the weather has cooled a little, and the inverter problem is resolved, It would be nice to do some leisurely, local cruising. In thinking of places, it suddenly dawned on me that we are within 15 miles of a great one----Vero Beach. They have mooring balls, dinghy dock, showers, lounge, WIFI, and a free bus shuttle to the beach and town. You can be dropped at West Marine or Publix super market. The marina waters are well protected from wakes.

For cruisers, it doesn't get much better than Vero Beach. Many of you have probably stayed there on your North/South runs.

Another good place is Pecks Lake about 25 miles south of Ft. Pierce. Beach access is good, but it is exposed to some daytime wakes. Much more isolated than Vero.

I am sure that many of you have some favorite close by places. Let's hear about them.
Click to expand...
 
Hope Island, Washington State at Sunset.

Nice cove with mooring bouys, a beach, and primitive camping sites where you can make a fire overlooking the Puget Sound. Just a few miles from Deception Pass.
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