mittens

So I am taking the 342 down to gulf shores, will be parking it in a safe location, for the first week while I do the family thing at a condo.
we check out of condo on Saturday May 25th.

My Billy Bowlegs Boat trip (in Fort Walton), starts May 26th. (dont get house until that morning.)

SO i have one day/ night We are going to stay on the boat, and explore a new area, and Orange beach seams like a legit option.

SO any of you know a good place to launch, that I can leave the truck and trailer over night, safe and nice doc so the girl can hold boat with out it getting rocked into the doc?

Any good places to anchor fort he night? places to make sure and check out?

Lunch and dinner spots? coming and going by boat?

any info to make the one day one night would be great.

nailit

there is a launch off of Marina Dr that puts you at the opening to the bay or whatever that is under the bridge.

its a nice launch that you turn by the Walgreens, on Orange Beach blvd and turn right on Marina dr and go to the end. I launched my 25ol there one year and we went across and ran up on beach there..

You could probably overnight around there too. locals can chime in.. we are local for 1 week a year.. well 2 this year, we spent new years there too.

Hook'em

Bring the 33 over the week of 6/15 Nailit. We'll have a group of Baja's running between GS and Destin that week.

That ramp (in the cut) has some current and traffic to work around (talkin bout the lil lady holding the boat). There's another ramp down on the (West) end of Cotton Bayou thats real calm. Look on google maps.

You need to hit Pirates Cove for the Bush Wackers and resident beach bum dog pack. LuLu's is a "boat up" joint on the canal but typical tourist BS. Happy Harbor is cool dive bar on the east end of Cotton, live band every night on the dock. Peg Leg Pete's is a cool boat up spot off Santa Rosa sound around Navarre, great sea food. You might hit that one from your place closer to Destin for BB legs.

mittens

Boggy Point Landing is the one ramp a buddy told me about. sounds like the one your talking about Natilit. here is a link to it on a map. Seams like it would have lots of traffic.... and I am not sure about over night parking.
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Peg+L...h&z=19&iwloc=A

This is the far west end of Cottons Buoy. Looks like that would be easier to launch and not be rocked around. Just need to find out about parking. this the one your talking about hookem?
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Peg+L...h&z=19&iwloc=A


Yea I know about LULUs, going to pass on that, been there done that. Peg Leg Pete's is closer to where I will be the following week you are correct. the Pensacola run is fun from where we will be.

But the Pirates cove, and Happy Harbor is a possibility. need to know a spot to anchor for the night as well.

diverkr

Cobalt is a pretty fun place right next to the big bridge. Large restaurant right on the water with plenty of outdoor seating. Their floating docks are new and usually empty, not sure about shore power but it's protected. You can always hit up the Florabama!

CraneHillFast

Cotton bayou is under construction. New docks and parking. If its complete no doubt that is the best place. If not marina road is second best option

I was down there this past weekend and they were damn close to having cotton bayou finished.

Pirates Cove is a must, tacky jacks and Lu Lu's on the ditch and then also happy harbor oyster bay. For a good dinner spot sunset marina is pretty good or even the oyster bar there at the bridge.

The no wake zone has also been extended to the east from oba pass. Heard they have been pulling people over left and right.

CraneHillFast

For anchoring, I would be east of the perdido bridge towards p cola. Plenty of room and cover from wind. Never done it but if I was making plans that would be first option

Good call on skipping lulu's. the place is a "touron" trap with terrible food. There is a brand new tacky jacs just across the ditch however where the food is good but also has protected parking. If I were headed that way, I would skip both and go to happy harbor oyster bay. Low key, good food and neat little place. If it is high tide you may have to go around the long way to get there. Ur boat may not fit under bridge. Just be careful, it gets a little hairy with the channel. Pay attention to your depth sounder.

Pirates cove cheeseburgers and bushwackers is where it's at. I haven't seen it yet but someone said they have all new docks there and dredged.

looseconnection

If you are staying on the hook one night I would suggest the channel that splits robinson island and the island to the north. I know it is right there by the launch but you really are not distracted by action there. This is also a great place to let your family enjoy the water, early in the year the jelly fish are not bad in the area.

If you are looking for a transient slip most of the marinas offer this but some lack the luxury items other have, call marinas and verify. I know that the Wharf has great dock age.

As far as restaurants go: Cobalt is a great location but as far as I know the docking is limited so coming by water is a maybe, Zekes has a few places to eat but no docking for coming by boat. Tacky Jacks on cotton bayou has many places to park and eat, Calypso Joes at orange beach marina has places to park and eat, bear point has places to dock and eat limited, Wharf has dock and eat.

Happy Harbor-call and check if these places are still open, last I saw several had been shut down. We will be in the area that weekend and have a house on Marina Road. We are supposed to be leaving Friday morning for a fishing trip but may get weathered out. Send me a pm if you need more info.

mittens

I have a place I can stay on a dock that has 110, So I may use my adapter, and tie it up there for the night and run AC all night. depending on weather. if nice, we will stay on a hook.


the problem i am having is a decent spot to launch/ park truck OVERNIGHT. everywhere I find is no overnight parking.

looseconnection

Call Orange Beach Marina. I know they have a large area that is trailer boat storage in a chain link fence an it is not too far of a walk from boggy point launch. Maybe you could pay to park for a night... I would offer our driveway but we will be out of room once my boat is there that weekend.

LC