I just want to give a quick report from a week in FWB. When I lived here 20 + years ago we used to sail from the Gulf Isleands Seashore, aka Leeside Park. This week we stayed at the Hampton Inn at the foot of Brooks Bridge. It is walking distance from Marler Park which for those so inclined is next to Sammy's and the Green Frog. Marler Park has two ramps and from the ramp you can walk your boat down to a nice beach for hoisting sails and final rigging.
After rigging and sailing on Sunday I pulled the boat up on the beach to leave it overnight. A park worker was locking up ( the park is locked after sunset, a good thing ). He asked me if I planned to leave the boat there overnight. I told him I hoped to do that for a few days if it was ok. He told me he really didn't know if it was "legal" or not but it was no problem for him.
So I got in a nice couple hours on Sunday with my kid and her friend.
Monday I was on my own for an epic day on the bay and gulf. I went down to Crab Island, under the Destin Bridge, out the pass into the Gulf and about halfway back to FWB. Then I headed over to the FWB Yacht Club for a short break, then back to Marler Park. The south wind was perfect for the reach to and from destin and also just right for going under the bridge and thru the pass.
Tuesday my crew was back but it was cloudy and the southeast breeze made Destin a long beat from FWB. We beat across the bay for about 45 minutes, then gave up on Crab Island/Destin, and beam/broad reached back to the park in 15 minutes.
Marler Park seems like a fairly safe place to leave a boat unattended and so far for a few days it's been ok. I check on it a few time a day when we are out and about and since it's so close to the hotel it's not a bothersome task. One more day on the water if we don't get blown out tomorrow, then we pack it up and head for Memphis.
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Tim
Collierville (Memphis), TN
Supercat 15--sold :(
Hobie monocat--given
Vanguard 15--traded for...
Nacra 4.5--sold
Nacra 5.7
Hobie 14–sold to make room for...
Supercat 17–sold
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Fort Walton Beach
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- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Apr 15, 2004
- Last visit: Jan 13, 2023
- Posts: 358
Posted: Mar 11, 2014 - 02:06 PM
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- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Jul 20, 2011
- Last visit: Apr 07, 2019
- Posts: 323
Posted: Mar 11, 2014 - 03:46 PM
Great story Tim, sounds like it was a lot of fun!
Hope to see ya out on the lake a bunch this year, taking my new to me Hobie 20 out next weekend at arkabuttla if the weather is nice
Tim G
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Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
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- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Nov 07, 2013
- Last visit: Nov 10, 2017
- Posts: 44
Posted: Mar 12, 2014 - 02:35 PM
I lived there when I was a kid, and got to go back for the Nacra nationals in 1987. It was some of the most enjoyable sailing I ever did! Nice to hear it's still nice.
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Peyton Adair
Prindle 18 classic
Hobie 17
Hobie Wave
Wichita KS
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