On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 00:17:48 -0800, "Steve" wrote:

I don't know much about this part of the Gulf Coast but it's on my list of
possible spots to relocate to or have a winter moorage.. (I may try my hand
at some 'snow birding')..

Is this 'safe haven', or how far away would I have to go for a year round
safe haven for moorage?

Excuse me it this seems a dumb question, but I have always sailed in the
Pacific and never paid much attentions to the weather patterns of the Gulf
Coast.

Hi Steve!

Gulfport/Biloxi is not a bad place to be. In fact I was going to move
myself and "Final Step" there, but wound up staying in New Iberia, LA.
Now, to us the winter is terrible and COLD as we watch the Snowbirds
frolic on the beach. This time of year it's been colder than usual -
hi's anywhere from 50's to low 70's and lows 50's down to a numbing 29
a few mornings.

The big black eye for folks not in hurricane country are of course
hurricanes, June through November. In fact, your chances of
experiencing one are really pretty slim and there's almost always
plenty of time to move one's vessel up one of the canals. Let's see,
I'm 58 and have been on the Gulf coast almost all my life. I've
experienced 5 of 'em. The worse was Andrew, the wimpiest was Juan,
which hit, left, hit, left, hit, left, etc. The others were so-so.

The Mississippi, Alabama and Northwest Florida coasts don't have a
whole lot of hurricane holes and the few tend to be crowded. Louisiana
has gobs and aren't crowded at all. You may want to consider the North
Shore area of Louisiana. This is the North shore of Lake
Pontchartrain, across from New Orleans. Mandeville has a bunch of
marinas in Bayou Castaig (SP?) and Madisonville and Slidell have some.

Email me if you want more specifics.

Rick



S/V Final Step
http://www.morelr.com/coronado/