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.

Thoughts or opinions??

Thanks
Steve
s/v Good Intentions

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/

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/

"Steve" wrote in message
...
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?

I went down to visit Halter Marine (a big shipbuilding operation with
locations in Gulfport, among others) for an interview.

I was looking into moorage and was really concerned about hurricane proof
(at least somewhat) moorage. They have a marina with breakwater on the Gulf
Coast, but if a hurricane threatens, everybody heads inland for the
protected inner bays.

The social aspects of the town didn't suit me so I didn't take the job. A
week after we decided NOT to truck the boat there, a hurricane rolled right
over Gulfport, about when the boat would have been delivered by truck


--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)

"Steve" wrote in message
...
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?

I went down to visit Halter Marine (a big shipbuilding operation with
locations in Gulfport, among others) for an interview.

I was looking into moorage and was really concerned about hurricane proof
(at least somewhat) moorage. They have a marina with breakwater on the Gulf
Coast, but if a hurricane threatens, everybody heads inland for the
protected inner bays.

The social aspects of the town didn't suit me so I didn't take the job. A
week after we decided NOT to truck the boat there, a hurricane rolled right
over Gulfport, about when the boat would have been delivered by truck


--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)

Thanks for all the helpful responses here and in private emails.

If I take up full retirement in Gulfport MS, I have to have a marina where I
can leave my boat with confidence since I will be doing other travel, well
outside of the area.. (summer home in Pac. NW., Family scattered all over
US).

It is my understanding that I can find such moorage (cheap) by going inland
via the back waters and that should be safe from the hurricanes for an
unattended boat.

I have always 'looked down' on boat owners who neglect their boats between
sailing seasons, but now I may be one of them.

I still have a few more years of cruising in the Pac NW, Mex. and Central
America. From there I have never made any specific crusing plans.

I recently found that I could live very cheaply/comfortably at the Armed
Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport and still have my independence to do what
ever my age and health would allow.

Thanks again, further comments are still welcome..

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Thanks for all the helpful responses here and in private emails.

If I take up full retirement in Gulfport MS, I have to have a marina where I
can leave my boat with confidence since I will be doing other travel, well
outside of the area.. (summer home in Pac. NW., Family scattered all over
US).

It is my understanding that I can find such moorage (cheap) by going inland
via the back waters and that should be safe from the hurricanes for an
unattended boat.

I have always 'looked down' on boat owners who neglect their boats between
sailing seasons, but now I may be one of them.

I still have a few more years of cruising in the Pac NW, Mex. and Central
America. From there I have never made any specific crusing plans.

I recently found that I could live very cheaply/comfortably at the Armed
Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport and still have my independence to do what
ever my age and health would allow.

Thanks again, further comments are still welcome..

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Steve,
I was stationed at the Seabee base in Gulfport from 76 to 79, which means I
am out of date, but perhaps I can help a little. The marinas there are
actually on the Mississippi Sound, not directly on the Gulf. This still
does not give a lot of protection from storms. There was one each year I
was there, or very near missess which are just as bad for a boat in the
harbors on the Sound. Nearly everyone takes their boats into the back bay
area behind Biloxi for shelter. I grew up on Galveston Bay, so the weather
was not an issue for me. I would have liked to remain living there but the
Navy transferred me to CA and I never returned. The folks living there are
very friendly and I still have friends from there, now 30 years.
Good luck,
Greg Luckett

"Steve" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all the helpful responses here and in private emails.

If I take up full retirement in Gulfport MS, I have to have a marina where
I
can leave my boat with confidence since I will be doing other travel, well
outside of the area.. (summer home in Pac. NW., Family scattered all over
US).

It is my understanding that I can find such moorage (cheap) by going
inland
via the back waters and that should be safe from the hurricanes for an
unattended boat.

I have always 'looked down' on boat owners who neglect their boats between
sailing seasons, but now I may be one of them.

I still have a few more years of cruising in the Pac NW, Mex. and Central
America. From there I have never made any specific crusing plans.

I recently found that I could live very cheaply/comfortably at the Armed
Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport and still have my independence to do
what
ever my age and health would allow.

Thanks again, further comments are still welcome..

Steve
s/v Good Intentions






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Steve,
I was stationed at the Seabee base in Gulfport from 76 to 79, which means I
am out of date, but perhaps I can help a little. The marinas there are
actually on the Mississippi Sound, not directly on the Gulf. This still
does not give a lot of protection from storms. There was one each year I
was there, or very near missess which are just as bad for a boat in the
harbors on the Sound. Nearly everyone takes their boats into the back bay
area behind Biloxi for shelter. I grew up on Galveston Bay, so the weather
was not an issue for me. I would have liked to remain living there but the
Navy transferred me to CA and I never returned. The folks living there are
very friendly and I still have friends from there, now 30 years.
Good luck,
Greg Luckett

"Steve" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all the helpful responses here and in private emails.

If I take up full retirement in Gulfport MS, I have to have a marina where
I
can leave my boat with confidence since I will be doing other travel, well
outside of the area.. (summer home in Pac. NW., Family scattered all over
US).

It is my understanding that I can find such moorage (cheap) by going
inland
via the back waters and that should be safe from the hurricanes for an
unattended boat.

I have always 'looked down' on boat owners who neglect their boats between
sailing seasons, but now I may be one of them.

I still have a few more years of cruising in the Pac NW, Mex. and Central
America. From there I have never made any specific crusing plans.

I recently found that I could live very cheaply/comfortably at the Armed
Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport and still have my independence to do
what
ever my age and health would allow.

Thanks again, further comments are still welcome..

Steve
s/v Good Intentions






-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

I live in Gulfport and keep my boat in Gulfport's Bert Jones Yacht Basin.
In is on the Mississippi Sound. For hurricanes we move the boat to the
rivers and back bays for protection. This occurs about every 2 to 3 years
with a actual hurricane hitting us about every 8 to 10 years. Most
hurricanes are near misses. There are a few marina's that one may consider
more safe located on the back bays etc. However the tidal swing with a
hurricane can be 10 feet plus which would require tying up the boat with
that in mind. No marina's utilize floating docks except for Oak Harbor in
Slidell. I would consider Oak Harbor a reasonable hurricane hole.

Also, slips are somewhat hard to get. There are waiting lists.

While the hurricane season is 6 months long normally August, September,
October (first 1/2) are the real caution months. I have hurricane email
alerts sent to be to keep up to date and normally have days to get ready.



"Steve" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all the helpful responses here and in private emails.

If I take up full retirement in Gulfport MS, I have to have a marina where
I
can leave my boat with confidence since I will be doing other travel, well
outside of the area.. (summer home in Pac. NW., Family scattered all over
US).

It is my understanding that I can find such moorage (cheap) by going
inland
via the back waters and that should be safe from the hurricanes for an
unattended boat.

I have always 'looked down' on boat owners who neglect their boats between
sailing seasons, but now I may be one of them.

I still have a few more years of cruising in the Pac NW, Mex. and Central
America. From there I have never made any specific crusing plans.

I recently found that I could live very cheaply/comfortably at the Armed
Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport and still have my independence to do
what
ever my age and health would allow.

Thanks again, further comments are still welcome..

Steve
s/v Good Intentions