Destin, FL Area

Dude_Himself

Going to travel to Destin, FL for work the third week of February. I'm thinking of dragging the boat down and anchoring out, instead of getting a local room. Looks like the Ross Marler park has a nice ramp, and there's some places I can anchor and ride the water taxi to dinner in the harbor. Any Destin locals on here to answer a few questions?

Thanks in advance!

Cableguy Greg

I don't know anything about the marinas down there, but I will be there from the 15th to the 20th of February. 

rasbury

I bought my boat up in that area- can't tell you much about it other than it looked beautiful and probably the last part of Florida that is not over developed. I would for sure take the boat.

Dude_Himself

Cableguy Greg said:

I don't know anything about the marinas down there, but I will be there from the 15th to the 20th of February. 

Ok, you stalking me?! Those are the same dates I'll be there.

Dude_Himself

A local confirmed that Ross Marler ramp is open 24x7, with overnight parking allowed.

Current plan is to launch in the evening, find a nice spot to drop the hook, anchor out, then raise the anchor in the am, run the boat back up on the trailer, and drag it with me to work. Work in this case is flying off the beach there, working with an Instructor to get my Instructor and Tandem ratings in powered paragliding. It's a lot more work than finding a local AirBnB, but I'm seriously romanticizing this offgrid boating plan in my head. Backup plan: there's a few local storage places (plus the warehouse my instructor owns) that I could drop it if there's issues, and I could just sleep in the van (Ford E-350 SuperDuty). I was homeless a while and I'm totally ok with just bumming around with my hammock and gas stove.

Thoughts?

Cableguy Greg

Dude_Himself said:

Cableguy Greg said:

I don't know anything about the marinas down there, but I will be there from the 15th to the 20th of February. 

Ok, you stalking me?! Those are the same dates I'll be there.

When I am wanting a boat ride, I know how to find you. LOL

Willhound

Coincidentally the Admiral and I are also in FLA around then, from the 12th to 22nd but further down in the Tampa Bay area. I've been investigating the Destin/Panama Beach area though and want to take a run up and check out some of the marina's in the area. I had heard that there a few up there that still allow liveaboards/long term stays. One of our possible retirement plans is to keep a boat in a slip and stay for 6 months every winter, dry store it in the summer when we'd be doing the same up on Georgian Bay. Maybe just a pipe dream, not sure.

Handymans342

Sounds good to me Will

Handymans342

There are a few good marinas south of Tampa around us as well as St Pete too.

Willhound

Have relatives living in **** Gorda. They were mentioning some of the marina's in the area. Might try and get down to see them this winter and look around. Don't want to hijack this thread but at some point I'll either start a new thread or PM a few of you Florida guys to get ideas. I'm getting mixed information regarding long term stays. We're not looking for true "liveaboard" 24/7/365, but would want to occupy the boat through the winter months. But no other fixed address, at least not in Florida.
Not sure how most of the marina's would feel about that...

rasbury

I think most of the marinas from what I see have live aboard....you can't do it at the holiday inn docs...I'd think you will find plenty.

howardrams

Here's a pic of the entrance to the bay at Destin, taken last year from the deck at Margaritaville.  Going again this year; not taking boat though.  I wish!