# Apalachicola Bay Boating



## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

Our family & friends have scheduled a week long vacation at St George Island, beginning on May 18. We will be staying at a rental, about 1/2 mile east of Sikes Cut. We are considering renting a pontoon boat for some fishing & excursions. We are not new to boating, but we are "green-horns" when it comes to saltwater. We would only be navigating the Apalachicola Bay Area. My question is; what are the dangers in this area? from web searching I read that there are some extremely shallow waters within the bay and the last thing we need is to get "stuck". Are the channels well marked with navigational aids, etc? Any information anyone could provide would be most helpful. Thanks in advance. Pete


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## Patriot (Jun 4, 2009)

That bay is very large and can get rough as heck in the winter time. The best thing to do is talk to one of the Marina's down there or one of the tackle shops to get the local perspective. If you are renting a pontoon boat from a boat rental business, they will also have very good insight on the bay and conditions.


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

if there is a marked channel be sure to stay in it i cannot stress this enough in some of those channels it is only inches deep just outside of them especially with a good north wind blowing


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## LawyerBoaterGuy (Aug 21, 2008)

Pete, My family has owned a beach house on SGI since the 60's (gulf-front lot plus 1500 sq. foot house for $30K in 65) and I fish there every summer. Unlike Pensacola Bay, Appalach Bay can be very shallow and very muddy. One foot of water looks pretty much like 10 feet of water. And there's oyster reefs in many places. Get a chart. The chanels are pretty well marked and maintained, so if you stay inside the markers, you should be OK. The oyster reefs are usually marked with a PVC pipe or two so keep an eye open for these. If you are going to fish the government cut or the East Pass between SGI and Dog Island, there's plenty of water there. West Pass, between SGI and St. Vincent Island, is much trickier, and the sand bars there are constantly moving around. The flats off of the state park are huge and a great place for reds and trout and spanish. Lots of grass beds in about 4-6 feet of water. You can drift these areas all day long. There's a good spot just north of Goose Island, which next to East Cove, which looks like a sandbar. It will have dozens of birds on it. Just east of this island is an area about 4 feet deep that runs for a couple of hundred yards. Good to drift over, with live bait or artificials. Beachside, in the surf, is a great place for whiting (which tastes great). If you have time, take a run up the Appalach River. Some very cool stuff all over that place.


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## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

Thanks for the tip. I'll do that.


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## LawyerBoaterGuy (Aug 21, 2008)

dont get me wrong--you dont have to stick to only the channels. In a pontoon, you arent going to draw much water and you should be OK as long as you know how to read a chart. A depth gage is also very helpful. If you go up the river, get a chart for that too. There are all kinds of places to get lost up there and often times, you are the only person around for miles. My kids and I love skiing up in that river. A few years ago, we found a platform about 50 feet up a cypress tree that hung out over the river. Steps going all of the way up. Kids loved it but I thought that I would never get my wife down.


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## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

Thanks for the info & caution. I will heed your warning. My "gut feeling" has been that we could be asking for trouble.


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## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

Thanks for the information and tips. I want to make this an enjoyable trip for everyone & avoid problems where I can. Thanks again, I really appreciate the help. Pete


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

i agree with taking a trip up theriver alot of wildlife to see


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## LawyerBoaterGuy (Aug 21, 2008)

If you go up the River, you shouldnt have any problems with depth. It's a deep river--even the side creeks and such. Fishing can be really good up that river too. When you have been on the River all day and the day is almost over and you are heading down the river, into the sunset on the horizon, you pull into Appalachicola, tie up, and you have oysters & cold beer waiting on you. Hell of a day.


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## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

I love this site! You guys are fantastic, not inactive like some of the forums I have been on in my area. I can see that you truly want us to have the experience of a lifetime that we are looking forward to. I have a soldier who is serving in Afghanistan. He is a combat engineer, and his main job is IED removal and keeping the insurgents in check. He has missed his family so much from being in such a volatile environment. He wanted to get a family vacation together to celebrate his return home. This is a vacation of a lifetime for us. We are pulling out all "stops" and want to create memories that will last for a lifetime. The only thing I don't understand, with all that sand he has been exposed to for months on end; why choose a location like Florida, with all the sand. I suppose when we remove the threat of IED's and insurgents wanting to take you out, it is more understandable. Thanks Again, you guys are great!!!


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## LawyerBoaterGuy (Aug 21, 2008)

Shoot me a PM if you have any other questions. Like I said, I have been coming to SGI for over 40 years. I love it there. No high rise condos. Lots of families. Lots of fishermen. Reminds me of the way Pensacola Beach used to be. May is a great time to be at SGI--warm enough to enjoy the water and beach but not balls hot like July can be.


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## k-p (Oct 7, 2009)

St. George is great, kinda like "old florida". There's great fishing in the surf if you don't feel like taking out a boat. I would highly suggest calling one of the Robinson brothers to take you out for a day and show you the lay of the land, then you could probably be on your own. It would probably be $$ up front but worth it tenfold after they showed you where to go and how to do it. Apalach is one of the last unspoiled places in Florida.


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## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

That's good, sound advice. First time out a guide would be well worth the cost. Thanks


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

*Nothing like sitting on the porch of Gibson Inn and watching the traffic flow through Apalach. Most of the old large homes were first built in New England, then dismantled, floated to Apalach, and re-built. 

Apalach is also the birth place of refrigeration. Check out the little museum about it.*


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## baldona523 (Mar 2, 2008)

I wouldn't worry about the sand/ oyster bars too much in a pontoon. Just don't go at high speed if you are out of a channel, as said they float in little water so if you are to run aground you just have 1-2 people get off the boat and it will usually be floating again.


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## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

We were going to take in some of the sites in the area while we were there. We will definitely put the museum on the list. Thanks


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## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

Thanks, that gives me a little more peace of mind. We will definitely take it easy though.


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## grey ghost (Jul 24, 2011)

fyi-- if its windy you will no to turn around, that bay can get "ROUGH quick" winter or summer! Its huge, I would not want to even try to cross that bay in a pontoon! Just my opinion, i have crossed it many times in my 26 ft cc.


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## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

Thanks, how much wind do you think a 23' pontoon with a 35hp could safely handle.


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## grey ghost (Jul 24, 2011)

well its not only the wind, but other boat traffic, lots of shrimp boats etc.


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## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

Ok, I understand what you are saying. Thanks grey ghost


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## LawyerBoaterGuy (Aug 21, 2008)

I have seen plenty of pontoon boats out on that bay. Just watch your wind forecast. South or SE is best--SW wind can blow right up that bay and make for snotty conditions.


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## fishn4real (Sep 28, 2007)

k-p said:


> St. George is great, kinda like "old florida". There's great fishing in the surf if you don't feel like taking out a boat. I would highly suggest calling one of the Robinson brothers to take you out for a day and show you the lay of the land, then you could probably be on your own. It would probably be $$ up front but worth it tenfold after they showed you where to go and how to do it. Apalach is one of the last unspoiled places in Florida.


You are correct. Surf, especially north of the campground is excellent. BUT, I can tell you the sharks like it also. Haven't heard of any injuries, but beware. I couldn't tell you how many sharks Lane and I spotted while wadeing there. Lots of good reds and specks.


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## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

Hey, I appreciate the tip of contacting Robinson Brothers. We have already booked a charter with them on the bay side as soon as we get settled in. That way we will have a week to capitalize on their experience and apply it for the remainder of the week. We were also thinking of maybe renting a pontoon boat so that we could have the freedom of being on our own, for maybe a couple of days of fishing. We were thinking a maximum of six people on a 23' pontoon boat. Does this sound safe to you. We want to have some fun and hopefully catch some fish, but first and foremost, I want to keep our family safe. I hadn't thought too much about the ocean side. That big water scares me. I'm used to seeing land on either side of the boat! Thanks for the reply.


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## LawyerBoaterGuy (Aug 21, 2008)

Six folks on a 23 foot pontoon should be no problem. Just watch your weather forecast and pick your days. Like I said before, winds from SE or S makes for best conditions for the bay. Try for winds less than 10 knots if you can. I have spent plenty of time on the gulf-side of SGI. In fact, I was often in a 15' Whaler. It's not a problem--again, just watch the weather and pick your days. For a primitive experience, Little St. George is awesome--you might be the only humans on the entire island. St. Vincent Island is cool but a little harder to access than Little SGI and more swampy. Dog Island is cool too--no bridge, just a ferry and a small harbor and a few oyster shell roads. The folks that have beach houses out there have been coming for generations. Old Florida perfection.


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## LawyerBoaterGuy (Aug 21, 2008)

By the way, don't sweat the sharks. They are certainly out there and I have seen plenty but I have never had any show me the least bit of interest. Me and my kids swim there and surf there. Three generations on the island since the mid-60s. Never even an encounter except an occasional shark caught while surf fishing.


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## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

This is the most valuable information that anyone could share. I have heard and read about some of these areas, but the way you have described it makes my mouth water. We will definitely check these areas out. For our family, as normal families go, not everyone wants to fish all the time. Not even me. To be able to take in what this area is all about will leave us with an experience that everyone will talk about for years to come. Thanks for sharing. Pete


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## Pete1947 (Feb 15, 2013)

Good tip! I'll pay attention. Pete


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## LawyerBoaterGuy (Aug 21, 2008)

A good starting spot, to get an overview of everything concerning the Island, is www.seestgeorgeisland.com. Have fun. The Island is a unique place. If I ever have the luxury of retirement, this will be where I will hang my hat.


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