Tuesday, January 14: Back to Sandestin, This Time by Boat!

Date:                           January 14, 2014

Day on the Cruise:      207

From:                          Palafox Pier Marina, Pensacola, FL

To:                              Baytowne Marina at Sandestin Resort, Destin, FL

Statute Miles:              60.8 SM

Time:                           6.0 Hrs

Cumulative Miles:        5,312.6 SM

On Board:                   Susan, Chuck, Maggie, Trooper, Peanut

Tonight we are at Baytowne Marina at the Sandestin Resort near Destin, FL.

Sandestin is between Destin and Panama City, FL

Sandestin is a place that we have been to many times. For years it was a family tradition to spend Thanksgiving at this 2,000 acre facility that spreads from the Gulf side of the island to the shores of Choctawhatchee Bay.

The resort was actually started in the 70's as a golf complex East of downtown Destin. It weathered bankruptcy at least once, if not several times, and began to grow in the 80's and 90's. Today it is a beautiful place with tasteful homes, condo's in both high rise and low rise styles, and many amenities. It caters to golfers with its three 18 hole courses, but beach goers and families also come here to play.

The Marina has been here ever since I can remember. On our Thanksgiving trips, we would always walk over to the Marina and walk the docks to see the boats. Thanksgiving was cool, not cold, and the boating activity was ratcheted down for the Winter season. It was still neat to see the big boats from all over that were docked here.

So, fast forward about ten years since we last enjoyed our family get togethers here at Sandestin. I can't believe that I am actually getting to bring a boat here and dock at the Sandestin Marina. A treat, for sure, and maybe something that is really on my Bucket List.

Today was another perfect cruising day. We left Palafox Pier at 9:00 along with "Free at Last" and "Sun Gypsy". Crystal clear blue skies with a little wind and some chilly temps. Out of the Marina and into Pensacola Bay, then East into the ICW. We passed under the bridge between Gulf Breeze, FL and the Pensacola Beach. Then moving East we made the Navarre Beach Bridge and soon we were entering the Eglin AFB Reservation which includes in its 400,000 plus acres, a good bit of pristine beach area along the Gulf.

Palafox Pier Marina

Palafox Pier marina

Heading into Pensacola Bay

Approaching the bridge between Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach

Leaving the Navarre Bridge in our Wake!

Condos at Navarre Beach, FL

The Looper Burgee on or Bow. This sucker has weathered 5,300 miles of cruising. It is on its second flag staff. Will it make it to the end?

I did my stint in the Air Force here at Eglin and Hurlburt Field back in the early to mid '70's. It hasn't changed much from what I can tell. A few new condo's. A new Air Force Facility or two along the beach and at Hurlburt. But the basic receipe' of this area called "The Emerald Coast" is beautiful Gulf waters, mixed with beautiful white sand, flavored with blue skies and sun, gentle winds, hot temperature, and plentiful humidity.

East of Navarre, we saw an unusual observation tower of some sort that the Air Force has erected since we lived here. This tower is of a unique design and looks more like a spire with a condo on top than anything else I can think of. It is frequently photographed and appears in many Looper Blogs, so I will follow suit and include it here.

The obligatory picture of the uniques observation tower at Eglin Air Force Base along the Gulf. Like  the pink house in North or South Carolina and the old phone booth along the Tenn-Tom Waterway, this tower appears in many Looper Blogs!

East of the tower, Hurlburt Field appeared on our Port side. Still looks familiar. The Officer's Club looks like it has been enlarged and renovated. Susan mused about the times that she helped decorate the Club for Christmases with the Officer's Wives Club. I mused about the excellent Seafood Gumbo that I could get for Lunch there. We also got a good view of the North - South runway that has its approach lighting built on towers into the ICW. I could see a big complex of hangars and admin buildings on the East side of the runway that were not there when we were stationed at Hurlburt. Only our Red Horse Squadron and a Helicopter Squadron was located on that side of the field. Seeing this big complex would make my friend Jack Woodburn proud, as he was responsible for designing our complex here at Hurlburt when we moved from Field 2, and Jack basically molded a mini base from the sand, pine trees, and scrub oak that we found on that side of the runway. They ought to call that side of Hurlburt the "Woodburn Annex" ha ha.

The ICW twists and turns between sand bars in front of Ft. Walton Beach. The Brooks Bridge between Ft. Walton downtown and the beach is still here. We passed under the bridge past the big round water tower with the "Emerald Coast" inscription and into the vast expanses of Choctawhatchee Bay.

Shore scene near downtown Ft. Walton Beach

Foot of the Brooks Bridge at Ft. Walton

Approaching the Brooks Bridge heading East

"Emerald Coast" Water Tower at Ft. Walton Beach

Yep, this is the "Emerald Coast

The "El Matador Condo's" We used to stay here with friends from College!

The bay was pretty flat today. Excellent cruising conditions. The Destin Bridge was left to our Starboard side, and then we made big turns to the Northeast then East to get under the Mid Bay Bridge between Niceville to the North and Destin to the South.

Entering Choctawhatchee Bay after going under the Brooks Bridge

That is Destin and the Destin Bridge way over there!

Approaching the Mid Bay Bridge

Once under this very long bridge across Choctawhatchee Bay, we zeroed in on Sandestin's Baytowne Marina, which was only about 4 miles to the Southeast. Approaching the Marina, we had something happen that we have not yet experienced on our trip. The Dock Master called US and gave approach and docking instructions. He has big cameras mounted around the Marina and he can see all the way to the Mid Bay Bridge using the cameras. He saw our three boat flotilla approaching and called us. Very considerate! Thank you Dick!

Free at last and Sun Gypsy headinto into Baytowne at Sandestin

We were given face dock ties along the South side of the main dock at Baytowne. We could see the Villas that we stayed in during our Thanksgivings right there across the water. Not a whole lot has changed at the Marina. Yes they now have a bar and grille where the shop and check-in used to be, but the wooden boardwalk way to the Baytowne mixed use complex is still there, and the tree houses for the kids are still there. And the big Macaw Parrot is still hanging out in front of the bar and grille.

After getting settled in, we found "Moppsy II" had arrived at the Marina earlier. They have a fast Sea Ray boat and Linda and Mark had come all the way from The Wharf today. We also found "Beach Quest" and "Field Trip", two other Looper boats. We had seen Beach Quest last July in Waterford, NY when he was stranded at the Erie Canal Visitor's Center during the time that the Canal was closed. I remember this boat specifically because I saw the home port of Destin on her stern!

Baytowne Marina at Sandestin

"Moppsy II" is docked right behind us!

Sunset over the Marina at Sandestin

Sunset over the Gulf at Sandestin

Dinner tonight was at a restaurant called "Poppy's" at the Baytowne complex. This complex has at least tripled in size since we were here when it first opened ten or eleven years ago. there is a good variety of places to eat, drink, and shop here. Our group of six was one of the few groups at the entire complex. It was mostly deserted, but Poppy's food was good, and the service was excellent. The end to a good day through our old stomping grounds.

Looper group enjoying dinner at Poppy's

Thanks for Reading!