From Destin to Bayou Grande Marina, Pensecola Navel Air Station

We did have a good nights sleep in Destin Harbor. Power boats were very polite and slowed down, not creating wakes, or loud buzzy engine sounds. The town in general calms down, music just a distant hum. There was a fairly decent breeze so it was not intolerable hot on board. 

Next morning it was calm, no ripples, no breeze. We quickly got things stowed, dreading going through the washing machine turbulence in the harbor entrance. The Plus is we knew the way out and not bumping of bottoms.  We rounded the bend, followed by fishing boats of every size and shape. Once in the harbor, well they forgot how to be polite boaters and just gunned it sending us bouncing every few seconds.  Yes seconds because there were dozens and dozens of boat out there. and they more or less stopped at the mouth of the harbor. 

No wind, so we motored all day to the Pensacola Middle Ground inlet. You can see the white beaches for miles.  We found out (as retired military) that we could stay at the marina on the Navel Air Station.  Everything when you enter the Bay lets you know this is a navel installation. There are Range finders everywhere, and planes constantly thundering overhead.

The entrance into Bayou Grande is well marked and it is suppose to be  dredged to at least 8 1/2' . It was still a little nerve racking to see our depth sounder stop recording depth at 6' but no bottom bumping and we met Kathy and Ed as they hurried to the end of the T head to help catch lines. 

Kind-of our route, we were in the water

He was pretending not to notice  how close we were

A relief, the Pirate ship was docked

There are over 25 boats out there

These were all stationed, fishing at the mouth of the inlet

A good omen for fishermen 

Climb 177 steps up the historic Pensacola Lighthouse & Museum for one of the most beautiful views on the Gulf Coast. Built in 1859, the lighthouse is located on board NAS Pensacola.

Fort Pickens is the largest of four forts built to defend Pensacola Bay, Florida, and its navy yard. The fort was begun in 1829, completed in 1834, and was named in honor of Major General Andrew Pickens of the South Carolina militia, who fought with distinction in several Revolutionary War battles including Cowpens and the Siege of Ninety-six. He also led several campaigns against the Cherokees, who called him "Wizard Owl."

This is one of our "must do's" when we return.
We can anchor off shore and dingy in to visit the park

Fort Pickens was one of only four forts in the South that was never occupied by Confederate forces during the Civil War, thanks to a heroic stand by Lieutenant Adam Slemmer with one company of artillery and a few sailors, aided by one U.S. Navy ship, the Wyandotte. Fort Pickens was as important as Fort Sumter in Charleston, S.C. during the crisis between Abraham Lincoln's election in November, 1860 and the firing on Fort Sumter on April 12. 1861. The fort was reinforced the day after Fort Sumter surrendered, preventing the Confederates from controlling Pensacola Bay and using the Pensacola Navy Yard.

Ten concrete gun batteries, including one in the middle of the historic fort, were built from the 1890s through the 1940s, each a response to a particular threat. Atomic bombs, guided missiles, and long-range bombers made such forts obsolete by the end of World War II and the Army abandoned the forts. The fort became part of a popular Florida State Park until the creation of Gulf Islands National Seashore in 1971. Following extensive repairs by the National Park Service, the fort was reopened in 1976.

Naval Air Station Pensacola
After Hurricane Ivan devastated Florida’s northern Gulf Coast in 2004, the federal government awarded funds to the U.S. Navy to clean up its base at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, a pristine swath of beachfront property known as the Home of the Blue Angels.

It was an opportunity for the Navy to not only restore and protect the natural and architectural elements of the base, but also to draw a new set of visitors to the waterfront by creating trails for running and biking, a series of interactive public exhibits and a breathtaking sculpture capturing the awe of taking flight. NAS Pensacola is now a community space where military families and tourists alike can relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the base.

Bayou Grande Marina