Miramar Beach, FL 32550

creative,

Are you staying on the Gulfside of Miramar? If you are right on the beach then you can launch in the bay near the pass and sail around to the house. There is a public ramp on the Bay side of Destin at 800 Beach Drive, Destin, FL 32541 called JOE'S BAYOU BOAT RAMP.

Hopefully some locals will offer more input, conditions change all the time.

Even easier would be to launch at Lee Side Park, now called Gulf Island National Seashore. You can't overnight your vehicle. Park closes at sunset. Plan ahead and pay attention to the tide when navigating East Pass Bridge and the pass. It can be brutal.

You can also launch at Grayton Beach. This would be the easiest and my choice. This is an outstanding time to be on the Emerald Coast. Sailing and weather is awesome.

I will need a place to store the boat for a week because I can't keep it in the condo parking lot. Do you have any suggestion?

Call the Ft. Walton Yacht Club
(850) 243-7102

P.M. wrote: Even easier would be to launch at Lee Side Park, now called Gulf Island National Seashore. You can't overnight your vehicle. Park closes at sunset. Plan ahead and pay attention to the tide when navigating East Pass Bridge and the pass. It can be brutal.

You can also launch at Grayton Beach. This would be the easiest and my choice. This is an outstanding time to be on the Emerald Coast. Sailing and weather is awesome.

Can I drive my car & boat on the sand to the water at Grayton Beach to launch?

Beach Permit info here...
http://www.co.walton.fl.us/index.aspx?NID=743

I think it's only for an annual permit and seems to favor those who live or have lived there for a while.

Good Luck

creative wrote: [quote=P.M.]Even easier would be to launch at Lee Side Park, now called Gulf Island National Seashore. You can't overnight your vehicle. Park closes at sunset. Plan ahead and pay attention to the tide when navigating East Pass Bridge and the pass. It can be brutal.

You can also launch at Grayton Beach. This would be the easiest and my choice. This is an outstanding time to be on the Emerald Coast. Sailing and weather is awesome.

Can I drive my car & boat on the sand to the water at Grayton Beach to launch?

No, not without the vehicle permit. If you try to trailer you boat to the water, more than likely, you will bog down in the soft sand even with a 4 wheel drive (it's a good 100 yards plus). You can get a local to pull it who has a permit, but again, the trailer wheels create enough drag on the tow vehicle to cause issues. You can rig your boat and beach wheel it to the water.

Another option I have done many times but it has been a few years. Rig your boat and launch it on the Hotz Ave. boat ramp. From there you can take the boat around very close to the beach and drag it over the berm. The lagoon is constantly changing with every storm and most likely does not reflect what you see on a satellite image. Also, turtle nesting is sacred ground as well as sea oats. I would call the county sheriff's office and talk with them. They are very understanding and helpful, and it is always better to talk with them first, than to have a homeowner call them when you show up.

I have always called the Walton County sheriff when launching or beaching in that county. You should really call them and have them help you and get their blessing.

I found this boat ramp info: https://public.myfwc.com/LE/boatramp/public/Closest.aspx

Edited by creative on Oct 07, 2015 - 12:19 PM.

P.M. wrote: [quote=creative][quote=P.M.]Even easier would be to launch at Lee Side Park, now called Gulf Island National Seashore. You can't overnight your vehicle. Park closes at sunset. Plan ahead and pay attention to the tide when navigating East Pass Bridge and the pass. It can be brutal.

You can also launch at Grayton Beach. This would be the easiest and my choice. This is an outstanding time to be on the Emerald Coast. Sailing and weather is awesome.

Can I drive my car & boat on the sand to the water at Grayton Beach to launch?

No, not without the vehicle permit. If you try to trailer you boat to the water, more than likely, you will bog down in the soft sand even with a 4 wheel drive (it's a good 100 yards plus). You can get a local to pull it who has a permit, but again, the trailer wheels create enough drag on the tow vehicle to cause issues. You can rig your boat and beach wheel it to the water.

Another option I have done many times but it has been a few years. Rig your boat and launch it on the Hotz Ave. boat ramp. From there you can take the boat around very close to the beach and drag it over the berm. The lagoon is constantly changing with every storm and most likely does not reflect what you see on a satellite image. Also, turtle nesting is sacred ground as well as sea oats. I would call the county sheriff's office and talk with them. They are very understanding and helpful, and it is always better to talk with them first, than to have a homeowner call them when you show up.

I have always called the Walton County sheriff when launching or beaching in that county. You should really call them and have them help you and get their blessing.

So if I use Hotz Ave boat ramp, is there a parking lot for the car & trailer?