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TimeIsFree

Beach Comber
Sep 25, 2008
49
19
For access on the Eastern Side of Lake Powell, you can go east into Bay County about 2 miles from Camp Helen on Hwy 98 and turn left onto the road into The Wild Heron development. 2 blocks north of 98 is a bridge over the lake.

Just across the bridge on the right side you can walk down and put in. It's a bit overgrown right now but not too bad.

Checked this spot yesterday and the overgrowth is now cut back, so a nice path again to the water.

Really surprised no one has checked this out and given thoughts... oh well!

heading out now to paddle the outflow of Lake Powell. Bay County Beach Access 98 is within Pinnacle Port, so you have to ask for a pass at the gate, but it's a pretty short portage from parking lot to the beach, and short paddle to the outfall, which is still open btw, i checked it yesterday a.m.

hope to get onto the artificial reef off Grayton Beach SP today. been loving the calm clear water so far this week. there's a nice channel on our beach between shore & 1st sandbar, so snorkeling has been great without even having to get in the car!

Eat a Peach for Peace!
 

TimeIsFree

Beach Comber
Sep 25, 2008
49
19
bumping thread. heading down in few days and am pumped to take a peek at my favorite spots to paddle!!!!

anyone else tried the bridge into Wild Heron?
 
I own The Rental Shop 30A. We do bike, kayak, and paddle board rentals. Im not sure about Wild Heron, however I think a great spot is at the boat ramp in Grayton Beach. Its basically at the end of the road by The Red Bar restaurant off Banfill street. Get in the water and head straight to the little cove area. It is fun to explore and goes within the state park. You will end up in Western Lake, and can go under highway 30a behind Watercolor. You can also kayak and paddle board through the lagoon area at Grayton Beach if you paddle right when you first get in the water. Not sure if this helps but its one of my go to spots. It can give someone hours of fun and exploring and blocks out the wind if the ocean is choppy.
 

Bluznbeach

Beach Lover
Jul 11, 2005
184
52
www.davidsswan.com
If you're going to Lake Powell, there's a public boat ramp off 98 east of Camp Helen and Carillon Beach. Go past Winn-Dixie and Publix, take a U-turn, and turn right on Lake Powell Drive. It's usually not crowded and has bathrooms. From there, you can paddle anywhere on the lake.
 

TimeIsFree

Beach Comber
Sep 25, 2008
49
19
bumping again.

hey BluznBeach, yes, i know there's the public boat ramp on Lake Powell, but i don't care for the long paddle to the backwaters, and when the wind is blowing the wrong way, and makes for a terrible paddle back to the ramp. putting in at the Wild Heron bridge allows instant access to the best part of the lake.

when i paddled this section last summer, the rains had cleared the channel / creek at the end even more, and i got WAY back there. it was a blast seeing how far i could get. i hope it's still opened up when i get back there this May.

Safe paddles, and post your experiences!
 

soappedaler

Beach Fanatic
Feb 21, 2006
427
121
You can bring them to the beach in all state parks. You can use them in Western Lake and Deer Lake, the only place you can't bring your own but can rent them is Campbell Lake in Topsail. This Lake is pristine, no invasive plants like the other lakes, by keeping outside boats out they lessen the chance of invasives entering Campbell Lake.
I have kayaked to the reef at Topsail then snorkeled briefly, it's hard to snorkel and tow the kayak. Snorkeled the reef at Grayton and just swam out, also towed an orange inflatable boat to the reef while swimming, that was harder than just swimming.
 

TimeIsFree

Beach Comber
Sep 25, 2008
49
19
My daughter and I are itching to paddle out to the reefs off Inlet Beach & Grayton and go snorkeling. The times we've been down there the last two years, the weather never cooperated!?!?! I have an anchor to keep the kayak in place. Looking at the pics from the reef website last week really got us pumped.

Have kept maintaining the small path off the Wild Heron bridge each time I've been down there. I always do an early morning check & clip as part of my typical ritual for my first morning waking up on the Emerald Coast. Clip the prickers and grass so whenever I get the boat squared away, I can put it right in on my return.

Gotta get back down soon!!
 
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TimeIsFree

Beach Comber
Sep 25, 2008
49
19
Made it! Having a grayt time down here this week. Paddling everyday in my spots. Major work the first morning to cut back the path at the Wild Heron bridge, but it's there now!

Paddled that eastern creek of Lake Powell further than ever as the lake outfall is not open and the water is very high. there were a couple spots i had to duck and pull myself under some branches, but i was able to come out of the trees, and ended up under the power lines that run there, which is almost behind the firestation on 89!!! Way back there!! Great paddle, and I could have gone home a happy camper after that one, but that was only day one ;- )

Headed west next morning for the Grayton boat ramp; got the last parking spot! awesome paddle as usual, and since the water was high in Western Lake, was able to paddle thru the marsh grass and explore that area directly across the lake from the boat ramp. great funn!!

cruised over to Gratyon Beach SP to look around, and saw a couple with my same Advanced Elements inflatable kayaks getting ready to put in. Stopped and chatted with them for awhile about our boats, and such. Nice couple, i forget their names, but maybe you'll see this. I let them know about the bridge for Lake Powell. Hopefully they will czech it out.

Still not having the right conditions to get out on the Inlet Beach artificial reef (Grouper). so bummed... while i was scouting it out yesterday, there was a guy out there in a kayak who looked to be right over it. gave me a better idea of what 920' from the beach looks like. it's just a bit too far to swim out with no boat for us to use as base while snorkeling i think. it seems the reef starts just about where the light blue from the second sandbar starts to darken. when it's flat, i will snorkel out that far on our beach, but it freaks my wife out that i'd be out there that far w/ our daughter (who is fine with it, as long as she's w/ Dad 8-)

Eat A Peach for BeachFunn
 

Kurt

Admin
Staff member
Oct 15, 2004
2,233
4,925
SoWal
mooncreek.com
Thanks for the report - lots of great kayak spots still to explore in SoWal! The bayous are calling.

The Grouper Reef is 970 feet from shore. You're right about wanting a boat, especially with a kid.

190516-inlet-024-sowal-2000.jpg



Cessna Landing on Hogtown Bayou

200416-cessna-landing-012-sowal-2000.jpg



The Turtle Reef at Grayton Beach State Park is 783 feet from shore.

190627-grayton-021-sowal-2000.jpg


The Dolphin Reef in Miramar Beach is the closest to the beach at 715 feet from shore.

190517-miramar-021-sowal-2000.jpg
 
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