Riding in or near Destin, FL?

(bhyatt_ohp) · (bhyatt_ohp) **Join Date: Oct 2007** 02-25-2008, 1:44 PM

My family has rented a condo down in Destin, FL next month and I've been contemplating taking my 06' Malibu vRide down there. Its my boat, but the parents have offered to pay for gas to tow it down, which will be great considering the 8 hour drive from TN. I've ridden down at Corey Pickos' ski school years ago down there, but I'm sure he won't let me on his lake... I also rode with Gerry Nunn back in 04' (Collegiate Wake Tour) on some salt water bayou near Panama City Beach, but I cannot remember the name of it, plus PCB is about 35 miles away from Destin. I didn't know if any of you knew of anywhere to ride near there. I would like to stay out of the saltwater bay in Destin, but it might be my only option. I guess i'll just flush the motor real good if I do end up in salt water. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

(era3) · (era3) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 02-25-2008, 3:55 PM

You are probably talking about lake Powell on the west end of PC beach. The best place to ride is going to be in the "Ditch" (Intercoastal). I normally ride it on the east side of PC but there are a couple of guys that ride over that way. You will still be in saltwater or at the least brackish water unless you make the drive (about and hour from Destin) to some of the lakes north of Panama City.

(bob) · (bob) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 03-20-2008, 12:15 AM

Brandon if your not afraid to drop it in salt and do the extra cleanup (not like fresh where you can just put it on the trailer and drive away) you will have a blast hanging out at "Crab Island" in destin and you could ride either in the ditch, cinco bayou, poquito bayou, or the bayou near niceville (directly north of destin).

(jwat142) · (jwat142) **Join Date: Jan 2002** 03-20-2008, 10:10 AM

Brandon,

If you find somewhere to ride or someone to ride with, please post here as I will be down there in August for a week and would definitely bring my board if I could find a pull. Thanks.

(bob) · (bob) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 03-21-2008, 5:44 AM

JKW just post up cause there is a handfull of us that have boats and ride here, some more serious then others, some party more then ride.

(hokiesax) · (hokiesax) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-26-2008, 5:03 AM

Speaking for the more "serious" riders :-) , the Ditch is THE place to go. Its maybe 30min from Destin. The bayous are ok during the week when there isn't much boat traffic and you don't have time to drive out to the Ditch. Yes, its brackish, but I've had friends from central Florida say that its the best place they've seen in ALL of Florida. Its pretty much perfectly designed for wakeboarding. You can almost always find calm water. Hopefully we will be out there this weekend. Let me know if you want to join us.

sdahockey21 03-26-2008, 5:29 AM

I 2nd the Ditch... Amazing Place!

(eric_ms) · (eric_ms) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-26-2008, 6:27 AM

Brandon you must bring our boat. like bob said crab island is where it is at. if you don't bring your boat when you drive over the bridge and see all the people you will wish you did.

(wakeriderixi) · (wakeriderixi) **Join Date: Jan 2004** 03-26-2008, 2:17 PM

The ditch isn't near anything... Poquito is your best bet and your near Crab Island. We might be out in a red and yellow X-Star.

(hokiesax) · (hokiesax) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-27-2008, 5:04 AM

No, the Ditch isn't close to anything, hence the reason its the best place to ride! No other boats chopping up the water! Poquito and other bayous are good if you just want to ride a set or two and then hang out at Crab Island or wherever.

Hey Paul, was that you last Friday in Garnier? Nice boat! I was on the Nautique that had "overheated." We still haven't figured out if it actually did overheat or if it was just the sensor that went bad. Thanks for stopping anyway. I'm impressed how many people stopped to see if we need help. Its funny, I usually get at least one person who asks if I need help everytime I open the hatch to setup ballast bags and pull out gear.

sdahockey21 03-27-2008, 6:25 AM

Paul your an MC owner now? Awesome!

(wakeriderixi) · (wakeriderixi) **Join Date: Jan 2004** 03-27-2008, 6:38 AM

Well yea, I've always had someone stop and help me so I make sure to extend the favor.. Besides, it was a Super Air 210! I'm guessing it's a 2000'ish?!!! I've never seen the hatch as one solid peice before. The X Star is alright, I've ridden once behind it and I still prefer the narrow wake of a Nautique. As for the look of the boat, you just can't beat how impressive an X Star looks. The system pumps too. It's back at the dealor right now getting squared away and tower lights installed. I'll get it out to the ditch this summer for sure, I've never been.

(hokiesax) · (hokiesax) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-27-2008, 7:16 AM

Its a 99, hence the one piece hatch, which is super annoying. We live on Garnier now so we'll be around there a lot during the week trying to terrorize those wakeskaters back in Poquito. They were out a few weeks ago on a busy day and I almost felt bad for them...I was going to ask if they wanted to ride with us, but as I got near the dock where they were sitting they were shaking their head and giving me the "get the f*** off our water" looks. Thats fine, their jetski wake doesn't bother me too much. I don't know what their problem is...I mean, what do they expect? Its going to be busy around there on weekends no matter what. At least we ride and are not just people cruising back in there for no reason. They were even yelling and making fun of two young kids (like 6 years old) 'cause they were on skis not throwing any tricks.

(wakeriderixi) · (wakeriderixi) **Join Date: Jan 2004** 03-27-2008, 7:32 AM

No one seems to like those kids yet I've not had a cross with them yet. We always made fun of Ross G. for having a 'fan club'.. Those kids idolized him and when they saw Ross start wakeskating stopped riding wakeboards behind their seadoo. They have gotten okay but don't seem to have any people skills. If they only knew they lost out on come good company and a ride behind a 210.

(wakeriderixi) · (wakeriderixi) **Join Date: Jan 2004** 03-27-2008, 7:33 AM

We're thinking of taking the jetboat out to one of the islands by Hurlbert to camp/skate this weekend.. let me know if your interested.

(hokiesax) · (hokiesax) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-27-2008, 7:42 AM

Sounds interesting...but we just got the Nautique two months ago and are dying to take it to the Ditch. I'll let you know...

(alindquist) · (alindquist) **Join Date: Mar 2004** 03-27-2008, 10:02 AM

Is there any other launches near the ditch besides that one near the west end? Bob dinged up his prop last year out there and I really don't want to launch at that spot unless it has gotten better... And yes, there is nothing near the Ditch, make sure your cooler is full...

(era3) · (era3) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-27-2008, 10:13 AM

Matt I know you guys tried to put something together last year we the local riders meeting up, are you going to do something this year? You were the one that emailed about wanting to see how the Supra rode right?

(hokiesax) · (hokiesax) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-27-2008, 10:13 AM

I think there is one or two on the 331 bridge and there is one or two good looking ones on the Choctawhatchee River. But that would probably mean a 20-30min drive to the ditch. However, if you come back up the river then you would get an easy freshwater rinse before pulling the boat out!

(hokiesax) · (hokiesax) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 03-27-2008, 10:18 AM

Right, that was me. We found a good deal on a Super Air Nautique so we went with it.

Its looking like the "official" event will be late May, but I'm sure we will be out there many other weekends before then.