Hurricane Relief - Mobile AL / Gulf of America

[kgarguilo]

Hello, I am hoping someone in the Mobile AL area can point me in the right direction. We recently moved to Mobile AL (Dauphin Island Marina) and in planning ahead of any named storm this year, I am doing my research.

I own a Carver 406 and am told when a named storm approaches this area by both my Marina (Dauphin Island Marina) and by my insurance company, that I must seek safe harbor (not here).

Short of 160 miles up through the Coffeeville lock on the TennTom Waterway, I understand there are other places that are suitable for hurricane relief like the Mobile Industrial canal located in three-mile creek, places on the ICW, Black Warrior River near Tuscaloosa (seems pretty far) and more.

Can anyone point me to places or government agencies, local groups that I can help my research ahead of hurricane season? I have already tried the USCG, maybe I got the wrong department, as they had no idea and were more worried about getting sued than helping or pointing me in any right direction.

[dgreene]

I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard Big Briar Creek is the local hurricane hole. It’s about 15 miles up river from the Port of Mobile. You should be able to find it on Navionics or whatever you use for chart plotting. Anchoring further up river, as you mentioned, is another option.

Check with other boaters at the marina to see what they do. Going east or west may be another option, depending on the track and timing. I can’t imagine the industrial canal is a good choice for safe harbor, but I might be wrong about that.

[kgarguilo]

Source of the post I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard Big Briar Creek is the local hurricane hole. It’s about 15 miles up river from the Port of Mobile. You should be able to find it on Navionics or whatever you use for chart plotting. Anchoring further up river, as you mentioned, is another option.

Check with other boaters at the marina to see what they do. Going east or west may be another option, depending on the track and timing. I can’t imagine the industrial canal is a good choice for safe harbor, but I might be wrong about that.

I have also found at Waterway Gudie a list of places, some not so good but since my post I have learned the canal may not be a great place.

Just want to be prepared with 2 or 3 options just in case. Thanks for the input!