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Pensacola, FL

30°25.2′ N 87°13.2′ W

Port ApproachPort Facilities & Contacts

Port Overview

Local Marine Weather

Live data

GMZ634 — Pensacola Bay Area including Santa Rosa Sound

Forecast office: NWS Mobile, AL

  • Tonight

    East winds 5 to 10 knots, increasing to 10 to 15 knots with gusts up to 20 knots late this evening and overnight. Waves 1 foot or less. A moderate chop.

  • Tuesday

    East winds 15 to 20 knots with gusts up to 25 knots. Waves 1 to 2 feet. Choppy. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.

  • Tuesday Night

    Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots with gusts up to 25 knots. Waves 1 foot or less. A moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms after midnight.

Source: NOAA / National Weather Service · Issued Mon, Nov 2, 15:02 · Last retrieved Mon, Nov 2, 23:46

Full NWS marine forecast (opens in new tab)

Nearby Tide Stations

Source: NOAA CO-OPS · Last retrieved Mon, Nov 2, 23:46

Nearby Current Stations

Source: NOAA CO-OPS · Last retrieved Mon, Nov 2, 23:46

Nearby NOAA/NDBC Stations

  • pclf18729840 - Pensacola, FL1 NM7 kt
  • ppta1Perdido Pass, AL19 NM4 kt
  • 42012ORANGE BEACH - 44 NM SE of Mobile, AL27 NM21 kt
  • wkxa1Safe Harbor Met Station, Weeks Bay Reserve, AL31 NM3 kt

Source: NOAA NDBC · Last retrieved Mon, Nov 2, 23:39

Salinity — USGS Water Quality

No USGS water-quality gauge within about 20 NM of this port is currently reporting salinity or conductivity.

Navigation Resources

  • NOAA Coast Pilot

    Official external resource

    Official sailing directions for Gulf ports are published in NOAA Coast Pilot. Port-specific excerpts are not yet shown in this app.

    NOAA Coast Pilot (opens in new tab)

  • USCG Information

    Official external resource

    Port conditions and Captain of the Port information are not yet connected. Broadcast and safety notices are published by the USCG Navigation Center.

    USCG NAVCEN — Maritime Safety Information (opens in new tab)

  • Notices to Mariners

    Official external resource

    Local Notices to Mariners for Pensacola are published by the Coast Guard Navigation Center. Not ingested by this app.

    USCG NAVCEN — Local Notices to Mariners (opens in new tab)

  • Pilotage Information

    Source not yet connected

    Pilotage information source not yet connected.

  • Port Authority

    Source not yet connected

    No official port authority page could be verified. Link not shown.

Port Approach — Caucus Channel & Pensacola Bay

Planning reference only. Consult current official charts, notices, surveys, and pilot instructions before navigation.

STATIC REFERENCE — not live data. Live observations are in Port Overview above.

A · Entrance & Approach

  • The 0.6-mile-wide entrance to Pensacola Bay is through Caucus Channel, a dredged cut extending 1.5 miles seaward. Bay Channel leads about 4 miles northeast to the parallel West and East Channels, which lead to the Inner Harbor Channel and the city wharves.[¶292–293]

  • Fairway

    Approach through the prescribed safety fairways.[¶287 · 33 CFR 166]

  • Landmarks

    Fort Pickens marks the east point of the entrance. From the east, the ranger station buildings and elevated water tanks along Santa Rosa Island are prominent.[¶285]

  • Marking

    Channels are well marked by a lighted range, lights, daybeacons and buoys.[¶295]

  • COLREGS line

    Pensacola Bay lines are in 33 CFR 80.810.[¶290]

Sources (1) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

B · Channels & Depth

Project depth ≠ available depth. Federal project (authorized) depths below are design figures. Current controlling depth not confirmed. Consult the latest USACE surveys and official notices.

  • Depth reporting

    The Coast Pilot directs mariners to NOAA ENCs for USACE-reported channel depths, and to the USACE hydrographic survey site for surveys and condition reports.[¶295]

  • A federal project depth is not stated in the reviewed Coast Pilot paragraphs.
  • Current controlling depth not confirmed. Consult the latest USACE surveys and official notices.
Sources (1) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

C · Cautions & Restrictions

  • Entrance shoals

    East Bank and Middle Ground extend 1.6 miles south of the west end of Santa Rosa Island. Caucus Shoal (2–18 feet) extends 1.5 miles south of the west side of the entrance. Large vessels should keep as close as possible to the range line.[¶299]

  • Fairway obstructions

    An obstruction was reported in 1984 in the coastwise fairway about 5 miles southeast of the Caucus Channel entrance; several other submerged obstructions lie about 3.5 miles south of the entrance. (Historical report — verify on current charts.)[¶288]

  • Bayou Chico

    An unmarked obstruction was reported in 2007 on the channel edge. (Historical report — verify on current charts.)[¶294]

  • Restricted areas

    Naval, general and seaplane restricted areas are in Pensacola Bay.[¶300 · 33 CFR 334.775, 334.778, 334.780]

  • Check current Local Notices to Mariners and Sector Mobile MSIBs for active restrictions.
Sources (1) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

D · Anchorages

  • Designated

    Pensacola Anchorage, east of the safety fairways.[¶297 · 33 CFR 166]

  • General description

    Good anchorage in any part of the bay except south of the naval air station; inside the bay, the usual anchorage is off the city, with good holding ground.[¶297]

Sources (1) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

E · Pilotage

  • Pensacola Pilots, LLC

    901 S. Old Corry Field Rd., Box 4435, Pensacola, FL 32507

    No 24-hour manned VHF station; arrange by telephone or through agents. ETA requested 24 hours ahead. Board seaward of Entrance Lighted Buoys 1 and 2. Monitor VHF 14 and 16 one hour before boarding.

    Pilots540-848-4524(Pensacola Pilots, LLC Pilots)
  • Requirement

    Compulsory for foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register in foreign trade drawing over 7 feet; optional for coastwise U.S. vessels with a federally licensed pilot.[¶312]

  • Boarding

    Pilot ladder on the lee side, 1 meter above the water; boarding speed 5 knots. Pilot boat Nora M: black hull, white house, orange collars. VHF 14 is the normal working channel for tugs and port operations.[¶312]

Sources (1) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

F · USCG / Captain of the Port

Routine contact · USCG Heartland District

Sector Mobile

COTP: Captain of the Port, Mobile (zone per 33 CFR 3.40-10)

1500 15th Street, Mobile, AL 36615

251-441-5720(Sector Mobile main line)

Coast Pilot 5 App. A ¶64 · 33 CFR 3.40-10

Emergency

Maritime distress: VHF-FM Channel 16 / DSC Channel 70. The Sector office line above is for routine business.

Sources (1) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

G · Reference Positions

Orientation only — not for navigation

  • Pensacola (city)

    30°25'N., 87°13'W.

    CP5 Ch. 6 ¶305

  • Reported fairway obstruction (1984)

    30°14'20"N., 87°12'00"W.

    CP5 Ch. 6 ¶288

  • Reported Bayou Chico obstruction (2007)

    30°23'59.3"N., 87°14'32.8"W.

    CP5 Ch. 6 ¶294

Coordinates reproduced with the source's precision. Coast Pilot positions are referenced to NAD 83 unless stated otherwise.

Sources (1) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

H · Official Navigation & Conditions Links

Sources (2) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

Port Facilities & Contacts

Port Authority & Public Contacts

Port of Pensacola (City of Pensacola)

700 South Barracks Street, Pensacola, FL 32502

850-436-5070(Port of Pensacola (City of Pensacola) main line)www.cityofpensacola.com/Directory.aspx?did=26(opens in new tab)

  • Regulation

    The City of Pensacola Department of Marine Operations sets regulations for piers under Port of Pensacola control; the Port Director manages the port.

  • Public main phone and security contacts were not confirmed from a primary source in this review.
Gulf Port Directory (no port-specific service listings yet)

Listings come from official publications. Inclusion does not mean a terminal or shorebase is open to visiting vessels — confirm directly with the operator.

Sources (2) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.