Apalachee Bay: depth, boat ramps and water quality
Boat: 11 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Mashes Sands Park Boat Ramp, 3 lanes, concrete.
The estuary
Apalachee Bay covers 84,257 acres in Florida, across 2 counties: Wakulla and Jefferson. It is an estuary: the deepest point measured is 28.8 feet (8.8 m). Our records hold 17 species for this water.
Depth: down to 28.8 ft at the deepest measured point
Deepest measured point: 28.8 ft (8.8 m). We hold 1 depth contour for this water, drawn from 123,836 soundings.
11 ramps and launches on this water
On this water we hold 9 trailer ramps, 2 hand launches and 3 fishing piers.
- St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge - Lighthouse Point Boat Ramp — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 34 trailers (paved), paid, dock, wheelchair access. Crawfordville, United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Lighthouse Road (County Road 59), Crawfordville 32327 · website fws.gov/refuge/St_Marks
- Shell Point Public Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 20 trailers (paved), paid, open around the clock, portable restrooms, dock. Crawfordville, Wakulla County. 1549 Shell Point Road, Crawfordville 32327 · website mywakulla.com/departments/parks/boat_ramps/index.php
- Mashes Sands Park Boat Ramp — 3 lanes, concrete, parking for 12 trailers (firm unpaved), paid, open around the clock, flush restrooms, dock, restrooms. Panacea, Wakulla County. ~848 Mashes Sands Road (County Road 372), Panacea 32346 · website mywakulla.com/departments/parks/boat_ramps/index.php
- Rock Landing Boat Ramp and Pier at Panacea — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 13 trailers (firm unpaved), paid, open around the clock, dock. On Dickerson Bay, Panacea, Wakulla County. 99 Rock Landing Street, Panacea 32346 · website mywakulla.com/departments/parks/boat_ramps/index.php
- Lee Spears & Son Pay Ramp/spring Creek — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 15 trailers (soft unpaved), paid, open around the clock, portable restrooms, needs repair. Crawfordville. End of HWY 365, Crawfordville 32327
- Levy Bay Boat Ramp — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 4 trailers (paved), paid, open around the clock. Panacea, Wakulla County. South end Levy Bay Road, Panacea 32346 · website mywakulla.com/departments/parks/boat_ramps/index.php
- Ochlockonee Bay Public Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 8 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, open around the clock, dock, needs repair. On Ochlockonee Bay, Panacea, Franklin County. south of Ochlockonee Bridge (Highway 98), Panacea 32346
- Bottoms Road Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 4 trailers (firm unpaved), paid, open around the clock, needs repair. Panacea, Wakulla County. ~369 Bottoms Road, Panacea 32346 · website mywakulla.com/departments/parks/boat_ramps/index.php
- St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge - Wakulla Beach Primitive Boat Launch — 1 lane, sand, parking for 6 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, open around the clock. Crawfordville, United States Fish and Wildlife Service. End of Wakulla Beach Road, Crawfordville 32327 · website fws.gov/refuge/St_Marks
Car-top and kayak launches — no trailer
- Mashes Sands Park Kayak Access — hand launch, sand, parking for 6 cars, paid, open around the clock, flush restrooms. Panacea, Wakulla County. 799 Mashes Sands Road, Panacea 32346 · website mywakulla.com/departments/parks/boat_ramps/index.php
- Shell Point Park Beach Hobie Cat and Kayak Launch — hand launch, sand, parking for 4 trailers (firm unpaved), paid, flush restrooms. Crawfordville, Wakulla County. About 109 Beaty Taft Drive, Crawfordville 32327 · website mywakulla.com/departments/parks/boat_ramps/index.php
Fishing piers
- Bald Point State Park — park entry fee, open 8am–sunset. Alligator Point, FL Department of Environmental Protection, State Parks. 890 Bald Point Road, Alligator Point 32346
- Mashes Sands Beach — no fee, daylight hours. On Ochlockonee Bay, Wakulla county. US 98 Across Ochlockonee River 32346
- Wooly Park Fishing Pier — no fee, daylight hours. Panacea, Wakulla County. 48 Mound St., Panacea 32346
11 of the 14 places listed have both a fee and opening hours on file: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.
Water and conditions
Water clarity runs 2–13.1 feet on our readings, averaging 5.8 feet, from 41 readings. Water temperature averages 74°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 48°F and the warmest is 90°F; the warmest monthly average is 86°F. pH averages 7.9. These readings span 2016–2024.
Monthly average water temperature: Jan 57°F · Feb 64°F · Mar 70°F · Apr 73°F · May 78°F · Jun 82°F · Jul 85°F · Aug 86°F · Sep 83°F · Oct 77°F · Nov 62°F · Dec 60°F
What is hard here
Wind is the limit, not the fish: 84,257 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Clarity swings from 2 to 13.1 feet between our readings — the water you meet is not the water someone photographed. Winter water drops to 57°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do. Summer water sits at 86°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.
Where this data comes from
- NOAA Digital Coast — NOAA Digital Coast bathymetric lidar: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- USACE eHydro — USACE eHydro channel surveys: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA BlueTopo: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA National Bathymetric Source (S-102 ed3.0.0) — NOAA S-102 bathymetric surfaces: contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: soundings: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
