Marinas in Gulfport, MS

The best all-around times to boat Gulfport’s Mississippi Sound are late April through May and October. Gulfport climate normals put daytime highs in the mid-70s in April, low 80s in May and upper 70s in October. Nearby Mississippi coastal stations show water warming from the low 70s in April to the upper 70s in May, then returning to the mid-70s in October.

Summer water reaches the mid-80s, but June through August are hotter and wetter. Check the Mississippi Sound marine forecast before departure because winds and waves can rise near thunderstorms. Winter water falls into the 50s to around 60.

Source: National Weather Service and NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, weather.gov and ncei.noaa.gov (weather.gov)

From Gulfport, you can boat Mississippi Sound, Ship Island, Cat Island, Bernard Bayou and Turkey Creek. Put in at Gulfport Small Craft Harbor for the Sound; its marked entrance joins Gulfport Ship Channel. The Sound is island-sheltered, but boaters should remain chart-aware outside dredged channels. Ship Island offers open-water cruising, a natural harbor and boat-only beach access. Cat Island is a wooded barrier-island outing with a marked channel leading into shallower Sound waters.

For a quieter trip, launch at Gulfport Lake Boat Launch. Bernard Bayou can have light chop, while Turkey Creek offers flat water with light current.

Source: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (nauticalcharts.noaa.gov)

From Gulfport, boaters use Mississippi Sound for day trips to Ship Island, Cat Island and Biloxi Small Craft Harbor. Ship Island combines a swimming beach with Fort Massachusetts, and the park map shows the passenger route from Gulfport. Cat Island is accessible by private boat and suits visitors prepared for a stop without staff, drinking water, shelter or other facilities. Biloxi Small Craft Harbor offers a downtown stop for docking and dining, with a public ramp, fuel dock, bait shop and seafood restaurant on site.

Source: National Park Service (nps.gov)

Mississippi does not issue a traditional boating license, but operators born after June 30, 1980, must complete an approved boater education course and carry proof when operating a boat or personal watercraft on public waterways. Operators under 12 must have the certificate and be accompanied onboard by a parent, guardian, or other qualified person at least 21 years old.

State law exempts someone operating a motorboat rented from a motorboat rental business from the requirement to possess the certificate. MDWFP also allows someone replacing a lost card to download a temporary card. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks administers the program.

Source: Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (mdwfp.com)

Mississippi boaters should carry one wearable U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket per person, and children 12 and younger must wear one while underway in a vessel under 26 feet. Boating under the influence is illegal, with a blood alcohol limit of 0.08 percent. Motorized boats and sailboats must be registered, display validation decals, and carry the registration certificate onboard.

Operators born after June 30, 1980, need approved boater education; an operator under 12 also needs someone at least 21 onboard. On Mississippi marine waters, observe no wake rules within 100 feet of public harbors, marinas, and boat ramps.

Source: Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (dmr.ms.gov)

Under Mississippi’s operating age rule, a person must be at least 12 to operate a motorboat or personal watercraft without the special accompaniment requirement. An operator under 12 must be accompanied onboard by someone who is at least 21. The same rule applies to personal watercraft.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks requires people born after June 30, 1980, to complete an approved boating education course, and required operators must carry their certificate onboard. A rental operator sets its own booking minimum, so confirm the rental age when reserving.

Source: Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (dmr.ms.gov)

Alongside the marinas on this page, Gulfport has 1 boat rental and 5 boat dealers.