Welcome to Cruisers’ Net!
Claiborne S. Young Phone: 336-584-1935 |
February 8, 2010 Updates
Cruisers’ Net Visitor Testimonials
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Florida Anchoring Rights Editorial Reprise
On January 9, 2010, I posted a special article, and sent out an “Alert,” to this list concerning a small victory in the Florida anchoring rights struggle. We reported that in Sarasota, the city attorney chose to drop all charges against, “Captain Pete” who had been ticketed for violating the local “500 foot” anchoring restriction.
As many of you know, I’m currently (2/6/10) working on a major SSECN article/editorial about the state of the Florida anchoring rights struggle, and Captain Pete’s Sarasota exoneration will certainly figure into that story. However, that article is another two weeks or so away. The purpose of this editorial reprise is to answer two e-mails I received in response to my “Captain Pete Alert.”
Those who follow the link below will discover that both messages raise the ugly issue of abandoned vessels and what I call “live-aboard hulks.” These related problems are, in my opinion, the real bugaboo for the cruising community when it comes to any discussion of Florida anchoring rights.
So, I have reprised a 2008 Salty Southeast Crusiers’ Net anchoring editorial which speaks to these concerns. I urge one and all who have even the vaguest interest in ever dropping the hook in Sunsine State waters to go to:
http://www.CruisersNet.net/florida-anchoring-editorial-1-whence-come-the-anchorage-regulations
AICW Closed in St. Augustine 1/25/10 to 1/30/10 AND At Other Dates in February, 2010
We have just posted an important message about complete closure of the AICW this week in St. Augustine, AND at others times during this coming February. These closures are being brought about by construction work on the Bridge of Lions. Sometimes I think this project will NEVER end. It already seems to have gone on forever! So, if you will be cruising anywhere in or around the historic city of St. Augusine, for the next six weeks or so, run, don’t walk to our Eastern Florida Cruising/Regional news geographic sub-page, “St. Augustine (Statute Mile 446 to 780)” at: http://cruisersnet.net/category/east-fl-st-augustine/
Captain Jane Takes On Dinner Key Marina and Boot Key Harbor
Our fearless, roving reporter, Captain Jane Tigar, has just filed two in-depth articles. The first takes a look at Miami’s Dinner Key Marina and its adjacent Coconut Grove neighborhood , and the second takes a gander at Boot Key Harbor in Marathon (Florida Keys), along with its city run marina. If either sounds at all interesting, just follow the links below for a full reading!
Captain Jane’s Article on Dinner Key Marina:
http://www.CruisersNet.net/dinner-key-marina-and-coconut-grove-captain-jane-reports-st-m-1094-5
Captain Jane’s Article on Book Key Harbor and Boot Key Harbor City Marina
http://www.CruisersNet.net/captain-janes-in-depth-look-at-boot-key-harbor-marathon
That’s all for now! Good luck and good cruising to all!
Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net Announces Fuel Price Coverage for Eastern Florida’s St. Johns River
The Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net is proud to announce yet another new, free service to the cruising community! Effective immediately, we are now offering full coverage of fuel prices, plus gasoline ethanol free status and fuel discount schedules, for most every fuel stop on Eastern Florida’s St. Johns River. We begin at Mayport, near the St. Johns intersection with the briny blue, track our way west to Jacksonville, then south all the way to Lake Monroe and the city of Sanford.
So, if your plans call for a cruise of the magnificent St. Johns, run, don’t walk to our new St. Johns Fuel Prices page at;
http://cruisersnet.net/category/st-johns-fuel-prices/
There are two other ways to find the “St. Johns Fuel Prices” page. Either click the “Fuel Prices” button on the blue, horizontal menu bare ABOVE our sponsorship panels, and select “St. Johns River,” or click the “Eastern Florida” button on the red, accordion style menu along the right side of all (except “Chart View”) Cruisers’ Net pages, and select, “St. Johns Fuel Prices” from the menu that opens.
Did we miss any good fuel stops along the St. Johns River? If you know of one we are not reporting, PLEASE contact me at CruisingWriter@CruisersNet.net.
Happy fuel pumping on the St. Johns!
Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net Floridian Fuel Price Pages Updated 1/26/10
Be advised that we have just fully updated our “Eastern Florida Fuel Prices,” “St. Johns River Fuel Prices,” “Florida Keys Fuel Prices” and “Western Florida Fuel Prices” pages, as of 1/26/10.
You can access our fuel price pages directly by following the links below:
Eastern Florida Fuel Prices:
http://cruisersnet.net/category/east-fl-fuel-prices/
St. Johns River Fuel Prices:
http://cruisersnet.net/category/st-johns-fuel-prices/
Florida Keys Fuel Prices:
http://cruisersnet.net/category/keys-fuel-prices/
Western Florida Fuel Prices:
http://cruisersnet.net/category/west-fl-fuel-prices/
Aids to Navigation Problems Reported on St. Augustine Inlet
Just this morning (1/19/10), we posted an important message from Captain Jay Bliss, St. Augustine Port Commissioner, about problems with aids to navigation on St. Augustine Inlet. This posting provides invaluable navigational advice for ANYONE who will be traversing this passage. So, if this describes you, go to our Eastern Florida Cruising/Regional News geographic sub-region page, “St. Augustine (Statute Mile 446 to 780)” at:
http://cruisersnet.net/category/east-fl-st-augustine/
Once the page comes up, scroll down just a bit. The posting in question currently lies atop this sub-section, though that will change as new messages are received.
Dredging Underway at Gordon Pass (Western Florida, near Naples)
Western Florida cruisers will be happy to learn that a dredging project is now underway on the waters of Gordon Pass, just south of Naples. This is an important inlet, as the vast majority of boating traffic to and from Naples makes use of this passage. The inlet channel has been shoaling along its northern edge for several years, and there have been any number of previous postings on the Net about the problems this shallowing has caused. Well, soon those problems will be only a bad memory. Check out the full story by going to:
http://www.CruisersNet.net/dredging-underway-on-gordon-pass-near-naples-fl
North Palm Beach/Parker Bridge Restricted to One Span Openings (Eastern Florida AICW, Near St. M. 1014)
Here’s an item that will be of interest to Captains piloting multi-hull craft, or larger motor vessels. Construction at the North Palm Beach/Parker Bridge has restricted this span’s operation. Read the full details by going to our Eastern Florida Cruising/Regional News geographic sub-region page, “AICW, Great Pocket to Palm Beach (Statute Mile 988 to 1030)” at:
http://cruisersnet.net/category/east-fl-great-pocket-palm-beach/
Trouble Brewing on the Florida Anchoring Rights Front
In 2009 many of us thought that the long festering thorn in the side of the cruising community, known as Florida Anchoring Rights, was at last being brought to a compromised, but semi-satisfactory conclusion with the passage of a new, statewide Florida anchoring law. I will not rehash the give and take of that legislation here, but many of us thought it a good step forward.
Well, I still believe the new law is a step forward, BUT certain communities around Florida are now openly defying the new statute. And, in the face of a total lack of remedial action by the state of Florida, we suppose more municipalities may be encouraged to undertake similar, illegal actions!
This very real, growing problem will soon be the focus for a new, major Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net anchoring editorial. When this article is available, we will notify you. For the moment though, follow the links below to read postings from fellow cruisers who have run head on into this unhappy state of affairs:
http://www.CruisersNet.net/sarasotas-500-foot-anchoring-regulation
http://www.CruisersNet.net/letter-to-fort-lauderdale-fl-city-dockmaster-re-anchoring-rights
http://www.CruisersNet.net/anchoring-hassels-in-hollywood-florida
More Groundings on Georgia AICW Near “Cumberland Dividings” (near St. M. 704)
This is not the first time that the AICW navigational/charting problems immediately south of the “Cumberland Dividings” section of the Georgia, AICW, hard by the Waterway’s intersection with southern Brickhill River, have been mentioned here on the Cruisers’ Net. Well, a recent posting by a veteran AICW cruiser, who ran aground, “in spite of all the warnings” have prompted us to mention this sad situation once again. Even if you will not be traversing this section of the Waterway until spring, we suggest one and all read what Captain Price has to say, by going to our Georgia Cruising/Regional News geographic sub-region page, “ICW, Jekyll Creek to St. Marys River (Statute Mile 680 to 712)” at:
http://cruisersnet.net/category/ga-news-jekyll-creek-st-marys-river/
Good News Concerning AICW/Fields Cut (Statute Mile 575)
At last the Federal Government “Stimulus Money” allocated to the US Army Corps of Engineers, seems to be having an impact on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. In fact, we have just posted some very good news about the AICW section known as Fields Cut.
For those not familiar with the southeastern South Carolina section of the Waterway, Fields Cut is a man-made, canal-like body of water water that connects Wright and Savannah Rivers. This passage has been shoaling for some time, both at its northern intersection with Wright River, and along its last bend, just north of Savannah River. One of these problem sections is no longer a concern!
This news will be of immediate interest to year round South Carolina and Georgia cruisers, and Waterway mariners will find much to interest them, looking forward a few months to the spring, 2010 cruising season.
So, don’t delay, check out the full story by going to our South Carolina geographic sub-page, “AICW – Cooper River to Savannah River (Statute Mile 565 to 575.5)’ at:
http://cruisersnet.net/category/sc-cooper-savannah/
“Bottom Bumping” Reported on Eastern St. Lucie River/Okeechobee Waterway (near AICW Statute Mile 987.5)
The intersection of the AICW and St. Lucie River/Okeechobee Waterway, east of the city of Stuart, Florida, has long been one of the most shoal prone stretches on the Eastern Florida section of the Waterway. And, the same goes for the easternmost section of the St. Lucie River, which also serves as the easterly genesis of the Okeechobee Waterway.
Yet, couple together the juncture of two major Waterways, not to mention the popular marina and repair facilities on nearby Manatee Pocket, and the city of Stuart, and it’s easy to understand why hundreds of vessels ply these waters every year.
Now, we have just posted a notice on the Cruisers’ Net which would seem to suggest that the easternmost portion of the St. Lucie River/Okeechobee Waterway channel has shoaled to such an extent, that a fellow mariner’s vessel “bumped bottom.”
If you will be cruising on the St. Lucie River/Okeechobee Waterway this winter or spring, we strongly suggest that you acquaint yourself with the full story. To do so, go to:
http://cruisersnet.net/shallow-depths-on-easternmost-st-lucie-riverokeechobee-waterway/
If anyone else has had recent experience with depths at or near the AICW/St. Lucie intersection, PLEASE tell us what you found. E-mail me at CruisingWriter@CruisersNet.net, or click the “Contribute News” link found near the top center of all Net “Cruising News” pages.
AICW Groundings Reported Near North Carolina’s Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge (St. M. 338)
The decrepit Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge is scheduled for replacement as soon as the nearby high-rise span, currently under construction, is finished. Until then, however, captains need to take extra care while waiting for the pontoon span to open.
Captain Bill Favro, who lives hard by the Waterway’s passage of the pontoon bridge, reports that vessels are running aground regularly while waiting for an opening! This is not only a problem for year-round North Carolina mariners, but come spring, 2010 AICW cruisers will also have to contend with this potential difficulty.
Check out Captain Favro’s posting, and make a strong mental note for the next time your watery travels carry you to extreme southeastern North Carolina. Go to the Cruisers’ Net’s North Carolina geographic sub-region page, “AICW, Southport to Calabash (Statute Mile 309 to 343)” at:
http://cruisersnet.net/category/nc-southport-calabash/
Dinghy Dockage Now Available In Key Largo’s Tarpon Basin (Statute Mile 1139.5)
The Florida Keys/Inside Route passes through Tarpon Basin just south of Blackwater Sound, near the heart of Key Largo. This body of water offers not one, not two, but at least three good anchorage possibilities. And now, free shoreside dinghy access is also available at a nearby “Government Center.” There is even a Publix supermarket and all kinds of other good shopping within walking distance.
So, if you will be cruising the fascinating Florida Keys anytime soon, take a gander at the Net’s Florida Keys geographic sub-region page, “Inside/Florida Bay Passage, Blackwater Sound to Tavernier Creek (Statute Mile 1134 to 1153)” at:
http://cruisersnet.net/category/keys-inside-route-blackwater-tavernier/
An In-depth Look at Vero Beach, Florida (near St. M. 952)
Our fearless roving reporter, Captain Jane Tigar, has just filed an in-depth look at Eastern Florida’s popular port of call, Vero Beach. Jane has done a wonderful job of outlining the offerings at Vero Beach Municipal Marina (A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR), and the nearby city. You won’t want to miss her report if your winter or spring cruising itinerary calls for passing through these waters. So, to check out Captain Jane’s story, go to:
http://www.CruisersNet.net/vero-beach-city-marina-and-vero-beach-statute-mile-952
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