“Cruisers Helping Cruisers” – here is a perfect example of how this Cruisers’ Net motto works at its BEST!When we first posted the cherry picked extract from the Local Notice to Mariners (listed lastly below), it was very confusing. The verbal description of the anchored vessel’s position, “Between Clearwater Pass Channel LT 7 (LLNR 25700) and Clearwater Marina Channel DBN 5” DIFFERED markedly from the provided Lat/Lon position, which plotted out to a point west of the Western Florida ICW’s path between markers #5 and #7, well SOUTH of Clearwater Pass.So, in our 1/20/12 SSECN Alert, we asked for assistance from the Western Florida cruising community to help establish the real location of this potential obstruction to navigation. As usual, the response from our fellow cruisers has been exemplary, as will be seen below in the notes from Captains Bush and Thayer.After reading their notes, the cause of the LNM confusion became clear. It seems as if there were actually two sailcraft, one of which was temporarily where it was not supposed to be (in shallow water off the Clearwater Municipal Marina channel), and the other anchored but unlit, farther to the south, off the Western Florida ICW between markers #5 and #7.WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT (as you will read below), that both vessels no longer pose a threat to navigation. The northern craft has been returned to its usual place, and the south side sailing vessel is now showing an anchor light, and will soon depart the area.THANK YOU Western Florida cruising community!!!!

Claiborne,There is lot more story to this abandoned, derelict sailboat report.I live on Sand Key, about a half mile west of the reported GPS position, and have passed this anchored sailboat several times in the last two weeks on the way to the IWW for some local cruising. I can assure you that this is not a derelict ( two mast ketch style S/V which I would be proud to own) and has not been abandoned by the couple and a large black lab dog. I talked to the owners this Saturday ( 1-21-12) and this is what I found out.First, to clarify the position. The GPS position reported in the USCG report is correct. The verbal description needs to be changed. I would describe the position being approx. 200 to 300 yards west of the Gulf IWW at MM 134 and between the lighted green marker G7 to the north and the green day marker G5 to the south This is a favorite anchoring spot of many local and pass thru cruising boaters. The original reference to Clearwater Pass and Clearwater Marina is wrong.Sometime last week , the owners took their RIB to Clearwater and rented a car with the intention of returning to their anchored boat in the evening. But as many plans go wrong, they were broad sided by a red light running vehicle in Clearwater and were both hospitalized with non-life threating injuries (as best as I can deduce) for a few days. They were in no position to return to the boat that evening. The next day while still in the hospital, they contacted a friend to go to their sailboat and turn on the anchor light. For at least one night (day of the accident) and perhaps a second night until their friend got to the boat, the sailboat was anchored without any lights. This is what led to a report (probably by a local boater) of an unlighted , abandoned sailboat at the stated position. So for about one or two days, I guess you can say that a hazard existed.The couple are now aboard their boat and have been for several days and plan to leave the Clearwater area on Monday (1-23-12) and continue their cruise southbound. They were not aware of the notice to mariners that their boat was classified as derelict, abandoned and a hazard.I hope this helps to clear up what happened.Tom BushI work on a Clearwater Bay tour boat two days a week. . . . there was an anchored sailboat aground on the northside of the Clearwater Marina channel which runs along the south side of Memorial Causeway, but it was in shallow water no where close to the channel. It was well west of the ICW across from the bird sanctuary island on the south side of the marina channel approximately even with green daymark 9. It had apparently broken away from the informal mooring area in front of Clearwater City Marina.By Thursday it had been refloated and returned to the anchorage area.Hope this helps.John ThayerP/V Anna SuzanneIndian Rocks Beach, FLFLORIDA-TAMPA BAY TO PORT RICHEY-CLEARWATER HARBOR-CLEARWATER PASS: Hazard to NavigationThe Coast Guard received a report of an anchored, unmanned and unlit 45ft white S/V in position 27-56.33N 082-49.46W (27°56.3298N / 082°49.4598W, 27.93883 / -82.82433). Between Clearwater Pass Channel LT 7 (LLNR 25700) and Clearwater Marina Channel DBN 5 (LLNR 25750) approximately 300 yards west of the Intracoastal Waterway. Mariners are advised to exercise extreme caution while transiting the area. Chart 11411Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Clearwater, Florida