The “One and Only Anchorage” lies south of the Waterway’s intersection with St. Johns River, south of unlighted daybeacon #15 and just north of the San Pablo Bridge.
Anchored here to-nite and the depth is 24 plus. Could not find the 10 -15 ft water. Noise from the bridge but other wise OK.
Sonny
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I have been preaching from my pulpit for years now, that the fly in the proverbial ointment when it comes to the struggle for Florida Anchoring Rights, is the very real problem of abandoned vessels (“derelicts”) and what I term, “live aboard hulks” (vessels that are being lived on, but which will probably never move again)! These problem vessels are the excuse that the anti-anchoring forces keep throwing in the mix every time the debate rages about Florida anchoring.
Many others here on the Cruisers’ Net, and on many other forums, have opined that the problem of derelicts and “live aboard hulks” can be solved with existing Florida laws and regulations, thereby not penalizing all other boat owners.
Now, our good friend, and true friend of the cruising community, Captain Jay Bliss, member of the St. Augustine Port Commission, has provided us with the means below to research derelict vessels in Florida, on a county by county basis. Thank you Captain Bay for providing this wonderful resource!
Hi Claiborne,
Here’s the pertinent website for the identification, procedures, for Derelict, Abandoned,and AtRisk vessels in FL
http://myfwc.com/media/407584/GeneralOrder21.pdf
For those that reside in any particular patch in FL, they can get an idea of the problem boats in a particular county by going to this site
https://public.myfwc.com/LE/ArrestNet/DerelictVessel/VesselMap.aspx
At that url, examine the Legend (rh side), then clik “Queries”. The page there allows you to type in a FL county. Do that, and press Search.
Your county will show problem boats as colored circles. Clik on a given circle, and you’ll see further details about that boat. Stats are in the lower left side of the page. You can compare counties, etc. You can learn dates boats were identified, etc. It’s a valuable tool to see how we progress in ridding our Public waters of problem boats.
Jay Bliss
These "live aboard hulks" aren't a problem as you describe. these are peoples homes. Shame on anyone who tries to take anyone's home away from them.
The Titusville mooring field lies south of the Titusville harbor entrance channel.
Titusville has a new mooring field, the rates are $15 /day or $290 a month. There is still plenty of room to anchor north of the mooring field. The staff there [Titusville Municipal Marina] has always been friendly and still goes out of it’s way to serve its customers. A short walk from the marina is the Southern Room bar on Washington St or the Crackerjack out on the pier under the bridge. Both of these are good to spend a few hours in enjoying the ambiance.
Henry Zalegowski S/V Turn’er Loose
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Titusville, Florida
This open unlisted anchorage is on the west side of the Waterway at mile 923.3. Marker #17 is southeast of Cape Malabar.
As I type this I am anchored west of Green Marker 17 just south of Melbourne FL. South of here there is no place to anchor till Ft. Pierce, unless you get a mooring ball at Vero Beach. Vero’s is a great stop and very convenient but they are now almost $15 a day with tax or $430 a month. Heading north this is the first good anchorage, although from here to Titusville you can anchor almost anywhere. The winds today are blowing between 15 and 20 knots and the ride here is very reasonable. This is mainly a overnight stop although I’m spending a few days here to unwind and let the winds shift back to the north.
If you had to, you could dinghy to the west 1/2 mile and find several convenience stores and some other misc shops.
Henry Zalegowski S/V Turn’er Loose
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Green Marker #17
It’s good to hear of a very positive experience in the St. Augustine mooring field. We have an earlier posting here on the Cruisers’ Net describing an unhappy experience, NOT due to any failing on the part of the St. Augustine City Marina personnel, which manage these city mooring fields, but due to wake from local fishing vessels (see /?p=76385). Then, happily we also recent published a report that a local no-wake zone was going to be extended to encompass more of the city mooring fields (see /?p=76662). As you will read below, Captains Ed and Bonnie were the beneficiaries of this newly enlarged no-wake zone!
We have spent several days in the mooring field both spring and fall and have experienced the most courteous marina operators anywhere. In regards to the no wake issue there has been a definite improvement over this spring. We found no issues with commercial fishermen however we also have no problem sharing these waters with the real men & women of the sea.
Our Lord’s Blessings
Ed & Bonnie
S/V Almost Heaven
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the St. Augustine Mooring Fields
Yes, indeed, Old Port Cove Marina is an excellent facility, or you can choose to anchor nearby on northern Lake Worth (follow link below for more info).
Anchorage is perfect & free! Lots of room and good holding.
The marina is 100% all amenities if you like that sort of thing. Shopping is 1 city block from the North end of Old Port Cove anchorage with Groceries and CVS as well as the infamos Carmines with the finest of wines,cheeese,sea food of all kinds and meats & fish of the finest quality anywhere. Shopping for the ladies as well. Anchor or Marina it does not get any better.
Almost Heaven
We stopped for a night at Old Port Cove Marina. It was the least expensive marina in the area. We wanted a pump out the morning we left, but the marina was so busy launching small powerboats from their boatel service they told us to go elsewhere. Also, if you dock there, have good fenders ready to protect from the concrete finger piers.
Dennis Jay
Yep, Old Port Cove Marina is an A+ in our book. The entire staff is customer friendly and will do anything within their power to help you out. We highly recommend a stay there.
Jack & Temme Peterson
Location was everything all the other comments said. Easy to anchor and easy to get out.
scgator
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Those bugs can find you anywhere on the water, even at this SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR! However, if you are cruising through VERO, please stop off here and let them know how much you appreciate their support of the cruising community, by way of their support for the SSECN!
We stayed on a shared mooringball in Vero beach about 3 weeks ago and although had planned to stay for 2 days left after one night because of voracious no seeums ! Unfortunately the people moored alongside us said bugs were not a problem so we did not use nets or take precautions until too late ending up with up to 50 bites each. I must add that we have stayed before in a more breezy location and not had a problem.
Kat
Marineland Marina lies south ‘“ southeast of AICW marker #87, along the Waterway’s eastern shore. This marina had been closed for many years, but just recently reopened. While there are not yet any nearby restaurants or good provisioning possibilities, the new incarnation of Marineland Marina will be another excellent stop for cruisers plying the AICW between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach.
what a gem ‘“ stay if you can! it is inexpensive ($1/f,t,) peaceful, beautiful, alive with wildlife, across A1A from the beach and the Marineland dolphin research facility. Super dockmaster, Chris Kelly, is helpful, friendly, and knowlegeable. if you like wild and peaceful surroundings, with up to date facilities, do NOT miss the opportunity to stay at Marineland Marina.
Jane Hanson
We planned to stay one night and ended up staying a week. This is not a place for provisions but has a lot to offer. There is the Marine Land dolphin rehab across the street and a nature trail just south. You can hear the surf from your boat, walk the beach. Nice docks but shallow at low tide. Chris is a great harbor master. Peaceful and pleasant. We will be back.
Bill Hanson
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marineland Marina
Cooleys Landing is one of three city of Fort Lauderdale owned and managed dockage facilities. Cooleys Landing is the most upstream (on New River) of these three facilities. A host of restaurants (including the memorable “Shirttail Charleys”) are within easy walking distance!
Cooloey’s Landing is a great spot from which to enjoy Ft. Lauderdale. Free trolly to beach and another up and down the beach takes you near West Marine, Sailorman, Blue Water Books, etc. We spent a most enjoyable week there just before Christmas.
Hank Evans
M/V Queen Ann’s Revenge
It was one of our favorite stops last year on our way south, spent a week also’¦.hope they have the stealing in check now. Great spot for yacht watching, eating and walking on the water front. Enjoyed the water tours that let you on and off and back on to many stops including the beach. Would do it again..just have to time the current when docking there, can be very very strong at wrong time.
S/V Colleen Mae
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For Cooleys Landing
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Cooleys Landing
Marineland Marina lies south ‘“ southeast of AICW marker #87, along the Waterway’s eastern shore. This marina had been closed for many years, but just recently reopened. While there are not yet any nearby restaurants or good provisioning possibilities, the new incarnation of Marineland Marina will be another excellent stop for cruisers plying the AICW between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach.
Echo the comments 10/15/11. Stayed for one night, left St. Augustine headed south and arrived about noon. Enjoyed the marine center, had a personal tour of the facilities at Marineland, it was not crowded. Got some great pictures of Dolphin training, jumping etc.
WiFi did not work on boat without an external stick where we were put. Walked back trails and across A1A where there is a nice beachfront park. We intend on stopping for a week on our way back north for the beach in the spring. With the hatch open, the sound of the surf put me to sleep.
Bill
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marineland Marina
Now that anchoring time limits on St. Augustine waters, outside of the three city mooring fields, are set at a do-able 30 days, instead of the proposed 10 days, cruisers can once again begin to ponder where the best places to drop the hook while visiting St. Augustine, are located. Below, Captain Vince Roberts provides some excellent answers to this musing.
Their are plenty of anchoring spots in the St. Augustine area outside of the mooring fields. To name a few. In Salt Run area lots of room for anchoring outside the mooring field . Northeast of the Fort their is ample depth and swinging room for 6+ boats. Also east of the north mooring field off Anastasia Island one can find fairly good holding and swinging room. I have had my Island Packet sailboat here in St. Augustine for the past 10 years and have never had a problem finding a suitable spot to anchor. One must search for a suitable location depending on weather of course. Hope this helps.
Capt. Vince Roberts
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of St. Augustine
On 12/13/11, we posted a thoughtful message here on the Cruisers’ Net about vessels in the southern St. Augustine Mooring Field, being bothered by the wake of crabbers and other local fishing people (see /?p=76385). In response to that posting, we have excellent, late breaking news out of St. Augustine, courtesy of Captains Tina and Scott, that there is help on the way in regards to this situation. Good works city of St. Augustine!!!
Dinghy Approaches Tender Dock at St. Augustine City Marina
We stayed at the Anchorage Inn Marina across the river from St Augustine municipal marina for a few weeks and agree with the complete lack of enforcement of the current No Wake zone, which ends prior to the mooring field anyway’¦Good news, the Harbormaster informed me when I called to complain that they had received approval to have the current No Wake bouy moved 500 feet further south of the Bridge of Lions in early January 2012. This will not cover the entire South Mooring Field, but should help some, especially those closer to the marina. I hate to say it, but the worst offenders were the local fishermen and big 4-engined CBP boats from the new CBP National Training Center at SAMC.
Scott & Tina Ligon
Agree with the Good News. The new CBP boats only add to the reckless boats of law enforcement. The local Sheriff’s office has a couple of stolen go-fasts and apparently no training on how to safely operate them.
Jason Martin
How does an unenforced zone being expanded accomplish anything?
Chris
Captain Feiges is responding, in her message below, to a posting which appeared here on the Cruisers’ Net some time ago, about the victory in St. Augustine, when the city proposed ten day anchoring limit outside the mooring field, was shot down, and changed by the FWC to a thirty day limit.
Her point in this missive is very different, and very much worth the cruising community’s thoughtful consideration. Beverly speaks of a lack of anchoring “space” in Florida due to the proliferation of private moorings!
We are cruisers, plain and simple, and seldom stay in one spot for even a week. Even in Georgetown, in the Bahamas, where we may spend a month or more, we switch anchoring spots every so many days, depending on wind or activities ashore. Putting in mooring fields in very popular spots has the advantage of allowing many more boats to safely anchor, but it is also nice to have some room to anchor left over for those of us who may be too big for the spacing and holding power of the moorings, or too high off the water to easily pick up the mooring. Having permanently anchored boats in what is a limited area, even if they must move them every thirty days, does not help the honest to god cruiser who is passing through and wants a spot for a night or two. Even worse seems to be the unregulated dropping of private moorings everywhere it used to be possible to anchor.
I want the right to anchor, but there must be room to do it, and in allowing people to set their private moorings all over the place, (in Maine some people have as many as five in different harbors), or to stay anchored more than 5 days without a valid reason, then this room does not exist, and you just as effectively have cut off my right to anchor. We had this experience in St. Augustine this fall, almost impossible to anchor.
Beverly Feiges
Virtually all anchoring regulations being promoted by FWC are in violation of Florida Statute 370.04 in the wake of two Florida Supreme Court decision favoring boater’s (almost) unrestricted anchoring rights. There is nothing to be applauded here as FWC seems to be forging ahead unempeded with its greed and rise of power with little or no sound rationale or legal foundation.
Make your resistance known against this flagrant arrigance and disregard for formal constitutional decisions.
Bruce Bingham
Perhaps a private mooring can now be considered `the owner is anchored’ and falls under the new regs ?? Interesting possibility’¦
Dennis McMurtry
I agree with Beverly. Sure, Florida’s mooring fields are busy in the winter, but for most of the year there are many vacant moorings that eliminate huge areas that used to be available for anchoring. St. Augustine has effectively eliminated all of the best anchoring areas by covering the harbor in moorings, most of which remain vacant most of the year. Same thing in Marathon. I have squeezed into the remaining anchorage there during the off season when half the moorings were empty.
John Kettlewell
Laws continue to be changed. FL Statute 370.04 I could not find. Overriding everything is our Federal Navigational Servitude and the Public Trust doctrine which provide, among other things, that navigation includes the right to anchor in all navigable waters.
FL Statute 327.44 states `no anchoring’¦in a manner which shall unreasonably or unnecessarily constitute a navigational hazard.’
Jay Bliss
More than a few of St. Augustine’s north mooring field buoys remain empty because of shoaling of the bay bottom. This prevents the marina from being able to assign boats to these buoys because a falling tide MAY have the boat on the hard bottom.
Because this is a designated mooring area, a shallow draft cruiser that COULD anchor in this space is denied anchoring as allowed by FS 370.04.
St. Augustine has been much in the cruising news of late, due to its proposed ten day anchorage limit outside of the city’s three mooring fields (which the FWC changed, thankfully, to a 30-day limit). However, Captains John and Carol’s message below pertains to problems they encountered in the city mooring field south of Bridge of Lions, and hard by St. Augustine City Marina.
The messages below are reprinted from the American Great Loop Cruisers’ Association forum.
Spent two days at the mooring balls in St. Augustine and will never go there again. They allow crab pots in the middle of the field and DO NOT police the area. The inconsiderate crab potters come into the field on plane, 25 yards from moored boats, stop to check pot, and immediately accelerate away. When mentioned at the office, I was informed that there is nothing they could do and could not stop the crabbers from being in the mooring field. If I had thier number from the boat, they would report the
crabber to authorities however I was too busy picking up lamps and other things in boat to get numbers. I was also told that they know it is a problem. There is not even a no wake disignation for the field. Nice people do operate the city mooring and marina but evidently are powerless. If St. Augustine, which does have a lot to offer in thier downtown area want boaters to stop, they need to get a handle on activities inside the mooring fields so boats and boaters will be safe while moored and unable to maneuver to defend themsleves from inappropriate wakes.
John & Carol Sagel
Captain Ted Stehle, editor for “Waterway Guide” chimed in, and asked the following question:
Which of the three mooring fields were you in?
Ted Stehle
And Captains John and Carol replied:
We were right outside the marina, to the south of the office.
John & Carol Sagel
It only took two stops for us to determine the New Mooring Fields in St. Augustine were designed for us Second Class Citizens. As Capt. John and Carol said there’s no wake restrictions on boats passing the mooring field. Unbelievable! No excuse other than the City doesn’t give a crap otherwise they would have petitioned for a No Wake Zone and Fishing Exclusion Zone when they created the Mooring Fields. My advice is Vote with your pocketbook and bypass doing business with them. That’s what we are doing. Sooner or later they will get the message.
Capt. Jesse Price
And here’s GREAT, late breaking news from St. Augustine:
We stayed at the Anchorage Inn Marina across the river from St Augustine municipal marina for a few weeks and agree with the complete lack of enforcement of the current No Wake zone, which ends prior to the mooring field anyway’¦Good news, the Harbormaster informed me when I called to complain that they had received approval to have the current No Wake bouy moved 500 feet further south of the Bridge of Lions in early January 2012. This will not cover the entire South Mooring Field, but should help some, especially those closer to the marina. I hate to say it, but the worst offenders were the local fishermen and big 4-engined CBP boats from the new CBP National Training Center at SAMC.
Scott & Tina Ligon
We have spent several days in the mooring field both spring and fall and have experienced the most courteous marina operators anywhere. In regards to the no wake issue there has been a defiant improvement over this spring. We found no issues with commercial fishermen however we also have no problem sharing these waters with the real men & women of the sea.
Our Lord’s Blessings
Ed & Bonnie
S/V Almost Heaven
Fishermen were here before tourist and work for a living. If Cruisers had it their way the ICW would be set up just for them. Don’t Cruisers have any good things to say’¦all they do is complain, everything I read is how Florida should change laws to suit them’¦Compromise’¦.oh what is that you say. I’m for No wake zones but powerboats have a right to run in certain areas’¦although they are few because of the cry babies.
Maybe bypass Florida..perfect.
Darrel Warren
The facility briefly commented upon below lies on the “Canaveral Barge Canal” east of the one lock on this stream/inlet.
Stayed a couple of days(2.25 a foot)! Nice bathrooms and laundry. My only complaint is the poor internet connection on the docks.
John Pholeric
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Ocean Club at Port Canaveral
The anchorage Will recommends is on the west side of the Waterway just north of Flagler Beach, FL,
We used to list the anchorage described below, but took it out of our Eastern Florida Anchorage Directory some years ago, due to all the traffic associated with the below described Sea Ray plant. Also, for a time the “concrete plan” reopened, but now it appears to have closed again.
Anyway, looks like Will and Cheryl found a good spot to anchor upstream of the Sea Ray facility.
Thanks for getting back to us Larry. BTW we also wanted to recommend an anchorage by mile 809, a canal off the ICW at an abandoned cement plant. It’s not on the roster though for us to make comments on.
Best wishes,
Will & Cheryl aboard s/v Varua – Westsail 42
The anchorage is an inlet created evidently for a cement plan, now closed. It is between markers G11 and G13 west off the ICW. On our overnight stay on 12/4/2011, we founds depths of 6.5-8.5 feet at the entrance, staying close to the South side as advised by a fellow cruiser. past the entrance, there are homes with private docks on the left. trees on the right. Depths increase to 10-12 feet toward the end, past a Sea Ray plant. The tide changes less than two feet in this `cul-de-sac.’ No real shore visit opportunity. Bottom is very sticky black mud. The Sea Ray plant starts to make factory noises early in morning. Otherwise a very quiet, protected anchorage.
Will & Cheryl
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Recommended Anchorage
Wabasso Bridge-crosses the ICW at Statute Mile 943, southeast of unlighted daybeacon #80. Has anyone else noted less than charted vertical clearance as noted by Captain Mathias below. If so/not,please click the “Click Here to Submit Cruising News” link to the upper right, and share your information!
This bridge is not 65′. We are sitting at high tide and the board shows 63 1/4′ with a .48′ total tide.
Pete Mathias
We passed through Wabasso 8 November 2011 with no problem. Our mast is 64.5 with another 3′ for the VHF antenna. The board indicated 64.4, the antenna didn’t touch.
Della
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For Wabasso Bridge
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Wabasso Bridge
Fort George River Anchorage lies just west of unlighted daybeacon #5 ‘“ the westerly entrance to Fort George River, from the ICW, lies east-southeast of flashing daybeacon #72. We hope you have a better stay than Chris did.
We anchored here winter of 2011. Came in at low tide. Sticking close to the southerly shore. Anchored initially just to the east of the plantation. We experienced a great deal of boat traffic. Center cockpit fishing boats racing through. Felt like we were taking up the whole river. I was not comfortable with it. Picked up and moved just to the south east of green #18 Chart showed a little 5 ft deep area .We draw 3’10’³ did a lot of sounding around to pick a spot as close to the north shore as possible. Felt better about it then being in the center of the channel. That night the `Flounder Barge’ spent about 3 hours around the plantation. For those not familiar with the `Flounder Barge’ from what I could tell it looked like a giant air-boat, with a huge generator on it. This was to power the billion candle spotlights used to search for the flounder. Being not only the loudest machine man has ever made. It appears to be one of the deadliest. It skims the shallow areas looking for prey. On the deck stand what seem to be drunken college kids with spears which they stab at whatever looks like something that might be alive on the bottom. The only thing louder then the generator and giant fan are the hoots of a successful kill. It was a tough night to sleep.
Chris
Had no trouble exiting ICW to Ft George River. Anchored overnight 11/30/2011 opposite plantation main buildings by mark `5’³. Depths 10’+, good holding. Dinghied to park dock just before ranger closed the gate to it at 1630. At dawn, slack tide left it to the wind to push us close to the southern shore. Started engine to keep us off. Tidal current took over again and gave us time to walk the plantation, before leaving mid morning. Recommend this anchorage.
Will and Cheryl
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Fort George River Anchorage
Crescent Beach Bridge crosses the ICW at Statute Mile 789, southeast of flashing daybeacon #58.
We had a great experience with the bridge captain operating this bridge on November 21, 2011. We had monitored VHF channel 9 since clearing Bridge of Lions, and his greetings and conversations with all southbound vessels were courteous, professional, and friendly.
This is an open on demand bridge and his timing was perfect, every time, resulting in a seamless transit of the bridge.
We believe this bridge captain is a prime candidate to be presented to the Florida Tourism Board as State Employee of the Year. He certainly is the happiest bridge captain on the ICW.
Steve and Sheila Kamp aboard S/V Carolina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Crescent Beach Bridge
Despite the controversy surrounding St. Augustine’s proposed anchorage regulations OUTSIDE of the city owned mooring fields, praise for the two new mooring fields continues to come in. The mooring fields lie just north and south of the Bridge of Lions.
We pulled into Salt Run on the evening of the 20th of November and our first observation was `Wow, where did all the junk go?’ Our second observation was that there were several lines of crab pots. Upon closer examination the crab pots were white mooring balls, very neatly identified as SR 1, etc. We coasted up to one, caught the painter, and soon had Carolina snugged in.
Around 5:20 pm we were hailed by a St. Augustine Marina employee who got us registered, suggested a ball that had better for our draft, and we paid our $14.00 fee for the night.
We were given a card identifying the ball and the date which gave us access to everything we would have had at the City Marina, other than water and electric.
We fully understand the controversy over anchoring rights in and around various Florida municipalities, but having experienced what St. Augustine has accomplished, are very satisfied with the product.
Steve and Sheila Kamp aboard S/V Carolina
The mooring field at St Augustine wasn’t there our last trip but was being talked about. We thought that it would be wonderful. The blows through there can get pretty rough and no more worries about anchors not holding, and boats drifting into others. 14 a day, isn’t bad. We will be Happy to pay for the mooring on our next trip down! Besides, if You stop in St Augustine 14 bucks will probably be the cheapest thing You purchase!
S/V Gemini
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of St. Augustine Mooring Fields
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