Harbortown Marina is located north of downtown Fort Pierce. We also strongly recommend that you consider nearby Fort Pierce City Marina, and not just because this latter facility is a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR. They are also an absolutely first-class, city run marina in every way, shape and fashion!

I left my boat here while visiting friends in Vero Beach. The cost for the slip, with power (monthly rate) was the same as staying at a mooring at Vero Beach Municipal Marina. Of course, this only works if you have access to a car. Great staff, nice restaurant, and yes, the docks do need some attention. If you look at an unprotected piling (most are wrapped with some material that hide the damage), you wonder how they stand up to the stress.
HB Koern

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For Harbortown Marina (Fort Pierce)

This little anchorage lies just north of what used to be the Jones Fruit Dock, but only Waterway veterans will remember that place. For everyone else, let’s just say that it lies north of Vero Beach. This a great spot to drop the hook, but swinging room is a bit skimpy, and may only be appropriate for vessels 32 feet and smaller.

We stop here almost every time we pass by, including Mar 31, 2010. We usually anchor about halfway up behind the island, but this time a little more to the south, about 150 feet south of a buoy midstream. We had our usual quiet night but in the morning, pulled up a heavy chain attached to an old mooring and caught on our anchor. I had seen two moorings here in previous years and wondered where one of them went ‘“ now we know! So be aware that there have been moorings midstream behind the island and there is the possibility of catching one with your anchor. Other than that it’s a delightful, protected spot.
Jean Thomason (DOVEKIE)

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Anchorage Directory Listing For The Secluded Anchorage

Sailfish Marina of Stuart is the first facility that will come abeam to the west, after entering Manatee Pocket!

We are staying a couple nights at Sailfish Marina, just off the ICW, in the Manatee Pocket, near Stuart, Fla. They give a Boat US discount off on fuel. They give 25% off their slips, making it only $1.50 per foot, very reasonable for Fla. The washer and dryer are only $1.00 each. For reservations, call 772-283-1122 for Kay, the office manager. The owners Jan and Butch Bayley are very helpful too.
Cindy Shue

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For Sailfish Marina of Stuart

The new (at least to yours truly) anchorage described below by Captains John and Angie will be found just south of the old Jones Fruit Dock location (for Waterway veterans that remember this venerable stopover). This is one of the new overnight havens for which we have had input here on the Net, with which I am completely unfamiliar. Anyone else dropped the hook here. If so, please click the “Comment on This Posting/Marina/Anchorage/Bridge” link below, and share your experiences.

You missed the best anchorage in this area, at about MM 947 behind the small spoil islet. We went in just N of flashing red marker `112’³ and never saw less than 8 ft. We were there recently in March on a Sat. with 6 other boats, four left late in the day. The ICW was busy and noisy during the day, but no wakes reached us. Protected from most directions of wind except S.
John and Angie

I e-mailed Captains John and Angie, and asked for more details on the location of this anchorage. They were kind enough to forward the reply below:

Hi Claiborne
The `spoil islet’ is on the W side of the ICW and the anchorage is on the W side of it.
N 27deg 43.3min W 80deg 23.9min
Thanks for all that you do to share good cruising info.
John and Angie
m/v Snow Bird
Leopard 37 powercat

Seldom have we gotten just a quantity of good messages concerning a newly minted marina facility as those we have received over the last six months for Sunset Bay Marina. If you don’t already know, this facility has risen on the site of the old City of Stuart pier, later a mooring field known as Southpointe Anchorage. Sunset Bay is found just upstream of the old Roosevelt Bridges, on the South Fork of St. Lucie River.

As I traveled the distance up the St. Lucie River to Sunset Bay Marina, I wondered if it was going to be worth the extra mileage ‘“ it was! One of the few places with floating docks ‘“ which were excellent. CLEAN washrooms/showers/laundry. Store with marine supplies. And yes the restaurant was excellent, both in terms of food and service. And that is one of the two key attractions to this facility ‘“ it has everything but it is all about SERVICE. They specialize in that. Assistance with docking and experienced advice. There’s get acquainted parties, bbqs and other activities for both long term and transient boaters to enjoy. I was only there one night but it is definitely a place I would visit again, maybe even for the long term!
Lois Lipton

I agree with Lois’s comments and add that the facility includes a large mooring field, with all the amenities available for boaters on the moorings. There are clean showers, new washers & dryers, bikes, cruisers’ lounge with a printer for our laptops, and friendly service. All this for only $10/night. The location in downtown Stuart is another plus: restaurants, shops, Publix, farmers’ market every Sunday, music on the Riverwalk. We stopped for a day or two, but will stay for a couple of weeks.
Julie and John Stocksdale

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For Sunset Bay Marina

Below Captain Hardin describes an anchor down spot I’ve never tried before. And, to the best of my recollection, we’ve never had a posting here on the Cruisers’ Net about dropping the hook on these waters. Has anyone else anchored here???????

I guess the blind pig finds a acorn every once in a while. Went into manatee pocket at St Lucie, wind was blowing out of the south today at 15+. The holding was not great, Ii think that “skippy” gives it a 3. Stayed for a couple of hours and watched the anchor alarm, chartplotter did not show movement but the MKI eyeball said otherwise, pulled anchor with the intention of going to Jensen Beach at (SB) MM 981.8 as the holding was a 4. North on the ICW I turned E just past G233, north of the shoal and then back south to the island. anchored less than 100yds from the island in 7.5+ at low tide. The island blocks the south wind and the shoal 6″ protects from the wakes. Winds in the lee are less than 5. Seems like a great stop, Roxann would love to get off onto the island. Beaches are pure white sand. I think this is a very good stop with south winds and the dog can go ashore. N2711.04/W08010.92.
Charles Hardin

What an interesting business name!

We had all our upholstery done for our boat at Covergirls Upholstery. Wewere very pleased. They may be able to help you out.
279 Southeast Monterey Road, Stuart, FL
(772) 286-5776
Kris

We are all very excited that our dear friend, Captain Jane Tigar has agreed to become a “roving reporter” for the Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net. Captain Jane has been contributing stories and cruising news to the Net for many years. Now, her articles will be a bit lengthier, and allow one and all to take a more in-depth look at the ports of call and anchorages on which she chooses to report. Everyone please join with me in welcoming Captain Jane aboard!
Below, Jane takes a good, long look at the delightful port of call known as Vero Beach, and its city marina plus mooring field. Good choice, Jane, as Vero Beach Municipal Marina is a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!

If there’s one marina that rivals a good anchorage, it’s Vero Beach Municipal Marina. Whether in a slip or on a mooring ball, it’s a bucolic setting that could make you rethink any associations you have with the word `municipal.’ This is not some impersonal marina where you feel like you are in a boat parking lot and your sight-seeing is limited to the marina office and land heads. Think summer camp, a charming foliage rich cove, great sunsets and bright stars at night combined with easy access to culture, entertainment and provisioning.
Vero Beach Municipal Marina is possibly the most convenient marina we’ve ever visited. The ocean, restaurants and shops are only a 15 minute walk away. `Serious’ shopping centers are a short and free shuttle bus ride away with a choice of mid to high range supermarkets, post office, UPS store, and, the all important West Marine Express. There are two shuttle stops at the the marina — one at the dinghy dock and one near the land heads and showers and marina office. It does not get more convenient than this.
It’s one of our `stay a week’ places, not just for the free shuttle buses to and around town but because of the year round summer camp like atmospher. Cruisers do and seem to expect to talk to each other, make friends, swap cruising tips and stories. Maybe it’s because we all queue up for the bus together or because there’s a picnic table, lounge, book swap, plentiful laundry machines — and this physical layout encourages community. Even the mail pick-up feels like camp, with one of the dock hands sorting the mail and putting it in alphabetized cubbies. The way cruisers come for the mail, you’d think they were expecting a care package from Mom and Dad. Maybe they are….
This time a series of cold snaps and small craft advisories, kept us here a little longer than planned and, as often happens, when we stay longer than we initially intend, we discover something special.
This year’s discovery is the Vero Beach Museum of Art, a 15 minute walk from the Marina, just across the main road. There is a spectacular exhibit of ceramic masterpieces running right now called Innovation and Change: Great Ceramics from the Ceramics Research Center of Arizona State University Art Museum Collection. This is one masterpiece after another, some fanciful and all amazing to see — even if you think you aren’t interested in ceramics. While this exhibit closes January 10, several more are opening in its wake.
For cruisers returning Northbound, these two exhibits, among others, will be waiting for you well into May. We can vouch for Food for Thought, a series of huge outdoor bronze sculptures that are plays on words and ideas in the form of giant food-related sculptures by Luis Montoya and Leslie Ortiz. It is great fun to see and walk through the sculpture garden of these surreal and humorous structures with the ocean as a far away backdrop. It runs through May 16, 2010.
A maritime-themed exhibit awaits late snow-birds and returning snowbirds. Ships and shorelines, William Bradford and Nineteenth-Century American Marine Painting, opens January 30 and runs through May 10, 2010.
This, to us, is reason alone to get off your boat in Vero Beach.
But, there is more. Among the `camp’ activities back at the marina, there’s the Saturday afternoon get together at the picnic table, starting at 4. Musicians welcome and bring a snack to share.
Wedesday mornings, you can take the first shuttle bus at 8 and join the cruisers breakfast at the 2002 diner. Get out at the Publix stop; it’s only about five minutes ride from the marina. There you will meet not only active cruisers but local members of CLOD, Cruisers Living on Dirt. It’s an affable group and if you’re lucky, you may get a fanciful bird ornament from Rose — she makes them out of colorful retired computer tape. I proudly wear mine.
Vero Beach is also a good opportunity for those who need and want a break from eating aboard. We had a good `deli fix’ at Two Jays Deli; while it’s not New York City or Kruppens in DC, they do a good job and their sliced meats and nova are far better than the supermarket equivalents; you can get white fish, bagels that are water boiled and there are even take-out knishes. We also had a great lunch at the Siam Orchid restaurant, easily reached by the shuttle, tell the driver you want to get off at the West Marine. Their Thai green curry and red curry lunch specials are excellent and authentic, and at $6.50 with soup of the day, a bargain. They also have first rate sushi offerings at reasonable prices. Bangkok in Downtown is another good Thai restaurant; get off at Pocahontas transfer station on the shuttle bus. This area is fun to walk around, nice shops, including Tea and Chi which is a few doors away from the Cultural Council of Indian River County’s office where you can get the Culture Vulture booklet that highlights cultural events in town.
This is a stop we look forward to each cruise South and 2010 did not disappoint.
Jane Tigar
S/V Lady Jane

View of the marina office, fuel dock and part of the mooring field.

A sculpture in the Food for Thought exhibit of giant bronze sculptures by Luis Montoya and Leslie Ortiz at the Vero Beach Museum of Art through January 10, 2010. This sculpture is entitled “WMD”.

Sunset at Vero Beach Municipal Marina

View of the mooring field.

Good summary of Vero Beach Municipal Marina. We stopped there briefly this past April and found it as enjoyable as you noted.
Gerry

I was at the Municipal Marina some years ago on my way to the Bahamas and back. I loved it, probably the best all round marina I’ve ever been in. I really liked the ice cream shop by the beach. I hope to be there this next winter.
Jim Owens

If you stop at the WestMarine on Miracle Mile, stop in Kelly’s Irish pub/bar for an excellent Rueben. Say hi to Ducky. Also, for the best pizza, go to South Beach Pizzaria. It’s a block off the Causeway (17th St). They’ll deliver to the Marina.
Enjoy Vero. It can be easy to stay longer than you think. Stoping there for a `couple of days’ to do some minor fixes and stayed 3 weeks. I now call it Velcro Beach
Joe Murphy

Vero is the best kept secret in Florida.My parents lived in the area for 25 years, and it was a thrill while `Looping’ to stay at this wonderful marina. There is a fun breakfast place right on north beach next to the boardwalk.Listen to the sea while eating an omlette!Also love `The Driftwood Inn’s large patio overlooking the ocean for lunch. Both places are walkable’¦a rare occurance in Florida.Try the Riverside theatre for some top notch entertainment.This, too is walking distance from the marina.It doesn’t get better than this!
Pam Frech

Should mention that in peak cruising seasons you will probably raft up with a similar size boat on the mooring.
Some people are put off by this but we have always enjoyed the opportunity to meet more cruisers and we have never (in over a dozen visits) experienced any difficulties with this setup
Joe Powers/ sv Aquavit

I find it amusing that cruisers like Vero Beach (as do I) but criticize other cities for wanting to install mooring fields at the expense of anchorage areas. Where is the large anchorage area at Vero Beach? Or am I missing it?
FSMike

I too have enjoyed Vero, and the Art Museum, and the very nice restaurant on the beach at the end of this same Main Street. It also gets my OK as a mooring field because it is one of the few that can handle our 60 foot boat. So many former anchorage areas in the NE. are filled with moorings, very few of which can accommodate us, making it a lose-lose situation.
Beverly Feiges

Here’s a facility in Fort Pierce, Florida that is not yet listed in the Net’s “Eastern Florida Marina Directory.” We will remedy that situation SOON!

In the Ft. Pierce area there is a hidden secret. It’s called Harbour Isle Marina. The Marina Manager is Sarah Anderson (772)461-9049. This is a large condo community with great floating concrete docks, pump outs available at your slip, plenty of transient slips, very little current and excellent wind protection. They don’t have fuel, showers, or laundry facilities but laundry and great restaurants are an easy walk. But the BEST is that they are running a special deal! $1.00 per foot plus $5.00 electricity per day. If you stay five nights you get two nights free! Easy access off Faber Cove (turn at ICW marker 188) down their channel on the left into the protected marina. It’s across the bay from Ft. Pierce and a much better deal then anything else in the area. We highly recommend it. Very nice folks there too. Great place to stay.
John Howe

We have a real problem in that some local and county authorities in Florida are NOT recognizing nor abiding by the new Florida state anchoring law. Stay tuned to an SSECN editorial about this problem soon!

We anchored in Faber Cove due to the East wind protection. About an hour after anchoring the Coast Guard came by and said that we were reported `in distress’ we told them no that we had just anchored and were fine. They saw no problem with our position, wished us a good day and left. About an hour after that the Fort Pierce Police boat arrived and said that we could not stay there because we were too close to the channel and if we caused any accidents we would be financially responsible and that if we dinghied in our dinghy would be stolen and we’d be financially responsible for that too. It was four guns to none, so we moved out further in the bay and anchored in 12′ and no further problem. Florida has passed legislation in 2006 that you can anchor anywhere if you are not a live aboard boat, so what’s up? By the way, Harbour Isle (just off Faber Cove) is running a special dockage at $1.00 per foot with $5.00 per day for electricals. Nice place, floating docks, easy walk to restaurants and stores.
John Howe

`Anywhere’ doesn’t mean in a channel.
John C.

Subject: Battery Provider, Ft. Pierce/Stuart
Cruising News: A huge attaboy to Brad at Performance Golf Car & Battery for getting us four Trojan T-105’s in otherwise difficult circumstances. Long story short, we realized our four Deka GC15 6V batteries were on their way out the door after five years’ service. A friend spotted Brad delivering batteries where we’re moored, at Sunset Bay in Stuart. This time of year, the demand for 6V batteries goes through the roof as snowbirds return to FL and want batteries for their golf cars and boats. We’d already called local battery dealers who didn’t have the batteries we need (our battery box space is very limited – only certain battery cases fit) and we were beginning to think we were in deep trouble until Brad showed up. We bought his last two T-105’s. Even with lots of hunting around, Brad couldn’t turn up the other two we needed. Two days later, he had them on hand and we had them installed in the boat. This battery hunt involved a lot of phone time on Brad\’s part, driving to deliver two separate sets of batteries to the marina as we don’t have a car. We paid $90 a battery plus a $1.50 recycling charge, a very good price for Trojan T-105\’s. There was no charge for delivery to the marina.
It’s my understanding they service at least the area from Ft. Pierce to Stuart. For details, call Performance Golf Car & Battery at 772-873-8222 (office), 772-359-9175 (cell) or golfcarperformance@yahoo.com
DISCLAIMER: I have no connection with Performance Golf Car save as a satisfied customer.
Rick Emerson

Faber Cove Anchorage is accessed off a marked channel, making off from the eastern flanks of the AICW, just a short hop south of the Fort Pierce high-rise bridge. It’s a bit of a trek to get to the cove, but once there, the shelter is quite good.

We anchored at Faber Cove a few years ago and it was so crowded that we’ve never tried it again – anchored south of Causeway Island instead. However, tonight there is a strong east wind so we decided to give the cove a try again. We were pleasantly surprised to find only two boats anchored when we arrived and only two have comes since. Great, well protected spot good depth: 9 ft plus on the east side of the cove.
Jean Thomason (DOVEKIE)

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Anchorage Directory Listing For Faber Cove Anchorages

Nov, 2009: Convenient to Publix, West Marine and small restaurants. Marina definitely has maintenance problems, and it makes me wonder if the lack of maintenance isn’t part of a larger financial problem. Our boat was damaged because an improperly installed cleat gave way ‘” and for 5 days we were back and forth with the management as to negotiations on payment for the repairs, the car rental expense to bring the damaged boarding door to be repaired, and the slip from the time of damage until the repaired door was returned. Not a pleasant stay and will NEVER return.
Stephanie DiBelardino

Well, no wonder Captain Howard had such a great experience at Vero Beach Municipal Marina. After all, they are a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!

I visited Vero Beach a year ago and consider it a must stop. They have very inexpensive moorings and expect you to raft other boats. The city busses are free and you can get anywhere. Easy shopping. Excellant thrift stores near West Marine. The showers and laundry are excellant. A great stop to prepare for the Bahamas.
Howard M.
Spartina

Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Vero Beach Municipal Marina

You have to be careful when mentioning “Harbortown Marina” as there are several facilities in the Southeastern USA that go by this name, or a very similar moniker. This “Harborown” is located in Fort Pierce, Florida, north of our good friends at Fort Pierce City Marina!

Cruising News: This is a very convenient marina because you can walk to Publix, West Marine, a chinese take-out and a small Italian restaurant/pizzeria — both restaurants are reasonably priced. The marina is not in the best of condition so be very careful when you tie-up. Make sure the cleats are not wiggly and that they are attached to the dock properly.
Stephanie DiBelardino

Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Harbortown Marina (Fort Pierce)

Pirates Cove Marina is one of several fine facilities on the the Manatee Pocket. This sheltered body of water cuts off from the easternmost reaches of the St. Lucie River and the Okeechobee Waterway, just a stone’s throw from the St. Lucie/AICW intersection. Watch out for shifting markers and channels here, as the intersection of the Waterway and the St. Lucie River (and inlet) is infamous for shoaling.

What a great little gem of a marina in Manatee Pocket. Pirate’s Cove is just off the Okachobee Waterway. Best shower facilities we found since we left NJ on the ICW to FL. Great restaurant also! We’ll be back!
Wendy Childers

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For Pirates Cove Marina