Even though the inspiration for Captain Sherman’s message below was in response to an earlier posting here on the Net concerning Dinner Key Marina, I’ve posted this note separately, as it pertains more to the adjacent mooring field than to the marina.
Clearly, the mooring field is a facility that some cruisers love, and some cruisers loathe. We have had comments both ways here on the Cruisers’ Net. Read what Captain Sherman has to say, follow the links below, and make up your own mind!

Opinions appear to vary widely on the Dinner Key Marina. We stayed three nights on a mooring in the new mooring field. We will NEVER do that again and suggest others pass this mooring field by!!! In moderate winds from the east or south (10 knots) it was a wet and close to dangerous dinghy ride to the totally inadequate dinghy dock!! There is a shuttle boat that they want you to use but two friends who are in the mooring field warned us that their boats had been hit and damaged by the shuttle boat so there was no way we were going to expose Enchantress to that!!!
We were assigned a mooring ball by the shuttle boat and then they wanted to change it when we went in to check in. They sent us to a slip on a fixed dock in our dinghy to fill some Jerry jugs with water but didn’t tell us to bring a hose, so no water! The dinghy dock which doesn’t have anyway near enough space anyway had a sign saying half of it was closed as apparently the are going to tow it out of the semi-secure marina and put it at the public boat ramp in the adjacent park where there is no security at all!!
The shower/restroom facilities are tolerable (barely), although the big roach did have me checking my shower bag carefully before taking it back to the boat! They close the restrooms for an hour during peak morning and afternoon times for cleaning although what is done during that time was not readily apparent.
This is a marina that may understand the needs of boaters who stay in slips but they have no concept of what cruising boats or boats that use moorings or who anchor need. We need easy access to water to fill Jerry jugs in the dinghy and adequate dinghy access.
Although we anchor almost exclusively when on the move, we like mooring fields (we spend our winters on a mooring in Boot Key Harbor) but not this one. It is poorly managed and not worth paying for. Protection is horrible, may as well anchor in the middle of Biscayne Bay or out in the Atlantic! Provisioning is not convenient, Publix Supermarket requires a bus and trai ride. The only grocery store is a gormet Fresh Foods with poor selection and high prices.
We have anchored or moored in more than 100 harbors and would return to most but NOT this one!! Did I mention the murder that occured in the anchorage adjacent yo the moorings just before we arrived?
Larry Sherman

And, here are several very different point of view:

Clearly many folks have many opinions, but I was shocked by Mr. Sherman’s review of the Dinner Key Mooring Field. I just spent a night there and I agree it is an exposed area. But almost 10 years ago I lived in the anchorage where the moorings are now, and let me tell you it felt good to be on a ball.
I can’t help to feel a bit sorry for Mr. Sherman who obviously had a bad stay. Perhaps his experience should serve as a wakeup call to himself and others; that life at sea is subject to many things (we don’t always get what we want). Perhaps those who find they have experiences like this where they don’t get what they want when they want it should look into life in an R/V or retirement village, because if you are getting everything you want when you want it on a boat your probably some middle eastern sheik with deep pockets or worse on a cruise ship.
So I am clear, the weather was rough the dingy ride was wet, the dingy dock was small, the supermarket was to much money not enough selection, the supermarket was too far yadadayada.. , Were you really expecting the Ritz? Because if you were, just across the street from Dinner Key is the Ritz, but I wonder if you would just find it failing your expectations. Maybe the city of Miami should have planned the city around the mooring field?
I had an excellent time at Dinner Key, and hope one day to return soon.
Sincerely,
Peter Shemp

I had a wonderful experience at the new Dinner Key Mooring Field. When I dinked in to get some water I brought my own 2ft hose (because I like to be prepared) and had no problem.
As far as the dinghy dock goes, yes it’s a first come first serve deal but that’s the wat it is everywhere. Maybe Mr. Sherman didn’t realize that Miami, like all major metropolitan cities, have certain amounts of danger. I felt safe in the managed moring field. I wouldn’t have felt safe if I just dropped the hook.
I thought the staff and management were professional and the facility up to par. I will stay at the Dinner Key Mooring Field again!
Charlie Stewart

Perhaps if Captain Sherman would have spent a few days on a Rickenbacker Marina Mooring he would have appreciated the Dinner Key moorings a bit more.
I had my boat at Rickenbacker marina for about two years where the dingy dock was a mud bank under mangroves trees. So either you got your dingy full of mud and dirt when you got in it or the tree leaves would fall into the dingy and foul it all up in no time.
And not only are the moorings there exposed to all but east winds, they right next to a power boat and jet ski freeway. weekdays were bearable if the winds were calm but weekends were like being in a washing machine. And the bathrooms were in terribly shoddy condition. I would take dinner key bathrooms any day after that.
I only wish that the dinner key mooring field existed at that time, I would have taken on in a heartbeat.
It seems to me that Captain Sherman has some axe to grind as any sailor with experience can tell from which direction he is going to be exposed prior to taking up an anchorage, and as if the city had any control of how mother nature created the bay and how much wind and from where it was going to blow when he pulled into town.
As the other post said, we have to take cruising with a grain of salt. and sometimes a geat big one…… but that is what makes it an adventure and what makes it worth doing at all.
P.S. I forgot the mention, I have very fond memories of my days at Rickenbacker Marina.
Jules Robinson

Captains Jule and John have a GOOD idea below, AND Coconut Grove Sailing Club is a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!

An alternative to the Dinner Key mooring field is the Coconut Grove Sailing Club mooring field. CCSC is just to the south of Dinner Key, and its moorings are completely sheltered by mangrove islands. While CCSC is a private club, they do have several moorings for transient, non-member cruisers. They have shower/restroom facilities and a water taxi that runs 24 hours a day. We spent 5 very windy days there ( winds up to 35 knots) in comfort and felt very welcomed by the staff and members.
Julie and John Stocksdale
s/v Jolie

Hey folks
Just want to say that the folks at Dinner Key seem to really try to make your experience a good one. We had a wonderful experience with them. When we couldn’t return as planned due to a medical emergency, the guys checked our lines and even went aboard found my husband’s passport and sent it to him so he could travel for some work out of the country.
Yep, the moorings are exposed and the shuttle may ding your boat on occasion, but I think they’re really trying and doing a great job. Thanks James and Daniel and all the crew!
Kathy
on S/V SEEKER

Click Here To Read An Earlier, Positive Posting About the Dinner Key Mooring Field

Click Here To Read Another Positive Posting About the Dinner Key Mooring Field

Click Here To Read An Earlier, Negative Posting About the Dinner Key Mooring Field

Dinner Key Marina is now the principal city of Miami Marina pleasure craft facility. It sits in the heart of the Coconut Grove community, and there are lots of restaurants and shopping within walking distance. Security might be a concern in Coconut Grove, however, after dark.
I notice Captains John and Susan do not say anything below about the shower/bathroom facilities here. We have always found these unit sub-par!

We enjoyed Dinner Key Marina. Had no problems finding the slip. The Piers were well marked on the ends and each slip has the number on its dock box. We didn’t have any help on the way in, but we didn’t ask. Saw several dock hands helping others who asked, though. On the way out, a line handler showed from the Marina and several volunteers were there as well. We had great dinners and thoroughly enjoyed the walking and Coconut Grove area.
John and Susan

Hi,
We live in Miami and have kept our boat at Dinner Key Marina for about a year now and have had no problem with security at any hour and we have had some very late nights, we walk to and from the bars, shops and restaurants at all hours of the day or night and never had a problem.
The bathrooms are in very good condition. The showers are in just good condition. Most important is that they are cleaned daily.
We are very happy with this marina and the overall location is excellent. Everything you need / want is within walking distance.
Jules Robinson

On Sunday, July 11th we did not want to run all day since we wanted to celebrate my birthday. South of downtown Miami and south of the Rickenbacher Causeway, we found the long, privately marked, channel into Dinner Key Marina. 6-feet was the least depth I noticed in the channel. We have stayed here numerous times. It is a huge facility with a diverse and fun liveaboard community. Restaurants on the water are just north of the marina. The funky-artsy village of Coconut Grove is a short walk to the southwest of the marina. After dinner on the boat, we went to a dueling piano bar to continue my birthday celebration. We paid $2.50 a foot per night plus electricity. They hold a $25 deposit for each gate/restroom key you want. This is a city marina (its sister marina is Bayside in downtown Miami). The restrooms here are always questionable. They seemed better maintained this visit, but they are old and could use a refurbishment.
Jeff and Michele Prahm aboard MV Java Girl

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Marina Directory Listing For Dinner Key Marina

There is an ongoing discussion on the T&T (Trawlers and Trawlering) mailing list about anchorages in or near Key Biscayne.
Note that the anchorage Captain George refers to below as “Nixon Cove,” we have listed in the Florida Keys Anchorage Directory as “Key Biscayne Anchorage.” Also, as you will see, there is discussion about anchoring on Key Biscayne’s “Hurricane Harbor,” which is just south of the “Key Biscayne Anchorage.” I’ve never tried this anchor down spot, due to concerning about shallow water at its entrance. We would WELCOME MORE INPUT on anchoring in Hurricane Harbor. What depths did you find at the entrance? Would you recommend this anchorage to fellow cruisers? Please register your input on Hurricane Harbor by clicking the “Comment on This Posting/Marina/Anchorage/Bridge” link below.

No Name [Harbor Anchorage] can fill up or cause swing anxiety for the newbie. As mentioned, the anchorage at “Nixon Cove” (nickname, not on the chart) off of the Yacht Club, northwest of Hurricane Harbor on your chart, is good, and popular, or we have anchored several times just outside and slightly south of No Name, just stay to one side of the rather broadly defined channel. The sport fisher will wake you now and then if too close. Then you can take the dinghy into No Name and have a meal at the excellent Cuban/Carribean restaurant that over looks the harbor and take a nice walk in the park.
Lots of nice spots to anchor from there on south to Marathon, take your time! How big is your boat and how much do you draw?
George

I think you would find Hurricane Harbor preferable to No Name Harbor on the southern tip of Key Biscayne.
It is much larger, uncrowded, has better holding ground, and you can use a longer scope and swing at anchor without ending up near another vessel. It is also a whole lot quieter. Also, there are no fees for anchoring in Hurricane Harbor as opposed to No Name.
Just be careful to watch the water depth and avoid the shoal that extends out to the north and west as you make your approach to the harbor. When actually entering the harbor, stay close to the north wall where the channel is deepest.
Martin I. Veiner

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Anchorage Directory Listing For The Key Biscayne Anchorage

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Anchorage Directory Listing For The No-Name Harbor Anchorage

The “comment above” Captain Jean refers to below can be seen by following the link below her message to the Cruisers’ Net’s “Florida Keys Anchorage Directory” listing for this anchor down spot. Then, click on the red outlined link near the bottom of the listing to read comments from our fellow cruisers concerning this haven.
To be sure, the anchorage between Rubicon and Reid Keys is very nice, BUT depths and markings entering Caesar Creek from Biscayne Bay are both on the very thin side. Take extra care if you make the attempt!

Contrary to the comment above, we have anchored here several times, the latest being 3-6-10. Mosquitoes have never been a problem if there is even a modest breeze. It is a beautiful remote-feeling spot and well-protected. Getting in to the dock at Adams key can be a trick as the current is swift but that is an option if one wants to walk around. Many boats go through Caesar Creek but their wakes don’t reach the anchorage between Reid and Rubicon Keys.
Jean Thomason (DOVEKIE)

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Anchorage Directory Listing For The Caesar Creek – Rubicon Key – Reid Key Anchorage

Boca Chita Key Marina and Visitor’s Center is found in Biscayne Bay, and is part of Biscayne Bay National Park. The “marina” part of the operation is truly bare bones, and finding good entrance depths can be tricky. And, as Captain Jean notes below, this place can get crowded on weekends. At other times it’s idyllic, and well sheltered.

One of our favorite places in the keys and our first stop south of Miami. Stopped there again March 7-9, 2010. We tried to get in on Saturday March 6 but the basin was crowded with boats rafted two and three deep. So after a night anchored out near Adams Key, we returned to Boca Chita Sunday afternoon when the crowd begins to leave. Heard that the Rangers had payed an early morning visit and everyone without a receipt for payment got a ticket (and one boat docked in the “no docking” zone got a fine of $750 for that and other violations). The regs don’t seem to be enforced often but when they are there’s no fooling around! Note that the senior age pass rate is only &10.00. The toilets are salt water flush and have been recently refurbished. There is a resident volunteer who works on keeping everything looking good. While the weekends are crowded, we have enjoyed joining in with Cuban families who gather to party there- a cross-cultural experience and interesting to hear their stories and viewpoints.
Jean Thomason (DOVEKIE)

<a href=”http://www.CruisersNet.net/8-boca-chita-key-marina-and-visitors-center”><span style=”font-size: normal;”><strong>Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Marina Directory Listing For Boca Chita Key Marina and Visitors Center</strong></span></a>

There are several spots where it can be pleasant to drop the hook around privately owned Pumpkin Key. Just pick the side that gives you lee from the prevailing winds. Do NOT try going ashore at Pumpkin Key or the adjacent ocean side banks. Both are private property!

Just spent 2 nights here and the holding was excellent, scenery great, except for all the Do Not Trespass signs on the island, and very quiet. We stayed about 300 yards off the shore of the island. Great place to drop the hook. Last year we stayed on the opposite side and also had a great experience. Left this morning by going out of Angelfish Creek to Hawk Channel and never saw less than 7.7 feet, 3 hours before high tide.
Larry Morrow

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Key Anchorage Directory Listing For Pumpkin Key

It’s interesting to see the wide ranging opinions that have been expressed here on the Cruisers’ Net about stopping in Boca Chita Key Marina. This facility is part of Biscayne Bay National Park, and is maintained by the US Park Service. I know from our visits it’s a pretty, well sheltered harbor, but entrance channel depths are somewhat suspect! This is a case of some really like it, and some do not. Give this harbor a try and let us know your opinion.

I have never gone into Boca Chita as we have a dog. I went in today for a looksee and was blown away. Everyone has told me that it is special, it truly is. If this was a commercial place with power and water it would be a bargain at $3 per foot, a great place.
Charles Hardin

As Charles says, Boca Chita is an amazingly peaceful place to tie to a sturdy concrete wall in an absolutely non-commercial area. It is truly lovely in the right conditions, and is a good place to wait out
a heavy blow (not hurricane) in not-so-quiet conditions.
However, from about Thursday evening or Friday morning until about Monday morning during the warm times, the “locals” (that’s the nicest word I can use) take the place over to the point of paying you to
leave so a buddy can come in and tie up. At other times, it is Paradise.
Maybe that’s why the “locals” like it.
Actually, it is easy to raft off from a friend if it is crowded.
Bill Donovan

If you’ve been following our fellow cruisers’ postings here on the Cruisers’ Net concerning the waters in and just south of Miami, you already know the city of Miami opened a new, large mooring field just off Dinner Key Marina, a few months ago. While we have had one negative comment here on the Net concerning this facility, all the rest, like Captain account below, have been overwhelmingly positive.

March 2010. I stayed at the new Dinner Key Mooring Facility from 3/1/10 to 3/6/10 and it was one of the greatest experiences on the water that I have had. The mooring field is located just east of the main Dinner Key Marina. I was greeted by a shuttle boat that took me to shore to square away my paperwork (only $19/day). They have showers and a pumpout boat. It was a great deal.
A friend asked why did I not just free anchor and sneak onto their facility to use their bathrooms. I answered him that I am not a thief nor do I want to be associated with thieves. Plus, Dinner Key Marina is really serious about their security. I witnessed the Miami Police arrest a tresspasser who thought he was entitled to free everything just because he was sailing.
Listen, I believe you you should be able to drop anchor in the middle of nowhere, but Miami is a major city and I don’t expect to have access to upland facilities without paying something. It turns out that it’s cheaper to stay overnight at Dinner Key Mooring Facility, with all it has to offer, than to park your car in Coconut Grove over night.
I almost forgot, the $19/day also includes parking. I LOVE the new Dinner Key Mooring Field!!
Joe

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Marina Directory Listing For Dinner Key Marina

Herbert Hoover Marina is southernmost of several Dade County owned marina faciltiies on Biscayne Bay.

Entering Biscayne Bay in strong northwest winds we opted for the Herbert Hoover Marina (named after the vacuum icon not the U.S. President) in Homestead, arriving just before sunset. At the northern fringes of Everglades Park, we were greeted by flocks of birds and seagulls. This calm, protected harbor was a welcome relief after rocking and rolling in Plantation Key for the past month. So calm that I couldn’t sleep.
Jan & Steve

Click Here To View the Florida Keys Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Herbert Hoover Marina

Sounds yummy, and a good deal to boot!

Want a real good meal in Coconut Grove? Try “The Ivy” in the Grove. Tell them Bob said, “Give us the local price”. Sunday to Thursday should get you 50% off on your meals. The food is great, desert even better. Also. Happy Hour 4-7 weekdays.
Bob Gray, Sevierville, TN

Click Here To View the Florida Keys Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Coconut Grove Sailing Club

Click Here To View the Florida Keys Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Dinner Key Marina

What a wonderful report from our fearless roving reporter, Captain Jane Tigar. So many cruisers spend time in the Coconut Grove – Dinner Key region of South Miami every year, whether tied to the dock at Dinner Key Marina or on a mooring at Coconut Grove Sailing Club (A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR) or the new Dinnery Key mooring field. Captain Jane informs one and all about two historic sites within walking distance of the docks that “should not be missed.” Give her story a read, and then let us know

Sometimes, it’s so tempting to stay in our cocoon like boats — after all, once you are on board, why would you want to get off a boat except for laundry, land heads and supermarkets — and West Marine?
The parade of winter storms of ’09-’10 taught us how important it is to remember to get off our boats and explore the communities we visit and as much as I cherish the lonely anchorages where it’s just us, the wind, the water, the birds and the under water life, I admit that civilization has its charms. Dinner Key is one of those places that has some serious charm. Here are two places where we found charm and connection to the essential spirit of Coconut Grove, both within walking distance of the Dinner Key City Marina.

Close-up of part of the restored ceiling art and murals in the historic Dinner Key City Hall. Photo by Jane B Tigar

City Hall is well worth a visit and it’s literally next door.
If you’re here on a week day, worth a visit is City Hall, adjacent to the marina (to the right facing the land). It’s so close you can probably see it from your slip or your mooring ball. Since 1954, City Hall has been right here in the former Pan American seaplane terminal. Pan American World Airways’ flying boats were based here in the 1930s and ‘40s and Dinner Key became a main hub for air traffic between North and South America until seaplanes went out of style. At that point, Pan Am moved its hub to Miami.
The terminal has been carefully restored and you can now see wonderful art deco murals commemorating aviation history along with Zodiac symbols on the ceiling that had been painted over in the ’50s. There is also a small display of fascinating photographs from the seaplane era, including one of Charles Lindbergh. For more information about this historic site, check out the City of Miami website: http://www.ci.miami.fl.us

Barnacle House - Steve Dimse, Florida Park Services Specialist, giving us an engaging two-person "I can't believe you came out in this cold weather" tour

Step through a Time Portal at Barnacle Historic State Park.
The Barnacle Historic State Park is reason alone to visit Dinner Key and do so on a weekend or Monday. A 20-minute walk (just under a mile) from the marina, up Main Avenue on the left hand side, you will see a little off-set treed area with a historic marker and a path. Follow that path — in a moment you will forget the bustling commerce and you will enter a real “hammock” of indigenous Florida vegetation and towering ancient live oaks.
You are now in the late 1890s when Miami was undeveloped and natural. Here you can explore the five acre park that was once the homestead of a real character of a guy from Staten Island who “discovered” Biscayne Bay. Ralph Middleton Munroe, a relative of the poet Longfellow, and a follower of the transcendentalist movement, settled in Biscayne Bay, first in a tent camp, and then in a house that, thanks to the generous donation by his heirs, is now the centerpiece of this Florida state park. Ralph Middleton Munroe built the Barnacle House in 1891 and it is furnished with some of his original furnishings plus antiques and other items donated by his family. He was a yacht designer, naturalist, seaman, and civic activist whom the US Parks Service describes as “one of Coconut Grove’s most charming and influential pioneers.”
Note, the park is closed Tuesday through Thursday. It is open Friday through Monday from 9-5. Tours are at 10 and 11:30 AM, and again at 1 and 2:30.
Check with the Park about special events. Wednesday nights at 6 PM there is a yoga class. If you are visiting the weekend of January 15, the park is hosting Shakespeare in the Park with a production of Taming of the Shrew. Sunday, January 24, 2010, there is an Old Time Dance with live music and someone teaching traditional American folk dance steps. There seems to be one or two events a month. For more information: http://www.TheBarnacle.org
If you do visit Barnacle House, and we hope you do, please post a comment here and let us know if you, too, felt the multi-faceted genius Ralph Middleton Munroe come alive. That visit alone gave us a feeling of deep connection to Coconut Grove. As you walk around town, you may see historical markers referencing his contributions to other parts of life in Coconut Grove. In fact, I’m transmitting this story to the Salty Southeast while using the free wifi in the public library, a charming historic site itself, surrounded by palm trees and garden and only a short walk across the street from the Dinner Key Marina. It’s on land donated by Ralph Middleton Munroe who started the first library in the area, acquiring and delivering books by boat. It is also the site where Munroe’s first wife is buried. Just next door to the library, is another historic site, the women’s club built in the 1890s, also on land donated by Mr. Munroe.
Jane Tigar
S/V Lady Jane

Hi Jane
Thanks for a great post. I’ve just returned from a 10 day stay aboard our boat “Cloud Nine” at Dinner Key Marina. You’re right. We can see the Miami City Hall from our slip and I never set foot inside the building. I will be sure to visit on my next trip for sure. My husband, Tom is currently in Dinner key and I will pass this site on to him. We loved the Coconut Grove Arts Festival over President’s day weekend.Much to see and do in this charming town
Keep up the good work.
Pam Frech
Cloud Nine

Great post ,good to see the old Monroe house has been preserved. I had a friend that I worked with at Bertram Yacht yard in the mid 60’s that was the care taker of the house when the Monroe where out of town. My wife would Join them on weekends at the house which was a great treat. The gardens and front lawn down to the water were magnificent in the evening.
S/V Seamist
Dave Skiff

Both the messages below paint a very different picture of the Dinner Key Mooring Field than what was shared in an earlier posting here on the Cruisers’ Net (http://www.CruisersNet.net/unhappy-times-at-miami-beach-marina-near-government-cut-inlet). There has also been an earlier, very positive posting concerning this mooring field (http://www.CruisersNet.net/great-experience-in-the-dinner-key-mooring-field-miami-coconut-grove-near-st-m-1094-5). Read all this info, and make your own decision, but it certainly looks as the tide of opinion in the Cruising Community is now running in favor of this facility.

While I am in favor anchoring, from time to time moorings have great advantage. And in the case of the Dinner Key area this couldn’t be truer. For years I have passed though this area, but tended to anchor away from the crowds which I might ad looked mainly unseaworth and derlict. I did this because I have experienced many times vessels draging anchor. The dinner key area has really cleaned up for the better. My experience at the dinner key mooring field was terrific. The staff was professional and the facilites were clean. I hope that the moorings continue in the future as I hope to return.
Captain Thomas Ryne
S/V Sea Dog

I stayed at the Dinner Key Mooring Facility all of January 2010 and it was one of the greatest experiences I had in my 25 years of sailing. They have a great staff, shuttle service and a pumpout boat. The view of downtown Miami is increadable!! My vessel is 40 feet LOA.
Why didn’t the 47ft Soulmates stay in the big marina – funny, they have an expensive boat but I guess their too cheep for their britches.
Capt. Bob

Gilberts Marina overlooks the western banks of Jewfish Creek, south of the new high-rise Jewfish Creek bridge. Many cruisers consider Jewfish Creek to be the northern Genesis of real Florida Keys cruising, at least for those going by way of the Inside/ICW/Florida Bay route. I would not argue with that sentiment!

The docks are being rebuilt. The marina is very basic, but a safe place to get fuel and recharge the batteries, etc. We stopped hereon Super Bowl Sunday and joined the crowd to watch the game. It was very quiet last night
The bar patrons are not a problem and restrooms/showers clean enough. I have seen worse in marinas that do not share with a bar.
The new bridge has cut down on the bar business a lot.
Doug

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Marina Directory Listing For Gilberts Marina

It’s seriously nice to hear good things about our newest SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!!!
Coconut Grove Sailing Club lies along the Dinner Key – Coconut Grove waterfront, south of Dinner Key Marina. Slip space is not a possibility (except for dinghies), BUT visitors are encouraged to pick up a mooring. Excellent facilities are available in the clubhouse, and Coconut Grove’s many attractions are within easy walking distance.

We are currently moored at CGSC and recommend it. The rate you have on the site is out of date – currently $35. That includes full access to the club and 24-hour launch service. Fresh Market a few blocks away plus tons of great eateries. The movie theater at Coco Walk is currently closed, but is scheduled to reopen in April.
One gripe – birds are a real problem here between November and March. The rain today will wash our boat a bit, but the gulls and “black” birds are a real issue. The club says we can tie up at the dock before we leave and wash down. There is room for about four boats at the dock with 4.5 feet at the inner spaces. I have seen members tie up overnight, but no guests are allowed to stay there for long.
Doug

When I checked out yesterday, the Sailing Club only charged me $20, as you stated originally. They made an error in quoting me the higher price.
Doug

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Marina Directory Listing For Coconut Grove Sailing Club

There was an announcement here on the Cruisers’ Net several months ago, informing one and all that the new mooring field at Dinner Key (southern Miami) was now open for business. Looks like Captain had an excellent experience there.

The Dinner Key Mooring Facility was the most professionally operated and best value I have ever experienced. I will definately visit there again!
Capt. EJ Maguire

Our fearless roving reporter, Captain Jane Tigar, turns her discerning eye to Dinner Key!

View from the marina office entrance. Note the wide fairway and how long a walk it can be from your boat to the gate!

A convenient stop on your way to the Keys is Dinner Key — not just for dinner, of which there is plenty offered — but maybe even for a day or two checking out the historic sites, not the boring it’s good for you kind of sites, the really fun kind of interesting sites as you’ll see in part 2 of this report.
This was our first visit and as some of the best things in life are, it was one we had not planned. Out mast too tall for the 56-foot Julia Tuttle Bridge, we seized a brief weather window to make the outside run from Lauderdale to Miami but needed a safe place to sit out the next storm. So, having at least advanced our position if not to The Keys to at least a place with Key in its name, we found ourselves waiting out the weather at Dinner Key Marina owned by the city of Miami. At $2.50 a foot plus tax for a slip with hook-ups, it’s hardly a bargain by more northern standards, but it’s a real deal compared with close to $4 a foot in nearby Miami and, for our touring tastes at least, there’s much more to do and see within walking distance of our boat.
There are almost 600 slips at the modern cement fixed docks; during the second week of January, transient slips appeared plentiful. During this stormy weekend, we found ourselves comfortable and well protected from the winds and waves on adjacent Biscayne Bay.
Moorings are plentiful here — over 200! — for boats 40 feet LOA and under at $18 plus tax per night. Call ahead though as there are moorings in depths of as little as 4 feet; marina staff told us there was plenty of room for a 5-foot draft and that despite the written maximum of 40 ft, they could take a boat up to 42 feet LOA. Depths may improve by spring as a $1.4 million 7-month dredging project in the marina has been underway since December 2009. There is shuttle service that runs on demand during the week and on the half hour during weekends between the mooring field and the main dock; schedules are at the office.
In contrast with Vero Beach Municipal Marina, this is the kind of marina a cynic would imagine a city marina would be. We were welcomed on VHF Channel 68 with somewhat unclear directions to our slip. This was followed by what my first rate first mate calls “the unobtrusive” style of docking assistance. Not only did no one in a bright colored parka wave to us and with a smile point out our slip, no one even at the last minute offered to take a line. There was, to put it simply, no one to help us. On the other hand, fairways are twice as wide as most marinas so it is easy to maneuver and spin around. Oh, and what the heck, it’s good to know that the marina staff has confidence in our docking skills. Be sure, however, to ask which side of the numbered pier your slip is on. The slips are not numbered with all the odd numbers on one side of the pier and all even numbers on the other.
Clean showers and heads are adjacent to the marina office, all of which is in what I call prison architectural style. If you are at a slip, bear in mind that it can be a very long walk to these facilities. The good news is pump outs are easy — a mobile pump out service is available. Laundry machines look good, but this is such a huge marina for the number of machines, I would not count on this as a laundry stop unless you don’t mind practicing the fine art of getting on line for a set of machines. I’ve seen more machines at marinas a fourth of its size.
There is no fuel available at Dinner Key Marina, but there is fuel at two adjacent locations, though at Grove Harbour Marina where there is a Shell sign, we were unable to find anyone to help us and we refueled much later down the water way.
While we did not sense the lively community “it’s camp!” spirit of Vero Beach City Marina and Marathon City Marina, perhaps this was due to everyone huddling in their boats during the cold snap that caused our four-day stay here.

DIY Docking at Dinner Key Marina

Dinner Key — still worthy of its name.
At first glance, Coconut Grove looks like an over-developed city — much like Lauderdale, just smaller. But if you walk just a few blocks from the Marina, it quickly morphs into a charming village of shops and restaurants. If you want to eat out, it appears the Dinner Key appellation still holds and you have a lot of non-chain choices — Italian, Thai, Japanese, Argentinian, French, Spanish … From the marina office, walk to your left and then follow the edge of the marina, past the small commercial fishing vessels and to the main street. Cross the street and head slightly up hill and you’ll start to see the “charming” part of Coconut Grove, hang a left onto Main Avenue and you’ll find lots to choose from.
For us, this stay, partly due to the excellent provisioning opportunity here (see below) was Dinner on the Boat Key, so we have no restaurant reviews to share. However, it was the weekend of Taste of the Grove, a food and music charity fundraiser held in Peacock Park adjacent to the marina. We can tell you that the items we sampled there at lunch, promising non-chain restaurants include: Atchana’s East/West Kitchen inside the Mutiny Hotel, just across from the Marina; Mayfair Grill at the Mayfair Hotel (excellent pork and jicama salad; and great skirt steak). First mate Michael vouches for Al Fresco’s penne a la vodka. The food at the Ideas restaurant which features “authentic food from Spain” also looked good, but we got full too soon. The Chart House also had attractive looking offerings. We also passed by a restaurant called Focaccio Rustica that looked excellent.

Easy Provisioning Stop
For those who prefer to dine on board, this is an excellent provisioning stop. If you don’t follow your iPhone GPS directions, the Fresh Market, a high end super market, is a 10-minute walk to the right (facing the land) basically tracking the shore line and walking through parking lots, going past City Hall in its historic building and Grove Harbour Marina.
If you are here on a Wednesday, which we were not, check out the Green Market in town; it’s open from 11 to 4 PM. It’s supposed to have locally grown organic produce, local honey and local prepared foods. It’s in the Mayfair Atrium, in the main “cute” shopping area described above.
While we would have preferred no storms and no record cold snaps, we thank the inclement weather for getting us stuck at Dinner Key.
Jane Tigar
S/V Lady Jane

Stayed at Dinner Key as well, agree with the total lack of signage, very little (none) help from the staff, moored out in the middle of Biscayne bay, nasty chop. Old men have more water pressure than the showers, pump out was doityourself with no assistance and the pump didn’t work. Too many white shirts with VHF radios, nobody gets their hands dirty.They can learn a lot from Vero Beach. Not a good experience
Peter Marrek

Our experience exactly ….including non responsive dock hands, ….difficulty in finding slip numbers….etc. etc.
But we love the downtown area and have taken public transportation to downtown Miami….recomend on sunday only. we checked in here upon returning from the Bahamas and had to go to the cruise ship area to check in.
Pierre McCormick

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Marina Directory Listing For Dinner Key Marina

I don’t think any channel in the Florida Keys has occasioned more comment here on the Cruisers’ Net than Angelfish Creek. For those who don’t already know, this creek provides a means to cruise from the Inside/Florida Bay Route (from Card Sound), to Hawk Channel and the briny blue. There has always been some question about depths along this route, and we have received many reports here on the Net about an underwater “rock,” near the point where the marked passage meets up with the deeper waters abutting Hawk Channel.
I have personally sounded the Angelfish Creek on many occasions, and never seen less than 5 1/2 to 6 feet, and I’ve never found the infamous underwater rock. Other veteran Captains insist the rock is indeed out here. I guess yours truly and Captain Dunn (see below) were just lucky enough to avoid this obstruction.
Even though we have had a recent question and answer string concerning Angelfish Creek here on the Net, I thought Captain Dunn’s report below was detailed and helpful enough to warrant a fresh posting. So, voila!

Subject: Angelfish Creek Passage on Jan 12, 2010 and Anchorage Resort and Yacht Club, Jewfish Creek, Key Largo
Cruising News: This is our first trip to the Keys in our 5.5′ draft sailboat. We came down the ICW from Miami to the very nice Anchorage Resort and Yacht Club on Jewfish Ck, Key Largo. I had read and asked for a week and worried about the passage out to Hawks Channel through Angelfish Creek. The dock master at Gilbert\’s Marina where we filled the diesel tank the morning of departure said “wind has been out of the north for several days and the water will be blown out of the creek and under no circumstances to try the passage”. Totally confused at that point, I called the Tow Boat US Key Largo operator on the VHF and asked his opinion. He told me that I should have no problem, especially if I went out on mid to high tide. We anchored for the night on the lee of Pumpkin Key, great anchorage, and left the next morning on the late incoming tide.
All I had been told was to stay in the middle of the channel, especially at the west and east ends of the Creek. The mention of the infamous rock just before the deeper water of Hawks Channel loomed in my mind. All went very well. I never marked a true depth of less than 8.5′ and never
felt the “rock”.
I hope this helps others. I did follow the channel carefully, stayed in the middle at all times, and went out on a late to high tide.
Captain Paul Dunn
Serendipidty

Grove Harbour Marina is located in the complex of marinas and marine service firms at Dinner Key/Coconut Grove.

Despite having personally walked over to Grove Harbour Marina adjacent to Dinner Key Marina and inquired about fueling up the day before and  having received directions and opening hours, late this morning, no one answered our hails on 16 and we circled for 15 minutes while trying to reach the fuel dock by phone. After several calls, someone claiming to be in the know said someone was coming but it was like waiting for Godot. We gave up and left. I hope this is an aberration.  Based on our experience, I wouldn’t count on this for a fuel stop.
Captain Jane Tigar

Anchorage Resort & Yacht Club sits just south of the new, high-rise Jewfish Creek Bridge, and on the opposite shore from Gilberts Marina. Many cruisers consider Jewfish Creek to be the northerly genesis of real cruising in the Florida Keys, at least for those choosing the Inside/Florida Bay/ICW route.

Subject: Anchorage Resort and Yacht Club, Jewfish Creek, Key Largo
Cruising News: We came south in the ICW from Miami in out 5.5 ft draft sailboat for our first cruise to the Keys. We found this marina in the guide book and noted a BOAT US discount for $1.50/ft for transient dockage. This is a wonderful marina in all respects. The docks are easy to approach. There is no extra charge for water or electric. There is a pool, hot tub, shower and restroom, grill for cooking out on their patio, and a great sunset view. The folks are friendly and do not bother you with unnecessary rules or regulations. I highly recommend this as a lay over for anyone. No fuel at their docks, but just across the creek is fuel. The new fixed high rise bridge over Jewfish Creek makes easy waterway travel.
Paul Dunn

Subject: Angelfish Creek, Florida Keys
Inside to outside from Hawk’s Channel – Can a 5.5 ft draft make this
Paul Dunn
Currently at anchor in Miami Beach

Did you mean from ICW to Hawk’s channel or from Hawk’s channel to Atlantic ocean (through reef)?
Bill

Yes, from ICW through Angelfish Ck to Hawks Channel. We are currently at the Anchorage Marina on Jewfish Ck. We plan to go back out through Angelfish Ck to Hawks channel this Wed. The guide books mention a rock ledge that is 5 ft near the entrance to Hawks Channel. Do you know about that?
Thanks,
Paul

No problem at mid to high tide. We’ve been at Ocean Reef for over 25 years and Angelfish is negotiated with no trouble by boats of your draft. Most shallow at west and east ends, but still good water at normal mid to high tides.
Bill Borten

We have been thru that passage a number of times, both ways, and although we draw about 3 1/2 our props are exposed and we watch the depth closely. I have never seen a depth of less than 6-7 feet. certainly recommend mid tide plus but do not think would be a problem at normal low tide.
Howard Cole