I am sorry to hear that things are not going well at Rickenbacker Marina. This faciltiy is owned by the city of Miami, and its fortuntes rise and fall with the city’s current state of affairs.

We were long term customers here, both mooring and slip.
The moorings are in the middle of allot of power boat and jet ski activity, in and around the marina, and also exposed to northerly winds which tend to be the stronger winds we get in the winter, what I did and would recommend, pay for the mooring to have access to the marina facilities but anchor in the marine stadium that has excellent holding and is very well protected, gets just a chop even in high winds. You’ll sleep well there. Bear in mind that I have heard over and over that anchoring will be prohibited there but last I heard boats were still anchoring there. On the plus side the moorings are well maintained, screw type and our boat at the time an Oday 39 survived hurricane Wilma on the mooring.
The dingy dock at the marina is just a mud bank under some mangroves so your shoes get muddy and your dingy will quickly foul from the wet decaying leaves inside your boat. That was always a headache. If you are there for just a few days you can put up with it. The bathrooms are in poor condition so you may prefer to shower on your boat.
The marina facilities are in urgent need of a renovation and last I heard the City of Miami had a complete renovation plan for Virginia Key that included the marina putting up some millions for a major refit. Don’t know if the renovations have begun yet or if they will ever materialize.
As for the slips, they have no finger piers which was a major headache with our now double ender, not so bad with other type boats but not ideal at all, and just two pilings outboard, not ideal for tying up either, and with no central pilings it’s very easy to end up banging into the boat alongside on a windy day. With all the power boat action outside the marina and mega yachts passing by on the inter coastal, strong wakes come in and really thrash the boats especially on weekends but sometimes even in the middle of the night I thought I was going to fall out of my bunk. Double up the lines and get a slip as far in as your draft will allow and if you have a choice don’t get a slip beyond 3/4 out on the piers. On the plus side security is extremely tight, cameras everywhere. Nothing get’s lifted at these docs without it being filmed.
An excellent, very friendly and helpful staff, unfortunately at a marina needing a breakwater and major renovations / redesign. Hopefully it will get done.
Jules Robinson

Boca Chita Key is part of the Everglades National Park, and is located south of Miami, on Biscayne Bay. The approach channel can get a bit skinny at MLW, but the harbor is well sheltered!

We enjoy Boca Chita and have stayed here several times. During the week there are usually a few cruising boats as well as a couple smaller boats which have brought campers to the island. There is no charge for day use but overnight in the Marina is $20.00 (half price for a Senior Park pass). One must pay everyday by check or cash, so come prepared with correct amount of money. This is $5 more than last year. You get a campsite with each boatslip and campsites alone are $15.00.
On the weekends, Boca Chita can become a big Cuban party. Large and small boats pack in rafted up two deep, the domino boards come out, a pig is roasted in a box and Spanish is the language spoken. Everyone is friendly and the regulars all know each other. Despite the “no generators after 10 PM rule”, the large boats run gen sets all day and night which can be annoying if one prefers the rustling of the palm trees in the salt breeze. We are here Christmas eve and we will see what Christmas weekend brings. We are told that New Years Eve is an especially big party, complete with music over loud speakers etc. As long as the wind is blowing, Boca Chita is a great place. If calm, the mosquitoes take over even in the winter. There is no water or electric and trash needs to be taken out. There are flush saltwater toilets which have been recently upgraded a bit with new paint and lights at night.
Jean and Mel on DOVEKIE

Boca Chita Key Marina Harbor - That's DOVEKIE in the corner, center

Click Here To View the South Florida Keys Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Boca Chita Key Marina and Visitor’s Center

Caesar Creek is a shallow inlet which runs off Biscayne Bay, south of Miami, and eventually leads to the briny blue. The shallowest portion of the so-called channel is found on the Florida Bay side, and MLW depths can easily run to 4 feet. We’ve only anchored here a couple of times over the years, and I don’t remember the mosquito problem Captain Jim describes below, but I have no doubt he is quite correct, if the wind begins to die.

Stay here only if the wind is howling otherwise the mosquitoes will run you off. If you have the best screens, the buzzing will keep you awake all night. If its calm, anchor in the Atlantic east of Elliott or keep motoring south to Florida Bay.
Jim

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

Hmmmmm, sounds like the new mooring field at Coconut Gove (Miami) has some real administrative problems.

We came into the new dinner key mooring field on Dec 1, and they asked us to take a mooring on the outskirts of the field that was a fair dingy ride in and is subject to wakes from boats in the channels before they begin to slow down — we are a 40′ Jeanneau ds40 with a 5′ draft -
As we dinghied in we noted several 40′+ boats with deeper draft closer in so we asked if we could move closer in as most of the field is currently empty —
we suggested a mooring number and told to go ahead and move which we did. Now we are told that the mooring we moved to is a 30′ mooring and the original mooring we were on was a 40′ mooring – in fact i would estimate that over 2/3 of the mooring field is designed for boats less than 40′ and we were told that they can not accomadate any boat greater than 42′ – when i told them a 47′ boat just left for the islands they agreed and told us that the boat was told they could no longer use the field because they were too big -
There is also a very very tiny dingy dock
Trying not to be to prejudical, it appears if this is a test field for the florida anchoring problem they designed it for failure – in fact you may just want to anchor on the other side of the mooring field and not have to pay which is right next to the 40-42′ moorings
just my thoughts
chuck patty and svsoulmates
miami fl

Hello,
As for the engineering of the field I guess what is done is done for now. Short of building a break water all around the field, I don’t know. It’s an unprotected area, so it will be rolly polly from wind, waves and wakes. I suppose the center of the field and closer to land may be the best spot to be in if you have a choice and a lesser draft.
But in regards to the dingy dock I was told that the larger floating dingy dock by the boat ramp will eventually be available to the mooring customers, once the mooring customer showers, baths and offices are installed. However for security purposes my preference would be where they have it now, well inside the marina and close to the harbormasters office, better a small safe dingy dock than one exposed to the street and to the unsavory characters that hang around the boat ramp at night.
Hope things improve.
Jules
S/V Nemesis
Dinner Key Marina
Miami

I keep my boat (70 feet) in Florida most of the winter and in Nantucket Harbor during the summer. In Nantucket we’re on a mooring, there is a Town-owned and operated pump-out boat running 7 days a week, launch service, two good-sized dingy docks and even delivery service. The Harbormaster’s building, at the foot of the Town Dock where the dingy docks are has nice bathrooms with clean showers. The water in the Harbor is clean, so clean that the Harbor is used for commercial scalloping in the fall and winter, and it is certainly clean enough for swimming. The health of the scallop population is dependent on clean water and healthy beds of sea grass. If boats were anchored instead of on moorings the sea grass beds would be destroyed in a season or two.
Contast this with Florida where mooring fields are few and far between, pump-out facilities (let alone pump-out boats) are scarse and out-of service much of the time, and amenities of any kind are limited to say the least. I don’t get it. Florida’s waters are just as precious as New England’s waters. I’ve been reading for years about the damage done to coral by yachts anchoring on top of or too close to the reefs. If there was a mooring field close by (but not too close) and an anchoring ban enforced it strikes me that the problem would be at least partially solved.
Just my opinion.
Nancy

I don’t think any body of water in the Florida Keys has garnered more postings here on the Cruiser’s Net than Angelfish Creek. Some, like Captain Holm below, have no problem, while others have had an unfortunate encounter with an “underwater rock.”

Subject: Angelfish Creek
Cruising News: We went out through Angelfish Creek 2 days ago, with some trepidation after all the negative reports and our C-Map based plotter showing 3 ft depths.
Two hours after HW on the ocean side, our lowest depths were over 8 ft on the inside and over 7 feet on the ocean side. It is wide, well marked and straightforward.
Doug Holm
Acme Cat – Nonsuch33 with 5.5 ft draft

We have been through Card Sound/Angelfish Creek 2 times now and the depth is great. We draw 5 ft. and have not had any problems. We also were concerned about the depth and acquired local knowledge and were told that there was not a problem for our draft. On Christmas Eve 2009, we set out with 20 knot headwinds and stayed in the middle of the channel and followed a 120 foot Lazarra out through the channel an hour before high tide and found 7 ft. where the chart and chartplotter showed only 4 ft. We went to Carysfort Reef and tied off to a mooring ball and had a rough 20-25 knot East winds until 7 a.m. when they became southeast to east at 10-15 knots. We were prepared to make our crossing to the Bahamas from there, but elected not to go from there on Christmas Day, due to the 5 foot seas. We returned to Angelfish Creek and anchored in 10 ft of water and are staged for the next weather window to make our crossing to Gun Caye. The current in Angelfish has not been in issue in the two days that we have been here. We did however observe numerous crab trap floats from the exit to Angelfish to the Atlanti Shelf. Our concern leaving at Midnight was that we wouuld foul our prop and if we decide to leave from the mouth Angelfish at midnight, then it will be necessary to post a crew with a spotlight at the bow for approximately 4 miles to the shelf. The advantage of going to Carysfort Reef (7 miles south of Angelfish Creek is that there are free moorings for the night and behind a reef for protection and has 2-4 feet below the surface.
Bill & JoAnne

Another helpful site for weather reports of wind is: http://www.windfinder.com
Bill & JoAnne

Coconut Grove Sailing Club is the southernmost of the facility’s set along the Miami – Dinner Key – Coconut Grover waterfront. They feature a well sheltered harbor, and, if my own experience is any judge, some of the friendliest folks you will ever find!

Subject: Transient Moorings at Coconut Grove Sailing Club
Cruising News: CGSC has transient moorings available for sailboats up to 40FT. $35/night, includes 24 hr. Launch, Bath/Showers, dinghy dock, BAR and Restaurant available to guests… Safe Protected moorings convenient to Coconut Grove. Website: www.cgsc.org
Marc Buller

The Boca Chita Key Marina and Visitor’s Center lies a short hop off the Inside/ICW channel, south of Dinner Key. This facility is part of the Biscayne Bay National Park. I’ve always found holding good depths from the Waterway to the dockage basin, to be a bit of challenge.
More on this facility at:  http://www.CruisersNet.net/8-boca-chita-key-marina-and-visitors-center

June 2009: Took 52 foot cruiser in with five-foot draft but waited for a +1.0 foot tide which gave me a foot or more under the keel. Good wall with cleats for tie up. No power or water. $20 charge per night. Mosquitoes found us quickly even in middle of day. Kind of funny to watch boat loads of weekenders arrive in bathing suits, haul coolers and grills from open boats to picnic tables, and then start swating with vigor. Some left quickly. Reminds me of the Everglades in Summer. We hid inside in the air conditioning for two days and then escaped with most of our blood left. Much nicer, I am sure, in cooler, dryer weather.
Hank Haeseker

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

Anchorage Marina and Resort is located just across Jewfish Creek from Gilberts Marina. Didn’t know there was a good restaurant at hand. That’s something new!

Subject: Anchorage Resort & Marina
Cruising News: On our way south to Key West,we stopped overnight at the Anchorage. While somewhat isolated, we highly recommend it for a stopover. Clean, friendly with all the hook-ups (cable, free WIFI) and an excellent restaurant (Marley’s). Try the ceviche which apparently comes out a little different every time and was delicious.
Eric Norlin

Click Here To View the Florida Keys Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Anchorage Resort

First, No-Name Harbor is located at the extreme southern end of Key Biscayne, and is part of the Bill Boggs Florida State Park. The harbor is a wonderfully sheltered anchorage, and the fee for staying at anchor overnight is very reasonable.
When I first read Captains Bobbi and Warren’s message below, I did a double-take. I thought it reported that overnight stays were no longer allowed at No-Name Harbor. But then, I read more carefully and understood that it’s just vessels tied to the seawall that are no longer permitted. OVERNIGHT ANCHORAGE IN NO-NAME HARBOR IS STILL VERY MUCH IN THE OFFING, AS LONG AS THE FEE IS PAID!

Subject: TOW AWAY ZONE IN NO NAME HARBOR
Cruising News: No Name Harbor at Biggs State Park in Key Biscayne is now enforcing the “no overnight mooring” policy that has been in effect but largely ignored. There are now “Tow Away Zone” signs and any illegally moored vessel (i.e. those staying overnight at the wall or those not paying the fee) will be towed by SeaTow “at the owners expense”. Rangers may ask to see your receipt from the envelope used to pay fees. A ranger will also make patrols at No Name after dusk to ensure boats have vacated. To recap the rules: you can tie your boat up at the seawall during the day for $2 or anchor overnight for $15/night. You cannot stay overnight at the wall. The pump out is free.
Bobbi and Warren
s/v Grand Eagle

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

Boca Chita Key is part of the Biscayne Bay National Park, and a small marina/harbor is maintined here by the Park Service. I’ve always found the depths rather shallow here, but note that Captain Pascal below says 5 feet can be maintained. Also, and this is not the first posting we’ve had here on the Net about this subject, Boca Chita Key is definitely NOT pet friendly.

Subject: Boca chita, FL Keys/ Biscayne Bay
Cruising News: I see the note about no dogs (and no cats… actually the signs say no pets) at Boca Chita… the rangers have always enforced this. If they see a pet on a boat, they will have you leave, right away.  I’ve heard that people who argued or delayed leaving have been fined.
You can safely take in 5′ draft at MLW, just stay bewteen the 3 sets of buoys. The shallowest part, just over 5′ MLW, is just east of the final pair (between the last pair and the harbor entrance).
Mosquitoes make the place unbearable in summer though…
Pascal

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

The harbor and no frills marina at Boca Chita Key, is part of Bicayne Bay National Park. Entrance depths can be slim, and now we learn from Captain Laura that no dogs are allowed, even aboard!

For cruisers with pets, Boca Chita has a no dogs policy—even onboard your boat.
Thanks for all your help.
Laura Bender

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

Angeflish Creek is the first serous crossover stream, cruising south from Miami to Jewfish Creek, that cruisers might use to transit for the Inside to the Hawk Channel route, or the other way around. For years, there has been discussion here on the Cruisers' Net "Florida Keys" section about a mysterios underwater "rock" on the Hawk Channel end of the Angelfish Creek channel.
Below, as you will read, Captain Steve seems to have discovered the "rock," the hard way. Others have not found this obstruction, and earlier questioned its existence. I don't think there's any question in Captain Steve's mind, and we should all go to proverbial school on his misfortune. Hope Steve does have the opportunity to perform his "snorked research," and the "rock" can be located once and for all!

I read in your 2005 keys guide about the phantom rock on the east side (hawks Channel) side of angel creek
I will verify that the rock is there as I bent a prop on it a year ago. I still can not tell you exactly where it is because when I hit it I wasn’t looking for it… so it happened so fast that I wasn’t cognizant of just where it was. However I can say that I think it is just to the north of the last westerly buoy that marks the channel on that side
I draw 5-1/2 feet so I only go through there now at mid to high tide. I have been through there three times since and always hold my breath when I go through
If you have any additional information on this rock, please let me know
We are members at the Ocean Reef Club and keep our boat in Lauderdale so when the wind is up we take the ICW down past Miami and then across Biscayne Bay through Angelfish Creek to the Hawk Channel side to Ocean Reef
Please e-mail me if you ever get a bead on this rock
I plan to try and take the tender out form ocean reef and snorkel the area and see if I can find it. If I do find it I will get the GPS coordinates and send it to you
Thanks
Steve

Subject: Angel Fish Creek "ROCK"
Cruising News: We came to the Bahamas on March 17th and used Angel Fish Creek Cut to get to Bimini. We had spent the night at Pumpkin Key and at 7 AM went to sea via that cut. We were concerned with the west side depth since all charts show very little water just at the west entrance which turn out to be no problem and soon after that we had depths of 7 feet and more.
The problem we had was the same rock stated by Capt Steve. We were in the middle of the channel which is well marked and as we approached between the two last sets of red and green markers on the east side of Angel Fish Creek cut we "FOUND" the rock or something very solid. There were two hits, telling me that there are at least two obstructions next to each other closer to the north side of the channel. We draw only 3 feet and it was low tide at that momentn(7am March 17th, 2009) , but just before we hit we had at least 5/6 feet of water!
We are never again using this cut!!! until some government body fixes or remove this obstructions.
Please be aware. We were lucky. we just had a scrape on the keel of out power cat and were able to proceed to the Bahamas. Had our boat been a little deeper, we could have sunk right there!
Take care.
Captain George

Last year (Nov 07) we used angel fish creek as a crossover to Hawk Channel from Bayside—never again.  We are in a 48 Krogen whaleback (5’ draft) and maybe we were carrying 5’6”—Anyway, coming out right at high water, we were outbound just before the red and green (last ones before Hawk) and in the middle and struck hard rock bottom.  You don’t get stuck unless you stop and with our full keel and protected wheel (single engine) we plowed on scraping the paint off the bottom of our keel but getting to deeper water.  The swell either helped or hurt depending on your point of view but we made it to deeper water and will not go that way again.
Steve and Teresa Hutchins
Sea Quill

I just returned form the Keys and made four passages through angelfish creek without incident
The winds were high, in excess of 25 knots all week, so I was not able to snorkel and look for the infamous rock
However, the channel has been remarked with pole markers. The mouth of the channel is now very narrow so I think that since the markers have been moved together and my original thought was that the rock was just north of the mouth of the channel that the rock issue may be eliminated if you approach from the southeast stay within the narrow entrance markers
Steve

On 12/4/08, as part of a “Florida Keys Wish List,” I posed the following question:

14. Who has anchored in Sunset Cove, off Buttonwood Sound (near Statute Mile 1143)? Did you find yourself amidst a whole collection of fellow cruising craft? Did you find anywhere to land a dinghy ashore?

Responses follow:

Sunset Cove gets shallow near shore and if you don’t get close you get the wakes from the ICW
Pascal

Click Here To View the Florida Keys Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Sunset Cove

On 12/4/08, as part of a “Florida Keys Wish List,” I posed the following question:

3. Has anyone anchored off Biscayne Bay’s Sands Key (near Statute Mile 1110)? What depths did you find? Would you recommend this anchorage to your fellow cruisers?

Responses follow:

You can anchor in 7 or 8′ of water on the north side of Sand Key, north of the sandbar off the cut. There is a little canal in the bend going to a pond, worth a trip with the dink.
The best anchorage in the area is still Eliott Key, though, I rarely anchor off sandkey. The water is clear, you can dinghy to the beach near the north.
There is a small marina halfway down, by the rangers building, small boats though (under 30).  no services, but a boardwalk/trail crossing to the ocean side.
Pascal

Click Here To View the Florida Keys Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Directory Listing For Sands Key

On 12/4/08, as part of a “Florida Keys Wish List,” I posed the following question:

1. Has anyone tried to anchor off Soldier Key? Did you find the entrance channel unmarked and tricky?

Responses follow:

You can anchor on the bay to the west… i’ve never dare trying to get close!
Pascal

Click Here To View the Florida Keys Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Soldier Key

On 12/4/08, as part of a “Florida Keys Wish List,” I posed the following quesiton:

10. Gilberts Marina is located on the western shores of Jewfish Creek. For many, this is their first stop in the Florida Keys. Who has docked here recently? What did you find? Was the adjacent restaurant operating, and did you eat there? How was the food?

Responses follow:

I docked at Gilberts about six weeks ago.  $2/ft./night.  Docks are rundown and restrooms are shared with bar patrons (enough said).  Still a fun atmosphere.
Dick Bodner

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

On 12/4/08, as part of a “Florida Keys Wish List,” I posed the following question:

11. Just across from Gilberts, on the opposite shore, cruisers will find Anchorage Resort and Yacht Club. Has anyone docked here recently? What was your experience.

Responses follow:

Hi,
I docked my 29 ft. Prairie at Anchorage Resort last month.  There was plenty of space and the rate was $2.50/ft.  Amenities are a swimming pool and a hot tub.  One restroom for the entire marina but since there were few boats there it was not a problem.  I found it clean.
The restaurant next door, Marley’s Seafood Grill is great!  Order the CalaMarley appetizer (calamari).  It’s just like you get on the Costa del Sol in Spain.  Also their “Jalea” dinner is excellent and huge (one is enough for two hungry people)  It has an assortment of fried (in a special batter) seafood, including calamari and dolphin and shrimp etc. and some fried yucca strips…… mouthwatering!
The draw bridge over Jewfish Creek has been removed so it’s a bit of a walk over the new elevated roadway to walk to Gilbert’s.  Gilberts has a band on Sunday and Karaoke on Tuesday.  A real, laid-back Keys atmosphere.
Dick Bodner
Prairie 29 Trawler, Private Island

Stayed at Anchorage last year around Early March. Were on their cement  face dock by pool. Quiet. No complaints – nice people, seems like  marina was a sideline – the guy helping us with lines was the hotel  maintenance guy I believe. However, the restaurant right next store is  fantastic – we had dinner there one night and lunch when passing by  car. Marley’s is the name.
Capt. John Wild

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

On 12/4/08, as part of a "Florida Keys Wish List," I posed the following question:

5. Who has cruised through Angelfish Creek from either the inside/ICW route to Hawk Channel, or the other way around? Did you encounter the infamous “underwater rock on the Hawk Channel side of Angelfish Creek? Has anyone anchored in the creeks making off from the interior reaches of Angelfish Creek?

Responses follow:

We have cruised thru Angelfish Creek many times, both ways and have not encountered the infamous "underwater rock".
Ron Hollander

On 12/4/08, as part of a “Florida Keys Wish List,” I posed the following question:

2. Who has visited the National Park harbor at Boca Chita Key? What depths did you find in the entrance channel and harbor? What services did you find at the harbor/marina?

Responses follow:

I visited the National Park Harbor at Boca Chita Key one time in the fall. The entrance channel had about 5 to 6 feet. There were no services there, only a Florida Ranger there. The no seeums were terrible. We had to run to our boat after walking the island.
Ron Hollander

Boca Chita Key. We visited there in spring of 2008. The entrance was well marked and held 5ft at mid tide. There is lots of room for side ties along the wall. The deeper in, the quieter. Facilities are sparce. No water, carry out your own trash. Chemical toilets are available. Itʼs an interesting place to stop along the way. One full day is plenty.
Bob and Toni Dorman

The channel is well marked, 6′ MLW most of the way with a 5 1/2 hump just east of the final buoys, near the harbor entrance. No services…  no power, no water, no garbage collections. Pets are NOT allowed, even on boats.  if the rangers see a pet on your boat, they will have you leave immediately, and possibly fine you.
it’s a great place to spend a couple of days, there are a couple of trails, and a small beach on the N side.  Beware of mosquitoes in summer. Avoid holliday week ends, it’s a zoo with small boats and campers, loud music, etc…  it’s busy on regular week ends, often filled to capactity by sat. noon.
Pascal

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

Captain Adam is really onto something when he recommends No Name Harbor (which he terms “No Name Bay”) below. This is a GREAT spot to drop the hook for a night or two.

No Name Bay [Harbor] is another option for Key Biscayne — also pretty crowded on weekends.  I prefer to pass up Key Biscayne and anchor off of Elliot Key.  Wear plenty of repellent if you go ashore as the mosquitos are KILLER.
Adam

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