Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and Pub on Longbeach, is just to the west of the Jewfish Key South Anchorage off northern Sarasota Bay. Our thanks to Skipper Fowler for the photos.
Larry – some new docks at Mar Vista restaurant at the anchorage behind Jewfish Key, near Longboat Pass.
Winston Fowler
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Jewfish Key South Anchorage
Otter-Lido Key Anchorage is found off the approach channel leading from Big Sarasota Pass to the Sarasota Yacht Club and west of unlighted daybeacon #7.
We anchored here last night and it was very nice. It’s a nice deep anchorage and you can get close to mangroves with out being in the backyards of the beautiful homes. No other boats were here, but loads of kayakers and paddle boards during the daytime. Oh and one tourist boat with palm trees on top cruised thru late afternoon. They took our pic, I took theirs too. We dinghied over to concrete bridge (2nd one) which puts you right on St Armands square which had tons of restaurants and shopping. There is a nice beach nearby as well. Great out of the way spot for a night or two.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Otter-Lido Key Anchorage
Ringling Bridge crosses the West Florida Waterway at Statute Mile 73.5, northwest of flashing daybeacon #10, connecting Lido Key and Sarasota. If you can offer advice to Skipper Verheijen, let us hear from you.
I was searching, but could not find any local knowledge around the bridge height in Sarasota (Ringling). The charts indicate 65′, but I wonder if that is a “high” or “low” 65′ and if there are observations of the bridge marker at MLLW.
Thanks,
Pat Verheijen
Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Bridge Directory Listing For Ringling Bridge
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of
With a closed vertical clearance of 17ft, Longboat Pass Bridge crosses Longboat Pass which separates Longbeach and Bradenton Beach, south of Tampa Bay near Statute Mile 85. Our thanks to John Wheeler for this article by Rick Catlin in the Island Reporter.
Longboat Pass Bridge open to boat traffic
The Florida Department of Transportation said the Longboat Pass Bridge is now able to handle opening the bascule for boat traffic.
The bascule had been closed to some marine traffic since Oct. 24, when the bascule locked in the down position.
DOT spokesperson Robin Stublen said the bascule reopened for tall-masted boat traffic around noon Oct. 30, but he had no further information on why the bascule became stuck.
`The bridge is now open to all marine traffic,’ he said.
`We have no timeline for further repairs as engineers are reviewing plans at this time.’
Engineers working on the bascule found a 3.95-inch gap between the draw and the roadway, but have yet to determine a cause for the gap.
– See more at: http://www.islander.org/2014/11/longboat-pass-bridge-open-to-boat-traffic/#sthash.AR0lEcAR.dpuf
And the Local Notice concerning the re-opening:
FLORIDA ‘“ WEST COAST ‘“ LONGBOAT PASS: Bridge Update.
The Longboat Pass Bridge across Longboat Pass, Longboat, Manatee County, Florida has been repaired and is fully operational. Both the Longboat Pass and New Pass Bridges have returned to their normal operating schedules.
Due to the problem with the bridge, the bridge owner, Florida Department of Transportation, will be making some emergency repairs to the bridge. They do not anticipate requesting any navigation restrictions during these repairs. As it will take some time to initiate this emergency repair action, the Longboat Pass Bridge may malfunction which could cause this bridge to be stuck in either the open or closed position. If the bridge is closed to navigation the bridge tender will notify any vessels in the vicinity of the bridge of this issue immediately and will request that they transit either north or south to avoid this bridge. The Coast Guard upon notification will issue a Broadcast Notice to Mariners and the New Pass Bridge will operate on a 24 hour a day schedule until repairs are made to the Longboat Pass Bridge.
Marina Jacks – Click for Chartview
Marina Operations/Marina Jacks abuts the east-northeastern shores, to the northeast of red unlighted daybeacon #8A in Sarasota Bay, in the heart of downtown Sarasota, Florida. These reports come to us from Trawlers and Trawlering.
Marina Jacks has moorings available for $275 a month. They have a specific dock for dinks.
B. V.
I stayed at Marina Jack’s a couple of weeks ago heading up the gulf coast in a sailboat. I loved the place. Yes, the bar is a bit loud, but only while we were in the cockpit. Down below, no problem. The showers/bathroom were as good as any I’ve ever seen, and the security is great. A short walk to all of the shopping or eating out you might want. If I move my boat from the east coast to the west, that’s where I’ll head…
Steve
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marina Operations/Marina Jacks
New Pass – Click for Chartview
New Pass is the northernmost of Sarasota’s two inlets, and this channel separates Longboat Key from Lido Key. It is spanned by a bascule bridge with a vertical clearance of 23ft.
In spite of all advice to the contrary, WE SPECIFICALLY DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT ANY MARINER MAKE USE OF NEW PASS! This channel shoals faster than it can be dredged, and I have personally photographed a large sailcraft (several years ago) that foundered when it tried to navigate New Pass. You would be far better served to make use of Longboat Pass to the north, or better yet, Venice Pass to the south, as recommended by Captain Blake.
On weekends hundreds of small craft use New Pass. 4 ft. or less draft is fine. Avoid bad weather and low tide (obvious). In good weather, ride the green water. If you’re lucky enough to get behind one of the local charter boats, or a big Sea Ray from Marine Max near the bridge out for a demo run, throttle up and run their wake. However, slow, deep draft vessels are much better served by using Venice. Especially if you make a lunch stop at The Crow’s Nest Marina and restaurant.
Captain Blake, Longboat Key
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of New Pass
Longboat Key Club Moorings – Click for Chartview
Longboat Key Club Moorings guards the western shores of Sarasota Bay, north of the city of Sarasota, and south of Longboat Pass. And, of course, these good people are a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!!
You might consider Longboat Key Club Marina on Longboat Key, Sarasota, FL, if you want a really nice marina.
Bud Orr
Four Orrs
I would try the Moorings at Longboat Key. Stayed there for a few days, has pool, access to many restaurants as well as a quick 10 or 15 minute ride to downtown Sarasota. The slips are not as nice as Marina Jack’s (floating docks), but you’ll appreciate the quiet on weekend nights since Marina Jack has a huge restaurant with loud music on weekends adjacent to the transient slips. Shower facilities at both are pretty good.
Mark Giraldi
Blue Swan
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Longboat Key Club Moorings
Jewfish Key Anchorage – Click for Chartview
Jewfish Key South Side Anchorage – Click for Chartview
Here is a review of another Western Florida anchorage, this one just south of Longboat Pass, a few miles north of Sarasota. There are actually two anchorages behind Jewfish Key, one will be found on the deep water behind (to the southwest of) the long, private island southwest of flashing daybeacon #41, and the second is found on the tongue of charted 13-foot water stretching south into a cove hard by the village of Longbeach.
Near Longboat Key 27 degrees 26′ 12″N, 082 degrees 40′ 48.21″W. Of this two, I’d recommend this more than the other [Big McPherson Bayou] as there are restaurants, bars and a great beach for walking nearby. Good holding in sand with about 8′ at low tide. Watch for the tidal flow as it can get quirky with the change of tide.
Captain K
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Jewfish Key Anchorage
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Jewfish Key South Anchorage
New Pass – Click for Chartview
New Pass is the northernmost of Sarasota’s two inlets, and this channel separates Longboat Key from Lido Key. It is spanned by a bascule bridge with a vertical clearance of 23ft.
IN SPITE OF CAPTAIN CONWAY’S INFO BELOW, WE SPECIFICALLY DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT ANY MARINER MAKE USE OF NEW PASS! This channel shoals faster than it can be dredged, and I have personally photographed a large sailcraft (several years ago) that foundered when it tried to navigate New Pass. You would be far better served to make use of Longboat Pass to the north, or, better yet, Venice Pass to the south.
If anyone has ignored this advice, and run New Pass recently, let us hear from you.
Sailed from St. Petersburg to Longboat Key. We took a bike ride over the New Pass bridge/channel. The bridge went up before we got over it and we saw a 40′ sailboat pass under. This tells me the depth is at least 4′ and probably 5-6″‘. I’m not sure of the tides at that time.
For a long time I avoided this pass due to a reputation as risky & too shallow. I think I call some folks down there & get their input. I think it’s worth a second look…
Mike Conway
Skipper Holiman confirms the reputation of risk for this channel:
I went out this pass in a 3 foot draft twin inboard cruiser in September 2001, right after Tropical Storm Gabrielle had passed by and blew all of the moored channel markers out of the channel. The wind was still up and there were breakers on the bars. Luckily the sun was right to read the water depth, but I pretty much decided I was never going to use this pass again in anything that it would hurt to run aground.
There is nothing that would make me attempt to go through this pass with my five foot draft sailboat.
R. Holiman
Last October I transited New Pass and found marker “mo(a)” intact, but was warned about a dredged channel with a rough heading of 60 degrees (shown on chart leading to bridge) that had shoaled. I found local traffic heading into New Pass by running parallel to beach roughly in area where NEW PASS is printed on charts [west of Lido Key] and I found small floating nav aids marking shallow passage leading around point to deep water in land pass. I recall wreck did appear on latest chart plotter chip and believe it to be further inside pass perhaps between marker 8 and 9. My boat drew 4′ without hitting.
Pete Colgan
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of New Pass
Big Sarasota Pass - Click for Chartview
In the spring of 2013, we had a lengthy discussion on Big Sarasota Pass, /?p=111868. Now Captain Ray brings us valuable local knowledge.
I am a local, and the pass is more than just dicey these days. Over the past year’¦last week we sailed our Mariner 31 outside and back, drawing 3’10’³, and saw 5’6’³ at high tide. That’s down from 7′ only a few months ago. Be careful if you must come into Big Pass, pretend you are a large barge and make wide turns around the floating markers on your way in.
Captain Ray
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Big Sarasota Pass
Otter-Lido Key Anchorage - Click for Chartview
Otter-Lido Key Anchorage can be found southwest of unlighted daybeacon #7, on the approach channel leading to the Sarasota Yacht Club.
The wind in November has forced us to seek some protected anchorages and this is one of them. A distance off the waterway but easy to get to and quite protected from that persistent NE wind.
Jean Thomason
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Otter-Lido Key Anchorag
Marina Jacks - Click for Chartview
Marina Operations/Marina Jacks abuts the east-northeastern shores, to the northeast of red unlighted daybeacon #8A in Sarasota Bay, in the heart of downtown Sarasota, Florida.
I love the mooring field, dink over to O’Learys Tiki Bar and walk to Marina Jacks from there. Short walk to downtown and lots to do there. Marina Jacks has the best showers anywhere, if they only had a pool it would be perfect.
Cambren Davis
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marina Operations/Marina Jacks
Bradenton Beach Marina – Click for Chartview
Bradenton Beach Marina lies at the terminus of the charted, L-shaped channel cutting in from the Cortez Bridge’s southwestern corner in Bradenton Beach, FL
Stayed for two nights, had only planned staying one. Good solid marina, friendly staff, great location. Lots of restaurants nearby and cool free trolley on the island, great beach.
I would definitely stay again.
Cambren Davis
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Bradenton Beach Marina
Marina Jacks - Click for Chartview
Marina Operations/Marina Jacks abuts the east-northeastern shores, to the northeast of red unlighted daybeacon #8A in Sarasota Bay, in the heart of downtown Sarasota, Florida.
The mooring field, which is the subject of Captain Power’s report below, has been controversial, first, because it displaced a very popular anchorage, and secondly, some claim its cost benefit ratio to the city of Sarasota is very much a negative concept. On the other hand, there was a legitimate problem with abandoned and derelict vessels in the old anchorage.
Sarasota IS one of the Florida Pilot Mooring Field Program sites, so the regulations surrounding their mooring field are legal, at least according to Florida state law. Federal law is another matter entirely, but that’s another discussion for another day!
After much controversy in Sarasota, Marina Jacks opened its mooring ball field about a year ago. We recently used the field. The marina management, staff, and facilities are first rate. It is located right downtown with numerous restaurants nearby and a Whole Foods within easy walking distance. The only drawback is that out of the 35 balls, only 3 are set aside for transients. They do take reservations but you will have to move on if your ball is reserved before you want to leave. The daily rate is $20. You can still anchor outside of the field boundaries but it is a lengthy ride to the dinghy dock.
David S. Power
s/v Two If By Sea
The City of Sarasota just approved doubling the number of moorings. The article didn’t mention how many would be for visitors.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20130520/article/130529955
Dawn Moore
The REAL violation is that this entire program is a violation of the right of cruisers to anchor, as provided for in federal regulations. Every single cruiser who uses the balls in Florida’s mooring fields helps to justify this move by the state of Florida on behalf of well heeled waterfront property owners, leading ultimately to a total loss of our anchoring rights.
Sure, it doesn’t seem to mean much to take a ball, but when you support this sort of thing, you empower the bureaucrats who seek to remove our rights.
Think on that the next time anchoring outside the mooring field seems a bit too far for you.
Wally Moran
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marina Operations/Marina Jacks
The series of messages below are copied from “The Cruisers’ Forum” (http://www.cruisersforum.com/), an alternate information outlet highly recommended by everyone here at the SSECN!
If you are not familiar with Sarasota, this community actually has two inlets, Big (Sarasota) Pass and New Pass. Having sounded both many times over the years, I can say unequivocally that I do NOT recommend that cruising size craft use either seaward passage. Even with the info very thoughtfully provided by the Sarasota Yacht Club (see below), it’s a dicey proposition at best to run Big Pass. Don’t even think about trying New pass!
A FAR safer plan is to come inside or out into the briny blue via naturally deep Venice Pass to the south or Longboat Pass, just to the north. Some of you may very well have a different opinion about all of this, and we would very much like to hear from you. Please use the “Comment” function below, or follow the “Click Here to Contribute Cruising News” link on the upper, right of this, and all (except Chart View) SSECN pages.
A few weeks ago we called a local towing comp. for local knowledge. Fog offshore was very thick. My plan was to enter Sarasota Bay skipping Venice inlet and the company advised us to go further north to Longboat Pass. When I called the bridge tender, he said I will raise the bridge when I see your vessel………. How is he going to see the vessel if i cant see 50ft in front of the bow? As we turned east there it was a few yards away!!!
After a few days I am wondering if it safe to enter/exit BP. I scouted the inlet from the end of Lido Key and could not see any nav aids west of green 9. Are there nav aids showing the inlet? Controlling depth? I understand that under some conditions (NW, W or SW with strong wind) its not recommended to use the inlet/pass.
Thanks
Velero49
It’s a dicey pass. The Sarasota Sailing Squadron has some directions at their website, let me see…
here’tis
http://www.sarasotayachtclub.org/Visitor-Info/Navigational-Items-of-Interest/Big-Pass-Information-405.html
tamicatana
The “pass” at Big Pass moves around a lot, virtually with every heavy weather event, and shoals up very quickly. It would be very foolish to attempt that pass in anything but a very shaol draft yacht. Either come in at Venice and run the ICW or at Longboat Pass although the channel there has moved around a lot as well and does not match the channel that appears on most charts (see various NTM). Note that Longboat is a narrow channel and is subject to sharp, strong, currents. You’ll want to enter there at slack water. If you can’t see the bridge from the channel entrace mark due to fog, continue north and come into Tampa Bay through the Southwest Channel.
svHyLyte
We kept our boat on the West coast for two years. It draws 4 feet. Sarasota Pass was always a no go because of the shifting shoals. We used Longboat Pass on a regular basis whenever we entered the intercoastal. It does have considerable current and is quite narrow. The bridge tenders seem to think that a sailboat can approach closely and remain steady in the strong current before they open the bridge. We never followed their orders and held at least 100 yards from the bridge and told them we would approach quickly once the bridge began to open. Numerous times, we had powerboats cut in front of us or attempt to negotiate the small channel at the same time. They were completely clueless. We also experienced a very rude catamaran charter captain, who used the pass daily, try to intimidate us into moving closer before the bridge had begun to open. We had a very serious conversation once both of us passed through the cut. If you choose to use Longboat Pass, be your own captain, exercise caution and safety and you’ll be fine. Be prepared for other boats also making the transit. Good luck and good sailing.
rognvald
I sail a morgan 28 with a 4.5 draft and have come in and out Big Pass many times. You must check with the Sarasota yacht club, they maintain the bouy markers and are always moving. I have never seen less then 7ft, however it can become very narrow when the monster size boat with his noise high comes barreling through the Chanel with wakes 3-4ft high. As far as being able to moore up a nice spot is just north of the ringling bridge to the east, there is a fishing shop and a nice size cove that will protect from heavey north winds… From Sarasota Bay have fun sailing and hope to see ya around.
Autumns Wind
I am a local, and the pass is more than just dicey these days. Over the past year’¦last week we sailed our Mariner 31 outside and back, drawing 3’10’³, and saw 5’6’³ at high tide. That’s down from 7′ only a few months ago. Be careful if you must come into Big Pass, pretend you are a large barge and make wide turns around the floating markers on your way in.
Captain Ray
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Venice Pass
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Big Sarasota Pass
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of New Pass
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Longboat Pass
Longboat Key Club Moorings - Click for Chartview
Longboat Key Club Moorings guards the western shores of Sarasota Bay, north of the city of Sarasota, and south of Longboat Pass. And, of course, these good people are a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!!
LBK Club Moorings is top notch facility! We wish we had planned to stay longer so we could have taken advantage of all they have to offer. Dennis Matthews’ (Director of Marina Operations) staff are all very helpful, friendly and go out of their way to make your stay pleasant. Facilities are 4Star, clean and very well manicured. Very accomodating shuttle service to St Armand’s Circle. Will definitely be back for a longer stay in the near future. Make your reservations in advance and request `H’ dock for short stays (closest to facilities, pool, ship’s store).
The Kellys
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Longboat Key Club Moorings
Not only is the food really GOOD at Moores, but it is also located within sight of the excellent anchorages, just off the Western Florida ICW, behind Jewfish Key. Follow the links below to learn more about the nearby anchorages, but, at whichever place you drop the hook, don’t dare miss dinghying to Moore’s Stone Crab!
Moore’s Stone Crab Restaurant, Longboat Key, FL – Great seafood (Oysters). Accessible by boat; located In the bight, east of G-ICW, just south of Longboat Pass, north of Sarasota Bay; overnight docking is free to patrons; no services. Can also anchor off the restaurant in a well-protected bight if you get there early; room for 8 – 10 boats; very busy with locals on weekends.
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary
Best oysters in Sarasota. Sit at the bar with Barb; you can’t go wrong.
Whit Sibley
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Jewfish Key Anchorage
Sounds like Darwin’s would be a great place to unwind and slake a healthy appetite after a long day on the water!
Darwin’s on 4th in Sarasota is a great upscale restaurant and brewery that just won several awards in Tampa. And the bonus is that right next door is the Blue Rooster, a blues bar serving southern foods, that has great bands 7 nights a week, including Sunday afternoons! Don’t miss this one, not far from Marina Jack’s!
Allan and Cheryl Goode
Actually this restaurant and all the great restaurants in downtown Sarasota are about a 10 minute walk from Marina Jacks (0.6 mile) so no taxi is necessary. Enjoy Barnacle Bills, Floribbean, Patricks, El Greco, Etc.
Chris Barlow
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marina Jacks/Marina Operations
The anchorage under discussion below lies just south of the Cortez Bridge, west of the ICW.
Two important notes need to be considered when evaluating this anchor down spot. First, successful entry can be very tricky for first-timers, AND the city of Bradenton Beach has twice tried to regulate this anchorage, first by creating a mooring field, and later by city registration of boats. Both attempts failed, but who knows what may happen here in the future!
I am writing this as I am anchored here today (the first time in four years). I have always found this to be a great anchorage due to the fact that it has just about everything for onshore that a cruising sailor would want. A beach, a fair number of good places to eat and drink, a free trolley to take you up and down the beach to get to West Marine and the grocery stores and other places to eat and drink (circle K convenience store is just a block away).
I have never had a problem navigating the pier entrance (draw 4 feet) but the first time I grounded when I tried to enter the anchorage directly off the ICW and hit the shoal. So go in as directed.
There are still some derelict boats, one is sunk. It is somewhat noisy mostly from the road traffic going over the bridge or pier fisherman. The anchorage is shallow and the charts do a fairly accurate job of showing the depth. Holding is mud and I have dragged a little bit is a 20 knot blow. As for the the winds out of the south east, this is a lot better than jewfish key anchorage. However, any winds coming from the south or northeast, above 20 knots, I would find another anchorage.
For the politics here, I had a conversation with a local town rep and they said the problem was not the cruising sailors, it was some of the local anchored live aboards that were creating some police issues and had some assorted conflicts amongst each other as well as some theft. The town was trying reduce those issues by putting in a mooring field’¦. . However, the town cannot do it as this is part of the ICW.
As far as I am concerned, people need a place to live and in this economy, this offers an economic refuge in relative paradise. But, people have to be responsible for their selves and their assets and respectful of others and the environment too. Unfortunately, because some people do not follow this, that cruisers and local live aboards suffer from this tide of regulation.
Brad
Yep, and complain about the junk boats and their owners and you will be labelled `politicaly incorrect’ keep going, all of the rights of the hard working will be gifted to the non caring, layabout drug smoking forgiven , who will, take away all your fun and enjoyment. Proof of the pudding’¦
Dennis McMurtry
As a local, I regularly traverse this section of the ICW heading to/from Tampa Bay or the Manatee River. Seems that after the creation of the Marina Jack mooring field, some members of that `Floating Junk Flotilla’ moved North. Cortez folks may be more tolerant, probably not over time.
Blake Whitney
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Bradenton Beach Anchorage
Everyone refers to the large, downtown Sarasota, Florida “city marina” as “Marina Jacks” but, in reality, that is the name of the on-site restaurant, and the maritime part of the operation is officially known as “Marina Operations.” For twenty years, I’ve never heard a single, fellow cruiser use this official moniker.
Whatever you call it, the food at Marina Jacks is certainly good, In March of 2012, I had the pleasure of speaking to the Sarasota Power Squadron, upstairs at Marina Jacks. A GOOD time was had by all, particularly yours truly!
We had just started exploring the Gulf Coast, the first fuel stop being Marina Jacks. Our experience was so pleasant that we decided to extend our stay (with 6 kids in tow this time). The dock manager (Sam), and deck hand who assisted us (Keith), were so welcoming that it was almost disconcerting to us New Yorker’s ‘“ being generally accustomed to a more `reserved’ attitude at local marinas, yc’s and fuel docks. If you’re in the Sarasota area and looking for a very family friendly, spotlessly clean, & welcoming environment ‘“ Marina Jack’s is the place.
Paul & Hakuna Matata’s crew
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marina Operations/Marina Jacks
Comments from Cruisers (1)
never been to the mar vista restaurant but it seems like a nice place to eat!