Western FL Anchorages – Marco Island to Naples
PLEASE CAREFULLY READ OUR DISCLAIMER!
Please Note That Anchorages Below Are Listed in Rough Geographic Format, Moving South to North
PLEASE CAREFULLY READ OUR DISCLAIMER!
Please Note That Anchorages Below Are Listed in Rough Geographic Format, Moving South to North
14. Caxambas Pass Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 25 54.129 North/081 39.953 West
Location: will be discovered on the waters west of unlighted daybeacon #1 (west of Ramsey Key)
Minimum Depth: 5-foot approach depths, 6-foot depths in anchorage
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 45 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: good, but a bit open to strong eastern winds
Rating:
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15. Coon Key Pass Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 25 54.115 North/081 38.433 West
Location: lies off the easterly banks of the small, unnamed island east of Neal Key and west-northwest of unlighted daybeacon #2
Minimum Depth: 10-feet
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 55 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, open to southern and southwestern winds
Rating:
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16. Tripod Key – Sugar Bay Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 25 54.633 North/081 38.072 West
Location: found on the charted 5-foot offshoot leading to Sugar Bay, east of unlighted daybeacon #3
Minimum Depth: 5-fee
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 45 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: excellent
Rating:
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17. Goodland Bay Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 25 55.655 North/081 38.513 West
Location: will be discovered on the charted patch of deeper waters northeast of unlighted daybeacon #7
Minimum Depth: 5-6 feet
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 45 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: very good
Rating:
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18. Factory Bay Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 25 57.773 North/081 43.447 West
Location: lies southwest of unlighted daybeacon #6
Minimum Depth: 5 ½ feet
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 48 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: good, but a bit open to strong northern winds
Rating:
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We’ve spent weeks at Factory Bay waiting for weather. It is well protected and you have access to everything you need. The bottom is all mud and if you have a Danforth, it won’t hold in a blow. We dragged twice with two hooks set-Danforth and Fortress, in a blow and had to change to our heavier plow to dig and sink in the mud for a good hold. Also, if you stay a bit longer than anticipated, your anchor rode will be studded with tiny seashells and a muddy mess when you pull the hook.
We anchored between R14 & G15 along with 2 other boats on Monday 12/14/09, just across from the Snook Restaurant. Lots of water and had entertainment for the evening. Just follow the markers into Capri Pass…lots of water here. Will definitely come back.
Capt. RL & Karen
s/v Last Call
45′ Island Trader, ketch
Smokehouse Bay – Marco Island Anchorage
Lat/Lon: 25 57.416 North/081 43.818 West
Location: entrance channel cuts south from the Marco Island – Capri Pass channel between markers #12 and #14
Minimum Depth: 4 1/2 feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 48 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Very Good
Rating:
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Anchored twice in Smokehouse Bay in May of this year (2015) and found the bay and the holding excellent. The Winn Dixie dock around the corner under the bridge was very convenient. The only note I would add that isn’t in the previous postings is that the navigation markers from the pass through Collier bay on the chart plotter do not match what is actually there. The marked channel runs out at “12” with three possible directions. Take the residential channel directly ahead and after going around a bend you will see smokehouse bay and “13”.
SV Latitude Adjustment
Dear Cruisers, I’ve been reading your posts re: Smokehouse Bay in Marco Is.. Unfortunately, nobody has mentioned (or I haven’t noticed) the boat types involved. Our vessel is a 43′ Beneteau with a 5’7″ draft; would any of you be able to confirm to me the suitability of Smokehouse for our vessel? We appreciate your time and wish all fair winds. Ken & Alta (SV Alta Gracia)
19. Johnson Bay Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 25 59.952 North/081 44.569 West
Location: found on the charted deep water west-northwest of the Marco to Naples waterway’s unlighted daybeacon #14
Minimum Depth: 8-feet
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: good, but strong eastern or northeastern winds might be a problem
Rating:
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We anchored here oer the Thanksgiving weekend. We draw 5’8″ and had no issues. We entered Capri Pass at low tide (0.9′ above MLW) and our lowest reading was 8′. We did favor the south side of the channel as shoaling to the north was pretty evident and we were concerned that it may be shoaling into the channel. The shoaling did help break the seas. Entering into the channel we still favored the starboard side until after turning north, at which point we favored the port side. You will feel the wake of passing boats, but for us it didn’t seem to be much of a problem. A front blew through so we had fairly strong north winds and Umbrella Island afforded a reasonable lee. Holding was very good, but the mud is sticky. We anchored pretty much right over the anchor in the chartlet provided by the Cruising Guide to Western Florida (we carry it and the Cruising Guide to the Florida Keys aboard) . It was pretty nice sitting in a peaceful and pretty anchorage, with fresh backed cookies and coffee and our diesel fireplace going.
s/v John Galt
Tayana 37
20. Little Marco Island Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 26 00.305 North/081 45.539 West
Location: found on the channel running back south beside Little Marco Island, south of unlighted daybeacon #33
Minimum Depth: 6 ½ feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: excellent
Rating:
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Love the anchorage! Always stop here.
Quiet, except for weekends. In a no wake zone if you go all the way down. Good holding , excellent protection, nice views. Beaches.
Captain Sterling
21. Rookery Bay Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 26 02.546 North/081 46.456 West
Location: lies on the charted 5-foot offshoot leading from the Marco to Naples waterway, to shallow Rookery Bay, opposite unlighted daybeacon #47
Minimum Depth: 5-feet
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 38 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: very good
Rating:
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22. Gordon Pass Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 26 06.200 North/081 47.675 West
Location: found northwest of Gordon Pass inlet’s flashing daybeacon #13 5-foot minimum approach depths – 9-foot minimum depths in anchorage
Swing Room: virtually unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: very good
Rating:
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23. Port Royal Southern Offshoot Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 26 06.239 North/081 47.468 West
Location: will be discovered on the waters of the charted southerly offshoot of the large body of water, indenting the eastern banks of the Marco – Naples waterway, north of unlighted daybeacon #21
Minimum Depth: 5 ½ foot entrance depths – 7-foot depths in anchorage
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 48 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: excellent
Rating:
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I meant to add that Sea Tow was dealing with a sailboat that was on the charted shoal on the north side entering the canal. Be sure to stay close to the green 21 side going in for good depths.
Have anchored here twice, most recently on March 20. The mud is no worse than many other places (or maybe we North Carolinians are more used to mud!) It is a very quiet anchorage surrounded by nice homes. The only drawback is there is no way to go ashore closeby that we know of,
Great protection but very ugly mud on the bottom. As the tide changes you will circle the anchor and dredge up some real smelly stuff. A good anchor wash down is a must.
24. Port Royal Entrance Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 26 06.318 North/081 47.421 West
Location: found abeam of the toe of charted 7-foot water cutting to the southwest, on the large body of water, indenting the eastern banks of the Marco – Naples waterway, north of unlighted daybeacon #21
Minimum Depth: 5 ½ foot entrance depths – 7-foot depths in anchorage
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 48 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: very good, but could be a bit open to strong southeasterly winds
Rating:
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25. Port Royal Northern Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 26 06.514 North/081 47.473 West
Location: will be discovered south of the charted split in the large body of water indenting the eastern banks of the Marco – Naples waterway, north of unlighted daybeacon #21
Minimum Depth: 5 ½ foot entrance depths – 6-foot depths in anchorage
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 48 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: excellent
Rating:
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Naples Mooring Field
Lat/Lon: 26 07.907 North/081 47.605 West
Location: south of the Naples City Pier and west, northwest of marker #34
Minimum Depth: 6 feet
Special Note: mooring field managed by adjacent Naples City Dock – 12 mooring balls in field – we are told that half the field is usually available almost all the time for transients
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 38 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Good, only particularly strong eastern winds might be a problem
Rating:
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