A spokesperson at City Marina confirmed to the SSECN that they do not accept credit card payment by phone. If paying the launch, they do ask for exact cash amount , but said it can be “within the ballpark”, i.e. don’t expect change for a $100 bill. Capt. Waln isn’t the first to experience inconvenience with the mooring process. (See link below)

St Augustine Municipal Marina will not accept credit card information over the phone (unlike 99% of the marinas out there). If one arrives between 1800 and 2030, one is expected to go alongside regardless of the current/weather or launch a dinghy to pay. If their launch operator collects payment, they will only accept cash and *exact change* is demanded.
I was told their lawyers would not let them accept the CC info by phone. When I asked if I could pick up a mooring and pay in the morning, I was not too politely asked, “what motel would let you do that?”
The services may have changed at St Augustine, but the attitude hasn’t. We remain sheep for the shearing. And the no wake zone was not enforced while we were there.
Chris Waln

And, as Clay points out, the few often spoil it for us all:

To Chris’s post above, I have witnessed many cruisers, sneaking in after dark, and tying up to docks, even taking power for the nite, and water, using all the facilities and then leaving in the morning and presumably not paying at all. Not to say that some of them may have called in the next day and paid over phone, we did that once, ourselves, paid by phone the next day, after calling and leaving message that we had tied to the dock the night before. But I am afraid these marina’s are seeing way too many people that aren’t always honest, and that’s why the rules are made as such, sometimes, it’s not all about us and our convenience, sometimes we need to think about wearing the shoe on the other foot. We do live in the modern age and we enjoy the conveniences we receive at some of the other marinas, that do allow pay by phone, but as I have heard many many times, a thoughtful guest, when a guest in Rome, will act and abide by the rules of Rome. Just a Thought!
Clay Taylor

Click Here To Read an Earlier Article on This Issue

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For St. Augustine City Marina

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Anchorage Directory Listing For St. Augustine Northern Anchorage

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Anchorage Directory Listing For St. Augustine Southern Anchorage

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of St. Augustine Mooring Fields