54. Shell Key Anchorage and Mooring Field
54. Shell Key Anchorage and Mooring Field
Statute Mile:1161
Lat/Lon: near 24 55.548 North/080 40.264 West
Location: the state of Florida maintains a series of 5 five mooring buoys off the Shell Key’s northwesterly shoreline
Minimum depth: 6-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: good, but open to northern and northwestern winds
Rating: 
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Comments from Cruisers (2)
Steamboat Channel and Shell Key
From Plantation Key we headed towards Steamboat Channel. Prior to the Steamboat Channel, there was some sailor angst about shallow water at low tide even on the ICW Magenta line, but we never touched bottom. Steamboat Channel had adequate depth and we went through without any problems. Spent overnight on the northwest side of Shell Key. Good holding with a Delta plow anchor. There was only one mooring ball visualized and of course taken by late afternoon.
We had good holding here in 5-15 knots from ESE through SW. Nice quiet anchorage that was almost bug-free too.