FL Keys Anchorages – Back Route from Marathon to Key West
PLEASE CAREFULLY READ OUR DISCLAIMER!
Please Note That Anchorages Below Are Listed in A Rough North to South And East to West Geographic Format
PLEASE CAREFULLY READ OUR DISCLAIMER!
Please Note That Anchorages Below Are Listed in A Rough North to South And East to West Geographic Format
75. Bahia Honda Key Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 24 39.937 North/081 16.267 West
Location: found on the bubble of deep water indenting the northwestern shores of Bahia Honda Key, northeast of the 20-foot fixed bridge
Minimum depth: 5-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: fair to poor, wide open to northern, northeastern, northwestern and western winds
Rating:
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76. East Bahia Honda Key Anchorage
Statute Mile:1198
Lat/Lon: near 24 46.414 North/081 13.966 West
Location: well northwest of the ICW’s unlighted daybeacon #24, on an unnamed channel that runs between East Bahia Honda Key and Hardup Key
Minimum depth: 6-feet, but you must follow a long, unmarked channel to the anchorage in order to maintain these depths
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: poor, fair weather anchorage only
Rating:
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77. Cocoanut Key Anchorage
Statute Mile:1201
Lat/Lon: near 24 44.480 North/081 14.293 West
Location: found along an unmarked channel that lies north of the Waterway’s flashing daybeacon #27, running the gap between Cocoanut Key and Hardup Key to the east, and Teakettle Key and Sandfly Key to the west; anchorage lies well southwest of Cocoanut Key
Minimum depth: 6 ½ to 7 feet, but you must follow a long, unmarked channel to the anchorage in order to maintain these depths
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: poor
Rating:
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78. Hardup Key Anchorage
Statute Mile:1201
Lat/Lon: near 24 45.342 North/081 14.969 West
Location: found along an unmarked channel that lies north of the Waterway’s flashing daybeacon #27, running the gap between Coconut Key and Hardup Key to the east, and Teakettle Key and Sandfly Key to the west; anchorage lies well west, southwest of Hardup Key
Minimum depth: 6 ½ to 7 feet, but you must follow a long, unmarked channel to the anchorage in order to maintain these depths
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: poor
Rating:
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79. Horseshoe Keys Anchorage
Statute Mile:1202
Lat/Lon: near 24 46.120 North/081 17.546 West
Location: off the channel running between Teakettle Key, Sandfly Key, and Horseshoe Keys to the east and the two Johnson Keys to the west, north of the gap between the ICW’s flashing daybeacon #27 and unlighted daybeacon #30
Minimum depth: 6 ½ feet, but depths rise rapidly as the shores of the Horseshoe Keys are approached
Swing Room: Unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: Good, but open to northwestern and southeastern winds
Rating:
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80. Johnson Keys Southern Anchorage
Statute Mile:1204
Lat/Lon: 24 44.180 North/081 17.707 West
Location: off an unmarked channel that strikes north between the ICW’s unlighted daybeacon #30 and flashing daybeacon #32, near; anchorage lies off the western shores of the southernmost of the two Johnson Keys
Minimum depth: 5-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: poor, sheltered only from eastern and northeastern winds
Rating:
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81. Johnson Keys Northern Anchorage
Statute Mile:1204
Lat/Lon: 24 44.765 North/081 18.403 West
Location: off an unmarked channel that strikes north between the ICW’s unlighted daybeacon #30 and flashing daybeacon #32, near; anchorage lies off the southwestern shores of the northernmost of the two Johnson Keys
Minimum depth: 5 1/2-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, but open to northwestern and southeastern winds
Rating:
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82. Little Pine Key Anchorage
Statute Mile:1204
Lat/Lon: near 24 44.086 North/081 18.197 West
Location: off an unmarked channel that strikes north between the ICW’s unlighted daybeacon #30 and flashing daybeacon #32, and lying northeast of Little Pine Key
Minimum depth: 5-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, but wide open to southeastern and northwestern winds
Rating:
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83. No Name Key Anchorage
Statute Mile:1206.5
Lat/Lon: near 24 42.350 North/081 19.816 West
Location: found southwest of the ICW’s unlighted daybeacon #34, off the northern shores of No Name Key
Minimum depth: 5 ½ feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, but wide open to northern and northeastern winds
Rating:
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84. Porpoise Key Anchorage
Statute Mile:1208
Lat/Lon: near 24 43.115 North/081 21.282 West
Location: will be discovered north of Bogie Channel’s unlighted daybeacon #2 and off the southwesterly banks of Porpoise Key
Minimum depth: 5 ½ feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: fair to good, but somewhat open to southern, southeastern and northwestern winds
Rating:
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85. Big Pine Key Anchorage
Statute Mile:1208
Lat/Lon: near 24 43.333 North/081 22.584 West
Location: on the cove northwest of the blunt point of land on Big Pine Key, west of Porpoise Key
Minimum depth: 5-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, but open to easterly winds
Rating:
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86. Crawl Key Anchorage
Statute Mile:1210.5
Lat/Lon: near 24 45.334 North/081 21.716 West
Location: comes up northwest of the ICW’s unlighted daybeacon #38, off Crawl Key’s westerly banks
Minimum depth: 6-foot depths
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: poor, sheltered only from eastern winds
Rating:
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87. Little Spanish Key Anchorage
Statute Mile:1211.5
Lat/Lon: near 24 46.261 North/081 22.468 West
Location: flanking the ICW-Big Spanish Channel to the northeast, well east of unlighted daybeacon #42
Minimum depth: 4 ½ feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, but wide open to northwestern, western and southwestern winds
Rating:
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88. Harbor Channel Northern Anchorage
Statute Mile:1217
Lat/Lon: near 24 48.547 North/081 26.129 West
Location: located some .6 nautical miles south of a position abeam of the ICW’s unlighted daybeacon #55
Minimum depth: 9 feet in anchorage, BUT you must traverse a narrow, unmarked channel surrounded by shoal water to reach this haven; the suse of a well functioning chartplotter is strongly
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Protection: poor
Rating:
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89. Harbor Channel Southern Anchorage
Statute Mile:1217
Lat/Lon: near 24 48.149 North/081 26.288 West
Location: located some .6 nautical miles south of a position abeam of the ICW’s unlighted daybeacon #55
Minimum depth: 9 feet in anchorage, BUT you must traverse a narrow, unmarked channel surrounded by shoal water to reach this haven; the use of a well functioning chartplotter is strongly recommended!
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Protection: poor
Rating:
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June 2009. More sheltered than one might think due to shallows. Holding good after trying a couple of spots. Enjoyed 41 mph breeze in middle of thunderstorm at night with no problem. Fair amount of current. Lots of grass collected in sea strainers for generator and air conditioning requiring cleaning once per day. Plenty of room. No issues for 52 foot cruiser with 5 foot draft. One of the better anchorages if you follow the ICW route on the Florida Bay side of the Keys from Marathon to Key West. No problem carring 5 foot draft on that route.
90. Content Keys Anchorage #1
Statute Mile:1221.5
Lat/Lon: near 24 48.470 North/081 28.415 West
Location: off the northwesterly shores of the northeasternmost Content Key, some .85 nautical miles south-southeast of the ICW channel
Minimum depth: 12-foot depths
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Protection: poor – fair weather anchorage only
Rating:
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91. Content Keys Anchorage #2
Statute Mile:1222.5
Lat/Lon: near 24 47.764 North/081 29.732 West
Location: off the northwestern shores of the second Content Key, moving northeast to southwest
Minimum depth: 12-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Protection: poor – fair weather anchorage only
Rating:
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92. Cudjoe Key Channel Northernmost Anchorage
Statute Mile:1227
Lat/Lon: 24 45.754 North/081 33.531 West
Location: Cudjoe Channel runs the gap between Crane Key Mangrove to the east and Riding Key-Sawyer Key to the west; anchorage lies north of the charted mangove, bordering the northwestern flank of the channel’s entrance
Minimum depth: 15 feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Protection: poor, but some shelter is afforded from southern and southwesterly winds
Rating:
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93. Cudjoe Key Channel – Riding Key Anchorage
Statute Mile:1227
Lat/Lon: 24 45.292 North/081 32.756 West
Location: Cudjoe Channel runs the gap between Crane Key Mangrove to the east and Riding Key-Sawyer Key to the west; anchorage lies off the northeasterly banks of the charted mangrove, southeast of Riding Key
Minimum depth: 14 feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Protection: fair, but open to northern, eastern and northeasterly winds
Rating:
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Comments from Cruisers (2)
After leaving Marathon by way of Moser Channel, and then Hawk Channel, cruisers can cut through a removed section of the old bridge between Bahia Honda Key and Big Pine Key, and anchor off the start park. As you will see from some of the subsequent messages below, this is not a very protected haven. The adjacent state park marina is mostly pointed towards small powercraft, but I guess cruising vessels in the 30 to 38 foot range might be able to berth here.
We came into Bahia Honda this morning after leaving Newfound Harbor.? Atlantic was a little rough and rolling.? We went into the marina at the state park and tied up for most of the day.? There is a 2.50 per foot charge if you stay the night, but we were told we could anchor just outside the marina entrance between the 2 bridges (the old railroad bridge and the highway bridge).? It is great and well protected and FREE!? We will leave in the morning and are headed to Marathon…watch out Marathon…here we come!
Ben and Barbara Falmlen
Two Cats Too
I may have spoken too soon about the anchorage at Bahia Honda.? About 1 a.m. when the tide was shifting, the boat started to rock and roll and oh, what a night!? I was scared to death we would drag anchor into one of the bridges.? It didn’t happen, but it was?NOT a peaceful night.? I would not recommend it.? Even with a Bahama anchor.
Ben and Barbara Falmlen
Two Cats Too
I came really close to writing when you made the posting yesterday evening. But I figured it was too late and the anchorage would probably be OK.
It’s interesting to note that the Bahia Honda anchorage was given 2 out of 5 stars in ActiveCaptain. That’s pretty poor for an anchorage
Jeffrey Siegel
M/V aCappella
June 2009, anchored here two nights. Found fair holding in gras and shallow sand over rock. Good in S, SE, E winds. Exposed in other wind directions. Current not bad. Short ride in dinghy into Bahia Honda Park. As Floridians, we were not impressed with the beach at the park.