Pelican Harbor Marina is located on the north side SR934 bridge on the west side of the Waterway in Biscayne Bay. This facility is not yet listed in our “Eastern Florida Marina Directory,” but we will correct that oversight SOON!
Cruising News: Check out this great marina: Pelican Harbor Marina 1275 NE 79th St Miami, FL 33138-4223 United States (US) 305-754-9330 (Fax: 305-756-4105) George Grafer
Within ten minutes of receiving the important message below from Captain Hyde, the Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net was on the telephone with Wise Gas, Inc. to determine their area of service. That’s one of the advantages of being a “non-wicki,” professionally moderated web site. Anyway, what we discovered is a potential boon for cruisers in southeastern Florida. More on that in just a second. So, why is a ready source of CNG such big news for the cruising community? Quite simply, CNG is a superior fuel for all on-board cooking and heating purposes, as compared to propane/LPG. As many of you already know, LPG/Propane is heavier than air and, should there be a leak, can accumulate in bilges or a low place in a boat, leading to a potentially explosive situation. Conversely, CNG is lighter than air, and tends to naturally disperse. The problem is, as we so clearly learned while formulating the SSECN’s LPG Availability Directories, that CNG is hard to obtain. Quite simply, there are very few dealers to which cruisers have easy access where their CNG tanks can be refilled. Back to Wise Gas, Inc. Our telephone call revealed that this company will pick up, refill and deliver back to your vessel, CNG tanks from the “tri-county area” of southeastern Florida, which is comprised of Palm Beach, Broward and Dade counties. Additionally, WITH ADVANCE ARRANGEMENTS, sometimes the same procedure can be undertaken along the west coast of Florida, particularly in the Tampa Bay region. So, while it’s still not a perfect solution, nor one so broad ranging as we would like, at least now from North Palm Beach to Miami, cruisers can be sure of having a source to refill CNG tanks. It’s a start!
Claiborne — On your recent visit to Punta Gorda, Florida I mentioned to you that if I was ever able to locate a source of CNG for those using the gas onboard their boats, I would let you know. I have finally found a source. Wise Gas, Inc., 1058 Bluewood Terrace, Weston, FL 33327 is source of CNG for vessels and vehicles in south Florida. Its website advises the following:
`At present time, Wise Gas, Inc. is offering CNG tank refills to marine boaters in the South Florida area only. We do anticipate expanding this service in terms of geography and service options in the future. Call Wise Gas, Inc. in advance at (954)-636-4291 to coordinate a CNG refill. A member of our team will meet you, pick up your current, approved cylinder in good condition and refill it for you and deliver it back to you.’ The cost of this service varies based on cylinder size and location. Call in advance to schedule your refilling needs. E-mail: info@wisegasinc.com Phone: (954)-636-4291
I recently met with a Wise Gas representative who was in Punta Gorda making deliveries on the west coast and exchanged my empty tank for a full one. It was a smooth and convenient process. The cost was $40. I would advise your readers to visit the Wise Gas website at http://www.wisegasinc.com for all the information. I hope this helps and thanks for a great presentation to the boaters of Punta Gorda. Noel Hyde s/v Kismet
Unfortunately, it seems this is a dead end. I have called the number above and getting no answer and a voicemail box that is full. I feel like I’m the only one that has CNG on my boat. No one seems to know where or how to get these refilled. If anyone has any updated information about this, please let me know.. Thanks Jeff Sawyer
Recent dredging in this AICW Problem Stretch seems to not be holding, and the USCG has reset the buoys to mark the shoaling. Captain John offers advice on proceeding through this Problem Stretch.
The ICW channel thru there is good but narrow. Stay as close to the east side green buoys as possible because the strong current (and wind) coming in from the inlet often pushes hard east to west, and it is easy to wander into shallow water on the west side of the ICW. Also the sand bar and channel is very crowded on weekends. Be careful. Captain John
I’m not familiar with the anchorage Captain Randy outlines below. Can anyone else shed some more light on this overnight haven? If so, please click the “Contribute Cruising News” link found near the top center of this, and most Net pages.
Just before you get to Miami you will find a nice anchorage on the ICW, almost opposite Bakers Haulover Inlet. Double-check your charts but I’m pretty sure that as you pass MM1080 turn right between 6A & 6B and you will enter a beautiful anchorage carrying between 8 & 16 ft. of water. On the west side of the anchorage is a quiet campus of Florida International University (I think) and the other side is a pleasant, wooded park…I think it is Oleta State Park. There is a great view of the ICW within viewing distance of Miami Beach. It is a great place to set out for Key Biscayne or Virginia Key. The last time we were there we left early in the morning, transited through Miami and were tied up at Boca Chita Key in time for lunch. Regards, Randy Pickelmann MORNING STAR
Here’s a bit of additional info on this anchorage from Captain Pascal:
Subject: Anchorage North Miami/haulover Message: I see your comment about the anchorage mentioned by Randy P. It’s a popular small boat/week end anchorage behind Beer Can Island. there is always a lot of shoaling in the ICW behind Haulover Inlet so beware of the depth and feel your way in, Never tried it… Pascal
Subject: Oleta State Park Message: I hate to recommend our favorite anchorage in Florida for fear that it will become overcrowded! South of the Sunny Isles bridge opposite Baker’s Haulover Inlet in North Miami is a quiet, well protected anchorage between a state park and Florida International University. Leave marker 6A to port and head west past a fishing dock and a public beach. The anchorage is around the point to the north or anywhere in the bay. People dinghy into a small beach on the eastern shore of the north anchorage (landing is prohibited at the college)and walk over to the beach or a couple of miles north to shopping. Other shopping is available by dinghy by heading up New Arch Creek to the south. There are outdoor cold showers and restrooms near the beach. Allen Ames
And more:
Nice anchorage But’¦.not dingy friendly’¦.No good place to dingy in the park’¦No motors allowed in the park area’¦no dinging in or around the University’¦.a guy got a ticket just for landing on the property’¦.Lots of boats but lots of room to anchor. 10-15 feet of water. NOT pet friendly area. A lot of restrictions for going ashore to the park. Tom Hamman
Took the turn toward Oleta park anchorage off of the ICW at red marker 6A. Keep red marker 6A on your port side as your coming in and head west for the docks. Kept 10 feet of water the whole way through off the ICW and anchored in Oleta park in 10 feet of water. Beautiful protected anchorage before Miami, didn’t go to land however. @wickedsaltywes Stay Salty
This is the second laudatory message we’ve received during early 2012 about a good experience at the Dinner Key Mooring Field. Clearly, other cruisers have releated a different sort of reaction in the past, but these recent messages lead us to conclude that things may very well be looking up at this facility. Dinner Key Mooring field is managed by the adjacent and sprawling, Dinner Key Marina. Both facilities are located in southern Miami, hard by the vibrant Coconut Grove community.
We spent a good 4 days in the Dinner key mooring field in early January when a cold front passed with strong N NW winds and really enjoyed our stay . True the dinghy dock was abit crowded but we always found room and the ferry was available till 5 pm also . The ferry had fenders all around it so I cannot imagine how it could cause any damage to anyone. The shower and restroom facilities were spotless at the time we used them and I liked the fact that they were all in one unit for complete privacy . We were lucky to have a mooring which was not too far from the dock so managed to stay drywhen going ashore in our tender . The Fresh Market had everything we needed and we enjoyed going to the movies and dining out in the Coconut grove restaurants . All in all a good stay . The staff were also very friendly and helpful giving information about the locality . If the winds had been from the E SE then it might have been a different story and we would have chosen somewhere else for better protection. Kat
Wonderful news to hear that the Miami/Dinner Key Mooring Field is being operated in such an efficient, cruiser friendly fashion. Cruisers can now put this facility on their list of stopovers with confidence!
After reading the reviews I was skeptical of this marina. However the mooring field is a different division of the marina and you can tell it in the pride and we care attitude of James and his helper (sorry I did not get his name). After talking with James on a Sunday afternoon on our way down he gave us preliminary instructions and assigned us a mooring ball. Upon entry one call on the radio and James gave us final instructions and then made a stop to check if everything was okay. The next morning without a call his helper stopped by with the pumpout boat to see if we needed a pumpout and we did. After that we checked in. James gave us info about the marina, showers, places to eat and where to get supplies. These two guys made for a great experience. I’m sure they would always go out of their way to accomodate the customer. S/V indecision Capt. Mike
Many, many thanks to professional nautical writer, Captain Jessica Geffen, for allowing the Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net to publish her in-depth account of Dinner Key Marina, their adjacent mooring field, and the nearby Coconut Grove community, as well as the included photos. This article offers GREAT information to all cruisers who coil their lines at this popular port of call!
Miami, Coconut Grove, Dinner Key Marina The highly sought after Dinner Key Marina, in the cozy little village of Coconut Grove now has 225 moorings located on Biscayne Bay, giving boaters more options in Miami. Dinner Key Marina’s location has roots in the Pan-American Airline industry. The mooring field has many benefits to cruisers either passing through to ports further south or as a storage option. While slip rates are up to $33 per foot, a mooring ball costs just $295 per month. Dinner Key Mooring Field offers transient or short-term rates. Amenities include dinghy dockage, showers; closed for cleaning twice daily, laundry, a detergent -dispenser, a snack machine, soda machine and an ice machine. A few shelves in the office denote a book exchange. Other services include; package handling, pump out service, and a shuttle boat. When choosing a port to wait for weather, parts, or labor we look for a few key items. Access to Internet is always high on the list, marine and hardware stores and access to good grocery stores as well as safety in the harbor. Transportation can be an issue for cruisers that lack a vehicle or even a bicycle but Miami’s super convenient public transit has endless possibilities for those wishing to provision or sightsee. The marina is conveniently located close to Highway US 1, the main road that runs North and South. The Grove Circulator, a bus that runs every 15 minutes stops within walking distance to the marina and costs just 25 cents. Stopping several times until arriving at the Coconut Grove Metro-Rail Station where a high-speed train runs from South Miami ‘“ for $2 per ride. Another option is the Tri-Rail that runs from North Miami to West Palm Beach round trip for under $10. With about 20 different stops along the way one can find just about anything.
Internet access Coconut grove is the home to Coco-Walk centrally located in the business district, street shops geared with tourists in mind. A bevy of eateries and art galleries are nestled in among the Post Office and Bookstore. The Bookstore in the Grove, a local’s spot, located on the corner of Virginia and Grand, is a very cozy place to get a cup of coffee while checking emails. Supplies for boat projects can be purchased between Shell Lumber, West Marine, Home Depot and Crook & Crook Marine all within walking distance.
MISC Refilling Propane can be a daunting project. It is illegal to transport a propane tank by public transportation. Our daughter’s passport needed renewing before we left, the Passport office is easily accessible. This time we rode our bikes a total of (3 miles) and hours of operation were convenient. The Public library is located at the south end of Bayshore Dr and will allow guests Internet access.
Eateries **Flannigan’s Monday – Nachos free with purchase of pitcher Tuesday -Tumbleweed fried onion free with purchase of pitcher Wednesday – 10 wings free w/ purchase of pitcher M-T lunch deals under $8 Wi-Fi & Happy Hour at the bar only
***Las Culebrinas (The Snakes) $1 tapas, buy 1 get 1 happy hour
*Burger King Dollar Menu & 2 for $3.33 daily deals Check the back of your receipt for a coupon
**Sandbar Friday night Trivia night up to 7 players Trivia begins at 7 with an extended happy hour until 9pm if you play Happy hour from 4-7 Daily
Coco-Walk offers several eateries including CocoWok, Chili’s, and Cheesecake Factory.
The businesses are more and more becoming aware of the presence of the local boating community are very welcoming. With this many options it’s no wonder more and more people are calling Coconut Grove home!
Dinner Key is great in many ways. It is a beautiful location but its flaw is the bathrooms. All those 275 mooring cans plus the many dock slips all use the same small bathrooms that are outdated and minimal in number. Time for the City of Coconut Grove to give back to boaters and renovate the facilities. A comfy lounge for boaters would be welcome too. marniekm
The DKM mooring field is limited to 42′ and exposed to wins and chop Sailing enthusiasts should visit the Barnacle, a state park just 1/2 mile away from DKM. it was the home Ralph Munroe, of one of the early settlers (late 1800) on Biscayne bay. Originally from Staten island he designed and built a number of boats, incl the recently revived Presto sharpie Capt Nat herreshoff spent a few winters there late in his life, always bringing a boat from Bristol RI to enjoy the bay, still great sailing ground. Pascal
And, a question from a fellow cruiser, inspired by the article above. If anyone has an answer, PLEASE send your info along to CruisersNet@triad.rr.com. Thanks in advance!
Can we anchor off Hobie Beach for an extended period of time? If not where would there be a safe anchorage in the area not a mooring field. Thank You “Almost Heaven”
And, a warning from Captain McMurtry:
I hope the locals will not turn it into a `liveaboard’ community and destroy it for transient visitors. good to see a positive result. Hope it stays that way. Dennis McMurtry
I can verify from my own experience that Turnberry Isle Marina is HIGH END!!!! On my last visit to this facility by “land yacht,” I parked my Toyota Prius between two Rolls Royces.
Turnberry Isle, Aventura: Excelent high end facilities, pool, hot tub. They allow liveaboard. They have a free shuttle bus that runs to the mall and their beach club across the AICW. The beach club is included. For a long term stay it was going to be around $1000/month for our boat. The only downside was parking our old pickup between all the lambos and Ferraris. Vahalla360
No-name harbor lies on the southwesterly tip of Key Biscayne, just north of Cape Florida, and is part of the Florida State Park of the same name. The crew of the “Sorry Dawg” does a good job of describing what this anchorage has to offer below.
Visitors are allowed to anchor overnight in No Name Harbor for a fee of $20.00 per boat per night. Mooring to the seawall overnight is not permitted. During operating hours, visitors who have paid the overnight fee have access to coin operated laundry machines and a rinse shower. We also have a free pump out for all boats, a picnic shelter and restrooms. Boater’s Grill is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Visitors arriving by boat but not anchoring overnight must pay a $2.00 entrance fee. The entrance fee and anchoring fee are both collected by honor system.
This is a nice harbor during the week but is mobbed on the weekend, tons of weekend boaters all around the area. You can also climb the Cape Florida Lighthouse while you are there during regularly scheduled tours. However, I do not think there are water hookups at the wall. You can call them and inquire, Bill Baggs State Park @ (305) 361-5811 Incidentally, there is a restaurant right there in No Name Harbor that has good Cuban food. Sorry Dawg
We have confirmed with SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR Coconut Grove Sailing Club that, indeed, only sailcraft are accepted for guest stays in their mooring field. If you do pilot a sailcraft, it is our experience that Coconut Grove Sailing Club is a wonderful place to pick up a mooring!
CGSC’s reciprocal yacht hospitality does NOT extend to power boaters! We’re members of a yacht club that us listed in the Registry of American Yacht Clubs & had been enjoying the Keys for the winter on our trawler. We contacted them via phone . . . they got back to us saying they accept sail visitors only. This was confirmed by their vice commodore just today. None of available cruising info states this ‘” their website, THIS net, the waterway guides, the Registry of American Yacht Clubs, etc. Linda Hughes
They also only accept up to 40Ft. sailboats. We tried to stay there. We took a mooring in Dinner Key Marian instead. S/V Colleen Mae
No-Name Harbor lies off the extreme southerly shores of Key Biscayne, inland of Cape Florida. These waters are part of a Florida State Park, and are well protected.
There are no moorings there, but wish there had been. A large catamaran, anchored there for a week, as we know because we left and returned, dragged anchor when the S wind shifter to 30 knots NW all night. We were not hit badly but others were. Still a wonderful place to be. by the way, restaurants are good ‘“ not excellent. John and Joan on Destiny
There are 15 bridges in a 5 1/2 mile stretch in the Miami River, posing a major headache for waterway and roadway traffic. Greg and Susan Han bring us up to date on steps being taken to improve communication between bridge tenders and vessel operators.
As a local I am very familiar with the problems with the Miami area bridges. The problems seems to extend from Miami up to Palm beach. I am guessing that the operators in those counties work for various county and even cities and ar not as well trained or supervised. See the article http://www.miamirivermarinegroup.com/qat99/safety3.html from a working group on the Miami River of commercial operators who voices their concerns to the USCG. While the commercial operators have different level of critical need, the problems they experienced are similar to ours. The Miami River Marine Group has taken a constructive approach ( after much private grousing I am sure) to communicate these concerns to the authorities and work to alleviate the problems. Perhaps some cruising association could organize their members and report problems and communicate with the authorities. Anyone know of an organization that could take this on?
Sunset Harbor Yacht Club is located near 25 47.712 North/080 08.726 West. The easiest way for powercraft to reach this facility is by cruising under both the easternmost section of the MacArthur Causeway Bridge (vertical clearance 35 feet), and then under the bascule section of the Venetian Causeway Bridge. Caution – this latter span has a restricted opening schedule – follow link below to check out its opening times.
Sunset Harbour Yacht Club–upscale, pretty, well protected. Front entrance opens about 3-4 blocks from above Publix and about one block from a second Publix—frequent city buses available from both locations which take you about 8-10 blocks to South Beach beach. Have stayed here several times, sometimes they haved asked for other yacht club affiliation, sometimes not. Is also bicycle friendly. If you are going to do a marina, this is a good one. Howard H Cole aboard the C Horse
The anchorage described below by Captain Cole would seem to lie near 25 46.903 North/080 10.152 West. This is NOT an anchorage that we currently have listed on the Net’s “Eastern Florida Anchorage Directory,” and would very much like more information on these waters. If have anchored here, or sounded these waters recently, please click the “Comment on This Posting/Marina/Anchorage/Bridge” link below, and share your information. In studying chart 11467, it appears as if reaching this anchorage may be something of a challenge. Looks like the best way would be to cruise up to the western end of the Government Cut Inlet, then cut north through the easternmost section of the MacArthur Causeway Bridge (vertical clearance 35 feet), and then hook around the little island labelled as “Momument” west of marker #2.
Anchor between Watson Island and Palm Island about 300–400 yds North of MacArthur Causeway–this will put you in area with other anchored and moored boats of all types about 200–400yds east of small sailing club on Watson Island. Dingy to east about 2 to 3miles and go up canal to Publix(this is written up in Skipper Bob’s). Howard H Cole aboard the C Horse
This marina is the worst I have ever seen. We had a reservation. They did not answer radio or phone calls. When my wife asked about the laundry facility advertised on their web site the manager lied to her face saying there was no web site. He then said there were no laundries in town and no rental car agencies (there are both). Finally he told my wife he `didn’t like her and hoped we would leave soon. We did. In 30 years of boating I’ve never come across anyone as rude and aggressively unhelpful. Stay away from this place. David Gillespie
Agree, we stopped there back in January of 2010 before crossing over to the Bahamas. Even though the facilities and area were acceptable, the staff at the marina was the most unprofessional I had ever met. The staff at Dinner Key Marina was the same. I don’t know if its just a Miami thing but we completely bypassed the Miami area on the way back because of our experiences there. Lou
Located at the southern end of Key Biscayne, No Name Harbor is considered by some to be an excellent hurricane hole.
As of July 29, 2010 there is a fee to anchor in No Name Harbor. Two dollars for a day use and $20.00 per night. This is on the honor system. Captain Cheryl Martin aboard Fair Winds
Miami Beach Marina is a world-class facility with 400 slips and 1000 feet of floating docks specifically intended for smaller craft. Conveniently located on the southwestern shores of Miami Beach, just west of the entrance to Government Cut Inlet, this very popular marina has prompted many to say “if you can find a better marina, stay there!” Jeff and Michele would certainly agree.
On Thursday, July 15th, we bid farewell to our dockmates and took Hawks Channel northeast. We were going to run to Government Cut at Miami Beach, but the seas kept getting sloppier. So we headed west to Angel Fish Creek and took that across to Biscayne Bay. We took the ICW north to Dodge Island and ran east along the south side of the island toward Government Cut and Miami Beach Marina. Soon we were in our slip. Michele promptly left the marina and jumped aboard the local bus to purchase supplies for when we would be on the hook at the regatta. I cannot say enough about Miami Beach Marina. The location is unbeatable. It is located at the southernmost point of Miami Beach, right at the mouth of Government Cut. Upon leaving the marina you can be on the Atlantic Ocean beginning your crossing of the Gulf Stream to Bimini and the Bahamas. South Beach is a short walk from the marina. Ocean Drive with the restaurants, clubs, and fun nightlife are a good walk or a short taxi ride. At the Marina, the restroom and laundry facilities are clean and well-maintained. There is a gourmet market, a ship’s store, a dive shop, and a restaurant and tiki bar with a pool. It doesn’t get much better than this for a cosmopolitan marina. Now the negatives. It is VERY expensive. It is $3.50 a foot plus electricity. If they put you in a slip south of the dockmaster’s office, your boat gets rocked all night by the surge from cruise ships and freighters entering and leaving the harbor. Most transients get put on these docks. Sometimes you can beg for a slip north of the dockmaster’s office. Jeff and Michele Prahm
We’ve had numerous reminders of moorings available to transients at Coconut Grove Sailing Club on Biscayne Bay over the last year and the location sounds so inviting! Give the Club a try and let us hear about your stay, because they are A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!
Coconut Grove Sailing Club is a member supported sailing club but the moorings are available to the public on a first come first serve basis. They have 200 moorings in the most protected mooring field in Biscayne Bay. The restaurant on property offers great lunch and dinner choices with a view that is hard to beat in the Grove and they usually have live music on Friday nights. Sean Connett
Tired of the hustle and bustle of Fort Lauderdale? Try Hollywood Municipal Marina as Captain Tim suggests. Click on the link below for other good words for this marina.
I have always enjoyed Hollywood as an alternative to Fort Lauderdale. I always try to stay in Hollywood when engaged in a boat project or taking a class at the Maritime school in Fort Lauderdale. Captain Tim Maggee
Hollywood Municipal Marina flanks the AICW’s western shores a short hop south of the Dania Cutoff Canal. The only remotely negative issue I’ve ever had with this facility is that you have to be careful entering the rear slips. A shoal sits just off the docks to the north.
We spent a few weeks at the City of Hollywood Marina and really enjoyed the area. It is 10 miles north of Miami and 10 miles south of Fort Lauderdale. We rented a car and explored the area. Hollywood has one of the best beaches and boardwalks on the east coast. Hollywood is a throwback to Florida before the 30 story condos took over the entire shoreline. Great bakery just across the ICW. Bob Mimlitch
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