Recent news of new public floating dockage at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park opposite Sunrise Bay (see https://cruisersnet.net/173090) raises the question as to why this attractive water expanse is not a listed anchorage. If you have anchored in Sunrise Bay and can address the pros and cons, please let us hear from you.

Our thanks to Phillip Decker for this article on new public dockage in Fort Lauderdale.

Hi, I ran across this story today about a new floating dock that has just been completed at Birch State Park, in Fort Lauderdale. Birch State Park has lots of room to walk your dog, take advantage of recreational activities, and even enjoy the ocean beach. The dock is directly across from Sunrise Bay, immediately north of the Sunrise Blvd. Bridge. Great anchorage, never crowded. The park has a $2 per person fee, but the office is at the other end of the park from the dock.
Phillip Decker

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park Opens Public Floating Boat Dock And Pavilion by Holly Gambrell in Fort Lauderdale Daily

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

A big thank you to Bill Murdock and our friends at Waterway Guide for submitting this Sunset Lake anchoring ban notification. Click Here for a March 2017 report on anchoring there.

Florida anchoring ban takes effect July 1
Date Posted: 2016-06-23
Source: Waterway Guide Staff

Florida legislation banning overnight anchoring in certain areas popular with cruising boaters takes effect July 1, 2016. It will be illegal for any vessel to be at anchored any time during the period between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise in the areas noted, with some exceptions.

Areas where overnight anchoring will be banned starting July 1, 2016. Four areas in Miami Beach (left) and Middle River in Fort Lauderdale (right). Graphic and interpretation: Mike Ahart, News Editor, WaterwayGuide.com

Waterway Guide sent the above graphic to law enforcement for confirmation of the areas, particularly the sections between certain islands along the Venetial Causeway. The area designations have been confirmed by members of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Miami Beach Police Marine Patrol. “Your “tip to tip” interpretation (of the banned areas between the islands) is an interpretation we share,” wrote Capt. Tom Shipp of FWC in an email response. “In our training we show Officers map slides with the areas affected by the statute “circled” for reference…we then discuss the applicability issues, including the boundaries.”

“I spoke with our Captain who oversees (the Marine Patrol) operations – the graphic you provided appears to be correct,” said Ernesto Rodriguez, Public Information Officer for the Miami Beach Police Department.

“There will be no special enforcement per se…we will be dealing with any folks in violation on a case by case basis and enforce the Florida State statute to the best of our ability,” said Rodriguez.

Currently, there are several small sailing dinghies in Sunset Lake anchored adjacent to the residence of Fredric Karlton – a vocal advocate of anchoring bans in Miami Beach. In a public workshop held by the State Affairs Committee of the Florida House of Representatives on October 8, 2015, Karlton stated that he anchored the boats there to restrict others from the ability to anchor near his house. According to the new law, Karlton must remove the boats or risk citations. “The owner of those (boats) has already been spoken to and is aware of the law, and we hope there will be compliance by the time this takes effect,” said Officer Rodriguez.

According to Rodriguez, one other sailboat is anchored in the soon-to-be banned areas between the Venetian Islands, and Miami Beach Police is attempting to get in contact with owners.

Each of the other banned areas is adjacent to the residences of other vocal advocates of anchoring bans. The section of Middle River in Fort Lauderdale is adjacent to the family home of a co-sponsor of the legislation, Rep. George Moraitis, Jr.

The Anchoring Limitation Areas bill was approved by Florida Governor Rick Scott on March 24, 2016. Many boating and cruising advocacy groups were against the legislation, and had representatives speak at each of the hearings during the 2016 Florida Legislative Session, including the Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA), America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (AGLCA), BoatUS, and the Marine Trawler Owners Association (MTOA).

Boaters and cruisers have expressed concern with losing these particular anchorages, but many are more concerned that other safe anchorages will be added to the ban year after year in municipalities all over Florida, and in other states.

The provisions of the law will sunset if and when new legislation is enacted as a result of the recommendations from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Anchoring & Mooring Pilot Program – its report is due to be submitted to the Florida legislature by January 2017.

According to the legislation, starting July 1, 2016, it will be illegal to anchor at any time during the period between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise in the areas noted, with exceptions outlined below:

The section of Middle River lying between Northeast 21st Court and the Intracoastal Waterway in Broward County. (Middle River is one of the very few viable anchorages for cruising-sized boats in the Fort Lauderdale area.)
Sunset Lake in Miami-Dade County. (This Miami Beach anchorage is popular for cruisers waiting for a weather window to cross to the Bahamas, and in the past afforded easy access to Miami Beach for services and provisioning. The City of Miami Beach recently passed an amendment to an ordinance which now makes it unlawful to tie a dinghy to the canal wall to visit the city, leaving only limited dinghy access – see related WaterwayGuide.com article: Miami Beach cracks down on dinghy access. Miami Beach has also been issuing warnings and citations to vessels anchored more than seven days “within city limits,” citing a 2005 municipal code which considers such vessels as “live-aboards” even if they are being used for active cruising – see related WaterwayGuide.com article: Miami Beach cracks down on anchored vessels).
The sections of Biscayne Bay in Miami-Dade County lying between Rivo Alto Island and Di Lido Island, San Marino Island and San Marco Island, and San Marco Island and Biscayne Island (these areas are also considered in the jurisdiction of Miami Beach).
The exceptions:

If the vessel suffers a mechanical failure that poses an unreasonable risk of harm to the vessel or the persons onboard unless the vessel anchors. The vessel may anchor for 3 business days or until the vessel is repaired, whichever occurs first.
If imminent or existing weather conditions in the vicinity of the vessel pose an unreasonable risk of harm to the vessel or the persons onboard unless the vessel anchors. The vessel may anchor until weather conditions no longer pose such risk. During a hurricane or tropical storm, weather conditions are deemed to no longer pose an unreasonable risk of harm when the hurricane or tropical storm warning affecting the area has expired.
During events described in statute 327.48 or other special events, including, but not limited to, public music performances, local government waterfront activities, or fireworks displays. A vessel may anchor for the lesser of the duration of the special event or 3 days.
Vessels owned or operated by a governmental entity for law enforcement, firefighting, military, or rescue purposes.
Construction or dredging vessels on an active job site.
Vessels actively engaged in commercial fishing.
Vessels engaged in recreational fishing if the persons onboard are actively tending hook and line fishing gear or nets.
The bill provides that “any person cited for a violation of any provision of this subsection shall be deemed to be charged with a noncriminal infraction, shall be cited for such an infraction, and shall be cited to appear before the county court. The civil penalty for any such infraction is $50, except as otherwise provided in this section. Any person who fails to appear or otherwise properly respond to a uniform boating citation shall, in addition to the charge relating to the violation of the boating laws of this state, be charged with the offense of failing to respond to such citation and, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. A written warning to this effect shall be provided at the time such uniform boating citation is issued.”

SSCA, MTOA and AGLCA formed the Boater’s Heritage Freedom PAC to raise funds to contribute to legislators who are for preserving anchoring rights. All Florida legislators are running for election this fall and the campaigns are in full swing. “We need to support our legislative supporters with our pocketbooks, so please act now,” stated Phillip Werndli, Chairman of the PAC. “When the election is over, it will be too late. If you are a Florida resident, you can also help by attending local candidate forums to urge them to support boater’s rights. There will be a strong fight this next (Florida legislative) session and we need the members to know we are a force.”

Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Monument Island

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Monument Island

This March 4th Waterway Cleanup is a good way to become personally and tangibly involved with our waterway environment.

South Florida waterway cleanup set for March
Posted on February 2nd, 2017

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE from Sounding’s Trade Only Today
The cleanup, the county’s largest and longest-running environmental event, will take place March 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at multiple locations.

The cleanup is presented by the Florida Inland Navigational District and organized by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida and the Marine Industry Cares Foundation.

“As the Venice of America, Fort Lauderdale recognizes that clean waterways are critical to the economic and environmental sustainability of our city,” Mayor John P. “Jack” Seiler said in a statement.

“To that end we are proud to partner with the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, the Florida Inland Navigational District and the Marine Industry Cares Foundation for this important event that raises environmental awareness, safeguards our marine ecosystems, promotes sustainability and offers families, friends and neighbors an opportunity to work together to help protect one of our most precious natural resources.”

At the event, volunteer registration will be open and sponsorship opportunities, scholarship guidelines, site locations and details for the annual Trash Bash after-party will be announced.

The first Waterway Cleanup was held in the late 1970s and it brought marine industry businesses together with the community and raised awareness among volunteers to the importance of keeping waterways clean.

In 2016 nearly 1,500 land-based volunteers of all ages and 100 boats worked at 35 sites across the county to remove 22 tons of trash and debris from waterways, rivers, and canals.

“We encourage everyone to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Waterway Cleanup by volunteering your time, talent and energy to help preserve and enhance the health, quality and beauty of our waterways, rivers, and canals today and for future generations,” Seiler said.

This story comes from reporter Anne Gettis in the Sun Sentinel.

A family of four and their dog had to bail out after their boat burst into flames on the Intracoastal Waterway Saturday evening.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue and police were called to the scene at Datura Court and the Intracoastal just after 7 p.m. Fire investigators were working late Saturday to determine what had caused the blaze.

CLICK HERE for the full story and video.

As posted in this article from Soundings’ Trade Only Today section, Dania’s Marine Flea Market will be March 3-6 in Hallendale Beach just south of Fort Lauderdale.

Florida marine flea market returns in March
Posted on February 9th, 2016
The Dania Beach Marine Flea Market will be held March 3-6 at the Mardi Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
The 26-acre parking lot of the casino at U.S. Route 1 and Pembroke Road will once again become a nautical swap shop.
Organizers said private individuals and marine-related businesses will sell used marine equipment, coral-encrusted antiques, new and used boats, fishing tackle, diving gear, marine artwork and other boating-related items at low prices.
“Some shoppers to the Marine Flea Market travel hundreds of miles to find that elusive part for a 1946 vintage outboard motor,” event coordinator Jennifer Dudas said in a statement. “Others are looking for antique fishing tackle. Over the four days, thousands of boating- and fishing-related items are bought and sold through a system of dickering and dealing at a fraction of their retail value.”

For the full article, CLICK HERE.

With apologies to Shakespeare, Fred Braman wants to know the history of the lake’s name. Since very little is mentioned in Wikipedia, we’re hoping someone of you might have answer. For a recent report from Lake Sylvia, see /?p=134325.

Do you know the history of the name `Lake Sylvia,’ in Ft Lauderdale? Who was Sylvia?
Fred Braman

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Lake Sylvia

As this article by Tim Hudson from WLRN in Miami describes, the conflict between All Aboard Florida RR system and the Florida waterways continues to be a source of discord for spokespersons of both industries. Much discussion has followed the introduction of the controversial plan to increase the daily number of trains crossing primary water routes. It’s hard to imagine how increased RR bridge activity will not impact the flow of water traffic.See /?p=149839.

The default position for the Florida East Coast Railway bridge across the New River in Ft. Lauderdale is in the up position. Many in the marine industry worry what new passenger rail service could mean for boat traffic on the river. TOM HUDSON

The Boat Business And A Fort Lauderdale Railroad Bridge
By TOM HUDSON November 1, 2015
Talking with people who make their living based on boats and many quickly mention what they think is the biggest threat to their livelihood — a bridge.
That single bridge crosses the New River near downtown Fort Lauderdale. Florida East Coast Railway operates the bridge, which handles freight traffic now.

However, with All Aboard Florida’s plans to run passenger rail service from Miami to Orlando over the same tracks, South Florida’s marine industry worries what that rail traffic could mean for the flow of its business on the water.

For the better part of two years All Aboard Florida and representatives of South Florida’s marine industry have been talking about how to deal with this pinch point where the boating business and the effort to build passenger rail service come together.

The current bridge was built in 1978, although a railroad bridge has crossed the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale since 1912. It’s a single leaf bascule drawbridge that runs 60 feet shore-to-shore.

When not in use, the bridge defaults to its up position, allowing marine traffic to float upriver to the many marinas lining the shore of the South Fork of the New River or down river to the Intracoastal.

For the full story and other related articles, CLICK HERE.

And this article by Doreen Hemlock from the Sun Sentinel:

November 6, 2015
The marine industry and the proposed All Aboard Florida passenger train are making peace over the New River bridge in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
A test by the Coast Guard has proved successful in trimming the time the railroad bridge needs to be closed, allowing both boats and trains to share the river ‘” at least for now, leaders said.
Later, the marine industry would like to see an elevated bridge built over the river for the passenger trains to use instead, said Phil Purcell, executive director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida.
“Guess what? I think we’ve worked it out,” Purcell told a surprised audience at a boat show event attended by All Aboard Florida’s president Michael Reininger.
“The test has gone incredibly well,” Reininger added in an interview. “The test worked.”
At issue is a 1970s bridge over the New River that is kept open for boats and closes when freight trains pass ‘” up to 14 times per day. All Aboard Florida plans to use the tracks when it starts high-speed passenger service next year, requiring the bridge be closed 16 extra times per day.