Adventure Yacht Harbor features a well protected dockage basin, and adjacent shoreside dining. This facility is certainly worth a look!

I am currently at the “Adventure Yacht Harbor”, Port Orange FL. It is just south of the Dunlawton bridge. Small marina, but clean, helpful and friendly. Boondocks resturant is also located here. The harbormaster is Jim Boren. His number 386-756-2180. Rate for my 40′, and less than 6 months, is $10. Power for 30 amp $45, 50 amp $80. Also it is off the ICW in a nice little protected harbor. Johnny, Mojito Bandito.

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For Adventure Yacht Harbor

Chris aboard SV Pelican offers very good advice concerning obtaining and using local knowledge as well as the location of a last resort anchorage inside Ponce Inlet, just as the Inlet turns south.

In June of 2009 we were chased into Ponce De Leon Inlet due to a nasty storm. After hearing all of the warnings about it being so dangerous we called Sea Tow for some local knowledge recommendations. The storm hit us with 45kts of wind, driving rain and continuous lightning when we were still 1/4 mile away. Fortunately we had already talked to the Sea Tow people before entering so they were able to give us the lay of the land. One tip ‘“ if you duck in here and go south, there is water inside the area between 7A and 9, just past the inlet entrance. It’s marked 8 feet on the charts, but we were told it’s over 10, and didn’t see less than 12.
There are two issues with anchoring here. First, when it rains the current goes crazy. We thought we were grounded since, even with 45kts of wind, we were beam to the wind. It turns out the current was even stronger, and we were nose to it until a little while after the rain stopped. Second, as soon as the storm blew by we were passed fairly closely by numerous large sportfishers running on a full plane. I wouldn’t overnight here. BUT ‘“ in a pinch ‘“ call Sea Tow for local knowledge on shoaling in the inlet and then park your butt close to the beach between these two marks.

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Ponce de Leon Inlet

Located off the AICW northwest of the Ponce de Leon Inlet, Lighthouse Boatyard is reached by departing the AICW southbound at MM 839.5 and northbound at MM 842. Click on the link below for a Navigational Alert, Chartview and advice regarding the channel markers into Lighthouse Boatyard.

I want to share a pleasant experience about Lighthouse Boatyard at Ponce Inlet, FL. While cruising on the ICW near New Smyrna we had major prop damage (long story). We needed an emergency haulout so the first place I looked for help was your Cruising Guide to Eastern Florida. We contacted Terry at Lighthouse Boatyard and like your guide says, they went above and beyond to accomodate us. Not only did she arrange the haulout and lined up a prop repairman, Terry also tracked down a vendor for another part we needed. If that wasn’t enough, she offered refreshments and loaned us her car to run errands. We were back in the water the next day at a fair price.

Click Here To View An Earlier Posting Concerning Lighthouse Boatyard Which Contains Important Information About This Facility’s Entrance Channel

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For Lighthouse Boatyard

I’m so glad that Captain Austin found New Smyrna Beach City Marina “friendly.” We have ALWAYS enjoyed our stays here, AND this facility is a valued SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!

7 May 2010. Friendly marina, with only restaurants within walking distance. Supermarkets are a few miles away. A promising-looking bakery downtown was recently shuttered, unfortunately, the last remaining useful store for re-victualling. A bus service that might be useful for getting around, uninvestigated by us, was not promoted by the marina for some reason.
Austin Whitten

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For New Smyrna Beach City Marina

Do note that Captain Chris’ info below is almost a year old at the time of this posting!
Ponce De Leon Inlet (which all the locals refer to as “Ponce Inlet) cuts the eastern banks of the AICW between Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach. Personally, I always choose to continue south of Canaveral Barge Canal Inlet before putting out into the briny blue, or reversing the process, but, hey, everyone has their own opinion!

In June of ‘˜09 we ducked into Ponce de Leon Inlet during a pretty major storm (45kts+ and lots of electrical activity) and had no issue. We came through the inlet and then anchored between 7A and the beach in 12 feet of water (we draw 6’). The depth between 7A and the beach is not marked on the chart, but we were in communications with the local SeaTow outfit and they gave us the local knowledge. Anyway, Ponce de Leon inlet is known as being a tough inlet, but we had no issues. A call to SeaTow before entering can give you all the info you need. By the way ‘“ after the storm passed we continued on to the New Smyrna Beach Marina where we received a wonderful welcome and nice facilities. If you go there and are coming from the Ponce de Leon Inlet, I would highly recommend taking Sheephead Cut as opposed to following the magenta line of the ICW. From what I understand, there is (was, I should say since we came through in mid-2009) significant shoaling on the line, but we always saw big depth on the cut. Have fun!
Chris
S/V Pelican

Captain Jane’s usual sterling job of reporting on ports of call, as only she can do!
Do note that the New Smyrna City Marina is a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, and highly recommended by all of us here at the Cruisers’ Net!

Timing bridges under repair and tides for poorly maintained shallow parts of the waterway, this 2009/2010 snowbird season, has caused us to go long some days and short on others, choosing our tides carefully or timing a weird bridge repair schedule.
In addition to allowing us to get deeply in touch with our relationship to patience, our “new timing” has brought us to some good new ports of call. One of these good new finds is New Smyrna Beach and its City Marina. I confess, once again, my bias in favor of city marinas — I think it’s a wonderful civic service to offer public dockage for boaters. I don’t understand the concept of privately owned slips — I thought the point of having a cruising boat was to cruise, not to grow barnacles in a privately owned slip, but that’s a longer discussion and distracts me from giving praise where praise is due.

New Smyrna Beach Historic district, a short walk from Smyrna Beach City Marina

New Smyrna Beach City Marina occupies a small and charming cove, tucked away yet directly off the ICW where it makes an elbow turn. Two large rocks mark the harbor entrance and during our stay hosted an impressive number of pelicans and cormorants who made frequent forays into the fairways for lunch. It made it a sweet place to visit — I’m partial to birds and I enjoyed the pelicans and cormorants by day and the green heron fishing off a neighboring boat at first light.
Facilities at New Smyrna Beach City Marina are spotless — clean modern heads and showers, good laundry facilities. While we were there, we found the dockmaster on duty friendly, professional and eager to tell us what was within walking distance and which establishments are his favorites. If you need some re-provisioning, there is a Winn Dixie supermarket about a mile’s walk from the marina.
ICW ports of call, how

A real bakery... Joyce Miller, manager of Love Muffins Bakery home of what is billed as the 'world famous Mini Cinni's'

ever, are not just about cruiser necessities, but about the town and the people beyond the dock. New Smyrna Beach is an actual town with a charming historic district, just a short walk from the marina. There are several places to eat — we spotted a new Mexican restaurant, Lil’ Neal’s a very casual barbecue place (the kind so casual that it could be a real find); Mahoney’s Oyster Bar, featuring with hearty soups and sandwiches, and a more generalist type of restaurant, Jason’s Corner.
If you want fresh baked bread — 10 grain and sour dough the morning we stopped in — or muffins, mini cinnamon rolls, or other baked goods — Love Muffins is a real bakery where you will find the real thing. It’s a right turn almost as soon as you enter the historic district. My first mate’s mouth was full of a mini cinnamon roll, so I can’t quote him, but he gave a big thumb’s up with his free hand.
If you want a seafood lunch or dinner, we hear the place to go is adjacent to the marina and it is located in one of your visual clues for sighting the harbor entrance — a blue building that houses Dolphin View, a fish restaurant. Locals told us they serve an honest fresh fish sandwich or platter and they advertise on their door a $4.95 all you can eat breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays.
Jane Tigar
S/V Lady Jane

We love docking at New Smyrna Beach City Marina. There has always been a laid back, but very helpful attitude here, which is part of parcel of real cruising. The downtown shopping district lies within easy walking distance, and there are plenty of good place to dine ashore. And, oh yes, let’s not forget these good people are a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!

We ducked in here on the tail end of a storm, and I’m very glad we did. Great staff with very good facilities. Everyone went out of their way to make us feel at home. Location is terrific with many good resturants within close walking distance. We WILL return to this facility.
Bob
M/V `Threadbare’

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Easterb Florida Marina Directory Listing For New Smyrna Bech City Marina

Captain message below details an anchorage that I have never before research, and, thus, it is not included in the Net’s Eastern Florida Anchorage Directory (/category/anchorages-eastern-florida/). If anyone could provide additional details for this haven, particularly a Lat/Lon postion and MLW depths recorded, that would be MOST helpful!

Subject: Rockhouse Creek anchorage apprx st mile 842
Cruising News: Lovely spot second time we\’ve spent a night there. Good holding and more than enough swing room for a 55\’ cruiser. There is a charted shoal at the south side of the mouth.
Ron

In the spring of 2009, there was a HUGE discussion here on the Cruisers’ Net about a disrespectful law enforcement officer who kept a watch on the No-Wake provisions in Haulover Canal (about which there was MUCH earlier discussion here on the Net’s “Eastern Florida” section), He was giving out tickets, and abusively so, for vessels that were cruising as slowly as they possibley could. Not, below we hear from Captain Aquilla that something similar may be going on again!!

It happened to me’¦.squeezed under the Haulover Bridge and was repeatedly yelled at by bridge tender that I was going to fast in a `No Wake Zone’ and could kill a Manatee. Facts: 700rpm, and 6.5kts; THIS IS NOT An `IDLE SPEED NO WAKE ZONE’ BUT INSTEAD A `SLOW SPEED MINIMUM WAKE ZONE’ That is the law. Even at the not required idle I do 4,5kts. These people are nuts! Give a small person a little authority and’¦!
J B Aquilla

Below we have a quick word from Captain Jennifer about who much she enjoyed New Smyrna Beach City Marina. We agree, and that’s only natural as this facility is a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!

Symrna Municipal Marina is also very nice. We stayed there both up and back and enjoyed ourselves immensely. Many things right within walking distance. Very nice area. I would stop there again.
Jennifer Clendinen

I’m glad someone mentioned this marina. We ended up ducking into Ponce De Leon Inlet AS a major thunderstorm was coming through (42kt+ winds). We had called SeaTow about 30 minutes before entering the inlet as we were told it was a `local knowledge only’ inlet. They said just follow the markers, and anchor just inside the first green inside the inlet. We rode out the storm here, but as the sportfishers started heading back out again and throwing up wakes that threatened to swamp our 40’/25,000lb sailboat, we felt it would be better to find a marina (after all of the lightning and wind we wanted to be able to step onto land). We ended up at the New Smyrna Beach City Marina and were welcomed with open arms. The floating docks were nice, but the people there were the best part. We pulled in just as the sun completely set, and before we even had shore power hooked up we were being invited to their weekend potluck dinner. We spent a couple of hours with everyone at dinner and had a wonderful time. The next morning, one of the slipholders there volunteered to drive us to Walmart to pick up some necessary supplies (this was our first stop from the Bahamas). I often feel that the people make the marina – not the facilities (and the facilities here were good) – and this place would definitely rate 5 stars with regards to that.
Chris s/v/ Pelican

Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For New Smyrna Beach City Marina

Captain Les’ message below is a follow-up to an earlier series of postings here on the Net’s “Eastern Florida” section about ridiculous enforcement of no-wake restrictions on the Haulover Canal. HOWEVER, this account shows that sometimes speed restriction enforcement IS a good idea!

Subject: NASA R.R. Bridge and Haulover Canal N. of Titusville
Cruising News: As we headed to the Haulover Canal, a gray center consol O.B boat with STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT written on its side gave us a friendly wave as he passed. We were doing 8 knots in the channel. As we approached the canal, my wife noted that said Law Enforcement, who had been standing just off the channel, went behind us to challenge an approching high speed express cruiser. She observed them side by side and assumed that they were conversing. We entered the haulover at 3.7 knots. It was crowded with small craft. The strong S. wind was now blocked by the land on each side. Quite suddenly, with no warning, said express cruiser passed us on the starboard rolling us quite a bit. Seconds later, the Law Enforcement boat speed by us, also without warning, and stopped the cruiser. We carefully passed them both and were quite glad they were apparently and appropriately nailed. Shortly after we were N. bound on the Mosquito Lagoon, the same cruiser sped by us again. Obviously, this is NOT inappropriate law enforcement
Les Rothman
M/V Autumn Saga

It seems unfortunate that law enforcement would SPEED through Haulover to catch a speeder – doubling the chance of hitting a manatee. I wonder if their procedures might call for caution radio calls, and catching the violators at a later time’¦.
opsailor

I have also found the personnel at Adventure Yacht Harbor to be quite friendly.

We wanted to share with you our very positive experience at the Adventure Yacht Harbor. We found the facility and staff very accommodating, restrooms very clean, overall very tidy marina. Boondocks Restaurant on-site very good. Rates are the best in the Daytona Beach area. Jim Boren is the Harbormaster. Overall, tumbs up!
Layla & Warren
TimeOut

Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Adventure Yacht Harbor

Well, at least the inspecting officer was respectful this time.

Messages like the one below just make be boiling mad. It looks like Captains Alice and Phil were going as slow as possible, and yet still they got a ticket!
Clearly, all cruisers need to proceed thorugh Haulover Canal (which connects Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon) at dead slow speed!

Be careful when you pass through Haulover Channel, approx ICW mm 868. A very rude federal Fish & Wildlife officer was ticketing nearly every power vessel passing through the channel for manatee zone speed violations. He was even stopping sailboats & warning them. Two of us (the other boat was a power catamaran) were ticketed there today even though we were both running at dead idle-5 kts through the channel (there were several fishing boats & kayakers in the channel), but the F&W officer said we were still throwing too large a wake. Winds were over 20 kt. All the kayakers said we were not making a wake, but the idiot who was 200 yds away when he turned on his flashers to stop us would not interview them. 
If we fight the ticket and lose, which requires a court appearance in Orlando, it becomes a felony conviction with up to 6 months in jail & $25,000 fine. If we just fold and pay the fine, they said it does not "go on our record". Isn't our government wonderful to us? Let's put more environmentalist wackos in public office.
Alice and Phil Priemer
Aboard M/V Wonderland

Hi, 
Got your message about Haulover Canal to late.  But I was lucky — stopped but not ticketed and I was going VERY slowly.  There was a patrol boat at both ends of the canal that were visible and also several small boats fishing.  I could not believe that he stopped me.
Keep up the wonderful job.    
ED

Claiborne,
Regarding the post re ticketing in the Haulover Canal, I hope you'll forward that to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. I doubt very much that it was a "federal Fish and Wildlife" officer as the post claims – I've never seen one of those around here. I also think it does a disservice to those who are concerned about the environment to refer to this obviously ill-trained and over zealous officer-of-the-law as an  "environmental wacko" suggesting that action on the part of the officer has anything to do with environmental concerns, and I hope you'll  support that idea on your web site in your comment to that posting.
That officer needs to go back to school or be fired, and the tickets he's issuing in the manatee zone should be reviewed the Fish and Wildlife.
Bob McLeran and Judy Young

Subject: Haulover Canal
Cruising News: Claiborne, 
Please note that these are most often Federal Officers in the Haulover Canal due to it's prosimity to the Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore.  The problem is that current flows through the canal and creates a wake if you are holding position.  If they actually protected the Manatee it might be more paletable, but they just harrass most of the time.
Mark Leslie

Read the message below. Looks like the word got to the "powers that be" in Talahassee about how the law enforecement officer described above was acting.

Subject: Haulover Canal
Cruising News: Hi,
Chez Nous went through the canal on Thursday and a State Law Encorcement boat was politely instructing all boats to slow to a minimun due to 18 Manatees being
in the canal.  We actually saw three and the boat behind us saw two.  No tickets, just polite warnings.
geozeck

Ouch!

Subject: Potty Police
Cruising News: We came in Canavral after a three day offshore passage and started down the ICW. Waiting at the Coronado lift bridge were the potty police. My valve was open after an offshore passage;$250 and welcome to florida.Thanks for the warning.
Martin

Looks like the FWC "Potty Patrol" is currently operating between Mosquito Lagoon and New Smyrna Beach. Check those "Y" valves!

Subject: Y valve  check
Cruising News: This morning at 9:35 a.m. on 11/13/08 we were boarded near mile 849 at Smyrna Beach by Fish & Wildlife & the Sheriff's Dept. to make sure our holding tanks were closed and secure.
S/V seashell

I interpret the message below to mean that the “Potty Patrol” was occurring on the AICW, at Mosquito Lagoon, just north of Haulover Canal. This portion of the Waterway lies between New Smyrna Beach and the northern headwaters of Indian River (Titusville).

Subject: Potty patrol
Message: All cruising boats were being stopped Sat. and checked that Y-valve was locked in off position. If there was any doubt, dye was added to the head. This happened just before Haulover Canal.
Roger Ford

Does anyone know if closing the valve, then removing the valve handle itself would comply with the `locked’ requirement for the `Potty Patrol’?
Thanks, S/V Meant to Be..about to head south in the AICW.
Cindy Miller