There are nearly 500 marine facilities throughout the Florida Keys with hundreds of liveaboard vessels at these locations. However, less than 30 percent of these facilities have pump-out equipment available. Monroe County has adopted policies to increase the availability of pump-out facilities in order to reduce pollutant discharges to protect our nearshore waters.
Key Lime Sailing Club, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, always has very special offers for their visitors! Key Lime Sailing Club is a unique slice of KEYS ENJOYMENT…give it a try and let us hear about your experience.
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Key Lime Sailing Club, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, always has very special offers for their visitors! Key Lime Sailing Club is a unique slice of KEYS ENJOYMENT…give it a try and let us hear about your experience.
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As we celebrate Earth Day, please be more careful with plastic bags and foam cups. And be sure to not let helium balloons loose.
John Christopher Fine
Plastic debris is choking the ocean
Florida Keys Weekly
Two manatees in the Florida Keys were killed earlier this week in the same area from boat strikes, according to a Key Largo marine mammal rescue organization.
Two manatees fatally struck by boats in Florida Keys
Miami Herald
Slate feeds marine creatures underwater, and the interaction enables divers to see large marine animals up close.
Over the last 40 years, nearly 90% of the live corals that once covered those reefs have died off.
Scientists Race Against Time To Save Coral Off Florida Keys
Here And Now
Today live coral on the reefs is 3% to 5%. In the 1970s, coral coverage was 50% to 60%.
Florida Keys coral reef is in critical condition
Florida Keys Weekly
This year, for the first time, corals raised by scientists in a lab and transplanted to the natural reefs are primed to join the spawn—a promising milestone for ongoing efforts to restore the ravaged reef systems off South Florida.
Lab-grown and replanted corals to spawn in the Florida Keys
Phys.Org
Wally Moran asked Cruisers Net to share a Facebook poll regarding the pumpout situation in the Florida Keys. If you anchor in the Keys and need pumpout services, this poll concerns you.
Go to Facebook page Boot Key Harbor Cruisers from your FB account to see the poll.
Wally Moran
Removal of these vessels has resulted in significant improvements in recreational boating access.
County removes derelict vessels from Keys waters with FWC Grant
Florida Keys Weekly
This suspension of mobile pumpout service is not good news to cruisers in the Florida Keys. Cruisers now must rely on land-based pumpout until mobile pumpout is restored. See link below for locations.
FLORIDA – FLORIDA KEYS: Monroe County Mobile Vessel Sewage Pumpout Service suspension.
Effective July 1, 2020 the Monroe County Mobile Vessel Sewage Pumpout Service will be suspended. Vessel owners are advised that waters of the Florida Keys are within a No Discharge Zone and proof of legal pumpout is required. For a list of available pumpout facilities, please visit www.monroecounty-fl.gov/pumpout or call 305-289-2505 for more information. LNM 25/20
There are more than 30 land-based pump-out facilities located throughout the Keys.
A referendum was put before Key West voters that sought to dredge a wider channel through the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to accommodate super ships and voters defeated the referendum with an astonishing 74% of the vote.
Opinion: Safer, cleaner ships for the future of Key West
Florida Keys Weekly
Key Lime Sailing Club, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, always has very special offers for their visitors! Key Lime Sailing Club is on the Inside Route side of Key Largo. Key Lime Sailing Club is a unique slice of KEYS ENJOYMENT…give it a try and let us hear about your experience.
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Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Key Lime Sailing Club
The opening of boat ramps in Miami has had a direct affect on the northern Keys as attested in this report. See also Restrictions on Cruisers Transiting the Keys.
FWC Seeing a Large Number of Non-Residents in Monroe County
The Blue Paper
Visitors are currently banned in the Florida Keys and cruisers wanting to move north are finding marinas and dinghy dockage closed to transients, meaning no supplies. These restrictions on water-born travelers in the Keys is being discussed at length on AGLCA’s Forum and summarized nicely by Ben Sanderson, re-posted here with his permission. See also Non-Residents.
True, legally, transients are barred. However, after living here in Marathon for two years, we have never seen the dinghy police. Just say’n for those in real need who have been quarantined for awhile. We’re leaving in the next few days or we would offer to get the groceries. There are several other loopers still here that may speak up and offer. We are all in this pandemic together.
Another idea is to have Publix deliver the groceries to the fuel dock while you are fueling. They make deliveries from online orders. Not sure about Winn-Dixie.
I was super curious so I checked the boat ramp up by us and there were no signs. So I worked my way down to the ramp by Keys Fisheries (bay/gulf side). Saw the homemade signs and a marked patrol vehicle sitting in the lot as they do at all of the ramps since the new regs went into effect a couple of months ago.
Talked to the officer, CBP T. Diaz, while there and asked why the signs as transients are trying to get food. His words, not mine, were to the effect that during this past late winter too many boaters were anchored off shore and the whole boat ramp and waiting wall was filled with dinghies which interfered with the trailer boats. Understandable. So the city manager put up the signs. I explained the situation with some transient boats needing to get food supplies for a couple of hours so they could head north and he replied that Monroe County deputies wouldn’t write a citation for a dinghy or two if that was what they were doing and the signs really aren’t official anyway as well as no real regulation. Just stay at the end of the wall or better yet, anchor your dinghy a few feet out from shore and wade in. Maybe even leave a note on the dinghy with a contact number.
My recommendation is still to go into or near Boot Key Harbor and anchor semi-legally and then dingy in since the bay side isn’t nearly as good and there is lots of seagrass on that side. I forgot to check Burdines dinghy dock area but a neighbor went there last week by boat and docked without a question raised. Burdines has both fuel and water. Both Pancho’s Fuel Dock and Marathon Marina & RV Resort have fuel and water and are connected to BKHarbor. Bayside, Faro Blanco has fuel only from my understanding. I’ll also bet if you dinghied up to Dockside bar & grill, bought a couple of cold beers and a meal and asked the owner, Simone, if you could leave it tied for an hour while you fetched groceries, I’ll bet she says okay.
FWC Seeing a Large Number of Non-Residents in Monroe County
We were there when they were throwing the proverbial switch on. It was eerie strange to see Mallory Square with only approximately 100 people and 2 performers in it at sunset. The anchorage was packed with boats all around Listeria Island. We had dinner at Jack Flats and Sloppy Joes was closed. They were not selling dinghy permits. Very few places open. The CVS or Starbucks was not open. The Schooner Wharf Bar was open and in full swing with a very good guitar player.
The website linked below is updated daily by noon and 8 p.m. and also several other times throughout the day.
Monroe County COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) Information
Monroe County and the city of Key West declared a state of emergency Sunday in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Monroe County encompasses all the Keys. See Virus News for more local input.
3/24/20 The Florida Keys have been closed to tourists and visitors as part of coronavirus fight
Sun Sentinel
Click link for Florida Keys government declare state of emergency
Miami Herald
Monroe County, FL – Official Website
This presentation by author and experienced cruiser, Bob Sherer, HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
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Five of the Keys’ most intrepid residents were asked for their favorite outings, eateries, and watering holes.
A Locals’ Guide to the Florida Keys
Outside Online
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