Our sincere thanks to Captain Mary Dixon for forwarding the link below. We have read the document in question, and it IS LENGTHY and very wordy, BUT it is perhaps the last word on virtually ALL the issues surrounding the complex and emotionally charged Florida anchoring issue.
Cruising News:
New publication on Florida anchoring
http://www.flseagrant.org/joomla/images/PDFs/anchoring%20away_03_09_11_full_web3.pdf
Mary Dixon
Darien Watefront Inn Porch
The Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net is very pleased to welcome our newest sponsor, the Darien Waterfront Inn. We invited innkeeper, Captain JoAnn Viera, to send us an account of why ALL cruisers should consider this short trek off the Waterway. And, wait until you read her words below. It makes me want to point our bow towards Georgia just to visit this wonderful community. See you there, and PLEASE patronize Darien Waterfront Inn whenever possible to thank them for their support of the cruising community, by way of their support for the SSECN!!!!!
Leave the familiar confines of the AICW, and cruise up the beautiful Darien River to Historic Darien Georgia. Here you can dock your vessel at the Darien Development Authority docks and spend a night or two with solid ground under your feet. The cruiser friendly Darien Waterfront Inn is steps away from the dock. This seven room inn is situated in a remodeled warehouse perched on the Darien River Bluff. All rooms open onto a spacious riverview porch, perfect for relaxing.
While visiting with us in Darien, don’t miss all the many attractions of our downtown businesses and historic district. Everything you need is ‘steps’ from the inn: Four local restaurants, a wine bar, gift shop, outdoor outfitter, hardware and marine supply store, post office, convenience store, even a salon that offers services for both men and women. We even offer laundry and grocery service….Let us do the work while you sip a glass of your favorite beverage with your feet up on the porch!
If you want to take a stroll thru historic Darien, there is lots to see. Darien is the second oldest planned city in Georgia. Take the walking tour and you will visit 17 historic sites! From Tabby Ruins dating back to 1815, Vernon Square (c.1806) and Fort King George (c.1721)
So make historic Darien and the Darien Waterfront Inn your next overnight stop between Savannah and Jacksonville. We look forward to meeting you! Call 912.437.1215 to make your reservation. Innkeeper, JoAnn will make dock reservations for you as well.
Darien Development Authority Docks
Thanks to Captain Bill for sending us these moving words. I hope many of us may be able to stay at sea in body rather than just in spirit!
I know not who penned these lines, but I think they are true for a great many people, including me, although we might not have sailed the Orient or other exotic places. Whether you travel on water by virtue of the wind propelling you or by power boat makes little difference. The true romance is in the travel, not the means of propulsion. Sooner or later we all must face the fact that the journey is nearing the end for one reason or another. Until that time comes, enjoy your time on the water to its fullest.
Bill
My Heart’s at Sea Forever
Long ago I was a Sailor.
I sailed the Ocean blue.
I knew the bars in Singapore…
The coastline of Peru.
I knew well the sting of salt spray,
The taste of Spanish wine,
The beauty of the Orient…
Yes, all these things were mine.
But I wear a different hat now,
A tie and jacket too.
My sailing days were long ago…
with that life I am through.
But somewhere deep inside of me…
The sailor lives there still.
He longs to go to sea again,
But knows he never will.
My love, my life, is here at home,
and I will leave here never.
Though mind and body stay ashore…
My heart’s at sea forever.
This report centers on a section of the AICW north of the Ben Sawyer Bridge and is similar to earlier reports of shoaling between Statute Miles 455 and 465.
BAD SHOAL SOUTH OF MARKER 117AON THE GREEN SIDE APPROX. 1000′ SOUTH OF 117A
BEHIND SULLIVANS ISLAND, THERE IS LESS THEN 4′ AT LOW TIDE.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Shoaling N of Ben Sawyer Bridge
Click Here To View An Earlier Report on this Area
The Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net is proud and honored to welcome back Captain Charmaine Smith Ladd, as our regular Florida Keys SSECN Correspondent. Some two years ago, Charmaine did some sterling work for us, but then health and other factors caused us to part company for awhile. Now. SHE’S BACK, and we could not be happier.
Few know more about Florida Keys waters and ports of call than Captain Charmaine. Look for her reports here on the Cruisers’ Net several times a month.
On a personal note, Captain Charmaine is just one of the “neatest” members of the cruising community I’ve ever come across. She is witty, lovable, and, on the other hand, her life has been tempered by more than its share of tragedy. Take a look at her web site, http://www.SeptemberSea.com.
WELCOME BACK ABOARD CAPTAIN CHARMAINE!
March 7, 2011
Boot Key Harbor Anchorage, Marathon FL Keys (N24 42.228 W81 06.172)
by Charmaine Smith Ladd
A lot has changed in Boot Key Harbor (BKH) since last season. The bridge is now permanently open, as the drawbridge was removed, allowing cruisers to come and go as they please. This is a wonderful thing as it expands the very freedom we cruisers love to enjoy. However, it also means some cruisers attempt to enter after dark, which is not a wise decision if needing to anchor. Many boats in the anchorage have two or more anchors set in various directions and one cannot clearly see the many anchor rodes. It is therefore highly recommended to anchor outside BKH and come inside to anchor only during good light. Nuzzling up to the west side of Boot Key (South of the main channel entrance markers) offers great protection from East or NE weather.
Winter to early Spring it is season in Boot Key Harbor (BKH). Which means lots of cruisers arriving to enjoy what has proven to be “the friendliest Harbor in the Keys.” Though there are 224 moorings, during
season you will often find they are all taken. Hail Marathon City Marina (all spiffied up with a new bathhouse and improved commons area) on channel 16 once you are East of the bridge span to inquire about moorings. If there are none available, you can anchor outside the yellow buoys marking the perimeter of the mooring field. Then get on the waiting list by visiting the City Marina office (very friendly and helpful staff!) by dinghy. Unfortunately, BKH no longer has a water taxi service.
Most find it prudent to anchor on the South side (off the main channel located immediately starboard as you pass through the bridge opening). The anchorage area stretches from there Eastward {to red marker 18}). Be wary of the far south side as that is the backside of Boot Key. Some boats are on their own moorings and do not swing much, so they can be much closer to Boot Key than someone with 40 ft. or more of anchor rode! There are also a few pockets of deeper water with shallows around them. Just because you see other boats in an area near Boot Key doesn’t mean you can anchor there. “Brown, brown, run aground” is the saying in the Keys. Steer clear of brown water. Near the grass beds off Boot Key the deep water drops off and the bottom comes up remarkably. From 9 ft. to inches in a flash! Many a catamaran owner has insisted he’s safe there after being warned. A change in wind direction puts him aground and he has Crow Pie for dinner! Local knowledge being offered by someone should always be heeded; not taken as a challenge to one’s anchoring skills.
If you do anchor, please take note that when winds are light and variable in BKH…so can become the positions of the boats: quite variable! Make sure to leave room for neighboring boats to swing in all directions. This doesn’t happen too often during season when the winds are usually plentiful; but it can and does happen. When it does, boats can turn completely contrary to each other and the circus of fenders and fending off occurs. Staying apprised of wind conditions will keep you out of trouble. You may be just fine anchored where you are as long as the wind stays out of the East or West, but be too close to a neighbor if the wind shifts to the South or North. You get the idea. If you are waiting for a mooring, this information can open more options for anchoring. Listen to the weather and what may appear to be a full anchorage will have room for you if the winds remain in your favor for the duration of the time you need to anchor.
The holding here is excellent but you still have to set your hook. Many a cruiser has merely dropped the anchor and expected it to hold. This writer suggests setting an anchor with no more than 30 ft. of rode out. This way you can feel when it bites. After it bites, rev up your engine and back down to allow your anchor to truly set. When your bow swings you know you’re dug in. Then pay out the remainder of your rode. If possible, ask others around you how much rode they have out. Noticing whether boats near you are on a single or multiple anchors is also very helpful in knowing how much room you have to swing.
Boot Key Harbor is a wonderful place with friendly locals and cruisers. The changes mostly have been good ones and the City Marina is looking much improved. Hopefully, the information offered here will help to quell any apprehension one may have about anchoring during season. We’re ready for you! So come on down and see us!
Charmaine Smith Ladd, s/v September Sea
SSECN Correspondent
“Bringing you the low down from down low!”
With the price increases this is a place to avoid by a retired minimalist cruiser as myself..the city is much too greedy..let the `yachties’ have the place..refuse paying to anchor..will get the word out to other cruisers as well!!
JD
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Anchorage Directory Listing For Boot Key Harbor
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Boot Key Harbor
Those of you who have been following the recent news concerning the selection of the first three Mooring Field Pilot Program sites in Florida, know that Sarasota has been chosen as one of the participants. This headline has prompted a very interesting discussion among a pro-cruiser group which has been wrestling with the Sarasota mooring field – anchoring issue for some time. I’ve copied some of their messages below. They make for interesting reading, no matter on which side of this issue one stands.
We can make this work for us.
It is my impression that we all (boaters, city, and FWC) want to encourage responsible boaters with seaworthy vessels while discouraging drunken, dumping, derelicts. To this end, I propose that, in addition to the common sense regulations I proposed in my alternative ordinance to the 500′ rule (see attachment), the city institute a free permit requirement for any anchoring beyond 72 hours contingent upon a Coast Guard Auxiliary safety inspection and regular trips to the pump out dock (to show that their boat is navigable and that their MSD is functional).
This permitting system, with no limit on renewals, would ensure that only those responsible boaters with safe and functional boats could remain anchored in city waters for more than 3 days. It would allow for transients to pass through without hassle and a reasonable means for those who wish to stay anchored longer to do so.
Jeff Bole
This is the common sense approach which would have eliminated the proposed mooring field years ago, but the City has never been presented with authority to pass such requirements in the past. The Pilot Program now grants this as long as the FWC approves it. But take note only municipalities WITH a mooring field can participate in the Pilot Program. I wonder if the SSS’s mooring field would still allow Sarasota to participate if the Bayfront mooring field never came to fruition…
Anyways it’s best to be prepared and I think we should draft a document with Jeff’s and others common sense suggestions, gather some signatures along with endorsements from the other local boating clubs, and sell the proposal to the City and FWC.
This will be a topic at the next Harbor Assoc. meeting later this month.
Thanks,
Kens
Sounds like a much preferred solution, previous discussions along this line were discounted because there was no authority to enforce the requirements.
Kenneth
Jeff’s proposal makes a whole lot of sense to me. If a boat can qualify for a CG Safety sticker, demonstrate it is navigable under its own propulsion and that it has a funtional holding tank and utilizes pump out, it should be permitted to anchor in our Bay. I think the boat should also be required to carry current registration.
Harmon
> and regular trips to the pump out dock (to show that their boat is navigable and that their MSD is functional).
This is not a `common sense’ suggestion. My boat uses a composting system which does not require pump outs.
Also, routinely requiring people to dislodge their anchor, move the boat and then re-anchor can cause safety issues. You’re taking boats that have their anchors `settled in’ and then forcing them to pull it up and plop it back down. Boats will drag due to this policy that otherwise wouldn’t have.
Mark M.
To me this is not a `common sense proposal.’ Three days is way too short in many cases, plus I also use a composting system and therefore don’t need a pumpout, and third I do not think submitting to a safety inspection should be required if one is legally registered/documented/etc. If these rules were in place I would simply bypass Sarasota if I was passing through or possibly I would just anchor overnight. As a transient boater I prefer to spend my money in harbors that welcome me, not ones that appear to not want me to be there. Things like a nice dinghy dock, or at least a place to tie up, trash receptacles, and a cruiser friendly attitude go a long way to making me want to spend my money there.
John Kettlewell
Cumberland Dividings has long been an “AICW Problem Stretch.” This portion of the Waterway lies between Brickhill River and Crooked River.
Another southbound cruiser has gone aground at the infamous AICW/Brickhill River Intersection (M.704). And, Fl R 4s 12FT 3M “60” is missing again.
Use caution at this mark. Southbound: after G”59″ stay on the green side and swing wide towards “60A” to avoid the shoal where “60” should be. DO NOT FOLLOW the magenta line and ignore the charts that show you on dry land. When all the day marks are in place it really isn’t hard to navigate.
Pete Peterson
It is important here to not look at your charts or chartplotter for clear guidance. Look to the marks themselves for a clear path and favor the green side if your draft 5 foot or more deep.
My friend grounded just north of this spot where the Brickhill bends back to the south and the chart shows a depth in the bend of 33 feet. The bar extends northward into the inside of this bend further than the chart shows. Stay to the north side of this bend especially at low tide.
David Burnham
Click Here To View A Recent Article on the Cumberland Dividings Stretch of the AICW
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the Cumberland Dividings
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To The AICW/Cumberland Dividings Problem Stretch
Florida Anchoring Rights Struggle Enters Next Phase
An Editorial
By
Claiborne S. Young
Last Friday, February 25, 2011, stories began to appear in the Florida press heralding the next, evolutionary step in the Florida Anchoring Rights struggle. This development was not at all unexpected, but it does presage a call to arms for the cruising community. We MUST ALL heed this call if the Floridian anchoring rights which have been earned after so much blood, sweat and tears over the last decade are to be maintained.
PLEASE Click Here To Continue Reading Claiborne’s Florida Anchoring Rights Next Phase Editorial
As of today, March 2, 2011, there has already been a firestorm of responses from the cruising community concerning our editorial linked above. If you have ALREADY read the editorial, click the link below to check out the many messages we have received from fellow cruisers on this subject. If you have NOT read our editorial, please do that FIRST, and then follow the link at the end of that article to check out the response:
PLEASE Click Here To Read the Voluminous Reaction to Our Anchoring Rights Editorial Of 3/1/11
Al Golden, author of the note below, is the owner of International Marine Insurance Services. These good people are a much valued SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!
Wow, sounds like we are all finally going to get a break in the Marine Insurance game. It’s about time!!! Give Al a call, or click on his sponsorship banner below to learn more!
I’ve tried over the years to keep my posts entirely generic, but yesterday’s announcement from Markel American Insurance Company is too important . . . to ignore!
They have announced huge reductions in their rates for both hull and P&I and that, coupled with equally large reductions in their Atlantic coast, inland, and Pacific NW rates, means that there may be great opportunities for you.
Obviously, we’re not the only Markel agent, but you really should get a quote from one of us….
Al Golden
International Marine Insurance Services
1-800-541-4647
If you are in Key West, or plan to visit this vibrant community during the 2011 winter season, run, don’t walk, to Captain Jane’s find, Garbo’s Grill!!!!!!
Garbo’s Grill Talks!
Recipe for good food: fresh, top quality ingredients, imagination and love. That may be the reason that regulars flock to Garbo’s Grill food stand in Key West on Greene Street, with over 80 of them receiving daily emails of today’s specials.
Just across from the pepper store, there she is, Heidi Garbo herself, a legend in the minds of anyone who has eaten one of her justly famous mahi (with a slice of mango!) burritos.
We chowed down the hefty fresh Mahi burrito and, because we like you, tried that day’s special of conch seviche. The burrito, which is a burrito despite internet posts that it is a taco, is substantial and made from freshly grilled Mahi, mango, cilantro, cabbage and a mayonnaise-based Caribbean sauce — you can add fresh jalapeno too if you’d like a little extra kick. Delicious and a good deal at $8. The seviche at $9 was a hefty portion of conch and chopped vegetables served in a clear plastic drinking cup; very spicy (Heidi says it depends on the particular jalapeno, so the heat varies), bracing hit of lime juice and I forgot what else that she says tenderizes the conch. Maybe it was papaya juice. No matter, bottom line, the glass that had been half full of ceviche, was quickly empty.
Other menu items that day were black and blue burgers, angus hot dog and chicken quesadilla. Heidi knows real food, as in foodie-level food, so even if the label is ordinary, I think you can count on it being worth eating.
Garbo’s food talks and it says: a restaurant doesn’t need walls, it doesn’t even need chairs. Wander by hungry for breakfast or lunch. We can’t guarantee the hours and I don’t remember the exact address — do road stands have addresses? In Key West, probably. Oops, just looked it up: 603 Greene Street. The hours? I’m not sure, but it’s often. Check the photo of the posted hours and you’ll know as much as I do.
Extra bonus — if you want to know where else to eat in town, ask Heidi or check out her restaurant reviews. We’ll be posting two reviews of Heidi’s top pick restaurants — they were both superb. Thank you, Heidi!
Captain Jane
S/V Lady Jane
We have finally been able to confirm the Rock Creek soundings reported by Captain Ted Jones below, and many earlier contributors to the Cruisers’ Net. Once deep Rock Creek has shoaled badly, south of the stream’s first turn to the northeast, north of the it’s intersection with the AICW. Favor the eastern banks in order to stay clear of the correctly charted shoal making out from lower Rock Creek’s westerly banks.
ICW mile 515 ~ Rock Creek. The chart shows a narrow creek well protected from the NW by tall trees and deep water (except on the west side at the entrance) for much further than we wanted to go. However, the depth sounder indicated otherwise, and as we were turning around we grounded. It was near low tide, and we were able to back off easily and find deeper water (but nothing like the soundings of 22 feet) closer to the entrance, where we dropped anchor for the night.
Buttoned up to conserve what heat we had left, we heard the sound of an engine nearby, and I stuck my head out of the hatch in time to see a Pearson yawl go steaming by headed for the spot where we grounded. I yelled, but he didn’t hear me. I watched unable to affect the inevitable outcome as I Gotta Go ground to a halt 50 yards astern of us. We talked on VHF, and I told him where the deeper water was. The skipper, who appeared to be along, said he was not concerned as the tide was flooding. Later, we could see that he had gotten off and anchored south of us closer to the ICW where the chart indicated — and we had confirmed — 7.5 feet.
Ted Jones
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Rock Creek Anchorage
Thanks to Captain Ted Guy, we can present below one of the niftiest graphics I’ve seen in quite a while. What this chart shows is the MINIMUM depths cruisers can expect for a particular “Lake Depth.” Of course, they are referring to depths on Lake Okeechobee. With this handy graphic in hand, now you can get the Lake Depth off the ACOE site (http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Divisions/Operations/Branches/Navigation/NavNotices.htm), and then, with a quick look, check to see whether the minimum soundings will keep your craft off the bottom.
Ted/All – The District and the Corps of Engineers have put together a handy dandy depth/vessel draft charts for Lake Okeechobee which can be found on our respective web sites. I have gone ahead and attached them to this e-mail. The District is currently in the process of publishing these charts as a 2-sided handout so they can be handed out at the Okeechobee waterway locks and other locations around the lake.
David
This is the second report, albeit a second hand one, about cruisers possibly being hassled when trying to anchor on the basin in Boca Grande Bayou, just behind the Pink Elephant restaurant. Follow the link below to check out an earlier article.
In mid-January, I had the good fortune to address the Boca Grande Yacht Club at Gasparilla Inn. A good time was had by all, particularly yours truly. I raised the topic of anchorage restrictions in Boca Grand Bayou, and no-one there seemed to know anything about it. One must wonder who is really causing trouble for boaters in Boca Grande??????
Boaters have reported being hassled when anchoring in Boca Grande Bayou. Anyone know which authority has jurisdiction in these waters?
Jo Mogle
Click Here To View An Earlier SSECN Posting About Cruisers’ Anchoring on Boca Grande Bayou
Well, I’m glad to hear that some of my earlier comments inspired Captain Jane to discover more 
healthy eating in Key West, BUT with alcohol also on the premises!
Claiborne “complained” in his introduction to my recent review of the organic health food restaurant “help yourself” that it doesn’t offer Mount Gay Rum…
Well, Claiborne, since you mentioned it…. It just so happens that the human crew of Lady Jane just ate at a Key West health food restaurant where you don’t have to bring your own. The sign in the window says it all: Beer, Vegan, Vegetarian, BBQ Unwing Dings.
How Key West loves internal contradiction! Tawdry bars, fried fish, restaurants with no complete walls and some with none at all… boozing until the wee hours and then somewhere else, not so much in full view are the health food folks, classical music concerts in the Episcopal church and yoga on the beach… We present to you, on the health food side, complete with internal contradiction, The Cafe.
Its specialty? Organic food and organic microbrews and wine. Here you can sin — organically. The perfect place for a mixed marriage — where one partner needs beer and one needs to eat organic and vegan.
Vegan items are clearly marked with asterisks; for those who need animal protein, there is fresh tuna and mussels, and if I’m remembering correctly the specials when I was there included local shrimp. Gorgonzola, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, feta cheddar are among the cheeses that can be added to sandwiches.
If you are vegetarian, or even hardcore vegan, this is a find. The Cafe makes its own seitan (an Asian-style high-protein wheat gluten that is often used as a “mock” meat) and it’s chewy and the best I’ve tasted — it bears no relationship to the packaged kind I’ve bought in supermarkets. The veggie burger is made with legumes, carrots, broccoli, mushroom, scallions and sunflower seeds — this is no skinny pre-packaged Boca Burger. Crisp outside and yummy on garlic Ciabatta bread. Falafel is excellent and the salad elements fresh. The stir fry is huge, especially if you add a protein, the brown rice perfectly done and the peanut sauce we tried was excellent, not too sweet and not overpowering — it had just the right hint of peanut to make it unctuous, not deadly. There are vegetable stir fry dishes, sandwiches, salads, pizzas and a category called “Food Food” that includes BBQ tofu, kung pao tofu, polenta cakes, seared yellowfin tuna, udon bowl, mussels, quiche, lasagna and a pasta of the day.
Everything we tried was first rate, cooked with care and good fresh ingredients. We’ve been here three times and still like it.
The Cafe is located at 509 Southard Street, just off Duval. It is open Monday through Saturday, 11 to 10 PM. http://theCafeKW.com
Captain Jane
S/V Lady Jane
Almost a year ago, Cruisers’ Net designated the Georgia section of the Waterway known as the “Cumberland Dividings,” as an “AICW Problem Stretch.” It is so gratifying to have our advice not only confirmed but heeded by an alert skipper. And thank you, Capt. Shires, for your warning about being glued to the magenta line, either electronic or paper!
January 15, 2011 about mid-tide rising we came through Cumberland Dividings with a 4ft draft, two power boats in front of us had gone aground (with 4.5′ and 3.5′ draft) and a sailboat in front of us (5′ draft went middle of the red and green and lost water, also could not cross over to the green side as he encountered a shoal in the middle. He had to backtrack out and follow us through. We followed the advice on this site and hugged the eastern shore very close to the green markers and the bank and had no problem (we did go right over the charted but non-existant `island’ mentioned here). We did not observe the Red marker `1A’, nor did the sailboat coming behind us see it. We saw no additional floating markers anywhere. Anyone following the chart plotter and trying to avoid hitting the invisible island will end up with no water! Thanks for the great advice!
Capt Ed Shires
aboard IIDolphins
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Section” Listing For the Cumberland Dividings
The Las Olas Marina is one of several maintained by the city of Fort Lauderdale. All the others are found along new River, hard by the downtown section of Fort Lauderdale. The Las Olas facility also has the twin advantages of being directly on the AICW, and within walking distance of the beach.
I don’t normally supply a photograph of laundry machines for a story on a Florida marina, and if you’re not a cruiser and are reading this by accident, you might be thinking — is this what cruising is about? Well, yes, and no. It’s what makes boaters comfortable so that they can fully enjoy their cruising. To me, as a boater, this photograph speaks volumes. It says “respite”, it says “you can get your chores done and it will be a clean experience!” It says: Here’s a marina that cares about its boat-living customers.
View of Las Olas Marina from southern group of slips facing north and the bridge
I’m not sure why we never tried the Las Olas City Marina, but after recently reading veteran cruising writer Tom Neale’s glowing review of the city’s facilities at Las Olas, we decided to give it a try. Well, well, well. This is very different from what we’re used to. At first, as we spied the marina tucked under — literally — the Las Olas draw bridge, I thought, Tom, what were you thinking? But I was wrong and I now get it. This is yet another Florida city marina that shows what good government can and does do while keeping affordable and good facilities available to the transient boating public.
As I just mentioned, this marina oddly occupies both sides of the Las Olas bridge. Yes, that Las Olas, the last and huge opening bridge you encounter southbound that brings you into the heart of Fort Lauderdale. So, before you arrive, find out which side of the bridge your slip will be, North or South. The marina staff is very courteous — they offered us a slip on either side clearly explaining the advantages of each. The North side of the bridge brings you closer to the cruisers lounge and facilities and the South side gets you (a) past the opening bridge and (b) a little further from the bridge noise. One thing to note at the moment is that the pump outs on the South side are broken and there are no immediate plans to replace it.
So what’s it like living under a busy draw bridge? The bridge noise is definitely noticeable — the first night I felt like I was in a Woody Allen movie describing my childhood living under the Elevated train in Brooklyn. After a while, it became white noise. But, a bright side is that being under the bridge, you are in the no-wake zone — so there is surprisingly less wake here than from the apparently more-protected marinas we have stayed in here. Also, odds are a mega yacht will occupy the ICW T-head and lucky you will be protected even more from ICW traffic.
As for “amenities”, the cruisers lounge, laundry, heads and showers are first rate municipal facilities. They are far better than most facilities we have been offered on the ICW and certainly better than facilities we have used in neighboring private marinas in Fort Lauderdale, perhaps these facilities are designed for cruiser-customers and are not what I have experienced as barely sufficient for their purpose after-thoughts constructed for the crew of or day workers servicing a mega yacht. Euphemistically called “Comfort Stations” in Las Olas-speak, these really are.
In sum, Las Olas is an impressive facility and well located. It gets special Captain Jane Gold Kudos for its copious and accessible recycling bins (plastics 1 and 2, cans, bottles and paper!) Thank you, Las Olas for your commitment to recycling and for helping cruisers do their part to reduce our impact on the environment! This is yet another example of a Florida city marina that is in many ways superior to its privately-owned pricey counterparts.
Captain Jane
S/V Lady Jane
Fort Myers City Yacht Basin is, quite simply, one of the best city owned and run marinas in the Southeaster USA. It’s a great place to begin or end your trip on the Okeechobee Waterway, not to mention your exploration of the Western Florida coastline. And, lest we forget, these good folks are a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!!
I’ve been in marinas from the Great Lakes to Venezuela including 3 years at Ft. Myers Yacht Basin. In short, it’s Comfortable, Clean, and Convenient and well staffed with Mgr. Leif and his experienced, extremely helpful crew.
Downtown Ft. Myers has gone through a total renewal and is a fun place to be. This marina just may be one of the shining diamonds of this wonderful city.
Jim, M/V Blue Tang
cruising the Bahamas
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Fort Myers Yacht Basin
Captain Jane’s observations on this anchorage mirror my own experiences. It’s fine if you must anchor near to Hawk Channel, as long as the weather does not get to agitated. Give me a well sheltered Florida Key Anchorage on the inside route very time, but, with the draft of Captain Jane’s vessel, that would be an iffy proposition at best.
Anchored on north side of Rodriguez Key
Sometimes you don’t want to stop and savor the swells of Hawk Channel and just want to get to Marathon — especially if your vessel draws 5 feet or more. With Pennekamp State Park now off limits to boats drawing more than 4 1/2 feet, according to the ranger who answered the phone the two times we have asked, that leaves safe harbors few and far between for many cruising boats.
Rodriguez Key anchorage took good care of us during a small craft advisory one December night. Yes, we rocked enthusiastically when the front came in but we didn’t drag. We chose a spot in the charted anchorage on the island’s north side, close enough to be in her lee. Another vessel was quite a distance north of the island. She was there in the morning in apparently the same position as at sunset.
We experienced excellent holding in 8 1/2 feet of water– winds were gusting at 20. North swells made it not my favorite experience but tolerable. I’ve experienced far less comfortable southern swells at Indian Key and similar conditions at Pumpkin Key. We set two anchors, a Fortress and a plow.
It might have been more comfortable on the south side of the island, where another sailboat anchored that night, but I’m not sure as the swells in Hawk Channel are difficult to hide from. The NOAA predictions had been so wrong that day, it was difficult to know which side to choose.
We met some experienced skippers who use this anchorage every crossing. It certainly makes possible a two-day trip between Dinner Key and Marathon which can be useful in a period of frequent cold fronts when three-day weather windows can be hard to find.
In short, Rodriguez Key is a swell anchorage (pun intended) with excellent holding. The charted shoal on the eastern point appears to be marked by small floats. In a blow, set two anchors and bring plenty of ginger snaps.
Captain Jane
S/V Lady Jane
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Rodriguez Key Anchorage
Those of you who have been following the Cruisers’ Net, know there was an uproar in November of 2010, involving a boarding of a pleasure craft in Volusia County by sheriff’s deputies. Claims were made that the one of the law enforcement officers in question approached the captain below decks with a drawn weapon. That story is linked below, and we will not further comment on it here.
The incident described below is certainly less disturbing than the above referred happening, but it is troublesome nevertheless. All we can do is suggest that all cruisers proceed through Volusia County waters, ready for a boarding anytime, even when your vessel is about to pass under a bridge.
I was boarded by the Volusia County deputies on 10/27 as we were staged with several other boats waiting to go under the New Smyrna bascule bridge. We were dealing with wind and some current, and the deputies boarded us just as the bridge was about to open, so that I had to turn the helm over to my wife who took the boat under the bridge, while I escorted the officers below. I was surprised that they were not considerate enough to wait until we cleared the bridge before they approaced us, and that certainly added to the tenseness of the situation.
I showed the officer my diverter valve which was correctly valved to the holding tank, but cannot be secured because of extremely poor access. The officer agreed that it would be almost impossible to secure the valve with a lock or wire tie, but said that was not his problem. I explained that I had records of having pumped out the previous day and 4 times in the previous four weeks. He issued me a $250 citation.
The officer stated ‘ I spend three months in the spring and three months if the fall doing nothing but stopping boats going north or south’. I concluded that Volusia County is operating a `toilet trap’ that is just like a speed trap, and that their primary interest is to raise revenue rather than to insure the cleanliness of the waters. It seems that this law has given them the perfect tool to generate funds for their raises and toys, while getting to spend their days boating, rather than doing the unpleasant work of serious crime prevention.
My take on the requirement for permission to board is that a boat is just like ones home on land. Boarding the deck is not an invasion of privacy, and if all crew members are on deck, it is not unreasonable to require all to stay on deck until the officer is escourted below.
However, a crew member below could be sleeping, undressed, showering, or adding to the holding tank contents. That person must be allowed to prepare for visitors and then grant permission for entry. If an officer violates this, he is guilty of invasion of privacy and should be subject to disciplinary action or worse.
A written policy should be published for dealing with this, so that all can understand their rights and limitations.
I was able to petition the judge with my pump out records and photos of my diverter valve compartment showing the access problem and the fine was lowered from $250 to $100. I am installing a lock on the compartment door to hopefully achieve compliance with the securing requirement. I must say that this requirement does little to prevent overboard discharge, since the captain and unlock and operate the valve at will (but then logic has never been a requirement for government regulations).
William Lackey
SV Jezabel
And, comments from fellow cruisers on the above incident:
As some folks are FINALLY beginning to realize’¦.
THE LAND OF THE FREE’¦.ISN’T.
William
I hate to sound unsympathetic here because I am not.
The premises and policies behind these laws are often flawed and contain a considerable animus toward toward boaters, especially those who do not vote in Florida and who have a long history of abusing Florida’s welcome both with public nuisance, sewage discharge and attempted tax evasion.
In many cases these local laws are the current cruising community reaping what decades of abuse by the prior community has sewn. These laws (if they should be changed) will not be changed soon. They are constitutional (not talking about anchoring here), they are tested, and they are proportional to the offense. I doubt if they are money raisers given what it costs to police and adjudicate them.
Before we cruise, we spend as much time on the relevant laws of the jurisdictions we are going to transit as we do the charts [well almost].
I would ask, had one been stopped by a highway trooper for improperly towing a dangerous load*, would difficulty in attaching legally required safety chains have been a sufficient defense. I think not.
We have a responsibility to fully honor the spirit, intent, and letter of the laws of those whose commons we share. If we, as a class, continue to seek special dispensation, we may well get it, but it won’t be the kind we were hoping for.
*having been seriously sickened by sewage during a pump out incident, I certainly consider it dangerous
Chris
Click Here To View the Article About An Earlier Volusia County Boarding
I have rechecked my notes as to what depths I discovered when I last sounded Largo Sound. I did indeed record depths as shallow as 4 feet, and as much as 6-feet or slightly less. HAS ANYONE ELSE PICKED UP A MOOING HERE LATELY. What depths did you find? Please click the “Comment on This Posting/Marina/Anchorage/Bridge” link below, and share your information.
Claiborne,
I recently sent an email to you regarding Largo Sound. The park’s dockmaster wouldn’t take a reservation for our 5′ 2’³ draft ‘“ he was adamant that the channel/mooring field only had 4′ 6’³ of water. Your cruising guide states 5’ 6’³ minimums. Have you had any other comments/updates on this issue? I had to continue on to Marathon because of weather/lack of anchorages.
Cheers,
Ty Giesemann
The cruiser who asked about Pennecamp: here is link to a 2010 story about it. They found 6 foot depths.
/john-c-pennekamp-coral-reef-state-park-marina-off-hawk-channel-near-key-largo/
Jane Tigar
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Anchorage Directory Listing For Largo Sound
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of
Comments from Cruisers (4)