Flamingo is the southernmost port of call on the Western Florida mainland coastline. Prior to the 2005 hurricane season, it was a reasonably good port of call, even if depths crept up to 4 1/2 to 5 feet at low tide. Then, one of the hurricanes (Wilma, I think) washed tons and tons of sand and mud into the harbor and entrance channel. The marina was completely closed for a long time. It finally reopened and the Everglades National Park (of which Flamingo is a part) dredged, but ONLY to about 3 to 31/2 feet at low water in the entrance channel.
Captains Charlotte and Dennis' report below gives a good picture of what's to be currently found at Flamingo. I do NOT suggest using this port if your draft exceeds 3 1/2 feet! Even then, proceed with the greatest caution!

Subject: Flamingo News
Cruising News: We visited Flamingo in March,2009.  The Park said the channel was dredged, but it must have been minimal as we found no difference from the soundings that we took earlier in the entrance – see our entry below.  Basically in the vicinity of the red nun where you turn right, favor the green side.  Inside the marina basin with our 3.5 ft draft we never touched bottom – we did not take soundings there.  The floating docks are in fine shape.  Some do not have electricity.  Fresh water was fine.
In 2007 we sounded the entrance to Flamingo in canoe with depth sounder  and found that the shallowest area was near floating red mark 14.  If you favor the green (west) side of the channel in this location, the shallowest depth was 3.8 feet corrected for mlw.  We have found similar depths in both 2008 and 2009 (2009 = 4.1 ft corrected for mlw on green side of channel in vicinity of red 14).  The rest of the channel was deeper.  We draw 3.5 ft.  March 2009 the marina at Flamingo said the channel had been dredged but we found it about the same as previous years, although it may be deeper in the actual marina entrance at the end of the channel, where we have always found good water.
This past March, the old concessionaire – Xanterra – had just left the Park and a new one had just taken over.  The motel, condemned after one of the recent hurricanes, was being torn down and the Ranger's station displayed plans for a new hotel, restaurant, pool, new bicycle paths AND a tram that would take you anywhere in the Park from the Flamingo area!!!!  they did not speak specifically about plans for upgrading the marina but you would assume that would occur.  The existing ranger station and attached restaurant building are historical structures and will continue to be used – although the restaurant is closed.
The Ranger activities are still in operation as is the general store which sells gas and diesel and light provisions (for a day of fishing and for the campers and RVers who are "pitched" nearby).  Many small flats boats haul in and out.  There is a back country tour boat and a new boat that goes out into the Bay – the old one having been destroyed by a hurricane.
For Friends of Ivan, the wonderful waiter from the old restaurant, who may be wondering how he is doing –  He left with Xanterra and is now in Death Valley, working in the restaurant.  We do miss him as he lived in Flamingo year round for many  years – an unbelievable achievement in itself.  He was well-loved by those who got to know him.
We have enjoyed ourselves in the past in Flamingo and anxiously await its refurbishing.  When the hotel facilities reopen, I suspect the place will once again be atwitter with serious bird watchers and other nature lovers.  If you take the time to look, Flamingo and the Park have some wonderful nature – to spy on both on bicycle and a-paddling.
The winter months are the best for Flamingo.  The spring (now) the park is overwhelmed by mosqitoes (this winter with little rain we did not suffer 1 bite!).  You must walk in full sun and stay off grass this time of year – a real hardship in the hot sun!
Hope you give Flamingo a try in the future.  You can call them for an update or try the Everglades National Park web site.
Happy exploring!
Charlotte Posey

The message below, which was copied by permission from the MTOA List-Serv, is one of the best adventure stories we’ve ever had here on the Cruisers’ Net. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend Ben and Barbar’s cruise to anyone, except small boat operators, but, boy, wish I could have been along!
Little Shark River is the first practical stopping point for cruising sized craft north of Cape Sable. The river features many wonderful anchorages, and there’s little in the way of depth problems.
HOWEVER, farther to the east, lies a marked track (which continues from Little Shark River) known as the Wilderness Waterway. This SHALLOW passage was put together by the Everglades National Park, and is meant to facillitate exploration of the Everglades BY BOATS 18 FEET AND SMALLER!
As you will see, Ben and Barbara did not realize that upstream of markers #69 and #70, they actually left Little Shark River, and southeast of #59, they started getting into some really shallow water. I suspect their 36-foot trawler may be the largest vessel to EVER cruise the Wilderness Wateray.
So, to be repetitive, enjoy reading about Ben and Barbara’s excellent adventure below, but leave cruising the Wilderness Waterway to small, outboard type powercraft! On the other hand, don’t hesitate to anchor on Little Shark River (WEST of the Wilderness Waterway). If the bugs arent’ out too badly, this stream can make for memorable overnight stops!

We left Marathon early Monday morning (April 6th) There was a pretty heavy storm forecast for Tuesday and we wanted to get as far up the west coast as possible. We had decided we would go to the Little Shark River (part of the 10,000 Islands of the Everglades). If the weather seemed bad we could duck in there and wait it out. Sooooo, away we went and got to the Little Shark River and sure enough it was beginning to get rough out in the Gulf.
We started up the river and there were already several other boats anchored within a mile of the mouth. The river was beautiful and we decided we would keep going and see as much of it as we could. We did not have any charts for this area, but the channel markers were well placed and so we just followed them. After several miles the “river” opened up into quite large bodies of water. These were as much as a mile across…again they were well marked. We continued and all the time we were watching our depth finder. Two Cats Too draws 3.5 ft. of water. Several times our depth finder showed 2.5 and even – – – (you know what that means!). However, we were not touching bottom. The water was pretty choppy, so we decided that was the reason we were not “bottoming out”.? After several hours when we got to channel marker “1” (we were one mile from Flamingo)? we ran out of water! Let me add that there were fishermen EVERYWHERE! At this point it was getting late so we found a place to anchor at channel marker “3”. There is a river right at marker “3” and we went up the river a few hundred feet and got a good set on the anchor. Both Ben and I have grown up around the Everglades, but have never seen this part of it. We are used to “rivers of grass” and small hammocks. This was mangrove forest so thick you could only see a few feet into them and they are over 50 ft. tall. There was NO artificial light and the night was the darkest dark I have ever seen. The silence was eerie and the occasional “hoot” and “growl” only added to the mysterious feeling. Several big splashes in the water sure got our attention! The next morning, thinking we were absolutely in the “middle of nowhere”, we were awakened by a large barge full of tourist (out of Flamingo) passing us and all of the people were hanging over the rail looking at the “funny creatures” on the yellow boat! We back tracked, several miles and it took a few hours, to get to the mouth of the river and spent the night.
We did [eventually, in Marco Island] find out you are supposed to get a permit to stay overnight in the Everglades. We did not know this, so we did “register” with the ranger by telephone. In talking with the ranger he said they really recommend that only boats 18 ft. or less do the inner islands of 10,000 Islands. Some of the time we had cell service, but most of the time we did not. When we were near Flamingo we did, but away from Flamingo we did not. Are we glad we did the Little Shark River…YES! Would we do it again…NO! Much too shallow for a trawler. We were very lucky we did not end up “high and dry”! Anyway, the first few miles are fine and are really the prettiest part of the river.
Ben and Barbara Falmlen
Two Cats Too

Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Geographic Sub-category That Shows All Little Shark River Anchorages