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Comments from Cruisers (2) Add Comment

1. Laura -  December 29, 2014 - 9:11 am

   We anchored here last night and it was very nice. It’s a nice deep anchorage and you can get close to mangroves with out being in the backyards of the beautiful homes. No other boats were here, but loads of kayaker and paddle boards during the daytime. Oh and one tourist boat with palm trees on top cruised thru late afternoon. They took our pic, I took their’s too. We dinghied over to concrete bridge (2nd one) which puts you right on St Armands square which had tons of restaurants and shopping. There is a nice beach nearby as well. Great out of the way spot for a night or two.

   Reply to Laura
2. Jean Thomason -  November 30, 2013 - 9:42 am

   The wind in November has forced us to seek some protected anchorages and this is one of them. A distance off the waterway but easy to get to and quite protected from that persistent NE wind.

   Reply to Jean

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1. Cambren Davis -  June 9, 2013 - 6:45 pm

   I love the mooring field, dink over to O’Learys Tiki Bar and walk to Marina Jacks from there. Short walk to downtown and lots to do there. Marina Jacks has the best showers anywhere, if they only had a pool it would be perfect.

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Comments from Cruisers (4) Add Comment

1. Captain K -  April 8, 2014 - 11:20 am

   Near Longboat Key 27 degrees 26′ 12″N, 082 degrees 40′ 48.21″W. Of this two, I’d recommend this more than the other [Big McPherson Bayou] as there are restaurants, bars and a great beach for walking nearby. Good holding in sand with about 8′ at low tide. Watch for the tidal flow as it can get quirky with the change of tide.
   Captain K

   Reply to Captain
2. Paul and Marr -  December 29, 2009 - 2:20 pm

   It’s been a couple of years since we’ve anchored in the waters adjacent to Mar Vista and Moore’s Stone Crab Restaurant. Same beautiful water, scenery, and protection … a wonderful waveless anchorage even in 20 knots of breeze. Still the same anchoring issues with the relatively deep bowl, numerous boats, and current … nothing that two anchors does not solve. Two items of note. There is a town ordinance now that prohibits tying off to the town dock … very convenient in the past. There is a small beach some 30 yds south of the town dock where dinks can be put ashore but it was convenient in the past not to get your shoes wet when going ashore (temps are in the 50’s today giving special meaning to “convenient”). A second item is that the upscale grocery that was within easy dinghy or walking distance is now permanently closed … a liquor store has replaced it … less useful for those looking to do a little restocking.
   Enjoy!
   Paul and Mary
   S/V Merry Sea

   Reply to Paul
3. Claiborne -  August 28, 2009 - 9:13 am

   Subject: Longboat Key Anchorage
   Message: My copy of your book is in the hoist out back, so I don’t know if you warn of the risk of anchor dragging in high wind conditions – even for us seasoned boaters. If not, please do. The villian is the shape of the bottom – sort of like a bowl.
   Bill Cromer

   Subject: #42 re: Jewfish Key anchorage
   Message: This is one of our favorite anchorages. We were there for two nights October 14-15, 2008 and again for one night on 10/20. The wind was strong out
   of the east and we were concerned that holding would be a problem, but we did not have a problem at all. There is a place to come ashore with a dinghy at a
   public boat ramp next to the Mar-Vista Restaurant. Also, there is a trash receptable which is always a plus for cruisers. We had nice dinner at Mar-Vista. Moore’s Crab House appeared to be open but didn’t have an occasion to dine there on this trip. We were sad that the little grocery store nearby had closed. Local law enforcement was friendly and waved as they went by. A great anchorage! Steve and Regina Smith, M/V Island Time
   Steve and Regina Smith

   The best entrance to these anchorages is quite close to Jewfish Key. I did quite a bit of sounding (in the dinghy) and discovered that the best water is almost up to marker 40. I found the deep channel (16 to 18 feet) extends to within about 50 feet of the south side of the island. The southern half of the potential entrance space between marker 39 and marker 40 is shallow and should be avoided.
   Best regards,
   Gene and Sue Fuller
   Punta Gorda, Florida

   Reply to Claiborne
4. Claiborne -  August 27, 2009 - 11:23 am

   Claiborne,
   First, let me say that I am a huge fan of your books. I discovered them quite by accident years ago when I found your North Carolina cruising guide on board a used boat we purchased. We utilized the guide on our first trip down the ICW to Florida in 1999. I found the guide so helpful that we stopped to purchase the books covering Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. I’ve been hooked ever since and recently purchased the latest additions, visit your web site, and subscribe to your email updates.
   This past week the Western Florida Guide was invaluable in finding a protected anchorage to wait out the big blow that passed through. We were headed to Progressive Marine in St. Petersburg for a haulout and bottom job (another tidbit we got from your guide). We got a late start from our home in Punta Gorda Isles and knew we’d have to lay over a day or two until the front passed and the winds subsided before crossing Tampa Bay. Your guide recommended the Jewfish Key anchorage at ICW mile 85. We anchored our 48′ trawler securely for two days with plenty of swinging room.
   Thanks for all you do for the boating community. I look forward to seeing you at the Punta Gorda MTOA rendezvous in April.
   Susan Parker

   Reply to Claiborne

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Comments from Cruisers (4) Add Comment

1. John -  March 1, 2017 - 10:09 am

   Very nice anchorage – we spent 3 days here late February 2017. When we were here the water due SW of Jewfish Key was not as deep as depicted on the charts so head WNW immediately after clearing the southern tip of Jewfish. We enjoyed good Italian food at the Bayou Tavern, a short walk from the beach in the anchorage.

   Reply to John
2. Captain K -  April 8, 2014 - 11:19 am

   Near Longboat Key 27 degrees 26′ 12″N, 082 degrees 40′ 48.21″W. Of this two, I’d recommend this more than the other [Big McPherson Bayou] as there are restaurants, bars and a great beach for walking nearby. Good holding in sand with about 8′ at low tide. Watch for the tidal flow as it can get quirky with the change of tide.
   Captain K

   Reply to Captain
3. Claiborne -  August 28, 2009 - 9:14 am

   Subject: Longboat Key Anchorage
   Message: My copy of your book is in the hoist out back, so I don’t know if you warn of the risk of anchor dragging in high wind conditions – even for us seasoned boaters. If not, please do. The villian is the shape of the bottom – sort of like a bowl.
   Bill Cromer

   Subject: #42 re: Jewfish Key anchorage
   Message: This is one of our favorite anchorages. We were there for two nights October 14-15, 2008 and again for one night on 10/20. The wind was strong out
   of the east and we were concerned that holding would be a problem, but we did not have a problem at all. There is a place to come ashore with a dinghy at a
   public boat ramp next to the Mar-Vista Restaurant. Also, there is a trash receptable which is always a plus for cruisers. We had nice dinner at Mar-Vista. Moore’s Crab House appeared to be open but didn’t have an occasion to dine there on this trip. We were sad that the little grocery store nearby had closed. Local law enforcement was friendly and waved as they went by. A great anchorage! Steve and Regina Smith, M/V Island Time
   Steve and Regina Smith

   The best entrance to these anchorages is quite close to Jewfish Key. I did quite a bit of sounding (in the dinghy) and discovered that the best water is almost up to marker 40. I found the deep channel (16 to 18 feet) extends to within about 50 feet of the south side of the island. The southern half of the potential entrance space between marker 39 and marker 40 is shallow and should be avoided.
   Best regards,
   Gene and Sue Fuller
   Punta Gorda, Florida

   Reply to Claiborne
4. Claiborne -  August 27, 2009 - 11:24 am

   Claiborne,
   First, let me say that I am a huge fan of your books. I discovered them quite by accident years ago when I found your North Carolina cruising guide on board a used boat we purchased. We utilized the guide on our first trip down the ICW to Florida in 1999. I found the guide so helpful that we stopped to purchase the books covering Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. I’ve been hooked ever since and recently purchased the latest additions, visit your web site, and subscribe to your email updates.
   This past week the Western Florida Guide was invaluable in finding a protected anchorage to wait out the big blow that passed through. We were headed to Progressive Marine in St. Petersburg for a haulout and bottom job (another tidbit we got from your guide). We got a late start from our home in Punta Gorda Isles and knew we’d have to lay over a day or two until the front passed and the winds subsided before crossing Tampa Bay. Your guide recommended the Jewfish Key anchorage at ICW mile 85. We anchored our 48′ trawler securely for two days with plenty of swinging room.
   Thanks for all you do for the boating community. I look forward to seeing you at the Punta Gorda MTOA rendezvous in April.
   Susan Parker

   Reply to Claiborne

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Comments from Cruisers (5) Add Comment

1. Blake Whitney -  April 4, 2013 - 1:27 pm

   As a local, I regularly traverse this section of the ICW heading to/from Tampa Bay or the Manatee River. Seems that after the creation of the Marina Jack mooring field, some members of that “Floating Junk Flotilla” moved North. Cortez folks may be more tolerant, probably not over time.
   Blake Whitney

   Reply to Blake
2. Brad -  January 11, 2013 - 6:41 pm

   I am writing this as I am anchored here today (the first time in four years). I have always found this to be a great anchorage due to the fact that it has just about everything for onshore that a cruising sailor would want. A beach, a fair number of good places to eat and drink, a free trolley to take you up and down the beach to get to West Marine and the grocery stores and other places to eat and drink (circle K convenience store is just a block away).
   I have never had a problem navigating the pier entrance (draw 4 feet) but the first time I grounded when I tried to enter the anchorage directly off the ICW and hit the shoal. So go in as directed.
   There are still some derelict boats, one is sunk. It is somewhat noisy mostly from the road traffic going over the bridge or pier fisherman. The anchorage is shallow and the charts do a fairly accurate job of showing the depth. Holding is mud and I have dragged a little bit is a 20 knot blow. As for the the winds out of the south east, this is a lot better than jewfish key anchorage. However, any winds coming from the south or northeast, above 20 knots, I would find another anchorage.
   For the politics here, I had a conversation with a local town rep and they said the problem was not the cruising sailors, it was some of the local anchored live aboards that were creating some police issues and had some assorted conflicts amongst each other as well as some theft. The town was trying reduce those issues by putting in a mooring field…. . However, the town cannot do it as this is part of the ICW.
   As far as I am concerned, people need a place to live and in this economy, this offers an economic refuge in relative paradise. But, people have to be responsible for their selves and their assets and respectful of others and the environment too. Unfortunately, because some people do not follow this, that cruisers and local live aboards suffer from this tide of regulation.
   Brad

   Reply to Brad
3. Frank Cushing -  June 5, 2012 - 1:55 pm

   Thank you for the info. Last time we came through we anchored on the East side of the ICW because we could not figure out how to get into the anchorage. We anchored without problem in about 10 feet of water. The ride to the dinghy dock was a little long and there were boat wakes to crash through. BB was a great place to visit and would gladly paid a fee for the shower and/or dinghy dock but free was good.
   Frank Cushing

   Reply to Frank
4. Morgan R -  May 28, 2012 - 2:00 pm

   I respectfully disagree with this assessment of Bradenton Beach. I kept two boats there for the better part of a year…the first a 24-foot sloop…then a 29-footer…A friend of mine protested the 15 dollar/year fee for using the mooring field.The mooring field was illegal but I think that the reason he fought it is the slow erosion of rights and I am glad now that he did. They backed down on advice from their lawyer and I think that even though 15 dollars/year for showers and dinghy dock is a small price to pay for a decent facility with access to free trolley up and down the whole island…I think that the costs would slowly have risen over time and a bad precedent set. Having said all that…I DO NOT think that they hate boaters and liveaboards here…especially now that some of the riff raff has cleared out. The depths are overall poor for bigger boats…the approach in front of the fishing pier is a sad joke…but there is a back door further south beyond the sand shoals you can come in from if you keep going south after coming thru the bridge from the north about 3/4 mile and then come back in…at a NW angle…All in all…this is a decent area to keep your boat for awhile…amenity-speaking…but not for more than a few months IMHO…
   BTW..in case it wasn’t clear..it was BB city comission that backed down…on advice of their attorney and they dropped the $15/YEAR sticker fee…
   Morgan R

   Reply to Morgan
5. W.W. -  May 28, 2012 - 11:03 am

   Bradenton Beach anchorage update: As of 5/12, the city has made no further blatant efforts to harass boaters. As a member of the “Mooring Committee” I can say that the city has no interest in really developing a boater friendly community.
   Still, I recommend to everyone that, rather than avoid areas of “conflict ie. St Pete, St. Augustine, etc., they use these areas and RESIST (nicely, of course) the erosion of navigation rights.
   As for the notion of the city “noticing the reduction of boating visitors and responding accordingly”, the city of B.B. would be quite happy if no one EVER anchored a boat in “their” waters.
   W.W.

   Reply to W.W.