Captain Mary Dixon has created a wonderfully useful list of grocery stores available to dinghy access, along the Western Florida Coastline. Click the link below to check out this excellent informational resource:
We have been asked, and will do so, to protect the author of the article below as a “confidential source.” All I will say is that the author is a fellow journalist, and her/his remarks deserve the most serious attention of both the cruising community and Florida governmental authorities.
It’s sentiments like these that are driving people, particularly cruisers, away from the Sunshine State. All of us at the Salty Southeast Cruisers’ continue to be concerned about the reputation that Florida is garnering in the cruising community and beyond. I guess all that any of us can do is to keep fighting the good fight!
For several decades we have worked with the goal of retiring back to our native state of Florida. We have purchased a home in the Sarsota area with plans to move our boat there from the Chesapeake. We have read with some dismay about the mooring fields issue that seems to be pervading the state. But we were shocked to read about the “Lights Out” boarding by a cadre of federal,, state and local law enforcement officials invading the privacy of boaters in the Sarasota area, apparently under the pretense of “Homeland Security.”
What gives them the right to invade someone’s home just because that home floats? Doesn’t the U.S. Constitution forbid entering someone’s private residence without a search warrant? Doesn’t a boat qualify as a private residence? After all, you sleep and eat there.
Didn’t our founding fathers stake their lives and thousands of American military personnel die to fight against such government abuses?
A police officer cannot stop a vehicle at random just because he or she feels like it.
It seems that Florida politicans, and law enforcement agencies, are declaring a defacto war on people who cruise that state’s waterways. Perhaps this needs national attention to let Americans decide what’s really happening to the freedoms boaters once enjoyed.
Name Withheld by Request
Well, I picked up this little item from the T&T (Trawlers and Trawlering) mailing list. CAPTAIN BADHAM’S WORDS SPEAK TO ME LATE IN THE AFTERNOON!!!
I don’t know about you—- but after a few cosmopolitans I start to have serious doubts regarding the ice machine’s ability to keep up. Stand up, and take few steps, and peek in the ice maker you say? Not necessary any more– The Ft. Lauderdale Boat show has a better solution—I saw a large digital display that indicating in real time the amount of ice in the ice maker and alarmed at the 1/4 level. Now I wonder how I ever lived with out such a device.
Why live with doubt any longer?
Edmond Badham
COSMO
Wilmington, NC
Fair warning and a word to the wise! Pungo Ferry lies along the North Landing River, just north of the VA – NC state line.
Cruising News:
A word of warning…yesterday traveling from Norfolk to Coinjock at Pungo Ferry we were stopped by skiff manned by three VA police officers. Our offense? Violation of a no wake zone. We are running a 55 ft. Fleming weighing 70,000 lbs. We had just done a slow pass of a small sailboat. The no-wake sign was buried in a marsh. Our wake was probably 6 inches. We were stopped and detained for about 45 minutes, while they also stopped other boats, mostly sailboats. They were “guilty” of doing about 6 knots…imagine that!! What huge wakes!
Bob Scalia
Came through today (11/2) no one in site. Could this have been a holiday prank?
Ken Christian
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Pungo Ferry
Be sure to follow the link below and read the article which appeared in the “Jacksonville Daily News.” This will clue one and all into why this is an exciting prospect, and how to view the artifacts!
For those of you heading south still – stop in Beaufort, NC and see the artifacts from Blackbeards ship – salvage underway!!! Check out:
http://www.jdnews.com/articles/recover-96613-salvage-aims.html
Frank Erwin
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Beaufort, NC
The “Gulf County Canal,” which intersects the Northern Gulf ICW, lies between Apalachicola and Panama City, leads fortunate cruisers to the waters of St. Joseph Bay, where they will discover SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, Port St. Joe Marina. Sounds like GOOD pizza is available nearby!
We stayed in Port St. Joe last year by boat and we are here with our motorcoach again this year. IF you love pizza, you must go to “Joe Mama’s” and have their wood=fired pizza…..it is amazing! AND please save room for the “Joe’s Pot of Chocolate” dessert….!! Being a TRUE chocoholic it is a MUST! There are other good places to eat, but if you are craving great pizza, this is the place!
Safe travels to you all!
Dorene/Jeff DeVine
“30 Below”
Below you will find a SUPER article authored by our very special Florida Keys correspondent, Captain Charmaine Smith Ladd. This story concerns some recent changes you will need to be aware of if you plan to visit the Dry Tortugas from Key West!
October 29th, 2011
Dry Tortugas – Mooring Balls at RNA & Park Permits Required
by Charmaine Smith Ladd
The Dry Tortugas is so named due to the combination that none of its islands have fresh water, and that there are many differing species of sea turtles found in its gorgeously turquoise waters (including loggerhead, leatherback, green, and hawksbill). Only 70 miles west of Key West, it’s a fabulous passage whether under sail or power. However, just be sure to have an optimal weather window during the time of your trip. Of course, the faster the vessel, the less time needed for this ever prudent caution. If you’d rather not invest the time or travel to sail there on your own, one can always opt to use one of the Dry Tortugas’ Official transportation services out of Key West:
The Dry Tortugas National Park has changed its rules since the last time I visited. Currently:
All vessels (except those in transit merely passing through without stopping) visiting the Dry Tortugas National Park must now have a free-of-charge permit (including kayaks and dinghies). Once there, permits can be obtained a number of ways. 1) Hailing a Park Ranger on VHF channel 16, or 2) appearing in person at the Garden Key Visitor Center [Fort Jefferson] or 3) appearing in person at the Park’s Headquarters Office. Park Rangers will patrol and monitor vessels for permits. If you do not have one, there is no penalty–instead, the Ranger will fill one out for you on the spot. Nice!
Six mooring balls have been installed for use at the Dry Tortugas’ Research Natural Area (RNA). Anchoring is no longer allowed in the RNA area. Those who wish to anchor within the National Park can do so only in sandy bottoms (sea grass is protected) located within one nautical mile of Garden Key Harbor Light.
I have written about the Dry Tortugas for SSECN in the past, but our server didn’t carry many items over when things were recently updated. I’ll be sure to resubmit that article so you can familiarize yourself again with the beauty and tranquility of the Dry Tortugas and its many unique attractions. In the meantime, here are some photos from my last visit there:
Charmaine Smith Ladd (SSECN Special Correspondent for the Florida Keys)
“Bringing you the low down from down low!”
csmithladd@marinersbarr.org or charmaine@septembersea.com
Where is the dry toryugas’ research natural area?
Bill
Below are two follow-up notes from Captain Charmaine:
GPS Coordinates for Moorings at Dry Tortugas:
RNAMB1 (Windjammer) N24°37.413 W082°56.548
RNAMB2 (The Maze) N24°36.600 W082°56.914
RNAB3 (Davis Rock) N24°41.209 W082°54.440
RNAB4 (Texas Rock) N24°40.082 W082°53.125
RNAB5 (Off Ramp) N24°40.156 W082°54.506
LMBSE (Loggerhead SE) N24°37.833 W082°55.187
LMBSW (Loggerhead SW) N24°37.8031 W082°55.546
I believe the Windjammer was the original one and may be reserved for private use. The six that follow are those put in for public use.
Hugs, Charmaine
Remember, this is a National Park. Even though much of it is comprised of being part of the RNA, that simply means it is a no-fishing zone and no-take zone of its natural wildlife and flora. But it IS a `People-Zone’ for others to enjoy it!
Please reference:
http://www.nps.gov/drto/naturescience/upload/What’s%20a%20RNA%20-%20edit%205.pdf
The Research Natural Area is a 46-square-mile area in the northwest portion of the park. It is the area enclosed by connecting with straight lines the coordinates of 82:51:00 W and 24:36:00 N with 82:58:00 W and 24:36:00 N, and with 82:51:00 W and 24:43:32 N. Not included in the RNA is an area one nautical mile in diameter around the Garden Key Light, and the developed areas of Loggerhead Key. Before boating in the park, please key these points into your GPS system.
Charmaine
GPS N24°37.413 W082°56.548 is directly on top of a wreck and the rest of the points are in shallow or near shallow water… Copy and paste to Google maps and take a look.
Titusville City Marina is a very valued SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR. This facility has been working on a new mooring field for sometime now. An earlier article here on the Cruisers’ Net reported the field was nearing completion, but now, IT’S OPEN! This welcome addition will make it even more convenient to visit this charming port of call.
Please note that the Titusville Mooring Field is NOT part of the Florida Pilot Mooring Field Program, so there is no rankling about anchorage regulations on adjacent waters!
Cruising News:
The Titusville Municipal Marina is excited to announce our new MOORING FIELD is
now OPEN.
The mooring field consist of 50 moorings accommodating vessels up to a maximum
of sixty feet. Wet slips, fuel and water are also available.
Daily rate is $15.00 plus 6% sales tax. Rates include: trash removal, use of restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, holding tank pump out, vehicle parking
and dinghy dockage. Please click the link below for additional information.
Moorings will be assigned on a first come first served basis. Boaters wishing
a mooring are asked to contact the Titusville Marina on VHF channel 16 or phone
321-383-5600.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Titusville Municipal Marina
Just in case anyone didn’t think the fall 2011 transient season wasn’t well underway. Take a look at this photo!
Robert of Deep Creek Lock squeezed 18 boats in the lock yesterday – we were like sardines in a can. I found the whole thing quite hilarious!
Arnold Parkinson
By special permission from the author, Captain Bill Bishop, the Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net is proud to present, “The Mourning Field,” one of the wittiest, wry-est (is that a word) articles ever written concerning Florida anchorage regulations and mooring fields. IF YOU HAVE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST INTEREST IN EVER DROPPING YOUR HOOK IN SUNSHINE STATE WATERS, or just want to read very well written prose, follow the link below. YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY!!!
Click Here To Read Captain Bill Bishop’s Article, “The Mourning Field”
Be the first to comment!