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    • Jan 15, 2011by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      More Groundings on the AICW’s Run Through The Cumberland Dividings (Statute Mile 704)

      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

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To An “Alert Position” in the AICW/Cumberland Dividings

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    • Jan 9, 2011by:   Claiborne Young 1 Comment

      Fort Lauderdale Municipal Marina at the Las Olas Bridge – Captain Jane Reports (Statute Mile 1064)


      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

      Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For the Fort Lauderdale Municipal Marina at the Las Olas Bridge

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Fort Lauderdale Municipal Marina at the Las Olas Bridge

      Comments from Cruisers (1)

    • Dec 30, 2010by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      Good Times at Fort Myers Yacht Basin (Okeechobee Waterway – Caloosahatchee River)

      Located at Mile Marker 135 on the Okeechobee Waterway, 15 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico, Fort Myers Yacht Basin is a well designed and protected marina. It is owned and operated by the City of 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 View the Cruisers’ Net’s Western Florida Marina Directory Listing For Fort Myers Yacht Basin

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Fort Myers Yacht Basin

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    • Dec 27, 2010by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      Rodriguez Key Anchorage (Hawk Channel – Key Largo)

      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 View the Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Anchorage Directory Listing For Rodriguez Key Anchorage

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Rodriguez Key Anchorage

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    • Dec 18, 2010by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      Another Volusia County Boarding Incident (near St. M. 846.5)

      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

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    • Dec 9, 2010by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      Depths in Largo Sound Mooring Field??? (Key Largo, off Hawk Channel)

      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

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    • Dec 7, 2010by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      Trouble May Be Brewing in the Boca Grande – Gasparilla Island Basin Anchorage (Western Florida ICW, Statute Mile 28.5)

      OK, the little note below heralds some real, POTENTIAL trouble!
      Let’s first acknowledge that a collection of semi-permanently anchored vessels in Boca Grande Bayou are a REAL problem, not only for island residents, but also for legitimate cruisers who find much of the space in this wonderfully sheltered anchorage occupied by these, as I call them, “live aboard hulks.” For several years, I’ve been encouraging the local authorities in Boca Grande to solve this problem by enforcing existing MSD regulations and marina salvage laws.
      Now, it sounds from the short note below as if something Draconian MAY be in the works, which will prohibit anchorage by all vessels in the basin anchorage. And, if I may be allowed an editorial comment here, the local lawyers can say they are “finished with the paperword,” but I can tell you unquestionably from my own involvement with the Florida anchoring rights struggle, if Boca Grande attempts to prohibit all anchorage in Boca Grande Bayou, or even put a time limit on such anchorage, they will be in clear violation of Florida state law!
      Stay tuned, we are trying to get more clarification in this situation.

      Subject: Boca Grande Bayou
      Cruising News:
      I just received this from a friend of mine.
      Frank and Chuck,

      We just spent several nice days at the Boca Bayou. But Saturday afternoon we were in the dinghy when the sheriff’s deputy came motoring in. He called to us and asked if we were from the sailboats. When we said yes, he responded that they were coming to give trespassing tickets “soon”. We had to ask for more info. He said that the lawyers had finally finished with all the paperwork and were now ready to issue tickets as all the land belongs to the Gasparilla Inn. He said the marine patrol and the FWC would be out to give the tickets. We asked what he meant by “soon” and he said, “not today”.

      And, we have received the following comment from Captain Chuck Baier, editor of the “Waterway Guide.” Chuck is quite right in what he says, IF AND ONLY IF Gasparilla Inn actually owns or leases the bottom land in the “basin anchorage.”

      Claiborne, You comments about Gasparilla being in violation of Florida law, may or may not be correct. As a former marina manager in south Florida, I know that there are certain situations where an individual or commercial entity holds title to a part of the waterway including the bay bottom. This is identical to holding a deed for a piece of land. If Gasparilla Inn does indeed hold title to the bay bottom, they can restrict use of the area and someone anchoring can be charged with trespassing. There is a formal procedure in Florida for issuing a trespass citation. Perhaps the authorities are trying to sort out the actual title to the bay bottom, and perhaps it is a bluff to keep folks moving. I suppose time will tell.
      Chuck

      Captain Nicole’s remarks below mirror my own view almost exactly on the basin/Boca Grande Bayou anchorage. It would be a crime if cruising vessels were barred from anchoring on these waters, AND there is indeed a problem in this basin with derelicts and “live aboard hulks.” Once again, local authorities should use MSD regulations and marine salvage laws to solve this latter problem!

      As someone who anchored here twice north and south bound, this would be a sad anchorage to lose as it is so protected and in a really lovely town. I can tell you from experience there that I know of at least one boat where the owner moved back to California and pretty much abandoned his vessel anchored there. We know that just from the 3 days we spent there and based on the state of disrepair of some of the other vessels, I would guess that their owners are not returning anytime soon.
      Nicole

      And, more from Captain Chuck at Waterway Guide:

      Just more hijinks in Florida. I know that some homeowners in Boot Key Harbor found out their deeds included the bay bottom in front of their homes and began calling the Sheriff whenever someone anchored there. The Sheriff made the boater move but could not write a citation or do anything official unless they refused to move. The area must be posted with a no trespassing sign for the Sheriff to act or write a citation. A little hard to do on the water although not impossible. It may be that new owners of the Inn or someone searched the title and found they own the bay bottom. Or as I said, it may be a ruse to keep any other boats out long term. I managed Bonefish Marina in Marathon, and we owned the entire basin including the bay bottom. The slips are condo and when you buy one you get a deeded piece of property, even though it is under water. It will be interesting to see how it turns out. Florida is always a fun place.
      Chuck Baier,
      General Manager
      www.waterwayguide.com
      www.skipperbob.net

      I’m not a lawyer. But, my admittedly limited understanding is that there are two types of submerged lands in Florida ‘“ Privately Owned, and State Owned. Originally, all was State Owned ‘“ but provisions were made to grant title to private entities at some point. However, my understanding is that any conveyance of submerged lands that are under navigable water to a private party includes provisions for public access and use for navigation and commerce. Anchoring is part of `navigation’. In other words, there should be language in the privately held title that states use of the overlying waters by the public can not be forbidden. Therefore, it would seem a private owner of submerged lands would not be able to preclude navigation ‘“ and navigation necessarily includes anchoring. Regardless, Florida sure is an interesting place to live! I hope someone gets lawyered-up and challenges this.
      Tom Scott, Punta Gorda FL.

      Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Western Florida Anchorage Directory Listing For the Boca Grande ‘“ Gasparilla Island Basin Anchorage

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Boca Grande ‘“ Gasparilla Island Basin Anchorage

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    • Dec 7, 2010by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      New Matlacha Bridge Schedule (Western Florida, near Pine Island Sound)

      Matlache Channel runs between the western Florida mainland and Pine Island, just north of the “Miserable Mile,” the Caloosahatchee River and Fort Myers. The southern half of this passage is winding and shallow, but quite a few cruisers do enter the far deeper northern and cruise as far south as the Matlacha Bridge, with a few anchoring just south of this span.
      While the note below is a bit cryptic in regards to the politics of what is going on here, it looks like the county is now managing this span, and has come to some sort of compromise opening schedule, balancing landside and waterborne interests.
      ALL cruisers who plan to navigate even a portion of the Matlacha channel need to carefully record the opening times outlined below.

      Cruising News:
      Here is what we plan to do for the bridge opening hours. We will start this Dec. 1, 2010. Basically we will man the bridge during USCG hours and then on demand, on the hour only, in between (11 AM, noon, 1 PM and 2 PM), except we will cover the extended hours on the weekend and the day before and after, as follows:
      Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
      8 AM to 10 AM ‘“ bridge will open on demand
      10 AM to 3 PM ‘“ bridge will open, only on the hour, on demand
      3 PM to 7 PM ‘“ bridge will open on demand
      ————————————
      Friday, Saturday & Monday
      8 AM to 7 PM ‘“ bridge will open on demand (as it was pre-construction)
      ———————————–
      Sunday
      7 AM to 7 PM ‘“ bridge will open on demand (as it was pre-construction)
      ———————————-
      Also, if there is some special event, with multiple vessels, and the bridge needs to open at some time other than on the hour (this is for Tuesday thru Thursday, 10 AM to 3 PM only) we just need to be provided 24 hour notice, which can be done by calling 239-533-8573. This number will be forwarded to one of us at all times, and we will cover whatever the special arrangements need to be.
      Hopefully this will pacify everyone’s needs. I realize that everyone may not be totally satisfied, but I hope we are close. Just as an FYI, providing this service will cost the County approximately $50,000 over the original bid price. So everybody has had to comprise somewhat.
      Frank Cushing

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of The Matlacha Bridge

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    • Dec 6, 2010by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      St. Augustine’s New Recession-Friendly ($10 and under!) and First Rate Greek Restaurant “Gyro House” (St. M. 778)

      Wow, sounds like our fearless, roving reporter, Captain Jane Tigar, has come up with a real cuisine find in St. Augustine. See you at the Gyro House!!!

      Unless you are an aficionado of “hole in the wall” restaurants, don’t let this unassuming-looking little storefront style restaurant fool you. Gyro House of St. Augustine offers truly fine and truly home-made authentic Greek and Middle Eastern food — with a touch of Sicilian thrown in.
      It’s hard not to make a fuss over the reasonable prices, but please trust us on this — this is great food at any price. This is artisanal real food made by someone who knows food and cares about feeding you well.
      Gyro House’s short yet varied menu offers the best gyro (bearing no resemblance to the ubiquitous salty mystery meat that goes by the same name) we have ever tasted. Actually, everything we tried was the best version we’d ever tasted.
      Almost everything is house-made and the short yet varied menu of this little restaurant reveals the owner’s and his wife’s combined ethnic heritages — Greek, Middle Eastern and Sicilian. Adam, the half-Greek and half-Jordanian owner, says the Gyro is the crown jewel of his sandwiches. He chops, spices and compresses the gyro meat on premises before cooking it on the rotisserie. Grape leaves are also house-made using Jasmine rice from Egypt — I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a fresher or more tender stuffed grape leaf, ever.
      The falafel — this ranks right up there with the falafel on the Rue des Rosiers in Paris. That’s not some kind of inside joke, until this week, that was our favorite falafel on the planet. Fresh, full of cumin (I love that spice!), not over-cooked, perfect balance of crunchy outside and tender inside. Kibbee — pine nuts and I frankly don’t remember what else, but again, best version I’ve ever had. The tortellini feature a Sicilian pesto; the pita mini-pizzas feature a Genovese pesto. The other sandwich offerings include Chicken Shawarma, Chicken Caesar and Mediterranean Veggie.
      Sandwiches are $6.99 and for $9.99 you can upgrade to a platter with a choice of two sides including tortellini, jasmine rice, kibbee, falafel, olives from Jerusalem, spanakopita, house-marinated artichokes. There are also salads, including Greek Salad, Tomato Salad with mozzarella pearls and basil, Caesar Salad and Tortellini Salad at $4.99 for a small and $6.99 for large. If the salad that was tucked in our gyros is any indication — fresh, crisp romaine, shaved onion and fresh chopped parsley — then the salads will be excellent, too.
      We were too full for dessert but reports are that the home-made baklava is, yes, you guessed it, the best ever. Based on the other offerings, I’m willing to bet it’s true.
      If you’re lucky, you will happen upon Gyro House just when you’re running out of olive oil on board. Organic olive oil from Genoa is for sale by the liter for $20.
      Gyro House is a moderate-to-short walk from the St. Augustine Municipal Marina, located at 210 St. George Street; that’s on the left side of the central park (facing in-land). Hours are 11 AM to 7 PM, 7 days a week, except major holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
      Captain Jane
      S/V Lady Jane

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of The St. Augustine Downtown Waterfront

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    • Dec 6, 2010by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      Good Anchorage at LaBelle (Okeechobee Waterway, near St. M. 103)

      We’ve never tried to anchor in front to the LaBelle City Dock, and Captain Laura’s note is the first indication that I remember that you can not tie up to this pier overnight. So, if you want to visit the delightful town of LaBelle, and overnight there, it looks like dropping the hook may be the best way to go!

      Subject: LaBelle, FL
      Cruising News:
      There’s a delightful anchorage in front of LaBelle City Park just west of the Hwys 78/29 bridge–good holding and very quiet. The city docks have a 15′ limit and no overnights. Adjacent is an aluminum dock with very small slips. If you need to take a puppy to shore, either dock would suffice for a dink tie. We found nothing else so this was a great only choice.
      Laura Lane Bender

      I e-mailed Captain Laura and asked if she was sure there was no more overnight dockage at the LaBelle City Dock. Yes, she’s sure! Read on:

      Yes. 15 minute limit! That’s hardly long enuff to walk a dawg!!! The other dock about 100 yds down is apparently also public but they made little bitty slips so they’re pretty useless. There were 6 of us anchored there and it was great. Moore Haven was also another boater unfriendly place where we thought we could tie up so called phone # and who ever answered said she had no idea what it cost. Could be $1. Could be $2. Someone would appear the next morn to collect. Asked who I could call for info and she was clueless. This was on a weekend. For no amenities wasn’t willing to risk $2. That could be a significant shock!
      Laura

      Here’s some differing information:

      I believe the limitations on size of vessel and time at the dock apply only to the park facilities on the north side of the waterway. The free town dock on the south side, with water and electric, can accommodate larger boats moored stern-to. Overnight docking has always been allowed there, and as far as I know that hasn’t changed. I didn’t tie up there this year because the dock was full, so I anchored off the park along the north side. As Laura said, it’s a very nice, quiet place with good holding.
      Peter Colket

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of LaBelle on the Okeechobee Waterway

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