Marina Del Mar Resort and Marina lies along the south side of the Port Largo canal, just to the west of Key Largo Harbour Marina.

On Monday, July 12th, we headed southwest between the reef and the island chain on Hawks Channel. One of our favorite marinas is Marina Del Mar in Key Largo. It is pricey at $3.00 a foot. However, we like the resort feel and opted to pay the price. We were going to continue on to Duck Key and Hawks Cay Resort, but after doing the turtle speed this far, we decided to just stay put and spend 3 nights at this marina. The dockmaster, Candi, is a knowledgeable and helpful host. If you do not want to pay resort prices, you can always anchor to the south on the lee of Rodriquez Key.
As you enter Port Largo Canal follow the red channel markers. It is very shallow (hitting 3-feet at low tide). Make sure to do a security call on channel-16 as you enter the canal and again as you approach the 45-degree turn known as crash corner. There are some large commercial vessels who call this canal home. So the security call is a must for safe passage. The three hotels at the end of the canal (Marina Del Mar, Holiday Inn, and Ramada) are owned by the same group, so marina guests can use facilities at any of the hotels. We like the pool and Jacuzzi at Marina Del Mar (just steps from our slip). The restroom and laundry facilities are clean and well maintained. As a marina guest, you can partake of the resort’s complimentary continental breakfast.
There are lots of dive shops to service your needs both on the canal and just steps away on US-1. A Dollar Store and a Service Station are just outside of the marina for small grocery purchases. A real grocery store is further away and would require a cab on a bicycle. Key Largo is the closest of the Keys to the mainland and has numerous mobile mechanical services available.
There was a small but gregarious live aboard community at this marina. They said we could have bargained for a lower slip rate. I find it hard to believe. Unlike Pier 66 there were very few open slips. Just a few steps down the dock is Ocean Divers. They run two dive boats from there. They have a full-service dive shop. They have the least expensive fuel we saw anywhere. Right next to Ocean Divers is a local hangout called Sharkeys. Their happy hour is great fun. Coconuts is a fun bar and restaurant with good food right next to the Marina pool.
Jeff and Michele Prahm

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Florida Keys Marina Directory Listing For Marina Del Mar