Stopover in Shell Key Anchorage and Mooring Field, off Florida Bay, Statute Mile 1161

Shell Key Anchorage and Mooring Field is a series of 5 five mooring buoys off the Shell Key’s northwesterly shoreline, maintained by the State of Florida. Florida Keys Inside Route passes through Steamboat Channel, which divides Shell Key Bank.

Steamboat Channel and Shell Key
From Plantation Key we headed towards Steamboat Channel. Prior to the Steamboat Channel, there was some sailor angst about shallow water at low tide even on the ICW Magenta line, but we never touched bottom. Steamboat Channel had adequate depth and we went through without any problems. Spent overnight on the northwest side of Shell Key. Good holding with a Delta plow anchor. There was only one mooring ball visualized and of course taken by late afternoon.

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Western Florida Anchorage Directory Listing For Shell Key Anchorage

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