Sunset Lake Anchorage: Just Avoid the Nut Job – off the AICW, hard by Miami Beach – Captains Mark and Diana Report
First view of the anchorage as you clear the canal entry
Sunset Lake Anchorage lies well east of the north ‘“ south track of the AICW, as it passes through Biscayne Bay. Leave the AICW south of marker #49, and north of the Venetian Causeway bridge. Once into the lake, be sure NOT to anchor abeam of a large, yellow house which you will spy along the eastern banks, immediately south of a vacant lot. The property owner does not like vessels anchored in front of his property and is known for playing loud music and shining bright lights out over the water, to discourage cruisers.
The excellent article below, authored by our strategic partners, Captains Mark and Diana Doyle, founders and owners of On The Water ChartGuides (http://www.onthewaterchartguides.com/), is largely taken from this dynamic duo’s very soon to be released, two volume paper AICW Anchorage Guide series. And, if that sounds appealing, Mark and Diana are currently running a 42%, pre-release discount for their new guides through 8/10/12. Follow the link above to learn more!
Hi Claiborne,
Did you ever imagine you could visit trendy Miami Beach from the Intracoastal Waterway?
It’s actually a very boater-accessible destination, with several nearby anchorages among Miami’s Harbor Islands.
A particularly low-stress anchorage is Sunset Lake, located in a surprisingly spacious basin along the western side of Miami Beach. You’ll be overlooking multimillion-dollar homes, forming a floating community with a handful of other long-distance yachts, many from European ports-of-call.
But before you plunk the ground tackle, look for a vacant lot along the eastern shore. Find that? Now note the home just south of the vacant lot. Do NOT anchor in front of that home. This notorious homeowner has hassled boats anchored in front of his property ‘” resorting to such shenanigans as spot lights, booming rap music, waking them with a speedboat, or (his latest) filling the area in front of his home with small moored boats. Life is too short. There’s plenty of room to anchor out of his gunsights, to the north or south ‘¦
Beware the loose screw. Photo by Peter Swanson
Of course the best part about Sunset Lake anchorage is the access to Miami Beach’s South Beach or SoBe district, with blocks of fashionable stores and restaurants. It’s one mile to the Miami Beach dinghy dock, with free tie-up and free fresh water, conveniently located next to the Miami Marine Police dock.
For super-convenient supermarket access, there is a dinghy tie-up at a rough wall up charted Collins Canal, past a small bridge with a locking cable on the north side of the canal, across the street from a Publix supermarket.
Best and see you On the Water,
Captains Mark & Diana Doyle
http://www.OnTheWaterChartGuides.com
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Sunset Lake Anchorage
Unfortunately, Major Daugherty of the FWC does not have the courage of his convictions. He told me last spring that Karlton’s little dinghy field was not legal and that they would be ticketing him ‘“ anchor light issues.
Since that statement, Daugherty has not taken my calls, nor done anything about the situation apparently.
Florida ‘“ politics as usual.
Wally Moran
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