Cedar Keys

[irwin28]

Hey folks...I'm new to the forum and was curious if anyone as sailed around the cedar keys, in a few weeks i plan on making a trip there and i was curious if anyone know of any good marinas in the area where i might could get a good shower etc lol. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.


P.S. Any marinas regardless of showers will be just as nice

[mobetah]

I assume you're talking about Cedar Key Florida ....... I haven't been there in years (and only by land) but I don't think it's very sailboat frendly. First, I understand, there is a very shallow, very long and very winding channel to get a boat into Cedar Key. The marina is built for flats boats and skiffs (If I remember correctly, you can actually drive around the marina on a road - boats enter under a bridge?). There is a fishing pier on the outside that you may be able to tie to (not sure about that) and I don't know what services they offer. If at all possible, I think I would look elsewhere along the gulf coast to spend a few weeks. Just my opinion .....

Good luck and have fun, Bill A.

[skipmac]

You can get a smaller sailboat into Cedar Key. My chart shows 6' controlling depth up to the town docks. Don't know of any marinas locally that have standard amenities like docking, showers, etc. Area is mostly focused on small boat fishing. Outside the channels water can be very shallow. Also you should note that the docks are exposed and you could get some surge with winds anywhere from NE to SW.

[stevensc]

I was in there in 2007 in my 4' draft trawler. Mobetah is right the channel is very winding even has a tight switchback, it was well marked though.
There was no place to dock the city dock was down from a hurricane there is an anchorage near the boat ramp it has a small dock a dinghy could tie to and is very close to the center of town. There was no marina outside of a small one for fishing boats. There are some restaurants the main attraction seems to be art and antique shops.
If you have or can borrow Claiborn Young's Cruising guide to Western Florida he covers the area very well. He also has a good webiste with infomation and cruisers posts.
Good luck
Steve

[irwin28]

Thanx guys and thats more or less what i was afraid to hear. I'm sailing from Biloxi Ms and was just curious about places along the florida coast. The book on sailing florida "Claiborn Young's Crusing guide to western florida" could be a big help though. My plans were not exactly to sail among the cedar keys but kinda straight to them and the channel. I guess if I were to go I would need to find out more about anchorages etc. In relationship to the bridge...where are the anchorages?

[Zydeco]

We have been to Cedar Key by sailboat several times, most recently last summer. We draw 4.5 feet and have never had a problem with the main ship channel (south channel). At least 7 feet at low tide. The Northwest channel had a few shallow spots a couple years ago, about 5 feet. You can anchor NW of Atsena Otie Key in 8 or 10 feet of water. Coming in from the south, turn to the NE at "27" and proceed up next to the key just past the dock. There is a dock on Atsena Otie key and a short nature trail that goes through the ruins of a pencil factory and ends at an old cemetary. Last year the mosquitos ate us alive on the nature trail.

You can also anchor off the waterfront, either to the NE or SW of the city dock. To get there you make an "S" turn starting at "27" where you turn to the SE, then turn back to the NE at "30". When we were there last summer, the city dock was being re-built. It did not look like anything you could tie up to. You can take the dinghy around to the SW of the city dock under a small bridge to a basin and tie up to the floating dock.

Both anchorages are well protected from the NW, N, and S. The shoals offer some protection from everywhere else.

There are other nearby places which are great places to visit especially Kings Bay on the Crystal River. The Clairborne Young book is always good. Another excellent book for cruising the Big Bend are is Rick Rhodes Cruising Guide to the Big Bend.

[lannen]

My wife was raised on Cedar Key. Not a great boating destination, but you can get there and visit. One place has some fantastic clam chowder. Most of the rest of it... kind of blah. Here is an article with a bit more information, and a few photos of Cedar Key you might find helpful.

Cedar Key visited : Southern Crosses

If your looking for a place to cruise to, some good anchorage, lots to do and such... I suggest Clearwater Beach. Easy to get on the inside from the Gulf. Lot's of places to drop a hook and dinghy to just about anything you might need or want.

Cheers!