Has the St. Augustine Mooring Field Been Completed ?

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by YOGAO

It will be interesting to see what develops when hurricane season ends and the Bahamas bound cruisers start passing through. Will cruisers bypass St. Aug entirely, or shorten their stay? Will the local businesses feel any impact at all, or is the boating demographic too small to have an effect?

Fair Winds,
Mike

I think the number of boats going through St. Augustine, although substantial, will have little effect on the economy of St. Augustine. There are tons of tourists in St. Augustine, all the time! Cruisers, in my opinion, make little difference on the overall economy in the community. What will make a difference to the City is the cost of establishing and maintaining about 150 moorings. Especially if income is below their revenue projections.

[Tia Bu]

I covered the ICW from Fernandina Beach to Miami and back this summer en route to the Bahamas.

We never encountered any unpleasantness or unfriendliness in eastern Florida. It's just not much of a long-term cruising destination, in my opinion. The Bahamas are a much friendlier, easier, and prettier place to slow down and take your time.

In Florida, we never spent more than a couple of nights in one place, and everyone was as nice as they could be. Maybe the Keys would be a good longer-term destination. Along most of the east coast of Florida, though, there seems to be too little sheltered water and too many boats already. I never stopped in St. Augustine. But a half-day's run to the south is Palm Coast Marina (no affiliation or connection on my part) with very reasonable rates and super-friendly people. There seemed to be a goodly contingent of cruisers who stayed there for weeks or months at a time.

[chuckr]

question -- is there still anchorage available in st augustine or do i have to take a mooring? -- if so we may by pass st augustine on the trip south
thanks

chuck patty and svsoulmates
on the wall cambridge md

[Mambo]

Originally Posted by chuckr

question -- is there still anchorage available in st augustine or do i have to take a mooring? -- if so we may by pass st augustine on the trip south
thanks

chuck patty and svsoulmates
on the wall cambridge md

It would be absurd if St. A went from a place with an abundance of anchorage space -- and far too many derilicts -- to a regulated mooring field which prices out most crusiers (and probably undercuts the towns many marinas at the same time).

There has to be a way to deal with the derelicts and the bum boats while not pricing out the working class cruiser who wants to enjoy a great town like St. A for a few days or a couple weeks.

[YOGAO]

Originally Posted by Mambo

There has to be a way to deal with the derelicts and the bum boats while not pricing out the working class cruiser who wants to enjoy a great town like St. A for a few days or a couple weeks.

OK - what are your suggestions?

[Mambo]

Originally Posted by YOGAO

OK - what are your suggestions?

I think I said "there has to be a way" not "I've got the way" but . . .

How about limit the number of moorings (leave some anchorage space) and keep the price affordable? It is not as though anyone in St.A. (where I am sure this was a huge local debate) cares what I think but . . . $20 a day sounds like a money grab by the town (30% occupancy = $2200 yr per moooring). If the goal is to control the vagrant crusier popluation, $10 a day and $50 a week is probably sufficient to clear the main anchorages in front of the town (both north and south of the bridge). If the field is booked force boats to leave after X number of weeks. It is also possible to leave plenty of less convenient anchorage space and restrict it (as I understand FLs new laws allow) to a limited time period. Frankly, I am really surprised that the marinas are okay with town moorings at $20 / night -- many aren't that much more expensive (with obvious benefits).

-M

[YOGAO]

OK - I was probably a bit snarky earlier, but I would guess that the city thinks $20 is "affordable" to the types of cruisers they would like to attract. Remains to be seen, since this is their first stab at operating a mooring field.

Experience has shown them (local Florida municipalities) that giving the derelict/liveaboard population any room to maneuver results in more problem than it is worth, resulting in the current Florida statute.

Fair Winds,
Mike

Originally Posted by Mambo

I think I said "there has to be a way" not "I've got the way" but . . .

How about limit the number of moorings (leave some anchorage space) and keep the price affordable? It is not as though anyone in St.A. (where I am sure this was a huge local debate) cares what I think but . . . $20 a day sounds like a money grab by the town (30% occupancy = $2200 yr per moooring). If the goal is to control the vagrant crusier popluation, $10 a day and $50 a week is probably sufficient to clear the main anchorages in front of the town (both north and south of the bridge). If the field is booked force boats to leave after X number of weeks. It is also possible to leave plenty of less convenient anchorage space and restrict it (as I understand FLs new laws allow) to a limited time period. Frankly, I am really surprised that the marinas are okay with town moorings at $20 / night -- many aren't that much more expensive (with obvious benefits).

-M

[bchaps]

I have been studying Skipper Bob's Marina book and find almost no one is priced under $1.75 per foot and many are approaching $2.50. So, to me $20 per night or $120 per week for a mooring ball is cheap for a St Augustine.

Obviously, Florida is getting very touchy about anchoring, so it becomes pay to play. IF they do a regular pump-out along with a dinghy dock and clean showers, then $20 begins to look like a deal. I'm just hoping some are available in December.

Bill

[kiper204]

Last year we anchored there for a few days on the south side of the bridge. If all this is true when we get there this year we will stop only for an overnight to visit a few of our favorite shops, and then move along. Sad really.......

[osirissail]

Here is the latest from Cruiser's Net » East FL – 4 – St. Augustine

"The Bridge of Lions crosses the AICW at Statute Mile 778, in downtown St. Augustine. The mooring field described below is in an ideal location for visiting St. Augustine and you can’t beat the price!
Good news! Called the St. Augustine City Marina this AM , in planning for my delivery of the Sterling Lady iii to her new owners in Jacksonville Beach , and there are some mooring balls available south of the bridge [of Lions]. Rate is $20 a day transient live aboard, and the new pump out boat and courtesy boats will be available soon.That included dinghy dock access, and showers and laundry..That definitely makes St. Augustine very affordable and accessible.
See you in Paradise!
Captain Sterling, Florida Keys and Key Largo Everglades Tours
I just called the St. Augustine City Marina (9/17/10) to find out the latest status on the new mooring field. They told me that they have some 30 of the new moorings in place south of The Bridge of Lions and have plans to expand the field further south and also on the north side of the bridge. On their board today they had 15 moorings available for transients. They quoted the “Liveaboard” rates as $20 per day and $120 per week. The mooring includes the use of their dinghy dock, cruisers lounge, laundry, and the clean heads. Not a bad price when you consider that it used to cost us $10 per day to land the dinghy and use the facilities. He also said their pump-out boat (when repaired) will provide a free pump-out on a schedule of every third day. They also confirmed that they will take advanced reservations for the moorings at 904-825-1026. It was always a challenge to find the swing room to anchor in St. Augustine with the strong currents and the many local boats on private moorings or double anchors. While I feel sorry for the locals loosing their private moorings, the new mooring field will make life much easier for transients to visit the beautiful and friendly city of St. Augustine.
Pete Peterson aboard s/y “Brilliant”"

[donradcliffe]

If you think $20/day for a mooring is too expensive, stay away from the Northeast US! Nantucket wants $67, and the average price was in the $40 range.

OTOH, there are still places to anchor there for free.

[kiper204]

It really isnt about the 20 dollars for the one mooring, its more about how everything is changing in Florida. When you spend months on a boat you have a budget to follow. You have to go to marinas every now and then (which is never cheap), but now anchoring in Florida is getting tough in some areas. All anyone is saying is that people get on the water to get away and have freedom. Once the waterways are all filled with restrictions what will we have?? I think boaters will head to the Islands if Florida continues to make boaters feel unwelcome or uncomfortable.

[osirissail]

[QUOTE=kiper204;534251. . . Once the waterways are all filled with restrictions what will we have?? I think boaters will head to the Islands if Florida continues to make boaters feel unwelcome or uncomfortable.[/QUOTE]

Yep! You are just figuring that out. We have gone to the islands and it is great - come on down.

[Islandmike]

We stayed in the mooring field to the North of the bridge. It was very nice, water taxi if you need it, showers and pump out. I found the $21.50 very affordable compared to some. We prefer to anchor, but it is a nice change of pace and a nice city to visit. Plenty of room between boats.

[kiper204]

You are completely right. We did stay there this year on our way down and really liked the convenience and condition of the new balls. We have no problem with mooring, but friends that travel with us are retired and on strict budgets. They have quite a dink in from the allowed anchor area now. If I am going to complain it should be about Ft. Lauderdale. We usually go outside Miami and Lauderdale but a wicked storm forced us in this year. Dear god what a tough place to find an anchorage. Ended up on a really crappy ball at Las Olas Bridge for 31 bucks.........