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Old 02-10-2016, 17:10   #1
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A day at Florida's Matanzas Inlet

I was at Matanzas Inlet today. Wow, what a great day and place for walking, swimming, people watching and just water/sand enjoyment.

The combination of ocean, river, river current, sand bars and tides to me, makes this a very interesting and enjoyable place. You can walk from the Atlanic ocean side where there are sandbars that during low tide you can walk on and look for shells, then under the bridge to the river (ICW) side where there is a huge area of sand.

You can actually walk in chest high water for a few hundred yards.

Today (Sunday) there were a lot of boats anchored and swimmers and kids playing with plenty of space for everyone. Not crowded at all because there is so much sand and water.

What I would like to know your fav. place to enjoy sun, sand and surf. And if you ever been to Matanzas Inlet how it rates with other places you've been.

Now bad news...I lost one dive fin. I like to use them often times when swimming and enjoying the water. In chest deep water I took the 1st fun off ok, the next fin slipped out of my hand and was lost in the murky water where the river current made it too difficult to find...oh well.

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Old 02-10-2016, 17:35   #2
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Re: A day at Florida's Matanzas Inlet

I have a recent not-so-positive experience of this inlet. I was there on Tuesday doing a sea trial after my boat underwent extensive lightning repairs at a nearby boat yard. Started losing power on the engine just outside the inlet and tried to limp my way back to the yard, but lost the engine completely just inside the inlet and had to drop the hook in the middle of the channel as it's so shallow on both sides. Used my BoatUS membership to get towed back to the dock and then proceeded to change the engine fuel filter and the Racor prefilter, to get fuel flowing to the engine again.

-David




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Old 02-10-2016, 18:07   #3
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Re: A day at Florida's Matanzas Inlet

This inlet is really a good swimming place but not boating so much. There is a lot of shallow water. Saw a few wave runners go in and put of the very choppy inlet...but no boats.

I saw a pontoon boat being towed by TowboatsUS while I was there. Interesting the pontoon boat had a new (ish) outboard.

You see the huge sand bars?

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Old 02-10-2016, 19:24   #4
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Re: A day at Florida's Matanzas Inlet

The sand bar is plentiful due to the recent dredging of Matanzas Pass, and pumping the spoils as beach replenishment.

Since the charts aren't corrected for the new dredging, the spots where people used to pull right up near the beach and walk to shore, are now nearly showing sandbar. I watched a 40+ trawler motor right up onto the bar last week. They were probably looking at the gps chart showing 10 feet of water while looking with their eyes would have given them the true depth. The water was clear and the sandbar unmistakable.

BoatUS to the rescue, although it took a while and a lot of diesel smoke to make the big trawler budge.



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Old 02-10-2016, 23:29   #5
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Re: A day at Florida's Matanzas Inlet

Davidhoy -
You went in through Matanzas inlet (near St. Augustine) with a Morgan 462? A sailboat?
How did you get under the bridge?
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Old 03-10-2016, 04:36   #6
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Re: A day at Florida's Matanzas Inlet

FSMike - I read David's post as everything happened on the ocean side of the bridge. That his engine died at the mouth of the inlet as he had it limping back to the boat yard.

There are breaking waves all over that area. Hope he was able to find a calm spot to set the anchor.

David - sorry that area is where you had to wait. That could not have been pleasant and you had to be nevous about all the shallow water and multiple sand bars. Glad you made it out of there. TowBoatUS to the rescue.

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Old 03-10-2016, 04:49   #7
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Re: A day at Florida's Matanzas Inlet

Quote:
Originally Posted by FSMike View Post
Davidhoy -
You went in through Matanzas inlet (near St. Augustine) with a Morgan 462? A sailboat?
How did you get under the bridge?
You know, I really should learn to read more closely ;-). The OP was referring to Matanzas Inlet, and I was thinking Matanzas Pass at Fort Myers Beach on the Gulf side. So, yeah, the bridge at Matanzas Pass is plenty high enough for my Morgan, LOL. Boy, am I embarrassed...
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Old 03-10-2016, 05:08   #8
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Re: A day at Florida's Matanzas Inlet

matanzas inlet
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Old 03-10-2016, 05:53   #9
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Re: A day at Florida's Matanzas Inlet

I will be more specific when I talk about this area and say Matanzas Inlet just south of St. Augustine.

As you can see partically from the pic...thanks Delancey. You can walk from the Atlantic side, under the bridge to the ICW side then back. Makes for a great beach walk. I swam on both the Atlantic side and the ICW side. When the tide changes you can tube at 2 mph around that curve area as it enters/exits the ICW.

Again...this is one of the coolest areas I know of.

If

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Old 03-10-2016, 06:11   #10
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Re: A day at Florida's Matanzas Inlet

Here is a pic the huge sand bar on the ICW side. Yesterday the tide was in and this area was covered 4' to 5' of water. Made an absolutely great swim area.



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Old 03-10-2016, 13:32   #11
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Re: A day at Florida's Matanzas Inlet

Cool pics guys. Dying for it.
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