Cruising Florida's east coast

[Shanachie]

All of these posts are missing the big issue on the east coast: hurricanes.


There are very few hurricane holes in Biscayne Bay. Chances are your boat wil be damaged or wrecked the next time The Big One rolls through. Crandon Park Marina (not the mooring field) is an exception.


Yeah, you can run to a hurricane hole like No Name Harbor at the last minute, but then you have to hope your anchor holds and that no other boats smash into yours.



Any anchorage or mooring field, such as the one near Peanut Island, is a similar story.


You want to find a dock behind a house on a protected canal not more than 30-45 minutes to the ocean. Lots of them in the Lighthouse Point/Pompano Beach area. Not so much in Fort Lauderdale, where dock fees are about 25 percent higher.


I found docks on Craigslist while l was living in Fort Lauderdale. You have to watch out for the homeowners who love to cash your check, but hate it when you show up at your boat.


You have to make sure it's OK to do regular maintenance on your boat at the dock, and also to just hang out on it, as many of us do.


The Keys and Biscayne Bay are really the main cruising spot for this coast, if you want to do more than cruise the Atlantic for a few hours.Hillsboro, Lake Worth and Port Everglades are the three main lets for sailboats in the area.


You're dealing with huge cruise ships and freighters at Port Everglades, but it is an all-weather inlet close to the Keys. Lake Worth is fine, but an extra day of sailing from the Keys.



Hillsboro is a long day sail from Biscayne Bay. It has a nice cove where you can anchor and play. However, the inlet is narrow, fast and rock-lined. You have to pay attention and know what you're doing.


Even on a nice day, a strong tide opposing a 15-knot easterly wind will create a 3- to 5-foot chop in the inlet. When the winds get stronger, you really want to sail to Port Everglades and motor back.


The good news is that on bad days, you can motor down the ICW in a day and be in the protected waters of Biscayne Bay and the Keys.


With the inlets, the Gulfstream and hurricanes, the east coast can be challenging to sail. But the Keys and Biscayne Bay are worth it.

[LarryS1]

Thanks very much for the input Shanachie, and the reminder about hurricane prep. Being behind a protected house in a canal might work if it's the right dock. Can you tell me what you're entering on Craigslist to see availabe dock space? I've signed on to DockSearch and have found some interesting docks with reasonable prices. I'll have to wait awhile to get one since I'm not planning on moving the boat until May.

I notice you have a Bristol 30 on Tampa Bay. It appears I can drive across US75 from Delray to Naples in a little over two hours. Is the sailing on the west coast good enough to consider Naples? I currently live in Fort Worth and drive 5 hours to my boat in Kemah, TX so a two hour drive seems like a piece of cake. Any thoughts?

[Shanachie]

The west coast of Florida is a great place to cruise if you have a draft 5 feet or under. Lots and lots of shallow water here. Plenty of interesting places to visit by boat, unlike the east coast of Florida.


However, I personally would not like to make that drive across Alligator Alley every time I wanted to sail. The I-595 and I-95 traffic in Broward is a monster, for starters.


If I were in your position, I think I would start with Lighthouse Point and Pompano Beach. It's easy enough to move the boat if it's not to your liking. As long as you are cautious at the start, Hillsboro is a very usable inlet.



One other thing to note is that the Keys are also depth-challenged. If your draft is more than five feet, or if your air draft is more than 65 feet, you are limited in where you can go unless you stick to Hawk's Channel.



I moved from Fort Lauderdale nearly six years ago, so I can't remember exactly where I looked on Craigslist. I seem to remember docks are tucked away in one of the minor marine categories.


Good luck in your search.

[LarryS1]

Thanks again Shanachie. My boat's draft is 5'2" so it's borderline. I'll have to watch the tide charts. Bridge clearance is 56' so I should be OK on the ICW except between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. I understand there's a fixed bridge with a 50' height near Fort Lauderdale. I agree with your suggestion of starting with Lighthouse Point and Pompano Beach. Any other suggestions welcome.

Larry