Anchoring

[casual]

After reading the latest WaterGuide this morning and learning of all the New Restriction being placed regarding Anchoring in Fl,Iwonder what it is like elesewhere through the World.I.plan on Crusing next May for awhile,and would love some First Hand Knowledge.
Thanks for your time

[DotDun]

Just to clarify, the FL restrictions are 5 select areas only for a trial period. There are 1000's of other anchorages around FL.

[drewzn]

What kind of restrictions are they enforcing? Up here in Maine, there aren't any restrictions that I am aware of.

[NornaBiron]

Anchorages everywhere in Greece, no restrictions that we've seen.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by drewzn

What kind of restrictions are they enforcing? Up here in Maine, there aren't any restrictions that I am aware of.

The various municipalities are setting distances from mooring fields/structures, etc. for anchoring, pump out, etc. of non-liveaboard vessels. Some that have passed are restricting anchoring to 150' outside a mooring field and setting a 30 day limit. The city of Stuart wanted a 1000' limit, but I don't believe the state has approved that.

[Vasco]

I've seen three mooring fields on the east coast of FL. on my way south and north this season. Two seem to be doing ok, that's St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach.

The St. Augustine one is very well run, you don't even have to go in to pay. There are strong currents in St. Augustine so many of the transients avail themselves of the moorings. I have not gone ashore in St. Augustine for a few years, having seen the sights there many times. I used to anchor and then move on the next day. I now don't stop at St. Augustine at all. There are other anchorages nearby.

The Fernandina mooring field seems to be doing good too. Again there are strong currents here. Two nights ago they were turning transients down as the field was full. It is not a very large field and there is a lot of room to anchor if you wish.

The mooring field at Titusville seems to be a bust. A very large field in an area where anchoring is straight forward. No tides, no current, good holding. Most of the cruisers just anchor outside of the field now. There were only a few boats on the moorings.

Just my observations. The only way the fields have affected me is that I no longer stop in St. Augustine. No loss to them as I seldom went ashore anyway.

I forgot to mention the mooring field in Vero Beach. But it is not a new one. It was in operation in 1990 on my first trip south. Very well run and a great meeting place for cruisers. It does so well that most times there are two or three boats on a mooring.The harbour is unique in that there is no place to anchor. The mooring field takes up the whole basin. Under $15 a night, good showers, marginal free wifi, nice staff.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Vasco

It does so well that most times there are two or three boats on a mooring.
.

I have never seen that.

How does it work?

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Therapy

I have never seen that.

How does it work?

At the height of the season (Nov to Jan) there are usually three boats on each mooring. The moorings are designed to take that much. The staff assigns moorings so that like boats are on the same mooring. The protocol in Vero is that when you pick up a mooring you put fenders on the side you want the next boat on. The first boat picks up the pennant, the other boats put lines on the mooring and tie to the boat they're alongside. Works very well and you get to meet a lot of cruisers that way.