2015 0228 Never try to enter Faro Blanco Marina

[Dr. Boomer]

On Feb 26, 2015 we tried to enter Hyatt's new world class marina and resort at Faro Blanco on the Gulf side of Marathon Key, FL We were told we had plenty of water at high tide for our 6.4 foot sailboat draft. Five hard bumps later, we were in the basin but the staff had no idea how much water was in our slip at low tide. One offered to "give you a rock with a stick on it to find out." Incompetence reigned!!! We were assured again that we would have enough water at high tide the next morning and to "hug the East side of the channel." Next morning (2/28) hard aground. They tried to pull us off with their skiff but the engine and transmission had a problem and it had no depth sounder. My wife snorkeled down to find a hard flat bottom the entire width of their channel. We call BoatUS. A very competent Capt on the BoatUS boat pulled our halyard over 45 degrees and finally pulled us off. My wife SCUBA dived the bottom and no apparent damage was done. We will see!!

The entrance to the channel has no placards, no markers, and the staff including the dock master were total incompetents. The dock hand did not know what a keel was and said, "I do not know much about boats." It took the dock hands 30 minutes to tie up our boat. I guess that others already know about this place because only five boats (out of 76 slips) had boats in them and those were all power boats. Much thanks to BoatUS and their competent captains.

Word of caution....STAY OUT OF HYATT'S FARO BLANCO'S MARINA. IN A WORK, THE PLACE SUCKS.

DR. BOOMER.