Stuart, FL - Anchorage ?

[Janae]

We're sailing up from the Keys (we need to get out of Boot Key Harbor!). We're interested in Stuart, nice prep for Bahamas crossing. However, we have a truck and a dog. We're hoping to drop anchor to save us a little cash for our cruising. We heard that Sunset Marina was nice, but I'm wondering:

1. Are dogs allowed?
2. I've read that they require insurance for the mooring field, is that accurate?
3. Is there a place to drop anchor, and if so, can you pay to use the facilities/dinghy dock at the marina?
4. If there is anchorage, but you can't use the marina, I've heard that you can pay to use the dinghy dock at a National Park there. Yes? Can you store the truck? Are there facilities?

Any additional information about Stuart, Sunset Marina, or anchoring out there would be really helpful!

Cheers!

[capngeo]

I used to anchor just outside the Roosevelt Bridge and there was a restaurant there that had dinghy access.... BUT that was the old bridge... Haven't stayed there since the new one was built...
Edit: I should hav said "inside" not outside LOL!
Another thought would be the Manatee Pocket.. Surely one of the marinas or restaurants there would let you park.. If all that fails, PM me, I have a buddy just up the river, who I could possibly talk into letting you land the dink in his back yard

[offline]

You may find what you need on ActiveCaptain.. Manatee Pocket would be a little tight for long term... If it were me I would go inside the Roosevelt and motor up around "The Deck" and anchor off their.. You should see a field of moored and anchored vessels.

[teejayevans]

Originally Posted by Janae

1. Are dogs allowed?
2. I've read that they require insurance for the mooring field, is that accurate?
3. Is there a place to drop anchor, and if so, can you pay to use the facilities/dinghy dock at the marina?
4. If there is anchorage, but you can't use the marina, I've heard that you can pay to use the dinghy dock at a National Park there. Yes? Can you store the truck? Are there facilities?

Any additional information about Stuart, Sunset Marina, or anchoring out there would be really helpful!

Cheers!

1. yes
2. yes if staying long term, I don't know about just overnights
3. yes there are places to anchor, no you can't use marina
4. there is an anchorage across the river from the marina, there is a creek on the marina side with park on the north side, you can tie up you dink to the wall, publix/ace down the street, less than a mile. Not sure about parking a truck in the park long term, there is not any facilities. There is a storage place also down the street where you park your truck (for a fee I'm sure).

Also, there is a city dock before the bridges, it's about 4' MLW along side, if your draft allows, you can tie up for 4 hr period, you can then anchor anywhere north/south of the wide channel.
Tom