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Old 27-05-2017, 14:31   #1
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Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

Looking for an anchorage this winter that is close to home and kids in Maryland. Thinking someplace around the keys or Bahamas. Want to be on the hook, as most marinas can't take a cat, and I'm not interested in sitting on a pier either.

I've been to Miami, West Palm, some of the keys, Exuma, Marsh Harbor, Hopetown, and Nasau, but not that great. Maybe I'm looking for something that doesn't exist.
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Old 27-05-2017, 14:41   #2
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

I know the perfect place ...... an' I'm not tellin'
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Old 27-05-2017, 15:08   #3
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

Hhhmm I know of no "anchorage" that fits that..

Marathon has a nice mooring field with access to all services. I think its probably the best option in that part of the keys. I spent part of a winter in Key West.. Never do that again, for a multitude of reasons.

I can't think of anywhere in Bahamas..

Good luck!
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Old 27-05-2017, 15:32   #4
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

Can't help with anchorage, but you might want to check out the Garrison Bight mooring field... might fit the bill.

good luck,
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Old 27-05-2017, 15:56   #5
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

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Originally Posted by SVRocinante View Post
Can't help with anchorage, but you might want to check out the Garrison Bight mooring field... might fit the bill.

good luck,
Thanks! I''ll check it out. HHN? Love that place. We stayed there over night before our passage to BVI last November. We are back in the Annapolis area for the summer.
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Old 27-05-2017, 16:25   #6
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

Rock Sound is great place. Green Turtle another.
In Fl, Dinner Key is anot option, not sure what your looking for since Marsh/Hopetown/some place in Exuma didn't appeal to you.
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Old 27-05-2017, 16:47   #7
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

[QUOTE=travellerw;2401515]Hhhmm I know of no "anchorage" that fits that.. Marathon has a nice mooring field with access to all services. I think its probably the best option in that part of the keys.



You need to live aboard there. You can't leave your boat.
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Old 27-05-2017, 17:40   #8
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

Every marina we've been to in the Bahamas took our cat. I would recommend Grand Bahama Yacht Club at Port Lucaya (Freeport), awesome place and even more awesome staff.
If you really want to anchor out, the harbour at Royal Island, around Meek's Patch, Rock Sound, Norman's Cay Pond... there are tons of places! Both Meek's and Rock Sound are dinghy rides to towns (Spanish*Wells and Rock Sound respectively).
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Old 27-05-2017, 18:27   #9
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

[QUOTE=Guy;2401541]
Quote:
Originally Posted by travellerw View Post
Hhhmm I know of no "anchorage" that fits that.. Marathon has a nice mooring field with access to all services. I think its probably the best option in that part of the keys.



You need to live aboard there. You can't leave your boat.
Technically true (not really adheared to by quite a few)...

However, compared to the other options, its miles ahead.. Both Garrison Bight (Key West) and Dinner Key (Miami) are aweful places in winter. We know people that have been injured in both places due to roll and swell (no they weren't old). Frankly Dinner Key ranks as the worst place we have stayed in our entire time aboard. Garrison Bight is better but still bad.

How about not going as far south and staying up in St. Augustine. There is a good community there, good mooring balls, and a few places to anchor.
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Old 27-05-2017, 19:42   #10
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Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

Both garrison night and dinner key suck. We stayed in garrison bight for a month over New Years and it was horrible. Any wind from the north, like when northers are coming through and you need the most protection, and it turns into a dishwasher.

If you draw 4 feet or less in your cat, there are lots of places to anchor in the outer keys. Check out active captain. You may need to move between anchorages depending on the prevailing winds.

We have resigned ourselves to marinas for longer stays up and down the keys, if we don't want to put up with the weather.
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Old 27-05-2017, 20:33   #11
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

Stuart Fla has a nice mooring field and any service you might need. Dinner Key, I lasted there less than 10 mintues, that's the truth. Are you looking for places near kite/windsurfing sites?
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Old 28-05-2017, 05:23   #12
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

Being near places to kite would be icing on the cake!
I will look into St. Augustine and Stuart. I have been to both places, but not by boat.
Looking at Active Capt. too.

Thanks for all the input!
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Old 28-05-2017, 06:06   #13
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

If you want to stay in Florida, the nicest marina we've been to is Titusville Municipal. They can fit cats, plus have a huge mooring field where we sat out 77 knot winds one night. Excellent staff, a parts supply in the store, there's a repair yard next door. Groceries within walking distance, food delivery. And the staff is excellent.
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Old 28-05-2017, 06:32   #14
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

The mooring field in Stuart is a great option for a winter home. The marina that runs it is top notch with all the amenities you'd expect (except a pool) , and you are in the heart of Stuart with shopping and entertainment galore.

St Augustine is great too, but it's a ride to get to shopping on A1A.

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Old 28-05-2017, 08:21   #15
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Re: Best winter anchorages near Key West or Bahamas

There are two sailing clubs in the Ft.Lauderdale/Pompano area that I would suggest you contact for good info:

Hilsboro Inlet Sailing Club.
#2 South Florida Sailors and Boaters.

Both have websites.

Lastly, in Ft.Lauderdale on the ICW, is the " Los Solas" marina which has a mooring field that can take a Cat, good restaurants, transpiration, and 5 minutes to the ocean.
( check the spelling, either Las or Los).

Lauderdale and Miami airports are close by, rail transportation gets you there, northern Bahamas, Abacos and Bimini are very close and easy to sail to.
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