Maiden Voyage in St Petersburg. Where to?

[gregjeeps]

I will be going out of Salt Creek in st petersburg on my liveaboard power cat for the FIRST TIME in jan .i dont plan on going out of the bay as i just want to get the feel of my boat and anchor here and there for a few days to fish an relax.i dont know were to go in the area or were i can anchor for 2 or 3 days and not have a problem with the laws.i have 15 days to spend then back to afghan.

[Ocean Girl]

Greg, try the destination section if you don't get some good anchorages on this thread. Good luck, have fun!

[StuM]

According to my Charts, Kranaya Gorka is only about 20 NM out into the Gulf of Finland from St Petersberg.

[Ken Andersen]

Greg, Desoto Point, due south from St Pete, on the Manatee River near Bradenton has two excellent anchorages. The Vinoy Basin offers mooring balls managed by St Pete. This would keep you close to restaurants and nightlife. I recommend that you download the "ActiveCaptain" app. You can't do better for local cruising information.

[gregjeeps]

Ken what is active captain?

[Ken Andersen]

Wow! I thought I was the only one awake. Google "ActiveCaptain". It a free website that's very helpful to cruisers. It shows points of interest and even hazards to avoid.
Ken

[gregjeeps]

Im in Afghanistan Ken its 1:20pm here.

[Ken Andersen]

So I am the only one awake local time. I hope other local boaters see your post later today so that they add to my recommendations. There are many great anchorages in the Tampa Bay area.

[GeoGoddess]

I second Ken Anderson's recommendations! We chartered out of Vinoy Marina in St. Pete and daysailed in Tampa Bay until we got comfortable handling the boat. Then we sailed under the Skyway bridge and up the Manatee River and anchored overnight at DeSoto Point. It was a very quiet, uncrowded, peaceful, lovely place to anchor; easy to find, maneuver and enjoy.

[Hudson Force]

I guess that we've sorted out your St. Petersburg as by Tampa Bay and not the former Leningrad. Posting out of Afganistan on a cosmopolitan forum can give many a cause to be confused. Our favorite anchorages in the Tampa Bay area are the little cove that you'll see just at the north end of Longboat Key where there's a sandy beach to dinghy to next two a couple of restaurants; up a little north inside Anclote Key and with a side trip into Tarpon Springs; or for a good weather day anchorage, just inside Eggmont Key for a hike about the park and the old fort.