Hey Floridians! Ft. Lauderdale Cruising and Marina Questions

[windtraveler]

Hey there Floridians - I have a quick question.

We have cruised to Florida from Chicago and have a couple of friends who are meeting us in Ft. Lauderdale for 5 days....they are flying IN and OUT of Ft. Lauderdale and are staying on the boat with us. We don't know the area too well (we do have a cruising guide, but thought you locals might know more) and wonder if you have some suggestions on where to cruise for those 5 days? We are just thinking a night or two in one or two different destinations other than Ft. Lauderdale, preferably a nice anchorage or two...

Any ideas? What would you do?

In addition (don't laugh) - are there ANY "cheap" marina's in Ft. Lauderdale you would recommend? Cheap moorings?

Thanks in advance!

Brittany & Scott

[Vasco]

There's no sailing in Ft. Lauderdale. No cheap marinas. Get a mooring in Las Olas that's your best bet. You can get under the Julia Tuttle so you might motor to Miami and back in your five days if you want a small trip. In Ft. Lauderdale you can anchor in Lake Sylvia. The water police might hassle you there, but it's a nice spot. If the weather cooperates you can go outside and sail to Miami.
Anchored in Lake Sylvia


You can pick you guests up at Pier66 if you're anchored in Lake Sylvia, a very short dink ride. If you get a mooring in Las Olas you can pick them up in the Marina

[duncan_ellison]

Reccommend the town dockage up the New River right in the middle of the action, if your heart can take the hair raising trip up the river City of Fort Lauderdale - New River/Downtown Docking

Very reasonable rates for the area with discounts for boat US.

You can look out of your windows and see 150ft megayachts passing feet from you in the river, neat.

Duncan

[night0wl]

Originally Posted by duncan_ellison

Reccommend the town dockage up the New River right in the middle of the action, if your heart can take the hair raising trip up the river City of Fort Lauderdale - New River/Downtown Docking

Very reasonable rates for the area with discounts for boat US.

You can look out of your windows and see 150ft megayachts passing feet from you in the river, neat.

Duncan

Hair raising trip? These are my home waters and I forget sometimes how stressed people get traversing bridges...especially when Jungle Queen comes barreling through

I was a basketcase the first year I owned our boats going through these bridges, but now, its old hat. Just try and avoid periods of peak current (both flood and ebb) so that you can hold position waiting for traffic to clear on the bridges.

Also, those town docks are not good if you're over 30 feet I think. They're putting in new docks all over the place right now up river so who knows what it will be in another 1-2 weeks.

[ActiveCaptain]

There's a pretty nice anchorage right off the ICW. It could save you from having to stay in a marina for a night.

If the weather were nice and you wanted to have a nice sailing day, I'd consider running out the inlet and heading toward Miami, Biscayne Bay, and Miami Beach.

I personally like the anchorages (green markers) around Belle Isle if you want to be in the Miami Beach area.

You can't help but have a good time there.

Biscayne Bay has it's own host of anchorages and open sailing.

[Hudson Force]

I would also recommend the trip up the New River and the slips at Cooley's Landing (call Ft. Lauderdale City Marina) ca. $50/night and best arriving at slack current. With the five days, I would also agree with the sail to Biscayne Bay and back (inside with harsh weather) Anchoring with dinghy exploring, snorkeling and park at Boca Chita, just east of Featherbed Bank can be fun. We have also anchored in Lake Sylvia and the Middle River without any "hassle" from authorities, but with little access to amenities ashore.

[Tellie]

Head to Biscayne Bay and perhaps Elliot Key. Especially if you can get under the 56'fixed Julia Tuttle. Dingy your friends back to Key Biscayne at the end of their stay to catch a cab back to Ft.Lauderdale. Personally cruising up and down Ft.Lauderdale on the ICW isn't for, me especially on the weekends.

[defever]

las olas mooring field is great---$30/night and wi-fi, great laundry/rest rooms and in the middle of the action. the busses there are super also. there's a nice secluded (except on wk-ends) anchorage w/ park at mm 1080 on the s. side of the icw. key biscayn/eliot key are good options too---quiet (not on wk-ends) and a great view of miami skyline...

[donradcliffe]

What would the locals recommend for a boat with a 67 ft mast and and an 8 ft draft. We have worked our way up the New River before, but is the Las Olas Mooring field deep enough?? It has been full every time we went buy.

[Vasco]

Call them. They sometimes answer the phone. (one of the problems with municipal run marinas in FL)

[Hudson Force]

It's true that you can't depend upon space at the moorings at Las Olas. Google "Fort Lauderdale Docks" for possibilities at the Nurmi Ilses and New River docks and call the Fort Lauderdale City Marina. There's always space and turn over.

[Steve Marshall]

call the Los Olas Marina @ 954-828-7200. Their slip rates are only 75 cents a foot. You are then about a 500 foot walk from Marriott Beach Place (Hooters Restaurant) and three of four blocks full of great restaurants and bars. The marina is just on the northeast side of the los olas bridge (mooring field is just a hundred or so feet away on the SW side of the bridge. Had my Tayana 55 there for a couple months this Spring before our voyage home to Newfoundland.

[Sunset]

Originally Posted by Steve Marshall

call the Los Olas Marina @ 954-828-7200. Their slip rates are only 75 cents a foot. You are then about a 500 foot walk from Marriott Beach Place (Hooters Restaurant) and three of four blocks full of great restaurants and bars. The marina is just on the northeast side of the los olas bridge (mooring field is just a hundred or so feet away on the SW side of the bridge. Had my Tayana 55 there for a couple months this Spring before our voyage home to Newfoundland.

I also like the Los Olas city marina. Actually there are slips on both sides of the bridge and the rates are a little higher in the winter. Here's the rate sheet:

http://ci.ftlaud.fl.us/marinas/rates.pdf

[AnchorageGuy]

Try keeping the boat at Crandon Marina, Key Biscayne. You can sail Biscayne Bay, head offshore a bit or down Hawks Channel and visit the upper Keys. It is not that far a drive to the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. We have done it several times. It gives you a lot more options than Ft. Lauderdale or the New River. You can see the location here, Crandon . Chuck

[Tia Bu]

If you're a 35 ft. sailboat, the moorings at Coconut Grove Sailing Club in Miami might be a nice spot. Friendly people, low cost, launch service. You can walk to restaurants, night spots, shopping in Coconut Grove. Very much in the city, though.

Close to Biscayne National Park. Elliot Key/Sands Key are pretty and altogether different from city.

I think draft is the main restriction in both the above recommendations.

If the weather is nice and the Gulf Stream settled, the sail outside from Ft. Lauderdale down to Miami is a few hours and quite pleasant.

Your guests could drive or catch a train back up to Ft. Lauderdale if you run out of time near Miami.