Anchorages near Miami - Deep Draft

[Cheechako]

The wierd thing is ...I just looked at Google Earth to see if I can see an obvious shallow spot off the Marine Stadium entrance... and I just dont see it. There's a light spot off the marina entrance just south (west?) of the stadium...

[Bluewaters2812]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

The wierd thing is ...I just looked at Google Earth to see if I can see an obvious shallow spot off the Marine Stadium entrance... and I just dont see it. There's a light spot off the marina entrance just south (west?) of the stadium...

I have Google Earth up, where exactly is the Marine Stadium?

[Cheechako]

I dont have it up now but I think it is right next to the Rickenbacker Causway bridge. A big open rectangular spot.... There's a little island right off the entrance...

[s/v Moondancer]

We cruise on a boat that draws 7-9 with a 76 ft mast but live in Miami and we have been in and out Biscayne Channel a dozen times in the big boat and 100 times in boats up to 6 ft draft.

Biscayne Channel has a couple of shallow areas and we have bounced our keel at least twice. It is untenable in any kind of seas perhaps over 4 ft. There is a shallow area between markers 4 and 6 and we then turn to starboard just before 8 and aim just to the south of the tip of Key Biscayne once inside the Key the deep water is on the land side. At low tide you might bounce the keel so at low tide we go into the Bay all the way through the Biscayne Channel and then approach "No Name" from the inside of the Bay. If you get 3 ft out of the Channel you are aground especially near the houses in Stiltsville, be very careful between markers 16, 18, and 20 they curve to port and at night it is very easy to be seduced by the light on 20 and go aground.

The best anchorage is outside No Name about 200 yds from the entrance in about 12 ft...no mosquitoes but you have to be out of the migration route of the local power boats.

We always renew our SeaTow, their boats are closer than Boat US, before we enter the Bay and if possible time things to half tide rising. You can get into Dinner Key Marina through their main channel but we ran aground before we got to the outer docks...again half tide rising.

We run it at night but you have to pay attention and I have seen up to three boats aground at night. If you want to play safe go into the Bay and then approach NO Name from the inside.

[Scott Berg]

Check the directions in on Active Captain
We draw 7 and never saw less than 8.5

[Bluewaters2812]

Originally Posted by s/v Moondancer

We cruise on a boat that draws 7-9 with a 76 ft mast but live in Miami and we have been in and out Biscayne Channel a dozen times in the big boat and 100 times in boats up to 6 ft draft.

Biscayne Channel has a couple of shallow areas and we have bounced our keel at least twice. It is untenable in any kind of seas perhaps over 4 ft. There is a shallow area between markers 4 and 6 and we then turn to starboard just before 8 and aim just to the south of the tip of Key Biscayne once inside the Key the deep water is on the land side. At low tide you might bounce the keel so at low tide we go into the Bay all the way through the Biscayne Channel and then approach "No Name" from the inside of the Bay. If you get 3 ft out of the Channel you are aground especially near the houses in Stiltsville, be very careful between markers 16, 18, and 20 they curve to port and at night it is very easy to be seduced by the light on 20 and go aground.

The best anchorage is outside No Name about 200 yds from the entrance in about 12 ft...no mosquitoes but you have to be out of the migration route of the local power boats.

We always renew our SeaTow, their boats are closer than Boat US, before we enter the Bay and if possible time things to half tide rising. You can get into Dinner Key Marina through their main channel but we ran aground before we got to the outer docks...again half tide rising.

We run it at night but you have to pay attention and I have seen up to three boats aground at night. If you want to play safe go into the Bay and then approach NO Name from the inside.

Thanks for that detail. I must admit, I would be much happier having someone on board with local knowledge lol.

[Bluewaters2812]

Originally Posted by Scott Berg

Check the directions in on Active Captain
We draw 7 and never saw less than 8.5

Pretty similar to us then. Thanks for that. Maybe I should befriend a local with local knowledge lol. Have them on board for the entry and offer them a beer or two.

[Vasco]

You can anchor off Fisher Island (off the marina entrance). The waters are sheltered but it can really blow off the ocean in there.

Lots of big sailboats anchor off Nixons which is on Key Biscayne just south of the K.B.Y.C. A bit sloppy when it blows from the west but that only happens before a front. Well sheltered from anything else.

[Bluewaters2812]

Originally Posted by Vasco

You can anchor off Fisher Island (off the marina entrance). The waters are sheltered but it can really blow off the ocean in there.

Lots of big sailboats anchor off Nixons which is on Key Biscayne just south of the K.B.Y.C. A bit sloppy when it blows from the west but that only happens before a front. Well sheltered from anything else.

Thanks for that ... its what I had read re Fisher Island. I believe the approach channel is quite deep?

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Bluewaters2812

Thanks for that ... its what I had read re Fisher Island. I believe the approach channel is quite deep?

Yes, great big yachts go into that marina basin.

[Bluewaters2812]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Be very careful going into Marine Stadium. Stayed there twice with 6'5" draft. Coming out the second time ran hard aground.. couldnt get off and had to be dragged off by Sea Tow.... using the Halyard to heel the boat and bounce it across the hard sand shoal. The wierd thing is I felt I was taking the same course all 4 times in/out. I dont know exactly where that sand hump is... but it's out there....
To pick someone up maybe off Dinner Key or even over at Bill Baggs Park (no name) for free anchorages?
Biscayne Channel should be fine for you.

Thanks Cheechako, yeah, I reckon No Name seems the most probable safe bet for us. Never been into Miami sailing (only by air a few times). Something tells me there is a small difference ... no?

[Bluewaters2812]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Yes, great big yachts go into that marina basin.

Thanks.

[rognvald]

Bluewaters,
We used Miami as our base for ten years and Moondancer's advice is the best. You have plenty of water closer to shore(it shallows as you go south towards the shoals) and the holding is great in sand and gravel. There is some current on the turn of the tide, but one hook is fine. We used that anchorage as a staging point whenever we crossed over to Bimini/Cat. You can dinghy into No Name and there is a great Cuban restaurant in the basin. You could also have a vehicle brought to the site. It is very well protected and we sat through some blowy nights there with no problems. Good luck and good sailing.

[donradcliffe]

I looked hard at the Miami/Biscane area with an 8 ft draft, and ended up at the city docks in Fort Lauderdale. Cruising Florida is tough in an ocean-going boat.

[Bluewaters2812]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

I looked hard at the Miami/Biscane area with an 8 ft draft, and ended up at the city docks in Fort Lauderdale. Cruising Florida is tough in an ocean-going boat.

Tks, pretty much the same draft as us so maybe we will also need to look beyond Biscayne. I reckon it's only a couple of hours further making way from Turks and Caicos. Otherwise maybe 3-4 hours if we first try Miami and find it too shallow for our draft. Perhaps just prudent to make way directly for Fort Lauderdale? We can always hire a car to pick up our daughter from Miami Airport.