Longer term Florida Anchorage Suggestions Near Grocery Stores?

[pressuredrop]

Downtown west palm beach would be perfect for you (between the two bridges... Good holding and all around protection, but lots of current. Free dinghy dock and walking distance to Publix, also free trolly service to Publix... Green market once a week right on the water in the winter, your welcome...

[GRIT]

We find North Florida less pretentious than south Florida, and would recommend Salt run in St Augustine. A public dock 8 minutes by dinghy, attached to the Vilano Fishing pier, and another 8 minute walk to the publix at Vilano Beach. We've been there for 2 weeks in a row, and will be there likely 3 weeks this year. With your draft, you can get in fairly close to the marina, and out of most of the wakes.

Amazon packages can be sent to the municipal marina, downtown; they accept fedex, UPS, and USPS. It just sits in the public lounge, next to the laundry, and you go every day and look for your package. Dinghy dockage there is $13 a day.

The Municipal marina also has moorings, and we've seen some pretty big cats on them. We're going to try one for a week this fall, and we'll let you know how it goes.

Cheers, and good luck.
Paul.

[Chotu]

Some responses incoming.…

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by catalystcat

Oh yeah - one more. Near 520 Causeway in Cocoa (again on the Indian River) some long term anchorers and lots of stores. Even a West Marine.
BTW - the 518 anchorage above is right at the southern end of Merritt Island and there is a similar one at the next causeway - 192.

Wow. Thank you for all of these. These are ones I definitely was not familiar with. I have always just cruised right through that area. I only stopped one time in that area when I lost a fuel pump and didn’t have a spare.

It was actually quite a thing. I had no rig yey and both my engines went out. Because I lost my fuel pump. And I didn’t have another spare. Silly me, I thought they would just work.

So we are heading south in the ICW, and everything quit. No way to run the engines without the fuel pump.

It was a very windy day. The kind of day you couldn’t even be outside the ICW. Crazy north winds. I don’t know the strength.

Anyway, I retracted both Outboards (and was towing a dinghy - this was pre davits). We did between 3kn and 4 kn. Down through all those bridges. It was crazy. No rig. No engines. Nothing. Just the breeze blowing on the hull. 3-4 knots, towing a rib.

I had to radio a lot of people because they were confused. They didn’t know why we were going that particular speed. It was too slow to be right for transiting the ICW, but it was too fast to be out of commission. So I had to radio everybody for passing agreements. We made it really far. And then we stopped at an Anchorage area near a library in the general area you were describing. I don’t know where it was. Merritt Island I think.

Quite an interesting proof of performance of the boat though.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by sailingunity

As far as I've seen most mooring fields are first come first serve. We didn't have any problems finding a mooring in Titusville - and we stayed there for 7 months and there were always at least a few available.

That said, they lost 10 boats during hurricane Ian - most of which had moorings break!

OK. Maybe that first come first served thing is what was tripping me up. I was trying to make a reservation.

I have definitely stayed there before and it was pretty convenient. Not all that close to a grocery store, but fairly convenient.

Maybe I can just go anchor and wait there like I did before. And I just waited there a day or something until something opened up. And yeah. I don’t really trust mornings that much. That’s why my boat got wrecked in the first hurricane out of three that hit it. The moorings all broke. Definitely don’t trust them in any strong weather.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by John_Trusty

This made me think that your time is running short to do this move. Manatee Pocket in Stuart is nice and protected from all directions, but consequently is perpetually overcrowded. All of those places south of the Cape are going to start filling up with pre-positioning snow birds that are doing the Bahamas crossing in a month or two. Better get a move on and find a spot.

I’ve been here before too. I had to go on some errands, and it was pretty sketchy. I remember it felt kind of dangerous as sure. Maybe I went on the wrong side of the pocket, I had to go to the main road. It wasn’t all that comforting. Lol

I didn’t think of this place because I remember the water cops came over to me the minute I got there. To check me out. But they didn’t give me a hard time. I just don’t know if they let you stay for two months. Maybe? Not sure. I do OK because the boat looks kind of cool. So I don’t fall into that live aboard meth lab category thankfully. They don’t give me that kind of hard time. But they definitely note the minute you arrive in that place.

And yes. The last time I went to Manatee pocket, it was packed. I barely got my boat in there. The scope was shorter than I would have liked. Etc.

I’m going as fast as I can. I have to get the new hydraulic steering system installed, get the forward crossbeam on, clean the boat completely of epoxy which it just had chain plates done, so it’s full of it. Get the anchor system going again. New bridle. New rope rode. Provision. Stock up on everything in the world. Install another new fuel pump. Those are the main things I have to get done to get moving.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by pressuredrop

Downtown west palm beach would be perfect for you (between the two bridges... Good holding and all around protection, but lots of current. Free dinghy dock and walking distance to Publix, also free trolly service to Publix... Green market once a week right on the water in the winter, your welcome...

This is another one that I know quite well. I have spent I think a week or so at this before. I’ve recommended it to other people. It’s fantastic. What I don’t know is how long you’re allowed to stay there. It’s heavily monitored. But it’s a great place also. What do you know about the length of time that you are able to stay?

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by GRIT

We find North Florida less pretentious than south Florida, and would recommend Salt run in St Augustine. A public dock 8 minutes by dinghy, attached to the Vilano Fishing pier, and another 8 minute walk to the publix at Vilano Beach. We've been there for 2 weeks in a row, and will be there likely 3 weeks this year. With your draft, you can get in fairly close to the marina, and out of most of the wakes.

Amazon packages can be sent to the municipal marina, downtown; they accept fedex, UPS, and USPS. It just sits in the public lounge, next to the laundry, and you go every day and look for your package. Dinghy dockage there is $13 a day.

The Municipal marina also has moorings, and we've seen some pretty big cats on them. We're going to try one for a week this fall, and we'll let you know how it goes.

Cheers, and good luck.
Paul.

That’s the truth. North Florida is a lot easier going.

Really good hack with receiving packages yet being an anchor. That’s impressive. I sure hope they don’t read this. Ha ha ha

I’ve stayed on those mornings. The big ones for the bigger boats. Our boats don’t fit on the small ones. They will put us only on the larger ones from what I have experienced in the past. I have stayed at this marina twice. For at least a week each time. Definitely a good location. Although I can’t remember any grocery stores because I didn’t need to shop. I think they are kind of far away on route one. Outside of the small village area.

I believe my dinghy still has the stickers from the mooring field.

[GRIT]

The marina is 30 minute from the grocery store. We usually only go there for package retrieval. They don't mindbif you're paying dinghy dockage, or at least that's what I'm told...
We prefer salt run, then shop at the publix I mentioned before

Cheers.
Paul.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by GRIT

The marina is 30 minute from the grocery store. We usually only go there for package retrieval. They don't mindbif you're paying dinghy dockage, or at least that's what I'm told...
We prefer salt run, then shop at the publix I mentioned before

Cheers.
Paul.

Whoops. Ok. Gotcha. Thanks!

[zboss]

Palm Beach / Lake Worth is a good place to hang for a while. Closer down to the bridge is good but you will switch back and forth with the strong current and the wind often blows in such a way that you end up doing circles around your anchor. So either anchor well away from someone and put out a stern and bow anchor or get a mooring. You will have access to the Palm Beach sailing club for a fee with a place to safely leave your dinghy and also receive mail. You are a bike ride / scooter away from a few very nice groceries and marine supply stores.

The weather can be quite fierce certain times of the year and it can be dangerous to get off your boat when the wind is blowing strongly against the peak current.

[wingssail]

Don't rule out a car just because you're going to be anchored and move frequently.

We spent quite a number of months in various places where we had a car ashore and when we moved to a new place we simply got public transportation back to the car and drove it to the new place.

You get to see everything three times: Once by boat, once by bus, and once by car.

[Captain Bill]

The 70ft air draft rules out all anchorages between Vero and Titusville (65ft bridges). Palm beach or dinner key are the only ones I know of that can handle 70ft air draft. I've never tried to anchor past the first bridge south of the inlet so I can't speak to that though I have seen boats anchored there. Manatee Pocket would require coming in at St. Lucie inlet but that is doable with local knowledge. I have anchored at Dinner Key many times just outside the mooring field. It can get a bit rough on a strong east wind. I have been known to hide behind Key Biscayne when that happens. Marathon can work if you come in Sisters creek. The power lines on the west entrance might be tight at 70ft. I don't think Ft. Myers will be viable for a while and with a 70ft air draft you would have to come in through Boca Grande Pass. Another option would be the mooring field at Gulfport. While not particularly close to stores, there is a good public transportation system in that area. 70 ft Airdraft would require you to use the Clearwater Pass entrance and thread your way down the GICW. There are some fixed bridges but they are charted at about 74ft. Key west Mooring field is also an option.

[JayH]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

Marathon can work if you come in Sisters creek. The power lines on the west entrance might be tight at 70ft.

There are no power lines over the west entrance anymore.

[Americat3014]

This may be the wrong side of Florida, but people anchor out on both sides of Welsh Causeway in Madeira Beach. There is a Publix/McDonalds dock on the mainland (better veggies) and a Winn Dixie on the island. You can have packages sent to my house and I will deliver them to the boat. You may have to prove the boat is capable of moving to the FWC, but many boats have been there for a year or more. There is a small marine store in town or you can catch a bus to West Marine.