Theft and hostility Hollywood FL

[kevin.fortitude]

Originally Posted by 5BTM

Google Earth shows a bunch of boats anchored in the keyhole area of the South Lake.

The North Lake has the Hollywood Marina that offers transient rates of about $2
per foot. There is also a public boat ramp.

Why wasn't North Lake or the Marina an option?

North Lake is shallow. Even with our 4.5 draft it was too shallow. The marina costs money which we're trying to save, plus they didn't have room.

[kevin.fortitude]

Totally agree. We spent months in Lake Worth after our haul out at Cracker Boy and never had a problem. We have will have all the parts we've ordered on Tuesday. After that, maybe Marathon to stage for Guatemala.

[Shanachie]

Ah yes, Guatemala. Just from reading the news there, I'm sure the government has wonderfully enlightened views on free anchoring. Nothing like those bullies in Florida.

[kevin.fortitude]

Originally Posted by Shanachie

Ah yes, Guatemala. Just from reading the news there, I'm sure the government has wonderfully enlightened views on free anchoring. Nothing like those bullies in Florida.

We will be in a slip for pennies on the dollar with power and water. The Rio Dulce is a very safe and cruiser friendly area....unlike southeastern FL.

[kevin.fortitude]

Originally Posted by Shanachie

Ah yes, Guatemala. Just from reading the news there, I'm sure the government has wonderfully enlightened views on free anchoring. Nothing like those bullies in Florida.

Originally Posted by flightlead404

Even Lake Worth is "hostile" in the sense there is limited shore access. There's the city dock at one end, which was closed for boat show when I was there (ironically). And there's the park all the way up at the other end past the Blue Heron Bridge (which officially is a no dink place, but unenforced). That one at the top end is the only place with water anywhere.

No marinas offer any sort of day pass, the overly expensive PBSC dingy dock is shut down from Ian.

I have scoped out a couple of tiny plots at the ends of property walls, but there's room for one dink and no water or garbage drop.

The PBSC is only for members and is truly expensive and they aren't very friendly. There is a park with a beach just south of there (literally adjacent to) that you can pull your dinghy up on and there's a water spigot at the street side of the park. There are also several garbage cans you can dispose of your waste in. If you call the Riviera Beach Marina and tell them you're going to eat lunch at Rafiki Tiki, they'll give you a transient slip to use for your dink. Not sure why you thought it was "hostile" there. Sounds like maybe you were just unfamiliar with the area.

[kevin.fortitude]

Originally Posted by Shanachie

Not a lot of sympathy here. I used to live in Fort Lauderdale and know the area.


Boats staying more than a couple of days are pumping sewage into the lake. Their owners are using people's private property to tie up dinghies and get access to land.



Using anchorages such as this as a stopover is fine. I'm sure the nearby property owners would not have a problem with this. It's when boaters move in for extended periods that it becomes abusive.


You also can't visit South Florida properly when you anchor in an area like this. The surrounding area is residential with families. You're intruding on their lives by staying there a long time.


Who wants strangers wandering around near their homes?


South Florida is one of the most densely populated urban areas in the U.S. The rules are different. You're not going to be viewed as some brave adventurer when you squat 100 yards off someone's back yard.

Interesting take on things. Are you a cruiser? I'm guessing not. No idea where people are tying up to peoples homes and using them to get ashore. Never seen that in my life. And there are appropriate "dinghy docks" all over the world, including the boat ramp in North Lake.

The problem isn't the cruisers. The problem is the lack of follow through by the City and State to enforce the rules. The solution is simple. There are rules, if no one enforces the rules, they get taken advantage of. I'll tell you right now, if the city started ticketing, towing, destroying peoples derelict boats for not following the law...things would change.

[kevin.fortitude]

Originally Posted by 5BTM

Google Earth shows a bunch of boats anchored in the keyhole area of the South Lake.

The North Lake has the Hollywood Marina that offers transient rates of about $2
per foot. There is also a public boat ramp.

Why wasn't North Lake or the Marina an option?

North Lake has depths too shallow for most sailboats including ours. The marina doesn't have a functioning fuel dock, slips cost money, and there weren't any available.

[kevin.fortitude]

Originally Posted by Chotu

yeah, this is nothing new. That’s just how it is in South Florida.

Not that it was right, but probably a lot of people have brought their dogs ashore and left feces I’m sure. So they’re just returning something that dinghy.

There are an awful lot of boat bums in Florida. it’s nothing personal toward you. They just don’t want people squatting there and dumping feces in their neighborhood. they are also probably sick of the derelict boats and boat bombs that have been in there for years. The sunken boats you are talking about? Those were filled with people once.

The beautiful thing about a boat if you don’t have to go there or stay there. You can just move to a better place.

what are you doing in that dump for 16 days anyway?

That’s not a good Anchorage. Not a very nice place to stay.

Wait, wait, wait. Did you just approve of someone throwing dog crap in our friends dinghy?? They literally took that crap, had to have walked past 1-2 garbage cans, and threw it in his dink! You're telling me that if an owner doesn't pick up their dog's crap in your neighborhood, you can then pick up that crap throw it at anyone's property that also owns a dog? That's some total BS logic there. Wow.

And as far as the derelict boats, I said this in another reply...The city and state have to get off their butts and start enforcing the rules. That IS the solution. Banning or treating proper cruisers like crap is a copout.

Why are people so quick to blame others when they should be shouting at city hall!!

[kevin.fortitude]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Broward County Florida Anchoring Law Strikes Balance For Landowners And Cruisers
Much-needed anchoring rules will help address a transient layover problem at one popular Florida destination. BoatUS is pushing other municipalities to follow suit.

BoatUS supports a Broward County ordinance [1] approved in November that establishes anchoring limitations specific to both North and South lakes within Hollywood, located about 10 miles south of Fort Lauderdale.
The new ordinance [1] allows anchoring for 45 days within any six-month period, including an exemption for imminent or existing hazardous weather conditions.
More about ➥ https://www.boatus.com/expert-advice...s-and-cruisers

[1] ➥ https://library.municode.com/fl/brow...R_ARTXIIANLIAR



Mooring field may come to Hollywood’s North Lake
➥ https://hollywoodgazette.com/mooring...ds-north-lake/
➥ http://thompson-inc.com/wp-content/u...ing-Fields.pdf

Hollywood waterway a haven for unwelcome boaters
➥ https://wsvn.com/news/local/hollywoo...lcome-boaters/

This, along with other laws, are worthless if no one enforces them. It's as simple as that. The city and state need to get their act together to enforce these and make it a better area for both homeowners and cruisers.

[kevin.fortitude]

Originally Posted by Bobby Lex

Clearly from the comments on this thread the hostility comes not only from landowners, but also from other boaters.

Irresponsible boat owners are ruining it for the rest of us.

Last year I sailed from Jacksonville south around the Keys and up the west coast of Florida to my home port. Time after time I had trouble finding spots to anchor, not because other cruisers had gotten there first that day. But more often than not it was because countless "permanent boat squatters" filled anchorage after anchorage, leaving little or no room for actual cruising travelers to spend a night or two at anchor before moving on.

Besides the squatters there are the "someday" boats owned by folks who intend to fix them up and cruise the world "someday", but never get around to it. So those boats sit there empty, for years, taking up prime anchoring space. All too often they are hazards and eyesores, and end up dragging or sinking.

In Florida, submerged lands are considered "State" lands. They belong to all of us. Not just the squatters. I support efforts of local and State governments to implement fair and reasonable plans that allow everyone to share and enjoy the waters around Florida. Not just primarily one demographic. Everyone.

Bob

Now we just need "local and state governments" to actually enforce the laws/rules. If they don't, nothing will change. That's where the problem lies.

[kevin.fortitude]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

There are several categories of boaters, and only some are a problem. But it's easy to address the non-problematic ones than the actual issue.

1. Abandoned boats - A problem wrt "clogging" anchorages and ecologically (I include the "free wet storage" boats and private, unpermitted, no lease moorings in this category)
2. People living aboard boats non or marginally compliant - dumping holding tanks or not having holding tanks, can't move etc. This is a problem category, but it's largely an economic one. These people are often a step above homeless, working but not on a livable wage, can't afford to live in or near the communities for whom they bus tables, cook, clean, wait on etc. The solution is much more difficult that "moving them on"
3. Cruisers. We're not the problem. We (for the most part) are quiet, compliant, non-dumping, considerate neighbors. But we're the easiest thing to deal with esp for politicians who'd rather do window dressing than address #1 and #2 (pun intended)

Exactly! We follow the rules and we're punished for it. However the derelict boats that are 100 yards away continue to do as they please. If there is no enforcement of the laws/rules, this problem will continue and likely worsen.

[kevin.fortitude]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

News like this from these kinds of threads is partly what keeps me from heading south.

We've been up to Annapolis and back offshore and in the ICW. It is truly friendly most places until you get to the southeastern coast of FL. From south of Lake Worth, it's just not cruiser friendly, but there are beautiful places to see. Don't let that stop you!

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by kevin.fortitude

We've been up to Annapolis and back offshore and in the ICW. It is truly friendly most places until you get to the southeastern coast of FL. From south of Lake Worth, it's just not cruiser friendly, but there are beautiful places to see. Don't let that stop you!

Good to hear Kevin. The problems and dysfunctions of south Florida seem so bizarre to me.

[brazenarticle]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Good to hear Kevin. The problems and dysfunctions of south Florida seem so bizarre to me.

The problems of South Florida are bizarre to most of America too. There is a reason for the meme - "A Florida man......."

[Shanachie]

Originally Posted by kevin.fortitude

Interesting take on things. Are you a cruiser? I'm guessing not. No idea where people are tying up to peoples homes and using them to get ashore. Never seen that in my life. And there are appropriate "dinghy docks" all over the world, including the boat ramp in North Lake.
.

I've been sailing off and on in Florida for more than 40 years.


I remember when sailors treated the area with respect, and got respect in return, and I now see many inconsiderate sailors abusing their "rights" and angering rightfully pissed-off residents.



North and South Lake didn't have anchored boats eight or nine years ago. They are not "traditional" anchoring spots. They were overwhelmed by inconsiderate people who live long-term on boat. Kind of like the homeless camps you see.


Floridians tend to be strong environmentalists living in a fragile land.



Tell me you weren't pumping sewage into South Lake while you were there 16 days, and tell me you didn't pump overboard when you were near Peanut Island for more than a month.



Then I'll you what you are full of. You don't have a 70-gallon holding tank. And neither does anyone else anchored there.



Untreated sewage can cause e coli, cholera and a host of other diseases. The effects of dumping sewage linger for a long time.



But what do you care about endangering the health of residents who use the water for kayaking, etc? You're only there a few weeks, and your main goal is freeloading on the amenities of others.


The abandoned boats are also polluting the water with diesel, oil, gasoline, etc. It will cost locals a bundle to clean up after the inconsiderates. But hey, you're off to Guatemala. No dollars out of your wallet.


I guess that's the point with you.


I've been questioned but never hassled in all of my time sailing Florida. But then, the sailors I know and I are considerate of the people who live where we visit. They are considerate back.