We recently moved to Merritt Island and has been cruising the Indian River and upper Banana River. There is a rocket launch scheduled for the morning of 12/12 with the launch window opening for 90 minutes starting around 0835.
I would like to see the launch from the Banana River opposite the Cape Canaveral Air Force base where the launch pad is situated. Looking at the
charts there are understandably quite a few
security zones,
danger areas and restricted areas. The one I am interested in is
security zone 165.701 since it is out of bounds during launches.
The description of the area is here
http://https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/33/165.701
When I follow the lats and longs on my chart it looks like this zone encompasses most of north Merritt Island - i.e. Most of the island north of the barge
canal to the haul over
canal and from the shore of the Indian River to a line 3 miles off shore. EXCEPT, it look like about half the Banana River from the shore of Merritt Island to the western edge of the barge channel (I believe it's called the Saturn barge channel) and from the Canaveral barge canal north to a point a little south of the NASA parkway east falls outside this security area.
This would make this little 4nm by about .85nm piece of
water one of the best places in the world to watch a rocket launch. But, it just looks so unlikely that a "finger" of
water, kind of in the middle of the security zone would be accessible when the rest of the area is out of bounds.
I called the USCG at Port Canaveral and asked them about this and initially they were thinking I'm talking about an off shore position but then said it "sounds OK" if I
anchor there to watch the launch.
Thing is that if I look at the fire
power of the Air Force and
Navy ranged around the Banana River and taking into consideration the sensitivity of a rocket launch I'd rather not take the chance of
anchoring there for the spectacle based on a telephonic "sound OK" from petty officer someone at the USCG station.
My proposed
anchoring position would be 28 deg 28.178' N 80 deg 37.977' W. This is east of duck point on Meritt Island and just northwest of channel marker 24. According to my
charts and the description in the regs this is outside the security zone and therefor kosher but is there anyone out there that know for sure?
I appreciate all help!