Almost that time - hurricane season

[Hudson Force]

Dan,
Your account sure does sound like the flooding that occurs sometimes along Black Creek. If the St. Johns is already high this would definitely decrease the ability for the water to flow readily out of Black Creek; however, Black Creek can have some major flooding without the help of a hurricane. 'hope your family were able to keep their home. This is a beautiful location though blocked by a 35' bridge for access by many vessels.

[tomtriad]

Sunset Bay Marina in Stewart, FL is 5 miles up the St. Lucy River at the beginning of the Okeechobee canal. They have new helical screw moorings with stout pennants. I have left my boat there for months at a time (not during hurricane season) with no ill result. Protected waters, convenient for supplies, shopping, transportation, etc. Very friendly staff and well equipped/liveaboard marina. Reasonable rates. Dockage available too, but I prefer mooring. Fills up fast, does not take reservations - first come first serve. One of the few mooring fields that does not require someone to be on the vessel.

[Sailorguy]

I can recommend two marina’s in the Palm Bay/Melbourne area: Telemar Bay in Indian Harbor Beach- land locked, not subject to surge. This is a no frills marina but has the advantage of being close to Publix, Ace Hardware and restaurants; I have kept my boat there for the last dozen or so years and experienced several HC’s. The other marina is Harbor Town off of the barge canal near Port Canaveral. Land locked and not subject to surge; this marina has a pool/clubhouse.

[jalmberg]

So happy to be in Europe this year. I got really fed up with dodging tropical storms and hurricanes every season on the US east coast, particularly in the last few years. Good luck to friends back home!

[sstj29]

I like reynolds park yacht center, in green cove springs just south of jacksonville, it is inland, very well protected and a 1/3 of the cost of st-augustine. Much safer than the coastal marinas, the storm surge does not get there, and it is in fresh water so your engine get’s a rinse while you are getting there

[dannc]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

Dan,
Your account sure does sound like the flooding that occurs sometimes along Black Creek. If the St. Johns is already high this would definitely decrease the ability for the water to flow readily out of Black Creek; however, Black Creek can have some major flooding without the help of a hurricane. 'hope your family were able to keep their home. This is a beautiful location though blocked by a 35' bridge for access by many vessels.

Thank you. They built on low land but with a house that they thought would be above flood waters. It is a pole structure with only a entrance and some utilities on ground level with the living spaces on the second and third floor but the house has been flooded out a couple of times. I know the last time was from the hurricane. I don't know, or can't remember what happened the times.

It is a pretty location and the only time I visited was when the house was being built. We thought about keeping my dads sail boat up there but the bridge and distance nixed that idea.

Later,
Dan

[dannc]

Originally Posted by tomtriad

Sunset Bay Marina in Stewart, FL is 5 miles up the St. Lucy River at the beginning of the Okeechobee canal. ...

I am not being a smart a...ss but I think you mean Stuart, Florida? Don't want people looking for a marina in Stewart.

Ok. I had to check and see if there is a Stewart, Florida. Google takes me to Stuart. I have never heard of a Stewart, Florida, which does not mean it does not exist since it is a big state, but I guess it does NOT exist since Google does not show it.

Ha! There is a Stewart City, Florida in the panhandle. Kinda surprising if there was not a Stewart.

Later,
Dan

[Amapola]

We've lived in Punta Gorda Florida for 23 years and have been affected by 6 hurricanes. The worst were Charley and Ian, both cat 4. We live on a canal and keep our boat at our dock behind our house. When a hurricane warning is issued, we are allowed to tie the boat in the center of the canal and tie off to both sides of the canal. So far, the boat has fared well with only minor damage. Our house was built to standards established after Hurricane Andrew.

[myketch42]

I stayed up all night adjusting lines and tightening jack stands twice at Indiantown marina .there were bout 500 boats there , most on the hard , even that far inland and behind a lock there was still about 5 feet of surge wind driven...we lost a blue tarp once , I think it would be a good hurricane plan foe the OP.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by myketch42

I stayed up all night adjusting lines and tightening jack stands twice at Indiantown marina .there were bout 500 boats there , most on the hard , even that far inland and behind a lock there was still about 5 feet of surge wind driven...we lost a blue tarp once , I think it would be a good hurricane plan foe the OP.

Exactly the right kind of spot. Exactly.

[BBill]

Originally Posted by myketch42

I stayed up all night adjusting lines and tightening jack stands twice at Indiantown marina .there were bout 500 boats there , most on the hard , even that far inland and behind a lock there was still about 5 feet of surge wind driven...we lost a blue tarp once , I think it would be a good hurricane plan foe the OP.

This is about as good as it gets in Florida...unless your mast height will let you get far inland on the St Johns river closer to Sanford. In comparison, Green Cove is too exposed and not even close to being a hurricane hole. As posted already, Harbor Town on the Barge Canal is the best for many miles but forget getting in there because the waiting list is yrs long. Boats do anchor along the bank in the Barge Canal, zero fetch with high banks but the USCG has been running people out for hurricanes.

If you avoid wave action the next worst thing is high water surge. It gets higher than the imagination says can happen. I saw a commercial boat
of around 80' sitting on the roof of a pump station after Hurricane Andrew. My cousin lived a mile from Biscayne Bay and his attic had fish in it. The house was 60% destroyed.

When I was a young lad my Dad tied up our 27' Chris Craft by springing it bank to bank in the middle of the canal behind our house...Cocoa Beach 1960. Hurricane Donna's eye passed over us and the boat was fine.

During one hurricane that brushed us around 1980, I had a backhoe dig a hole and set my 42' cutter in it. Rode the storm out that way as it was my home.

[h4cks4sn4cks]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I went thru Hurricane Ivan in Pensacola, FL in 2004 and 6-8 other hurricanes while there

Ivan reach 160 knots Cat 5 and came in Pensacola Pass at around 140 knots give or take.

Nothing was safe.

Tornadoes did significant damage also

A grand total of 118 tornadoes were associated with Ivan from Florida to Pennsylvania, which is more than any other tropical system since modern day tornado records have been kept starting in 1950.

It hit in mid September. The later season Hurricanes seem to be the worst. (August, September, October, etc)

I have been a long time lurker, just dreaming of being able to buy my first boat. Now I am in the process of purchasing in the Pensacola area, and the hurricanes have been the biggest fear for me.

I have heard recommendations from " double up the dock lines " to "find a creek in-land". Could you share your experience and what you did to prepare. The marina I am looking at is near bayou chico, but haven't found much info on where to move the boat, or if it is better to ride it out in the marina in this area. Any advice or guidance is much appreciated.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by h4cks4sn4cks

I have been a long time lurker, just dreaming of being able to buy my first boat. Now I am in the process of purchasing in the Pensacola area, and the hurricanes have been the biggest fear for me.

I have heard recommendations from " double up the dock lines " to "find a creek in-land". Could you share your experience and what you did to prepare. The marina I am looking at is near bayou chico, but haven't found much info on where to move the boat, or if it is better to ride it out in the marina in this area. Any advice or guidance is much appreciated.

Best to check with the locals, not internet jockeys here. And preferably the ones who have “been through” it before.

Get the best insurance you can. Most underwriters require that you have a written hurricane plan as a means of ensuring they don’t insure idiots.