Where in South Eastern Fl to hang out for a Month?

[SV Bacchus]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Going to be 25 here in Brunswick tomorrow night

Then you need to get the heck out!

We were in Boot Key Harbor the first two weeks of December. Came back to Ft. Lauderdale for a haul-out the week before Christmas. Then we stayed in Lake Sylvia in Ft. Lauderdale for a few weeks trying to resolve a prop issue. Now we are headed south again and at No Name Harbor tonite (Tue the 16th) and in a couple of days we will be back in Boot Key Harbor. 10PM at night and all hatches and doors are open, quite comfortable.

We really like all these places: Lake Sylvia in Ft. Lauderdale, Stadium, Biscayne Bight (Nixon) and No Name Harbor in Miami. Boot Key Harbor in Marathon. Everything mentioned is free except Boot Key but a month there is only a little over $300.

We really hated this place: Dinner Key Marina in Miami. Docks are still closed due to Irma so you have to take a mooring ball. The moorings are unprotected and I do mean unprotected. We rock/n/rolled all night long and in the morning my wife said "get me out of here"!

[a64pilot]

I think we may stop awhile in West Palm, but will likely soon head for Marathon, maybe a little time in KW. Have to get that exit form from CBP somewhere and figure KW to be that somewhere, just hope they don’t remember me I doubt they do, it’s been awhile.
Does a Blond Woman run KW’s CBP still?

[Drift Woods]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You have to admit that they are very similar to a KOA.
Going to be 25 here in Brunswick tomorrow night

Boot key is generally regarded as one of the better Sailor Parks in Florida.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by Drift Woods

Boot key is generally regarded as one of the better Sailor Parks in Florida.

God I've been sailing around for 35 years and i never heard that expression "sailor parks" before, does that ever describe the scene. The term we used for people that always found reasons to never go anywhere was looser cruiser but that was years ago and probably is no longer politically correct.

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

God I've been sailing around for 35 years and i never heard that expression "sailor parks" before, does that ever describe the scene. The term we used for people that always found reasons to never go anywhere was looser cruiser but that was years ago and probably is no longer politically correct.

Ha, never heard Looser Cruiser either..
Some folks with big plans get as far as Fort Lauderdale, then no further as they park their boats for good and take a job at “Sailorman”.
Those who keep going makes it as far as Georgetown in the Exumas and no further. Also called Chicken Harbor.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Ha, never heard Looser Cruiser either..
Some folks with big plans get as far as Fort Lauderdale, then no further as they park their boats for good and take a job at “Sailorman”.
Those who keep going makes it as far as Georgetown in the Exumas and no further. Also called Chicken Harbor.

Ha,ha..same story where ever you go,eh! On the Wet Coast we really filter them out because once they stick their neck out past Neah Bay and sail out the Wa/Oregon coast the world changes real quick. It's like being thrown into the pool as a kid, sink or swim. I've gotten to the point of telling guys to bring a buddy or two and letting their wives meet them in San Francisco, after that it's pretty easy and they may actually make it to Mexico.

[CSY Man]

Yup, wife’s are frequently the show-stopper.
Usually good prices on sailboat in the islands: Owner’s or just wife bails out after a tough passage and “hate the boat”, “hate you”, etc., then buy a one-way ticket back to the mainland.
Guess I was lucky, first wife did the live-aboard thing with me for 3 years.
Second wife did 12-15 part time Bahamas cruises with me, on a different boat, sort of happy, especially when the weather was good and the boat did not heel.

Now we got a power boat and she likes that, whatever makes Mama happy..

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Yup, wife’s are frequently the show-stopper.
Usually good prices on sailboat in the islands: Owner’s or just wife bails out after a tough passage and “hate the boat”, “hate you”, etc., then buy a one-way ticket back to the mainland.
Guess I was lucky, first wife did the live-aboard thing with me for 3 years.
Second wife did 12-15 part time Bahamas cruises with me, on a different boat, sort of happy, especially when the weather was good and the boat did not heel.

Now we got a power boat and she likes that, whatever makes Mama happy..

Good for you, you found something that worked. There is no question if Mama ain't happy then no one is happy.
We had been anchored in the Marquesas Islands for around a day and it was such a lovely buzz I felt in my body after all the constant movement an almost 20 day passage brings when we hear the sound of people screaming at each other.
I go up to the cockpit and hear some more yelling coming from a boat that has just arrived and the guy heads forward to start dropping the hook. His mate has 2 of those super sized garbage bags tied together and she throws them overboard and then dives in herself, puts the center of the bags around her forehead and starts swimming for shore. He is still screaming at her as he continues anchoring. She made it to shore before he could launch the dink, never saw her again Water soluble marriages we used to call them, lol.

[bdbcat]

a64Pilot...

Consider Vero Beach.

Has a rep as "Velcro Beach", but really is quite nice for a few weeks. Free hourly bus to Publix/West. Weekly potluck, with music sometimes. Good Wifi. Moorings only, but reasonable price. Very nice and accommodating staff.

Good Luck
Dave

[Group9]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

God I've been sailing around for 35 years and i never heard that expression "sailor parks" before, does that ever describe the scene. The term we used for people that always found reasons to never go anywhere was looser cruiser but that was years ago and probably is no longer politically correct.

Sailor parks. I'm adding that to my vocabulary as well.

[a64pilot]

I’ll look into Vero, I had an Uncle that lived there since after WWII.
Also friends that worked at Piper.

[sailorboy1]

Vero is pretty protected, but buggy. The WiFi Internet on the moorings is spotty. Plan this time of year to raft up, which is a great chance to meet other cruisers. There’s nothing really in walking distance, but there’s a free bus system.

It is definitely a stop worth doing overall in the cruisers needs department

[sailnautilus]

I have a great suggestion for you......much nicer than Vero....
Try Stuart Florida.....
This is a great small town, there is a lovely city marina called Sunset Bay Marina just up the saint lucie river from the inlet. There are many anchorages if you do not favor the marina or mooring ball field. From the marina, and from several other anchorages, downtown and all amenities are an easy walk....there are great restaurants, shopping and a theatre downtown. The marina has a courtesy shuttle to Walmart and west marine, etc. Also has great amenities....many snowbirds stay there all winter...

If you prefer to get away, there are some nice anchorages just south of the saint Lucie river with great nature preserves and beaches....try one called “Pecks Lake” which is on the ICW adjacent to a state park and some beautiful Atlantic coastline. Also, you are 66 miles from the Bahamas if you want to make the jump. Any boat related parts or services are MUCH less expensive than further south.

PM me if you need further info....we have lived there for ten years and have a home and dock on Manatee Pocket, another nice anchorage......we are currently in Colombia and heading to Panama on our 52’ Kanter.

[a64pilot]

Thanks, we actually left Stuart last Summer after an extended stay there to get chain plates and other work done. We rented a house on the island as of course the boat was uninhabitable during chain plate replacement.
Stuart is a nice town, but I hate the water there, growth was very rapid, I think due to the water coming from the Lake and agricultural run off. That’s my theory anyway.
Of course that was in the middle of Summer with warm water comes growth so I’m sure it’s not so bad now.

[hobopacket]

I was just there 3 weekends ago. Water was nice and clear. Actually this summer didn’t have the algae blooms as last one did.

After study. It was waste runoffs from leaky sewage systems. Gross. Big ag is easy to blame though