Noname Harbor Charges for Anchoring ?
 

So we're underway to Miami right now and a friend tells me that he was just in Noname Harbor off Key Biscayne anchored in the basin. We've been there before about 4 years ago. But now they charge $20 for the honor of dropping your anchor there and threaten to give a ticket if you don't pay on shore (honor system). A little searching finds some info about it hereTTYttp://www.key-biscayne.com/kb/capeflorida/nonameharbor/anchorage.shtml

It seems that you "get" some things for your $20 like trash disposal and pumpout (and park fee?).

My question is, can they charge for anchoring? And for locals with knowledge, what's the fine? It would be comical if the fine were $20.

Was that for tying up to the doc? I seem to recall there was always a box for that. It has been a while since I was there, so I suppose it could have changed.

No Name charged the last time I was there and that was in 1990!! You're only charged if you stay overnight. It's not a good anchorage- too many boats all on top of each other. There's much better anchorages on Kay Biscayne.

Jeffrey, Don't know how much the fine is but the harbor is owned by the Park Service and they do have jurisdiction over it and the right to charge just as they do to enter a Park, and the fines can be the same as not paying the Park entrance fee. That info should be available from the Park service, but I would bet it is a whole lot more than $20.00. WG

I never understood the fascination with No-Name harbor, especially out of hurricane season. Why don't you just anchor off Elliott Key just south of the marina and take Angel fish creek out when you want to cross over?

Tellie,

NOAA charts show 4 feet at the ocean entrance of Angel fish creek. Have you been through and have some local knowledge you can share? I would love to use Elliott Key instead of No name if possible for my 5 foot draft.

A couple of points...

Noname has a good spot in my memory. There was a Cuban restaurant at the head and an easy entrance to the park not to mention the completely protected basin.

I believe they've always charged to tie up to the dock and they still do so today. It's this new charge to drop your anchor which seems like a bad trend. I honestly wonder if it's legal.

We draw 6' so many of those other locations and passages are out for us in Biscayne Bay. I suspect we're not alone in that regard for an ocean-going vessel.

No Name Harbor charges a day use fee to tie up to a bulkhead during the day, which used to be $2 a couple years ago, and an overnight charge for anchoring, which was $15 the last time I was there. The only benefit to anchor there would be to eat in a mediocre restaurant and to walk in a nice park.

Instead, one can anchor on either side of Biscayne Bay in a good weather, or in an abandoned marine stadium basin just north of the Rickenbacker Causeway in any conditions. There is a restaurant there too, Rusty Pelican, if that is a concern.

Rising Star: Angelfish Creek has just less than 6 feet at mean low tide, somewhere around 5’10” or so. Caesar Creek, on other hand, has around 4 feet in a couple of spots at bay side.

I've been in/out of Angelfish Creek with a 4' 3" draft, but I guess I'm not considered an ocean-going vessel! :(

We went out Angelfish Creek on the 27th. (01/27/10) This was our second time through. We went at about an hour before high tide and saw nothing less than 7 feet. (1.5 feet below our 5.5-foot keel) Middle of the channel, possibly a bit to the red side seem to be best.

DO make sure you are looking at the tide station for "Ocean Reef Harbor, Key Largo" though, NOT the station for "Pumpkin Key, South End, Card Sound". Or to be more precise maybe average it out for the Ocean Reef and Christmas Point stations.

I anchored just south of No Name a few years ago. The only bother was listening to the park officers yelling at unregistered (?) boaters in the harbor with a bullhorn. I left the next morning for Marathon and had no trouble heading out to the Hawk Channel with my 4.5' draft.

If there's going to be a blow, head into the harbor. If not, anchor outside for free. IMHO.

That's probably good advice.

We're anchored behind Belle Isle next to Miami Beach right now. It's a much better place to be in my opinion. Lot's to do here and no one asking for any money. Plus there's plenty of room (unlike Noname).

We were just in No name harbour in December, yes the fee is $20 to anchor overnight. We anchored in harbour for the convenience of park access. however you can pop in for the day for free then leave the harbour at night. The holding outside no name is great. We were there in 20+ know west winds, little bounce but held great.

Are you North or South of Belle Island?

Chart (below) excerpted from Jim Faughn’s “Anchorages and Dinghy Docks in the Florida Keys”
➥ Jim Faughn's Anchorages and Dinghy Docks in the Florida Keys

No Name Harbor Fees
 

Gonna be at Noname Harbor tomorrow evening....

My concern isn't with the $20 fee, but rather must I drop the dinghy to make payment? ...or can I pull up to a seawall and just hand $20 to a state clerk like doing a drive thru at Mickey D's? If I gotta drop the dink, I want them to pay me $20!

Bill