Is Florida Really That Tuff On Transients?

[sigbear]

I met a 87 yr. old salty dog trawler guy this summer who bought his 40' trawler in 1985 and has gone to Florida most winters since then, however, he told me he now goes to Alabama up river past Mobile because Florida is not transient friendly.

I have read other people say the same thing. Is it really that bad?

Are secluded anchorages numerous on the West coast side or hard to find?

Sigbear

 

[RON20406]

I met a 87 yr. old salty dog trawler guy this summer who bought his 40' trawler in 1985 and has gone to Florida most winters since then, however, he told me he now goes to Alabama up river past Mobile because Florida is not transient friendly.

I have read other people say the same thing. Is it really that bad?

Are secluded anchorages numerous on the West coast side or hard to find?

Sigbear

Sigbear, Having spent 10 years in Florida and the Bahamas as our base for our Pearson 34-II and sailed over 15,000 miles, I would not agree. The only difference is that the cost of marinas is almost double of what it was in 1995. If you are a marina person, you might think that they are not cruiser friendly, but it has nothing to do with that but rather the cost of ownership, property taxes and fair market values for prime real estate(marinas). However, if you have a shallow draft vessel and are willing to move from anchorage to anchorage in response to shifting winds and cold fronts(winter) there are many secluded places on both Florida Coasts and the Bahamas that you'll be the only boat within miles. The Florida Bay anchorages with eyeball navigation required, the Marquesas Islands offshore from Key West, The Bayside Intercoastal from Miami to Marathon, The Biminis and Berrys of the Bahamas are some of the most beautiful isolated anchorages you'll find anywhere. You'll have to be self sufficient with good ground tackle and a willingness to explore uncharted areas with no help around. Not many are willing to do that today and would rather run into a marina at the approach of a storm and then complain how much they spent after four days on an electric tether. I suppose it's how you flip the coin. Best, Ron

 

[Stu Jackson]

There is merit in the unfriendly attitude of many Florida towns to boaters. Suggest you poke around on the BoatUS website. The deal is the towns 1) don't like anchor outs and 2) the rich folk don't like their views impeded by boats. There have been scads of lawsuits about this. Many cruisers actually have to use harbors because they can't afford to use marinas anymore, as noted in the last post, so they want to anchor out, dinghy into shore, get supplies and move on. It's become harder and harder to do. I understand there are lots of great anchorages as just mentioned, but if you check a chart, the ones mentioned are south of Miami. It's a long way from the Georgia border south of Miami. Bummer...

 

[Bill1565]

A couple of years ago, the state of Florida passed a law that limits the ability of cities and towns,and counties from restricting anchoring. You cannot anchor in a mooring field for the obvious reason the moorings are already close together. You cannot obstruct a channel, again obvious.

There was a test case at Marco Island on the West Coast. The city lost, the state won. I'm unaware of any cases on the east coast, but then I don't pay a lot of attention to the east coast.

South of the Indian River, The east coast ICW is mostly a ditch, that is channel full of traffic and flats to shallow to anchor in. The keys, Flodia Bay and the west coast up to Charlotte harbor are loaded with anchorages, some all weather and some weather dependent. Marina are expensive and rare because developers keep buying waterfront and building multi story condo buildings. Marina owners have to make a concious decision on a daily basis not to sell out and leave a bazillion dollars to their heirs.

 

[TimCup]

"Transient" has a little different meaning here-

it's the politically correct term used to describe the vagrants and panhandlers that have become a scourge on our cities and towns. I'm not talking about the homeless, down and out in these tough times, but the antisocials that refuse help so they can stay drunk or high. finding junk hulls and anchoring 50 feet off our seawalls is better than sleeping on our park benches.

My city (St Pete) welcomes cruisers and actual transients. If you don't want to spend the money for a marina, you can anchor in one of many harbors. They will require you to register, and you are welcome for 7 days. After that, you must move on, if only 1/4 mile, to the next harbor. For actual cruisers with motors, this isn't an issue. But it keep the squatters from ruining the area. Trust me- tourists don't like sharing public restrooms with panhandlers showering in sinks and washing their undies where you want to wash you hands. And it's the tourists that pay the bills here!

cup

 

[sailaway78]

West Coast

I have found the W. Coast of Fl. to be basically boater friendly, and have had no problems what so ever there. Plenty of nice anchorages, all up and down the coast. And most of the marinas are pretty friendly and helpful. It is a tad more expensive than other places, but overall I don't see a lot of difference in attitude from other places. Bear in mind that as with any other group of people, there are those who are never satisfied, and will bitch and moan if they don't have the proper amount of butter on their toast. And of course, as with every other group, there is a small percentage who are just a__holes. In my experience, I have seen a far smaller percentage of boaters who fit these classifications, than in most other groups.

 

[Terry in Naples]

Florida Unfriendly? Not really

I live in Naples on the water and do not think we are transient unfriendly. We now have moorings for transients. they cost 10/night. You may stay 4 days then you have to move. You can go anchor up in several places for another 4 nights then move again in the Bay or you can go to a marina. Each place has a maximum stay time. Then in Marco Island there are several nice anchorages you can use free. These will let you stay several nights also but then will ask you to move if you set up residency. No one wants to establish a free anchorage for full time live aboards on their waterfront. But traveling past and staying a few days, no problem.Then in Ft Myers beach there is a new big mooring field with new dinghy dock. Go North further you can anchor up all along the inside of Sanibel, Capativa and cao Costa all barrier Islands.
South of here you can anchor in several of the back areas like going into Everglades City and down. Then 50 miles to Shark River then across Fl Bay to the Keys.
We did have the big Marco Island test case as prieviously mentioned. The city lost the court case and you will NOT get hasseled by the locals if you anchor away from shore in the many good anchorages unless you are loud, park your ding in someones yard, take you dog on someones yard to do its duty, cause a problem or plan to stay aboard while you work on shore etc.

 

[Rick Sylvester]

Hey Sig, as a liveaboard

on the West coast for ten years and a sailor in Florida for 40 I'd like to chime in.

Bill1565 is correct although some municipalities didn't get the memo and still send their water cops out if a water-front wacko complains loudly enough. Mostly though, I don't think it's any worse than anywhere else.

As to marinas being expensive here, that used to be true when the economy was robust but in the aftermath with all the empty slips the rates have remained tolerable in most locales. High demand areas like Key West are still a notable exception. Here at the St. Pete Muni the transient rate is still $2/ft (I think.)

The West coast of Florida is terrific cruising grounds and there's lots of secluded spots available, especially if you don't restrict yourself to the little anchor symbols in Claiborne Young's guide or the BAIL book. If you can read a chart you'll be fine.

Come on down.

 

[PotomacDaysailer]

2) the rich folk don't like their views impeded by boats.

What?!? What a shocking lack of proper aesthetics. As far as I am concerned, anchored sailboats only enhance a view. Even powerboats are acceptable, in my book (as long as they don't run their engines too early).

 

[RichH]

I sail to the Bahamas and Caribbean as often as I can. I avoid the East Coast of Florida especially below Vero Beach as if I will catch a disease. The disease is rudeness, nazi water cop rules despite what the 'state' has legislated, inflated marine prices, rudeness, lack of courtesy, did I say rudeness, ..... etc. etc. etc.
I usually make only one 'briefest' stop in FL before passing to the 'islands'. Florida ''boater friendly' ???? ... not on the east coast. "Viva Yo" apparently is become the state motto. I avoid South Florida at any possible opportunity.

 

[Rick Sylvester]

So Rich,

get off the fence, would ya . . .

 

[Sumner]

.. in Naples ......We now have moorings for transients. they cost 10/night. You may stay 4 days then you have to move. You can go anchor up in several places for another 4 nights then move again in the Bay or you can go to a marina. Each place has a maximum stay time. ....

.......Then in Marco Island there are several nice anchorages you can use free. These will let you stay several nights also but then will ask you to move if you set up residency.....

........Then in Ft Myers beach there is a new big mooring field with new dinghy dock. ........

Thanks for that info. We hope to be in that area soon. Do you have any GPS coordinates or some other way of finding the places you mentioned above. I've googled the area with no luck.

Thanks,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

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[Bill1565]

Hey Sum! I thought you were coming during the summer. Autumn is here. Daytime temps have dropped to low 90's nights to low 70's.

 

[Sumner]

Hey Sum! I thought you were coming during the summer. Autumn is here. Daytime temps have dropped to low 90's nights to low 70's.

We had hoped to be down the first of Oct., but it is going to be a little later now. Hope to stay until Christmas and if we like it we will leave the boat/trailer and return in the spring for a while. After that we would like to haul the boat north to my sister's off Long Island Sound and do that next summer finishing up with the Erie Canal and then back home again.

We are finishing a bunch of mods to make the boat more liveable during that time and are a little behind schedule :cry:.

We are really looking forward to Florida as this will be a first time visit for us either on land or water,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

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