Anchorages lower Biscayne Bay to Marathon

[timjet]

We're headed north from Key West on Thursday and are looking for some anchorages on our way north. Our plan now is to stay at Boot Key Harbor for a night or two then head north on the ICW (inside route) to Biscayne Bay. I'm new to the upper Keys and am looking for some good anchorages.

I have 2 constraints;
1. I need to have a place to dinghy ashore for the dog, in the morning and in the evening.
2. Bugs, we were eaten up by bugs off Indian Key in the Everglades even with a strong SW wind.

After Boot Key we were thinking of anchoring in Cowpens Anchorage off Plantation Key and hit the Marker 88 restaurant. There should be a place to get the dog off there.

40 miles north of Cowpens should put us in lower Biscayne Bay or Card Sound. Card Should looks nice but it doesn't appear there are many places to go ashore and it has been reported as buggy.

Then that should put us in the Biscayne Bay area early in the week and avoid the Cuban Navy which is active on the weekends.

Suggestions please.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Take a look at No Name Harbor on the South end of Key Biscayne in Bill Baggs State Park. And the anchorage at the Marine Stadium on Virgina Key.

 

[Moonstruck]

Tim, Rodriguez Key is a marginal anchorage area. Depending on wind direction. It is a long dinghy ride to shore for , but restaurants doable. I have anchored there. It was good holding in about 7' depth. There are really only a few anchorages that I have found on Hawk Channel. Boca Chita Key if you are there during a week day is a good tie up with no services, but I don't think pets are welcomed. Elliot Key can be good if the wind is right.

Please give us a trip report with pics.

 

[HopCar]

Tim, Cowpens is a nice anchorage. It's been a long time since I've been there but you might want to check if the park there is dog friendly.

If you don't think you can get much further north than Card Sound, at least get north of the bridge. If you anchor over by Steamboat Creek, that's a fun shoreline to explore in the dinghy. You can eat at Alabama Jacks at the western end of the bridge. Just run in with your dinghy. Bugs will likely be a problem until you get further north in Biscayne Bay.

If you stop in Miami, come to my store and say hello. I'll give you a good shot of Cuban coffee.

 

[timjet]

Tim, Cowpens is a nice anchorage. It's been a long time since I've been there but you might want to check if the park there is dog friendly.

It supposedly is dog friendly. I'll report

If you don't think you can get much further north than Card Sound, at least get north of the bridge. If you anchor over by Steamboat Creek, that's a fun shoreline to explore in the dinghy. You can eat at Alabama Jacks at the western end of the bridge. Just run in with your dinghy. Bugs will likely be a problem until you get further north in Biscayne Bay.

I can get farther north and am considering doing so primarily due to bugs. Alabama Jacks sounds like fun but the reports from AC on the anchorages around the area indicate a problem with bugs.

If you stop in Miami, come to my store and say hello. I'll give you a good shot of Cuban coffee.

Will do, are you a walk or bike ride from Biscayne Bay or the anchorages in the Miami Area? We may stop at Dinner Key and splurge on dinner at the Chart House.

Take a look at No Name Harbor on the South end of Key Biscayne in Bill Baggs State Park. And the anchorage at the Marine Stadium on Virgina Key.

Will check that out this evening. We're headed into town (Key West) for some fun.

 

[timjet]

Tim, Rodriguez Key is a marginal anchorage area. Depending on wind direction. It is a long dinghy ride to shore for , but restaurants doable. I have anchored there. It was good holding in about 7' depth. There are really only a few anchorages that I have found on Hawk Channel. Boca Chita Key if you are there during a week day is a good tie up with no services, but I don't think pets are welcomed. Elliot Key can be good if the wind is right.

Please give us a trip report with pics.

Will look at Boca Chita and Elliot Key. I've got some crud in the carb of my dinghy motor I've got to get out to get it running right, so will do that before I get to that area so we can do longer dinghy rides.

 

[caltexflanc]

Are you planning on being inside or outside? What is your bridge clearance.

Here are our favorites twixt Key West and Biscayne:

If coming outside on Hawk, and Boot Key is a stretch, Newfound Harborhas a few places, we liked the tongue of deeper water between Little Torch and Big Pine below the bridge.

Next is lovely Bahia Honda Park, we'd anchor between the bridges (20ft, the Hawk side has a cut out in the old bridge from which a nice fellow baoter took my avatar picture), set it well because there is a strong reversing current and the bottom is inconsistent in some spots. There is a little dinghy dock marina ashore. We'd go there from Boot Key just to hang out for a few days, probably the best beach in the Keys on the ocean side. I know some people would anchor out on the northwest side of Bahia Honda who were on the ICW.

Next stop for us after Boot Key (we wintered there for a few months on a mooring) was to come in Channel Five (65ft) and anchor off Lignum Vitae os Shell Key parks. Not sure what the dog regs are but fun places to hike. But a little further east is our favorite "civilized" anchorage off Islamorada/ Upper Matecumbe. Deeper than Cowpens, far preferable IMO, and you have all sorts of shoreside eateries, drinkeries and shops, such as the legendary Loreleis right there, and World Wide Sportsman in Little Basin (has a replica of Hemmingway's "Pilar" in the store and a decent restaurant and fish store).

Then if you are inside there is Tarpon Basin which has places to land ashore and not far from a Publix. As noted, on the outside is Rodriguex Key, but I jave never been ashore there, just anchored out. Or, you canproceed to John Pennekamp park and the moorings in Largo Sound. No direct experience (boat too big) here but many happy reports.


Next up for us was the north side of Pumpkin Key, which is private but a lot of places to take the dinghy up through Anglefish Creek. Plus you can dinghy in to Ocean Reef and see how the 1% are doing. Adams Key park a little further north has a day dock , fun visit, again not sure about dog regs.

If haven't anchored off Elliot Key and or docked at Boca Chita, it is worthwhile, especially weekdays, though Elliot is such a big anchorage even then it is not so bad and we'd dinghy to Elliot to hike or over to Boca Chita just for the experience and uniqueness. When we had guests in town and were docked in Hollywood, a night or two here and a night at Pumpkin were always popular. On shore at Elliot you will want the DEET, we never found it too bad but were never there this late in the spring either. (I have to say I was a little surprised at your bug problems at Indian Key, we used to go there this time of year when we chartered).

Others have mentione No Name Harbor on Biscayne. It was always too crowded for us to anchor, we'd anchor off just outside and a bit south, outside the channel, and take the Whaler in. We really liked the carribean style restaurant there. You can also just day dock on the seawall. Again, check the regs on dogs, but a favorite destination of ours for a night or two.

Take your time, smell the roses, have fun!

 

[Moonstruck]

The Largo Sound mooring field is a great idea. Watch you depth carefully. It is a narrow channel through the mangroves going in. We kept our Boston Whaler 17' at Key Largo for a couple of years. We used the cut to get through to the reef. Been through there many times. It should really be a protected mooring. You can take the dinghy to a lot of stuff from there. Probably worth a couple of days if you like to take the dinghy to snorkle the reef.

 

[HopCar]

Tim, my store is about a forty minute dinghy ride up the Miami River.
Head up the river, pass under the 27th Avenue bridge and take the next left.
Go under the swing bridge and we're about a 1/4 mile on the right.

You mentioned outboard trouble. If it isn't resolved by the time you hit Miami, there is a good outboard repair guy in the Marine Stadium complex. That would be a good place to anchor while the motor is worked on. Good restaurant there too.

Dinner Key area is good for cruisers without a car. Lots of stuff within walking or biking distance. You must know the area if you know Chart House.

If you need any marine supplies, I deliver. The delivery charge is usually a tour of the boat.

 

[David O]

The folks at Marker 88 will allow you to bring your dog along with you.

From the bay side at Key Largo over to the Pennekamp anchorage there is a low bridge, you better check the clearance prior to. Lots of good info on Active Captain.

 

[pilothouse king]

It's shallow the whole route, so you can drop an anchor about anywhere (outside the channels of course) depending on wind direction. "Bugs?" You haven't seen mosquitos until you get a wind from the west (Glades) during the summer time. Even off Elliott, Boca Chita, and Key Biscayne you want to anchor pretty far off from land. And when dog walking keep in mind that Barnes Sound is a crocodile sanctuary, and them and gators can be found all the way basically to Virginia. Love your generator and ac at night.

 

[timjet]

If you need any marine supplies, I deliver. The delivery charge is usually a tour of the boat.

A very kind offer HopCar. I haven't planned that far north yet.

Here is a tentative itinerary after Key West.

Boot Key Harbor

Cowpens Anchorage

Barnes Sound near Alabama Jacks. We'll run the genny cause of bugs.

Elliott Key

No Name Harbor or Hurricane Harbor off Key Biscayne

Dinner Key Mooring

Marine Stadium. I grew up in Miami and remember once or twice seeing the races there.

Boca Chita doesn't allow pets.

Anybody know of a good outboard repair place in Marathon?