Florida East Coast ICW Achorage Review.....

    I started keeping track of resources at anchorages after living on beans and rice for several days unaware there was a grocery store 200 yards away.  In our defence the Florida cruising guide we have is eight years old.   There have been more than a few changes in Florida since 2004!  In a strong desire to have fresh fruits and veggies around as much as possible I have scoured the Internet looking for information about anchorages on the ICW.  The irony, most of the time the websites I find reference the same out of date cruising guide we have!

     Following is the start of a long list of Eastern Florida anchorages we have stayed at.  (Most are on the ICW, and SM stands for Standard Mile.)

1.  Sunset Bay Marina and Anchorage: 27.2N/-80.2583W

      This is one of the most accommodating anchorages around, and also crowded.   In the off season there is plenty of swing room.   Come November the dingy dock gets crowded.   The people there are really nice and have a great community feel.   Go east or west on US1, literally 100 yards from the dock, you'll find a West Marine and Publix Grocery store within two miles.   A bit further hike each way and there will be Home Depot, Lowe's, and Walmart.  There are also many restaurants in the area.   Santa Fe is a personal favorite with homemade chips and salsa and great happy hour specials!  


2. Manatee Pocket: SM 988, 27 90.239N/ 080

    This was one of the our favorite anchorages for many reasons.   First the people there were extremely helpful, and friendly.   To quote one of the local sailors, "This is like college, when you want to be alone you go to your boat.  When you want to be social you hang out in the common area."   There are a lot of "common areas" to choose from.  Finz Cafe was our personal favorite, but there's also Finz restaurant, King Neptune, and other seaside grills.  If you like your own cooking best there's a Latino butcher, and produce market across US1on Salerno Rd., and Winn Dixie grocery less than a mile further.  Head north on US1 and you'll find a larger produce market and fresh baked breads and pastries at Mr. Bread.  Port Salerno Boatyard is right there to help with any repairs.  If they don't have what you need West Marine, Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart and Lewis Marine, are all less than two miles away.   For fun visit Dan and Rachelle at Coastal Paddle Board.  To get to Manatee Pocket you have to go in West of the inlet a bit and turn south at Sandsprit park.  It's a trek off the ICW, but very sheltered giving it a reputation as a hurricane pocket.  Truth or not I don't know, we were very lucky last year. (There's so much more to say about this anchorage that I'll have to make it a separate blog.)


3. North Palm Beach Waterway:  SM 1031, 26 49.734N/080 04.165W

     This is a small very peaceful anchorage located between PGA Bridge and Parker Bridge.  Head West down the last channel before Parker Bridge and in a short distance you will see a small anchorage off your starboard side.  Be careful you don't go too far there is a very low fixed, non opening bridge.
I recommend this if you want a quite scenic night or two but not a long visit.  The surrounding area is private property so if you need provisions you'll have to pull up anchor and head to North Palm Beach Marina just south of the Parker Bridge.

4. North Palm Beach-Lake Worth Anchorage: SM 1014 26 50.342N/080 03.263W

       This is easy to find, hang a left after emerging from the channel south of Parker Bridge.  First and foremost there is plenty of depth and swing room at the north end of Lake Worth.  Mostly it's mucky except for the southeast end by the beacons where it's sandy and shallow.  For us it was ideal considering we only draw 4' and had Danforth anchors at the time.  The northwestern end is deeper and muddy, but closer to the dingy dock, and sometimes you can pick up an open wifi signal.  The dingy dock is still in the same area, northwest end just go under the bridge and tie off on the west side.   You'll see a fence and short stone wall.   Once on dry land head West down PGA Blvd, in two blocks you'll find a CVS, Publix grocery, and Starbucks along with other shops.   A bit further down PGA, over the bridge, there is Anthony's Coal Fire pizza.  Best pizza I've ever had!  West Marine is located a few blocks south on US1.    A quick Google search will find you three libraries, free Internet, Walmarts, Home Depots and a Laundromat in the area.   You can also pick up a city bus nearby that will take you to downtown West Palm Beach.   Another thing we loved about this anchorage was the people.  There were between 10 and 30 boats anchored with us at various times.   Not only did we make great friends, but also made great supply trades.  Most important, and this might be bias, I found that advice from cruisers in anchorages to be much more helpful than those at marinas.   Another plus you're just a quick sail from Peanut Island and the Lake Worth inlet.  So you can still sail the seas and take care of business.



5.  Lake Worth Inlet: SM 1018.5 26 46.805N/080 02.637W

         The Anchorage and Inlet are located on the south side of Peanut Island.   Peanut Island is not only popular for it's beaches, but also because it is the location of President John F. Kennedy's nuclear bunker.  We actually had a lot of fun the three days we were there.   The clear water was so nice that we threw on our suits and jumped in again and again.   Much to the delight of then water cannons from the Black Sparrow, a children's birthday party charter, Pirate ship!  Be careful venturing on dingy to Peanut island there is a lot of boat traffic.   Once there you'll find nice hiking trail and beaches but not much else.  There are marinas in the area where you can get water, fuel and wifi.   Also at the west end of the A1A bridge is a Publix Grocery, but we were warned not to go there after dark.  Overall it was a nice stay, and one of the easier inlets to navigate.


6.   Our next Anchorage has no official name so I'll call it The J&L

          Unfortunately I didn't mark it on the GPS.  It's location is after the Southern BLVD Bridge.   Basically we saw many boats anchored, and we were tired as it was dark.  We decided to just pulled over and dropped anchor.  The plan was sleep wake up early and head south.   Somehow we ended up staying for a few days and I thank James and Laura.   They spotted us rowing ashore the next morning and being cruisers themselves instantly offer us rides, advice, directions and we made plans for dinner the next day.  (I love cruisers.)   This spot is off a public beach but I would not leave a dingy there unattended, we heard from another sailor there had been thefts.   Once you get ashore head straight west and keep going west about eight blocks you'll get to US1 a Winn Dixie, Dollar tree, and Laundromat all in the same mall!


7.  Bel Marra Anchorage:  SM 1042 26 25.429N/080 04.036W


         I'll admit we bypassed it the first time so use the GPS.    Part of the reason was that in our outdated cruising guide it states "...enough swing room for an Aircraft Carrier."   The first time we saw it I was convinced it wasn't the place you couldn't get a 747 in there.   But accounting for urban sprawl over the last eight year it was the spot.  We've had a couple boats anchored with us, but overall not a lot of swing room.   It's very public and there is not a proper dingy dock.  We taxied each other back and forth to a parking lot across the ICW, but never leaving the dingy.   Once there go north back to Linton Bridge head West across it and in few blocks you'll find Federal Highway/US 1 go north a couple blocks and you'll find Publix grocery, Marshall's, CVS, a Radio Shack etc.  Head down Linton toward Military Trail there's Walmart, Target, and Home Depot.  Be warned if you get hit with a strong east wind plan on making coffee and being up all night.  We had both our 75lb Brittany and 35 lb CQR anchors down and still dragged a bit.

     Enough technical for now back to hijinx....