Egmont Key Anchorage

[guajiro]

Can anyone recommend a good holding spot off of Egmont? Thanks. gh

[PBzeer]

Inshore (east side), any where near the center. That's where everyone was when I was there. There's a lighthouse on the north end, and a dock near the midpoint. Believe there's some day marks off of shore as well.

[Pamlicotraveler]

I wouldn't stay overnight there.

Egmont Key appears protected on the inside, but nasty storms can leave you unprotected on the eastern side (Tampa Bay side). We knew that when we hobbled into the bay with a dead battery and no engine at dusk one night and Egmont was our only option. As luck would have it a thunderstorm from the East just about beached us - no sleep that night! It's a pretty island though...

[PBzeer]

I'd have to concur with the lack of protection from the East. It IS, wide open to the Bay.

[guajiro]

Thank you very much for the replies; I live in Tampa Bay but have yet to sail to Egmont and was planning to do so this weekend for the Meteor Shower Sunday night. I have a beachable vessel but as you probably know it is prohibited to do so. After your comments I'm seriously re-thinking it.

[PBzeer]

Just check the weather, and on the VHF during the day.

[messenger]

Originally Posted by guajiro

Can anyone recommend a good holding spot off of Egmont? Thanks. gh

Guajiro, did you make it to Egmont? Like most of the above posts, best anchorage is east side, south end, as close to the south end as possible. On the weekends, just look for all the gleaming fiberglass and tanned hard bodies. Probably any day the weather is good. Two anchors worked best for me, bow and stern. Find a good place and you can just about step off onto the beach on the southeast end. Overnight, I don't know, Wx, currents, and outbound ship wakes will keep things a bit testy. Just stay well south of the pilot dock. I worked out of that dock, WAY BACK, pilot boats, before Blackthorn, before Skyway tragedy. Been a while, but I am sure it is still a lot of fun. I have ducked in a few times in the past twenty years or so on deliveries. Brings back a lot of memories. Had many a good day, both professional and personnally on that island. Have a good and safe cruise. I don't guess Captain Rab's house is still painted red, white, and blue?