Thinking of retiring. Want to live aboard my Pearson 303 in Key West. Any ideas? Thanks!
I know this is an old post, But, I've lived aboard in key west for most of my life and have never needed a slip or payed for a mooring. Good anchors and a great dinghy, under 15 feet ( dinghy dock max.) is all you need. The moorings are super rough in the winter, an elderly couple were stranded on their boat for day's last winter. Flemming Key is the best place to anchor in the winter and If you have a good dingy the farther north on the lee side the better. You may not want to leave. My boat is in a very special creek between Stock Island and Boca Chica that is protected all year, but I have a whaler with 40 horse that I use to get out to it. it's a good mile and a half, from shore and 6 miles to Old Town. Flemming Key is right down town and all you need is a bike. The dinghy dock comes with a shower key but they are nasty. The moorings have new showers and a better dingy dock. Marathon has a great mooring and dinghy dock with a fantastic club house for live aboards. I've never seen anything like it, but your in Marathon, no charm, just strip malls on the side of the road. People in Key West are the good kind of weird, Marathon has strange, kind of creepy weird people. The cruisres are cool there though. In Key West You can anchor off Christmas tree ( Wisteria) island. The side near town is bombarded by boat wakes.The north side can be nice. The east side close to Frankfurt Bank has the best protection from the northers. It's a little closer than North Flemming, but Flemming is better. Hope that helpedJane Joy-
AAAHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh your killing me with all the Key West talk !!!
Please , tell me more !!
I've wanted to spend a winter in key west for some time.
We're heading back to the frozen north from Fl. in the next couple days .
The past few months have been great in NE Fl. but I have been eyeing Key West for too long.
I'd love to hear more about anchoring locations and dinghy access, from folks that are there now or have been in the last 2-3 months to keep the information current and accurate.
Thanks in advance and I'll keep looking/reading.
- fall 2012-spring- 2013 Kew West or "bust" -
As noted by capt.aaron earlier in this thread, there's plenty of room to anchor out in Key West - also lots of boats are anchored in Marathon.On principal alone, I avoid city/gov't run mooring fields and will anchor out. I understand that this is hardly possible in Key West or Marathon as the fields cover the entirety of the viable anchorage areas.
Tell me about Marathon - I have a big investment of time and money coming up this winter in that area and really would like any and all input on the area.From my perspective, the only tenable year round anchorage in Key West is Garrison Bight...which they have turned into a mooring field @ $315 a month.
Dont get me started about Marathon...
My frustration is that the only good place to be in Marathon (all weather) is Boot Key harbor, and that is one massive mooring field with some scraps left by the old bridge to anchor in. Mooring fields *THIS* big are a disgrace and an end-around to banning anchoring out.Tell me about Marathon - I have a big investment of time and money coming up this winter in that area and really would like any and all input on the area.
Thanks in advance,
Gary
How have you found that the easiest way to ascertain that information would be?This is just a thought for everyone to consider when using a mooring ball ... when was the last time it was inspected? ...
Personally I never use a mooring ball unless I know how and when it was set. My vessel means that much to me and I do hope yours does too