Key West's Garrison Bight Moorings
What boaters need to know by Lupe Tucker
Boaters around the United States have had to accept the reality that free anchorages are slowly becoming extinct. There are many reasons that this trend is occurring, ranging from issues of politics to socio-economics, as well as environmental. Currently in South Florida anchorages are a hot topic; Stuart just opened its first managed mooring system, and Key West is next. Miami and Marathon are looking into the possibilities of installing managed mooring systems at Dinner Key and Boot Key Harbor, respectively. Other areas are passing laws & ordinances that make it more difficult for people to anchor freely.
In this special series, boaters can get the scoop on mooring fields which have been installed around Florida, as well as endangered free anchorages and prospective managed anchorages, beginning with the crown jewel of Key West, the Garrison Bight Mooring Field.
The Garrison Bight Mooring field is a managed mooring field that is run and maintained by the Key West City Marina. The approach is via the Garrison Bight Channel, which curves around the northern tip of Fleming Key. The mooring field is located between Fleming Key and Sigsbee Park. Because the mooring field is surrounded by land and located behind three and a half miles of flats and three barrier islands to the north, "It's very protected, even in a north wind- which on a chart doesn't look that way," explains Alan Cradick, Key West City Marina Supervisor. The moorings themselves are helical screws designed to hold a 45 foot boat in up to 65 knot winds. Currently there are 81 moorings, and if the demand for them is great, they have permission to expand up to 149.
The city of Key West decided to install a mooring field for two reasons: to fill the need for secure, sheltered moorings for local live aboard boaters as well as visitors to the city, and to provide required sewage pump-out services to many more boats.
Because the waters around Key West are a no discharge area, all boats that have signed an agreement for more than three days must have a mandatory pumpouts, which are included in the moorage fee and can be done boat side. There will also be MSD inspections of vessels that sign agreements for more than 4 days moorage in the field.
In addition, every boat must use a shock absorbing pennant, which the City provides for a deposit of $20. It connects the buoy to around five feet or so of mooring line on your boat, which you must provide.
As of this date the moorings are in place and boaters can use them for free until the official opening, which is July 1, 2001. Once the mooring field is open, the charge will be $12 a day for transients and $120 a month for long term moorage of 30 days and up. According to Cradick, the services and facilities included in the fee will be: pump outs (which are already in operation), dinghy docks (soon to be built at the City Marina), laundry and showers (in another year).
Until the dinghy dock is built, boaters must dinghy to shore through Fleming Key Cut to the Historic Seaport (also a city marina). This is because the mooring field is just north of the Key West Naval Base and dinghies are not allowed to land there. You definitely need an outboard to get to shore, as the current under the bridge is very strong, says Cradick. However, despite the long dinghy ride, the Historic Seaport has marina facilities, a market and a West Marine nearby, as well as plenty of restaurants and historic sights, making it a worthwhile trip.
City Mooring
City Mooring Field is located at:
24-24.417 N
81-47.38 W
Contact Information
Directions by water – Gulf of Mexico
Enter Key West waters at Buoy #1 North West Passage. At Buoy #19 North West Passage, turn eastward to the Key West Main Ship Channel, then north to Main Ship Channel #31. Enter Fleming Key Cut eastward to Garrison Bight Channel # 19, then northward to enter City Mooring Field.
Note: Fleming Key Bridge (over Fleming Key Cut) has a vertical clearance of 18 feet (NOAA Chart 11447). Vessels unable to pass under the Fleming Key Bridge may proceed northward from Main Ship Channel Buoy # 31 to Garrison Bight Channel Buoy # 3 and sail around the northern end of Fleming Key to Garrison Bight Cannel Buoy #17 then southeastward into City Mooring Field.
Directions by water – Atlantic
Proceed westward down Hawk Channel to Key West Main Ship Channel Buoy #12 then northward to Main Ship Channel #31. Enter Fleming Key Cut eastward to Garrison Bight Channel # 19, then northward to enter City Mooring Field.
Note: Fleming Key Bridge (over Fleming Key Cut) has a vertical clearance of 18 feet (NOAA Chart 11447). Vessels unable to pass under the Fleming Key Bridge may proceed northward from Main Ship Channel Buoy # 31 to Garrison Bight Channel Buoy # 3 and sail around the northern end of Fleming Key to Garrison Bight Cannel Buoy #17 then southeastward into City Mooring Field.
Rates
- $15.00 plus tax per day Transient
- $261.50 plus tax per month long term
- Free Pump-out
Vessel Requirements
- Maximum vessel length is 40 feet
- limited number of buoys for up to 60 feet vessels are available.
- Check with Mooring Field Dockmaster before bringing any vessel larger than 40 feet into the Mooring Field.
- All vessels must pay on arrival
- Holding tank type Marine Sanitation Device (MSD) required
- Vessels must operate under their own power
- Current Registration/ Documentation must be onboard
- Vessels will remain on assigned mooring
Gary Hansen Accounting Clerk III 293-6439 (305) 293-6438
GHansen@keywestcity.com
Jacqueline Perry Secretary II 292-8167 (305) 293-6477
JPerry@keywestcity.com
Mark Tait Marina Manager 293-8370 (305) 293-8308
MTait@keywestcity.com
NA 293-8337 (305) 293-8341
N@keywestcity.com
Raymond Archer Port Director 293-6481 (305) 293-6438
RArcher@keywestcity.com
Rick Wiggins Marina Supervisor 292-8167 (305) 293-6477
RWiggins@keywestcity.com
Rosa Ravelo Executive Assistant II 293-6439 (305) 293-6438
RRavelo@keywestcity.com
Rosemary Ganem Operations Supervisor 292-8249 (305) 293-8308
RGanem@keywestcity.com
Terri Otto Dockmaster 296-3838 (305) 293-8308
TOtto@keywestcity.com