Best anchorages and harbours in Florida

Mandarin Park

Anchorage off Mandarin Park on the St Johns River at Jacksonville, Florida, near the mouth of Julington Creek, with a mud bottom.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, S, SE

Pelican Bay

Anchorage on the east side of Cayo Costa, between Cayo Costa and Punta Blanca islands in Pine Island Sound, south-west Florida, on a sand bottom.

• Sheltered NW, W, E, SW, S, SE

Palm Beach Anchorage

Anchorage on Lake Worth between Palm Beach and West Palm Beach, Florida, on a mud bottom, sheltered from the western quarter.

• Sheltered N, S, SW, W, NW

Pumpkin Key

Anchorage off a 26-acre private island in Card Sound, north of Key Largo, Florida, with a sand bottom.

• Sheltered E

Peck Lake

Anchorage off the Intracoastal Waterway at Hobe Sound, Florida, set against the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW

Riviera Beach City Marina

Municipal marina on the Intracoastal Waterway just north of the Port of Palm Beach, opposite Peanut Island and a short run from the all-weather Lake Worth Inlet.

Manatee Pocket

Anchorage in Manatee Pocket, a sheltered inlet off the St. Lucie River at Port Salerno, Florida, on a sand bottom.

• Sheltered NW, W, E, SW, S, SE

Miami Sea Aquarium

Anchorage off Virginia Key near the former Miami Seaquarium site, in Biscayne Bay between downtown Miami and Key Biscayne, Florida.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E, SW, S, SE

Tierra Verde Marina

Full-service marina on Tierra Verde, Florida, between St. Pete Beach and the Pinellas Bayway, with access to Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

Fort Matanza

Anchorage in the Matanzas River off the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, near Fort Matanzas National Monument, south of St Augustine, Florida.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, S, SE

Amelia Island

Anchorage off Amelia Island on the Florida ICW near Fernandina Beach, mud bottom.

Upper Matecumbe Key

Anchorage off Little Basin on the bayside of Islamorada, Upper Matecumbe Key, in the Florida Keys.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE

Belleair North

Anchorage on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near the Belleair Causeway, off Belleair Beach in Pinellas County, Florida.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SW, S, SE

East Cove

Open anchorage on the east side of Apalachicola Bay in Florida, near St. George Island and the East Hole shoals, sand bottom.

• Sheltered W, E, SW, S, SE

Long Key Bight

Anchorage off Long Key in the Florida Keys, on a bottom of sand and weed. Sheltered from the south-east only.

• Sheltered SE

Titusville

Anchorage on the Indian River off Titusville, Florida, on the Intracoastal Waterway near Mile 878, with a sand, mud and weed bottom and shelter from NW through SE winds.

• Sheltered NW, NE, W, E, SW

Palm Beach Sailing Club

Private sailing club on the west bank of Lake Worth Lagoon in West Palm Beach, at 4600 N Flagler Drive.

Vinoy Marina

Resort marina of about 74 berths on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront, next to the Vinoy hotel, taking vessels up to roughly 120 feet.

Sanibel

Anchorage off the east end of Sanibel Island in San Carlos Bay, south-west Florida, on a weed bottom, protected from N through W winds.

• Sheltered N, S, SW, W, NW

Venice

Anchorage in Roberts Bay at Venice, Florida, just inside the Venice Inlet on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, with a sand bottom and shelter on all sides.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E, SW, S, SE

Matanzas Bay

Mooring buoy field in Matanzas Bay off the historic centre of St. Augustine, Florida, on a mud bottom.

• Paid
• Sheltered NW, W, E, SW, S, SE

Vero Beach City Marina

Municipal marina and mooring field on the Indian River Lagoon at Vero Beach, Florida, just north of the Merrill Barber Bridge on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.

Melbourne Yacht Club

Members' yacht club on the south side of Melbourne Harbor, at the mouth of Crane Creek where it meets the Indian River Lagoon, Florida.

Lantana Anchorage

Anchorage in the Lake Worth Lagoon at Lantana, southern Palm Beach County, Florida. Sand and mud bottom, sheltered from most directions.

• Sheltered NW, NE, W, E, SW, SE

St. Petersburg Municipal Marina

City-run marina of about 640 berths on Demens Landing point, on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront, with berths up to roughly 120 feet.

Key West Bight

City-run marina in the Historic Seaport at the heart of Key West, Florida, on a twenty-acre waterfront.

Tolomato River (S)

Anchorage on the Tolomato River just north of St Augustine, Florida, close to ICW Mile 776 and the St Augustine Inlet.

• Sheltered NW, NE, W, E, SW

Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor

Full-service marina in a sheltered cove off the Tolomato River, north of downtown St. Augustine, Florida, with 218 slips.

Loggerhead Marina – Hollywood

Marina on the Intracoastal Waterway in Hollywood, Florida, set in a protected basin just south of the Port Everglades inlet.

Safe Harbor Regatta Pointe

Marina on the south bank of the Manatee River at Palmetto, Florida, near the river mouth on Tampa Bay.