Harbour

Cayo Hueso

Name: Cayo Hueso
Address: Naval Air Station Key West, US

4.0Naval Air Station Key West, United StatesFlorida Keys

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Type: Harbour

Cruising anchorage off the north-west side of Key West, in the lee of Fleming Key and the Naval Air Station shoreline, Florida.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Enter from the Gulf side via the Northwest Channel or from the Atlantic via the Main Ship Channel. Holding is variable on grass and sand; the bottom shoals quickly toward the mangroves. The fetch builds fast in fresh easterlies and southerlies.

Practical

Open anchorage with no shore facilities on the navy side. Land the tender at the City Marina dinghy dock at Garrison Bight, 1 nm north, for fuel, water and access to town. Hurricane shelter is limited; head into Garrison Bight or up the keys for a serious blow.

Ashore

Old Town Key West sits 1 to 1.5 nm south by tender, with Mallory Square, Duval Street and the Hemingway Home. Fort Zachary Taylor beach and historic park lies on the south-western tip of the island.

History

Cayo Hueso is the original Spanish name for Key West, meaning bone cay, after the human remains early Spanish sailors found on the island. NAS Key West was established in 1917 and has shaped the harbour layout ever since.