Reviews from Steve McKinney (9)

Anchorage Review for Lantana

Reviewed by: Steve McKinney, Sabbatical, on Mar 8, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.5'

We anchored here for the second time on 3/4/21. We love the Old Key Lime House. The restaurant has a dinghy dock and friendly staff. Great food and drink at a having fun casual place. We read that you are only allowed to anchor here for 18 hours, but we spoke with a local boater and he had no knowledge about that. There were four other boats when we set the hook at 1300. We didn't leave until the next morning at 0930 and no one enforced any 18 hour rule as far as I could tell since the other boats were all still there at that time too.
We anchored in 6 feet very close to the anchor spot marked on Navionics. It would be a little shallow for deeper draft vessels to the south of that. We experienced excellent holding and protection from the NNW wind. Ground tackle came up shiny and clean!

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Marina Review for Roland and Mary Ann Martins Marina & Resort

Reviewed by: Steve McKinney , Sabbatical, on Mar 4, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 4

Stayed here for two nights on our second visit 1/14/21. Captain Sam, the dockmaster was very helpful and friendly. They do have a courtesy car, but it doesn't seem to get much use. We enjoy the Tiki Bar and the food is good. It's a fun spot with live music on some nights. We had no problem spinning around in the narrow channel to face out on the along-side dock. There is no current here and it is well protected from the wind. Watch your air draft if you get towards the west end of the floating dock as there is a low-hanging electric wire there.

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Marina Review for St. Lucie South Campground & Marina

Reviewed by: Steve McKinney , Sabbatical, on Mar 4, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 4

We stopped here on 1/12/21 for a couple of nights. If you have the Senior Pass for the National Parks you only pay $15 per night instead of $30. That's a deal and it includes electricity. There is no walkable shopping. Good camaraderie with the other boaters and campers in the park. Host/ranger has firewood to sell for the fire pit. Clean restrooms and showers.

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Anchorage Review for Pelican Harbor

Reviewed by: Steve McKinney, Sabbatical, on Mar 4, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.5'

Anchored here on 3/3/21 right in the middle of the lake. No other boats which was nice. We set the hook in 12 feet on 95 feet of rode. It was a breezy night, but we did not drag. The anchor and chain needed a good wash down from the black mud.

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Anchorage Review for Lake Sylvia

Reviewed by: Steve McKinney, Sabbatical, on Mar 3, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.5'

We anchored here on 3/2/21. It was tight with 20 other boats in the anchorage. We were in 8 to 10 feet with only 50 feet of rode out. There are red buoy markers to delineate the boundaries of the anchorage. I'm not sure that gets policed well since at first we were outside the lines, but the wind changed. Good holding in mud. Dinghy out under the low bridge of the canal at the SW corner of Lake Sylvia. We stopped at Cox Landing public ramp to dump garbage and then enjoyed dinner at the Raw Bar at the west end of the canal (across ICW). Friendly staff at Lauderdale Marina where we purchased ice.

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Marina Review for Black Point Park & Marina

Reviewed by: Steve McKinney , Sabbatical, on Mar 3, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 4

There were no available slips for us to overnight here, but it certainly looks well protected. County Park staff were friendly.
We were able to come in for a self service pump-out and free water. Also docked right at the Black Point Ocean Grill for lunch. Plenty of depth. Watch for manatees.

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Anchorage Review for Upper Matecumbe Key Inside

Reviewed by: Steve McKinney, Sabbatical, on Feb 26, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.5'

We stopped here for two nights on 2/23/21. It is one of our favorites. Dinghy in to Lorelei and the World Wide Sportsman. There were 20+ boats but the anchorage is large. We opted to stay well out of the bunch and dropped the anchor on the north side of the crowd. We got a few wakes during the day, but nothing horrible. Holding was fine in the light breeze in 7 ft of water on 82 ft of rode. Anchor and chain came up clean.

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Anchorage Review for Thursday Cove

Reviewed by: Steve McKinney, Sabbatical, on Feb 26, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.5'

We anchored here on 2/25/21 because we had anchored here previously in early Feb of 2019. We liked it then and were happy to find that like before, there was no other boats when we arrived. Three others did come in before sundown, but there is plenty of room for lots of boats. We set the hook in 6 feet of water on 75 ft of rode. Holding was excellent and the breeze was refreshing. However, the mosquitos came out about dusk and drove us inside. They made their way into the salon as well and we were invaded by the little blood suckers until bedtime. When we pulled anchor in the morning the chain came up clean and only some hard mud/clay on the anchor that washed off as we idled out.

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Anchorage Review for Lollipop Lake

Reviewed by: Steve McKinney, Sabbatical, on Jan 17, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.5'

We overnighted here on 1/17/21. Anchored in the middle of the old quarry in 37' on 140' of rode. Plenty of swing room and very private as we were the only boat here. Cattle on the shore were curious of us and we enjoyed watching the martins feeding in the evening. We had tried to anchor back where it is shallower, but we were not comfortable with the lack of swing room in the narrow anchorage there.

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