Florida marinas

[BDofMSP]

Because in this case I was responding directly to a thread on CITY OWNED marinas, and two replies were that employees would tell you to leave, and another said that the police would be involved if you didn’t. Personally I don’t believe that’s true at all in Ft. Lauderdale or Miami (the two marinas specifically mentioned) because on any normal weekend, it can take hours for them to show up, if they show up at all, and that’s to serious crimes, not yachts trespassing at City Marinas. Which opens the questions of will US Marshals show up for documented boats? I saw a guy hold off the Tampa police dept over whether they had a right to board his shrimper to arrest him. They left. Just saying.

If that's what you were saying, why didn't you say that? Instead of making a off comment about government? Besides, is the police response time in Miami a real boating topic? It's trolling and you know it.

 

[FF]

"Boy, if that doesn’t describe Government

Why does everything have to be about government and politics here?"

Because most folks go boating for FUN.

Reality is usually more FUN than great fiction..... Catch 22,

Remember Major Major " when I am in , I am out , when I am out I am in?

 

[Captain Max]

"Boy, if that doesn’t describe Government

Why does everything have to be about government and politics here?"

Because most folks go boating for FUN.

Reality is usually more FUN than great fiction..... Catch 22,

Remember Major Major " when I am in , I am out , when I am out I am in?

And who’s stopping everybody from going boating? Hint: it starts with a G and ends with a T. My last post, I promise.

 

[John R M]

Heard third-hand yesterday afternoon USCG has directed all marinas close to transients/new arrivals. No confirmation, and not sure if that's supposed to be an ICW thing, or what...

-Chris

Does the USCG actually have jurisdiction over public or private businesses ashore?

 

[psneeld]

And who’s stopping everybody from going boating? Hint: it starts with a G and ends with a T. My last post, I promise.

yep....a no government free for all is a much better solution.

 

[Woodland Hills]

No, but they might have jurisdiction over the water and the docks.

 

[AZ2Loop]

Crazy! God bless you guys and gals on the loop.

Yes, it got crazy and more stressful than necessary. It happened quickly! We were anchored and happy as can be in the keys. Knowing we cannot anchor forever and would eventually need provisioning, power, water, etc., we started looking for a marina sooner than we were planning to as more virus hysteria heated up. That was Sunday, the 15th. In probably 25 phone calls to various marinas going into Monday AM, we found 2 options (again, out of about 25 attempts -- only 2 options).

One was private. One was a state government facility. We chose the private marina and pulled in Tuesday AM. We since heard the state facility we didn't choose just cancelled people's reservations and told them they could not come in. That would have happened to us while enroute to their facility.

We had other looper friends who were turned away by a private marina when all they wanted to do was buy fuel. They were told if you are not a slipholder there then they would not allow them in to buy fuel, get water, pumpout, or anything. That is shameful if you ask me. That is not exactly the boaters helping boaters attitude you typically see on the water. It was sad and disturbing. At least sell people fuel so they can keep moving! I understand you don't want crowds gathering, but at least sell a boater some fuel.

We feel very fortunate we got in somewhere before there was no room. Now, hopefully, they stay open and we can stay a while and hopefully things will calm down. For now we are grateful to have power, water, and access to land. Anchoring out was more socially isolated and safer, but not knowing how long this crazy time would last, we knew we would run out of water, power, fuel, food, etc. in time and it looked like there were fewer and fewer options as the hours passed. So, it was getting to be a heavy burden to think of what one would do next.

We are grateful, and maybe fortunate to be here.

If you have or know of an open slip somewhere, or if your marina can take a transient boater, I encourage you to find a way to get the word out. I am more than willing to help coordinate any open slips/docks with fellow loopers and try to get those boaters in touch with the owner of the slip or dock. Feel free to PM me if you have such knowledge and I will try to pass the info along to someone who might need a dock. There are fellow boaters out there with no place to go and limited resources, so let's help them out if we can.

 

[ranger58sb]

Does the USCG actually have jurisdiction over public or private businesses ashore?

I don't know. Probably public ports operations, maybe/maybe not private marinas.

Turned out the "marinas closed to transients" heard at least third-hand was probably a garble of the LNMs about commercial marine operations, crew members, reporting illnesses, etc. That's just a guess on my part, though.

-Chris

 

[STB]

Clearwater, FL Municipal Marinas (Beach and Harbor) remain fully operational except that the office is phone-only/closed-lobby, parking services as re online-only, and the beach marina restautants are seating more sparsely. But all services, including transient dockage, fuel, and pump out, except courtesy tenant delivery reception, remain available.

Marina and restaurant staff tell me that things can change at any time as circumstances require.

 

[Captain Max]

If that's what you were saying, why didn't you say that? Instead of making a off comment about government? Besides, is the police response time in Miami a real boating topic? It's trolling and you know it.

Trying to figure out how marinas in South Florida have anything to do with a guy in Wisconsin? I wrote my post when sitting (our charter cancelled)in Nassau with a crew of five, all of us wanting to get home to Miami and Ft. Lauderdale where our young wives are waiting for us, where no matter where you live, you’re never far from the true Third World, and on a normal weekend night the 911 calls are stacked up for hours IF they answer the phone. So to see douchebags here reporting we will be arrested for coming home kinda rankles me, although I do know Miami LEO wouldn’t show up, because they live in reality. Broward County is always a toss up, being a Democrat run county.
Update: Miami marinas WILL remain open, I’m four hours out.
I promise not to pipe in on threads about cheese, snowmobiles, or winter storage if you promise to myob.

 

[BandB]

Wifey B: Last thing on the minds of LEO is who is docking where. Now, the beach officers may walk over as right not they're likely bored. I would have thought the throwing to the ground part was so outrageous anyone would have recognized it was humor and not serious.

 

[Captain Max]

Wifey B: Last thing on the minds of LEO is who is docking where. Now, the beach officers may walk over as right not they're likely bored. I would have thought the throwing to the ground part was so outrageous anyone would have recognized it was humor and not serious.

No, you were going to call them, remember?

 

[BandB]

No, you were going to call them, remember? Guess who else lives on the Middle River in Wilton Manors.

Wifey B: Come on man.....I didn't even think anyone would take me serious. The call sounds so crazy.

Wifey B: I want the Sheriff.
Operator: What's your problem.
Wifey B: I saw online some dude gonna park his boat at the marina.
Operator: And
Wifey B: It's closed and he isn't legal.
Operator: I'm not aware
Wifey B: I read it was on the internet.
Operator: Oh.
Wifey B: What you going to do?
Operator: Suggest you get off the internet.

I have no idea who lives on Middle River. Lots of people do. It's a high density area. Funny thing is I don't really even after over 7 years know exactly what Wilton Manors is. Just one of a bazillion little towns stuck together that you don't know when you enter or leave. I saw on a map it goes from 95 to Federal and between Lauderdale Manors which isn't a town and Oakland Park which is and Coral Ridge which isn't and all surrounded by Fort Lauderdale. Way too many towns. There should be open space between towns, not just from one to another and nothing changes. Then there are parts of Fort Lauderdale only connected by a string it seems. I'll have to read the history of Wilton Manors one day so i'll better understand.

Oh, P.S. If I lived in Wilton Manors, could I call Fort Lauderdale Police?

 

[psneeld]

What happened back in post 33 where he promised it was his last post in this thread.

Just as believable as the government I guess....

 

[Group9]

It will probably have the force of mandatory evacuations for hurricanes. In other words, voluntary compliance only.

 

[psneeld]

It will probably have the force of mandatory evacuations for hurricanes. In other words, voluntary compliance only.

If a marina wants to press it, either public or private, and you have been asked to leave and you don't.....it certainly could become a police matter....I have seen it multiple times.

Now which way they would sway based on a relatively new public issue.....who knows?

 

[BandB]

What happened back in post 33 where he promised it was his last post in this thread.

Just as believable as the government I guess....

Wifey B:

 

[BandB]

Wifey B: Well, as we were out boating today, temperatures in the low 80's. Nice 13 mph breeze. Waves 2' at 5 or 6 seconds so smooth seas. For any of you with the chance without contacting others, it did exactly what being on a boat did for me starting the first time. 5 or 10 miles offshore, there was no Covid 19. I didn't know why all those cruise liners were anchored. Quite a few other boaters taking advantage. We kept our boats over 6' apart. A good rule when out on the water. We came back in refreshed.

I'd recommend this to any of you and if you can't get on the water then do something to escape. I know one guy painting his house. He'd promised for months but just couldn't get around to it. His wife is helping and also keeping the music going. I know a family of four in Jupiter that pulled out their old monopoly game and spent the afternoon playing, then went to dominoes. They played Monopoly by the normal rules, not an adult set of rules or no rules we use occasionally. They did all that after working in their garden this morning.

Maybe it's a good day to wax your boat or to work in your yard at home. Maybe a good time to get in touch with a part of you normally kept at bay due to you being so busy.

Oh, and use your phone and web cam too. Being apart physically doesn't mean you have to be apart. Every nursing home you can't visit in person has people starving for outside conversation. My niece and her Florida "cousin", two nearly 6 year olds, skyped for an hour and a half. Then they called to get me involved. I was on the boat, they were jealous, but made me show them what was around.

You've got a long time of this, no one knows how long, but so much you can do to avoid cabin fever.

 

[BDofMSP]

For the record, I'm in Ft Myers and have been since this all started. So I'm not some guy in Wisconsin. And I never even said I disagreed with you. But your other replies show that you see the world through one lens only. I'm just trying to steer away from constant argument and negativity. Sorry if that doesn't match your world view.
BD

 

[FF]

"Just as believable as the government I guess...." #47


A belief in government is like taking Ex Lax , and believing you are going to fart.

 

[psneeld]

Sorry FF, just tired of people knocking government and especially employees.

The same kinds of people make up businesses and the general population.

Based on my overall interaction with businesses lately....they and the emp,oyees are just the same.

Some good, some not so good.

 

[Group9]

If a marina wants to press it, either public or private, and you have been asked to leave and you don't.....it certainly could become a police matter....I have seen it multiple times.

Now which way they would sway based on a relatively new public issue.....who knows?

Anything can happen. The issue is, what's actually going to happen?

It's always been frustrating to me, that those who comply with mandatory evacuations during hurricanes, get their stuff stolen by those who don't, with very little enforcement of the orders actually applied.

 

[slowgoesit]

It's gonna be interesting, all those boaters not heading North out of Florida. Florida can hire all those out of work bartenders to patrol the marinas/private slips, noting registrations of boats and time period, then check back and start sending out letters taxing boaters for remaining in Florida too long without paying the Florida State taxes! Sounds like an essential service, will put lots of money into state coffers and cut down on unemployment payments as well! Forward thinking in order to weather this issue.


By the way, in case you can't figure it out, I am kidding, and trying to put a little humor into the situation . . .
And before someone starts jumping up and down about making fun of bartenders who are out of work, I should add that my wife and I's income depends on attending Art Shows and selling our sculptures, so you can guess what our income stream has done . . .

 

[AZ2Loop]

Sorry for the rant -- but boaters are in trouble.

If anyone was not taking the concern for full time boaters seriously, THIS link is the type of thing that is troubling. Look what just happened:https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local...-ramps-and-marinas-across-the-county/2209210/


The beautiful day Ms. B&B described a couple of posts above was perfect, responsible, fulfilling, healthy, etc. Great advice when she typed it...... except it is now something one cannot do in Miami-Dade.



Nothing to worry about you say? Look what this mayor just did!



Take 60 seconds now to think about your fellow boaters. Right now any boater near there living aboard or passing through and needing a marina to refuel, get water, pumpout, plug in, reprovision, repair something, etc. before going on their way (coincidentally to be the perfect model of social distancing), cannot do so. The proclamation this mayor just made makes it impossible for those boaters to do exactly what every health official (and this same mayor) is saying they should do!


As your fellow boater gets turned away and revises their plan to go somewhere else, assuming they have the ability/fuel/mechanical fortune to get farther, will that area overreact in the same manner while enroute? Then what? It is terribly stressful for these boaters. Is the additional stress good for anyone in times like this? They are being turned away. You may say, "well, dock your boat and go home" in these unusual times. Really? Dock where? They are being turned away by marinas, and now this mayor just closed them down. Go home? They ARE home. The boat is their home. So where are they to go? What they need (fuel, water, or even a dock/slip) is not even in short supply; and they would gladly pay for the services as always. It is just being taken from them by knee jerk reactions by people who clearly do not have the mental capacity to serve us well.



Some in public service think they are there to LEAD rather than to SERVE. You even hear them say what great "leaders" they are.... thinking it is a compliment when it is actually a perfect example of completely misunderstanding their role. When those types also have fragile egos, you get ridiculous overreactions that overstep boundaries. His feelings got hurt. He got pissed. He then overreacted and it will hurt people..... lots of them and will have ripple effects that go on and on.



Instead of dealing with the people causing the problem (in this case other boaters partying in large groups), they make a huge, swooping, blanket mandate that has so many unintended consequences; and they usually have too large of an ego to admit they overstepped their bounds and modify their mandate. Power coupled with a fragile ego is a dangerous thing.

 

[Knot Fast]

Pete,

Please do not despair over the insensitive comment in post #40. The subtleties of WI cheese shop etiquette and their value as a harbinger of greater societal cohesion are not clear to some. Though the FL selection is not what we are accustomed to in WI, we managed to horde about 10# of cheese. Sadly, I needed to freeze about 4# of it (please don’t tell anyone).

St Pete Municipal Marina had 10 boats queued up at the open fuel dock yesterday. Mostly, smaller local boats. The city employees were hustling; lots of boats out on Tampa Bay.

 

[psneeld]

Mostly disagree with everything above from AZ2loop.

Real cruisers are way more self sufficient. It might be a bigger pain, but I dont see it as a show stopper yet. Just like travel to the grocery store, dingy in for water, food, fuel to get out of the county as it IS a bad place to be if it is on total lockdown.

Leadership I learned a long time ago includes serving the people that are "under" you. Its YOUR responsible.

Responsibility to look after them when they can't or won't do it themselves is an important part of leadership. Being a good example is another critical attribute

I think it's when politicians fail to he good leaders that they fail us in general. Power and ego can be dangerous or exactly what's needed....just depends on how blended.

Servingg the people is part of the equation...that's why we are a republic and not one giant town hall free for all.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

Here's hoping all of the Loopers, and others, have found refuge. Meanwhile we are at home - just finished our tax returns yesterday - what joy But found out that we are actually getting a tiny refund, so went ahead and filed electronically. Modern tax software makes it so easy, even with half a dozen K-1's to deal with. But now I'm starting to get antsy - may be time to head to the boat and complete some projects.

 

[AZ2Loop]

Psneeld, I get some of your point, but it seems a little harsh to me. You say "way more self sufficient". More self sufficient than what? I don't understand where you draw that line. Remember, they are just near shore cruising -- pleasure boating, if you will. Not crossing oceans. Miami. The keys. This type of cruising. I completely respect your knowledge a experience and have enjoyed your posts and advice here for years, but I am not sure what is a realistic expectation of a typical cruiser on the loop, for example, that lives aboard.

If a cruiser needs a marina after 14 days at anchor that would not stop me from considering that fellow boater to be a "real" cruiser. Nor would I think they need to be more self sufficient. Would you?

What does it take to meet your real cruiser guideline? Let's say your answer is 30 days self sufficiency minimum -- which seems like a high standard for near shore cruising. Perhaps they were 25 days into that, and headed in to a marina, when things got wacky. They had reservations which got cancelled by text message when they were hours into their journey to the marina. By the time they got the cancellation text, their back up marina is now full or closed.... and the other direction from where they pulled up anchor that AM. More fuel burnt.

Not everyone has a water maker (or the power to run it forever or are located where it is practical to produce water); and I would say well under 30% of us cruisers (real or not) are able to produce our own diesel fuel from jelly fish and seaweed, or have farms onboard to produce nourishment for weeks. Heck, 30% might even be high. It's probably under 20% Imagine if they butchered their last onboard cow just last week. Even real cruisers have such needs no matter how prepared.

To dinghy in to get diesel fuel in cans will not get one very far. Even IF dingying in to fill cans with diesel (as you suggest) got them out of the municipality/county/etc. that is imposing the ridiculous rules (which is an impractical premise but let's go with it), keep reading to see how that didn't help. Also, the grocery store I have been to over the past week has had no water. We have looked 3 times. So even if they wanted to fill their 200 gallon water tanks with 16.9oz bottles of Smart Water just to keep going (which is just stupid), they could not. There was no water at Winn Dixie (or wherever).

However, the marina that turned them away had no interruption in their water supply, or fuel, or pumpout facility, or dinghy dock, nor do they expect any such interruptions. It was all operational and right there....All of which were "locked down" in this case as they were turned away.



Further, I will ask, which direction should these not real cruisers go now that they (following your suggestion) filled their diesel cans at Circle K on land and dinghied back to the underprepared mothership? They now have 47 gallons of fresh road diesel in the tank, 6.5 gallons at at time by dinghy and cans -- woohoo let's go! Do they go to the next county or municipality that also turns them away? Will that happen south of them, so they should have gone north? How can they know?

I actually know people who left Monroe County (Keys) in FL headed to Miami because Monroe was getting a little nutty. Miami seemed like a better option..... until it didn't. They had already made the journey, though. They cannot get in there now. They burnt fuel, time, energy to get there. Now what? Plan C.... but will the plan C locale also lock them out? At some point it does not end well unless something changes.


I appreciate FoxtrotCharlies well wishes/hopes that loopers and cruisers have found safe refuge. They haven't. Some of them are pretty stressed. Actions like the mayor took is not helping.

 

[psneeld]

Without writing a book on self sufficiency, creativity or extended cruising (which includes coastl cruising)....every single problem you came up with has multiple solutions for now.

I did say it is a bigger PIA these days...but so is living ashore. Telephones work....call ahead for almost everything....or stay put and figure it out. As far as I know...if you are that critical and incapable of doing it yourself....call 211 when in F.l as it is being advertised that during the Coronavirus situation as a help hotline.

From the web.... "211 is a free, confidential referral and information helpline and website that connects people of all ages and from all communities to the essential health and human services they need, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 211 can be accessed by phone or computer."

But so far, heading into populated areas as a final destination is a bad plan right up front. One has to start thinking outside the box.

 

[psneeld]

Fuel trucks may still be delivering to other than marina locations, not sure if assistance towers can help with fuel ( who I worked for probably would), grocery type and drinking water deliveries from different stores to a convenient dingy location, run out an inlet to pumpout....any of those would allow me to get from Miami/Dade to places with more services/less closures.