This is a tough one. We believe cruisers should be able to anchor where they’d like (within reason) but we also understand that cities shouldn’t bear the burden of our garbage or other issues that arise as the result of having our boats in their harbors. We hope they can come up with an agreement that is fair to all.
St. Augustine’s attempts to clean up its waterways by charging cruisers mooring fields is drawing the ire of boaters who just want free anchorage, wherever and for how long they want it.
If the city of St. Augustine gets approval of an ordinance by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission next month and the City Commission in December, stiffer rules will affect boats wanting to tie up without paying the mooring fee.
Wally Moran has organized a boycott effort because of what he calls the city’s “hostile attitude” toward free anchorage. His site is www.anchorsawayinFlorida.blogspot.com. His issues are the city’s mooring field daily charges and the proposed Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s pilot program for five harbors — St. Augustine, Marathon-Key West-Martin County, Sarasota, St. Petersburg and Stuart. The cities applied for and were chosen to test new rules aimed at eliminating pollution that affects water quality and the marine environment.
The FWC’s intent is to see if possible state legislation would give local governments greater control over live-aboards and transient cruisers. The city’s proposed pilot program ordinance is up for FWC approval on Nov. 17 and subsequent City Commission approval on Dec. 12.
The proposal would establish minimum distances that boats not in moorings fields can be near public or private docks, shellfish harvesting areas, channels and other boats anchored in mooring fields. And it would allow boaters to anchor free of charge for up to 10 days in a mooring field in a 30-day period. On the 10th day, they have to move just outside the mooring fields for one day. Then they can move back in and their 10 free days start all over again. If approved, it will be in effect until July 1, 2014.
For the complete story, go to www.staugustine.com.
This seems quite a reasonable rule, giving cruisers up to 10 days to visit and after moving to another location overnight, another 10 days of free anchorage. What is the opposition? OK, I can understand if one is a liveaboard and working in the community, this could cause some hardship, but then if one is working, there is usually income to pay the mooring fee, while the true cruiser should be readily able to comply with these regulations.
I am not the person who called for the boycott, that is an error on the part of the St. Augustine Record, which has published a correction. The issues are far more complex than noted in the above article or in the St. Augustine Record’s editorial, which is long on opinion and very short on facts.
Boaters following this issue are concerned that cruisers may well lose their rights to anchor at all outside of a mooring field in Florida. Already, more than 90% of available anchorage in St. Augustine is off limits, Vinoy Basin in St. Petes, the only viable anchorage downtown is off limits, Stuart is proposing 300 and 1000 foot setbacks, plus may prohibit anchoring in Manatee Pocket in the future….it’s getting ugly out there and we, as cruisers, need to speak up to protect our rights.
Hopefully, George will permit me to do an article on the issue to bring Cruising Compass boaters up to date.
I can’t view this news but thru the perspective of my own experience in St.Awful. My boat was harrased from the moment I anchored by an officer of FFW who allegedly, according to locals, was buddies with a local marina that didn’t like the look of my older boat anchored across the channel, was never around when pirates cut my anchor rhode repeatedly in broad daylight, stole my gear, smashed solar panels and disabled bilge pumps, but was very quick with the threats afterward. The Intercoastal belongs to everyone, supported by Federal taxpayers. It comes as no surprise as record number of area officials are investigated and jailed for corruption in StAwful, that they would again turn to piracy and prey upon the passing vessel. Are not US waterways the domain of the US?
I am the full-time cruiser who called for the migrating snowbirds to boycott St. Augustine. I am NOT anti-mooring fields! We have used every existing mooring field in Florida and support additional mooring fields. However, we use them because we receive value for what we path and not because we are forced to by government regulations. Can you imagine Florida cities requiring tourists or snowbirds to leave their city limits for one day every 10 days, moving in and out 3 times a month!! We are simply tourists with money to spend who arrive by boat instead of by car or plane.
This boycott has nothing to do with us not wanting to pay for a mooring. We have paid for a mooring in the Keys for the past five winters. We don’t want something for nothing, we pay our way and support local economies with our spending. Cruisers ate not free-loaders or polluters as the people who want to eliminate anchoring in Florida portray us.
Martin County just proposed their Pilot Program ordinance. It is REASONABLE and shows they understand the economic impact of cruisers and want us to keep coming there. So we will let the taxpayers in St. Augustine pay for an empty mooring field and spend our money in places that are welcoming and not hostile to cruisers.
Howdy! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading your articles. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same topics? Thanks a lot!