We are thinking of an overnight trip down to Sarasota and asking for current info on the anchorages in the area. I looked at Active Captain and most of the posts seem to be a few years old. Does anyone have suggestions for a good place to set the hook there? We have a dog and will need to be close to a beach or dock that we can take her for a walk in the morning.
Good anchorages in Sarasota area?
- Thread starter GJarrett
- Start date
Mikemapva
Active Member
- Aug 6, 2007
- 631
- Boat Info
- 2001 Chaparral Signature 300
- Engines
- Twin 5.0 Volvo DPs with 7KW Kohler
My sister and her husband like the Jewfish key anchorage at the north end of Longboat Key. You can use the Longboat Key Public Dock which is at the end of Broadway/intersection of Bayview, next to the Shore Restaurant. Or you could beach just inside the Longboat Pass bridge.
In downtown Sarasota, there are a large number of boats anchored near Marina Jack's (actually just off of O'Malley's), but I'm not sure if that is now regulated as a mooring field now as they were talking about that a few years ago.
In downtown Sarasota, there are a large number of boats anchored near Marina Jack's (actually just off of O'Malley's), but I'm not sure if that is now regulated as a mooring field now as they were talking about that a few years ago.
FootballFan
Well-Known Member
Marina jacks operates a mooring field.
370Dancer
Well-Known Member
- Oct 2, 2006
- 2,489
- Boat Info
- 1998 370 Sundancer
- Engines
- 380hp MAG MPI Gen VI with V drives
Boy, do they! I sure miss Sam.
We've anchored at Jewfish Key/Longboat Pass before and it was nice, though the current is fairly strong. We're looking to go farther south into Sarasota next time just for a change of pace.
I just looked at Marina Jacks webpage but saw no mention of the mooring field. We might check that when we get down there.
370Dancer
Well-Known Member
- Oct 2, 2006
- 2,489
- Boat Info
- 1998 370 Sundancer
- Engines
- 380hp MAG MPI Gen VI with V drives
Do you want to be on a mooring ball, or just dropping an anchor, and for how long in one place?
What is your comfortable draft? Can you get through a foot or two with the drive up?
One of our favorites for calmness, yet dink away from a beach is in South Lido Shores.
You'll want to go through the Ringling bridge and act like you are going out Big Pass, but turn right like you are headed for the Sarasota Yacht Club. On the left, you will see a marker to take you into the South Lido basin (that's what I call it).
dink to South Lido on Big pass for doggie time, or to beach up. Across from Bird Key will be less current, and on the South side of the peninsula will definitively have current on 2 tide days.
If you can brave across the shallows in Sands's Point, another great quiet anchorage.
Back in the day, I could take 50 foot blow boats and trawlers in there. The shoaling changes every 20 minutes, so someday I will be able to do it again. For now, we hang East of this.
What is your comfortable draft? Can you get through a foot or two with the drive up?
One of our favorites for calmness, yet dink away from a beach is in South Lido Shores.
You'll want to go through the Ringling bridge and act like you are going out Big Pass, but turn right like you are headed for the Sarasota Yacht Club. On the left, you will see a marker to take you into the South Lido basin (that's what I call it).
dink to South Lido on Big pass for doggie time, or to beach up. Across from Bird Key will be less current, and on the South side of the peninsula will definitively have current on 2 tide days.
If you can brave across the shallows in Sands's Point, another great quiet anchorage.
Back in the day, I could take 50 foot blow boats and trawlers in there. The shoaling changes every 20 minutes, so someday I will be able to do it again. For now, we hang East of this.
