Boot Key Harbor, lying between Boot Key and Vaca Key in Marathon, Florida, is the best harbor in the Florida Keys. It's an all-weather harbor that can hold more than 200 anchored and moored boats. Harbor depth varies from shoal grassy spots to about 10'. The holding is very good in marl. Boot Key Harbor was created when marl was dredged in 1920's and 1930's to provide cement-like material for railroad beds in the Keys.
Seven Seas Cruising Association
As a result of recent efforts by the State of Florida and the City of Marathon, the harbor water is cleaner tha in years past with more tha 50 wrecks having been removed with 38 more to go. In all the times we have been in and out of this harbor, we have never had a problem finding a place to anchor, even at the height of the winter season. Boot Key Harbor is the most important stagin area in the Florida Keys for vessels voyaging to Cuba, the eastern and western Caribbean and the Bahamas because many name-brand stores such as Home Depot, Radio Shack, West Marine, Publix and Winn Dixie Supermarkets, as well as the Marathon Boat Yard and many other marine support services are all within walking distance of the dinghy docks.
At this point in history, Boot Key Harbor is owned by the State of Florida with control over a portion of the waters granted to the City of Marathon. Like many cities recently gaining control over good harbors, Marathon is struggling to balance the need to seve both local and transient boaters with an eye toward showing a "profit" from city marina operations. Meanwhile, the State of Florida has declared all waters up to three miles offshore in the Florida Keys as a "No Discharge Zone." For years Boot Key Harbor has been used by local workers as affordable housing. As Florida Keys property values continue to skyrocket and businesses profligate, in a fragile, restricted area with limited amount of land, the need for affordable housing is extremely acute. Hence, most of the small local boats anchored in the harbor house the staff of many local businesses.
The City of Marathon came under political pressure from harbor side condos, private developers and a variety of other interests to "clean up the harbor." In response, the city assumed control over a first-rate dock facility and dinghy dock (formerly "Pat and Kelly's") two years ago at no cost to the city. In 2002 the city installed 24 screw -type moorings in the east end of the harbor designed to hold boats of less than 40'. Overly optimistic plans call for a total of 231 moorings and a 24-acre anchorage at the west end of the harbor. Twenty or so new moorings adjacent to the existing 24 are scheduled to go out for bid sometime in 2003 once a new harbor survey is complete. Mooring plans have been scaled back as space issues become apparent. For the city to show a "profit" from marina operations, all of the moorings have to be in place and occupied. At this time no firm schedule has been established to set additional moorings mainly because many local liveaboard boaters, who work in the area, opposed being displaced and required to go on moorings at a cost of $150-200 a month plus the $50 a month long term fee to use the city dinghy dock.
Today many liveaboard locals anchor, at no cost, on the fringes of the existing mooring field. Short term transient boaters pay $15 /day for a mooring plus a $5/day for use of the city dinghy dock. The city has begun to realize that transient cruisers use the harbor as a staging area and contribute significantly to the local economy. Boaters electing to use city moorings are required to sign a nine-page, 51 clause contract which has already been modified in response to existing maritime law and cruising reality. The city even has a three-page contract to use the dinghy dock! Fortunately there is still room to anchor and the Dockside Lounge dinghy dock is $3/day with no contract.
In compliance with Florida No-Discharge Law, the City operates a pump-out boat that serves both the boats moored and anchored in the harbor as well as local marinas. The subsidezed $5 per weekly visit pump-out boat is modern and efficient. A second boat is being built to handle increasing demand. Both liveaboard boaters and transient cruisers are learning to comply with the Florida no-discharge law.
City of Marathon management of beautiful Boot Key Harbor is evolving. The struggle between the various interests in Marathon over control of the harbor is intense, like many good harbors all over the world. Unfortunately, no one represents the interests of cruisers. Transients should realize and support local liveaboard boaters, they are our best defense against over-regulation by local authorities.
First Published in the July 2003 issue of the Commodore's Bulletin, ©2003 Seven Seas Cruising Association