The following is from the CG 7th District NTM 04/12.

St Lucie River South Fork Light 25 (LLNR 51005) is destroyed. A temporary LB “WR25” displaying Q FL G characteristics has been set 6 yards
channelward of remains in position 27-11-40.345N 080-15-53.596W. Remains pose a hazard to navigation and mariners are advised to avoid this
area.

The following is from the CG 7th District NTM 01/12.

Pine Island Sound Light 45A (LLNR 55900) is destroyed and sitting approximately 2ft above the waterline. The aid has been temporarily replaced
with a TRLB displaying Q Fl G characteristics and set 15 yards channel ward in position 26-35-35.682N 082-11-42.640W. Mariners are advised to
use extreme caution while transiting the area.

CG 7th District Notice to Mariners 10/11

Shoaling has been reported in the vicinity of Gordon Pass Channel DBN 1 (LLNR 17453) and Gordon Pass Channel LT 2 (LLNR 17455) in approximate position 26-05.492N 081-48.388W.

As has been noted in other cruisers’ forums the excellent free dock in Venice, Fl has been closed to overnight guests. A mooring field with showers/restrooms is in the planning stage.

Sam & Kayda Selby

Editors Note: This was implemented in March 2010 and is reported correctly in Skipper Bob Cruising the Gulf Coast. Anchoring is still possible in Roberts Bay just off the dock.

The U.S. Coast Guard has become aware that the information used to chart range structures may not be of sufficient accuracy and as such may depict a range line inaccurately on an electronic navigation chart (ENC). Mariners are advised to use extreme caution and not rely solely on ranges or any other aid to navigation as an exclusive means of navigation.

The Mar-Good Resort no longer exists. It is evident it has not been in existence for some years now. There is no evidence of a marina, the supposed building housing the restaurant and bar is nearly a shell of what used to be.
However, Goodland does offer 4 restaurant and a small fish market. The Little Bar has wonderful fare, a full bar and the restaurant itself is magnificent with artifacts brought from all over the country and displayed within. Marker 8 is another find with good food and serving beer and wine. The Old Marco Lodge is another and last but not least would be Stan’s Idle Hour. On Sundays from 1 PM till whenever, during the winter months, several bands perform and hundreds of people gather for the entertainment. There is also a small farmer’s market adjacent to Stan’s that sells fresh produce every Sunday. In addition, there is the Island Woman. It is a tourist attraction providing clothing and accessories. All are directly on the water and provide spendid view

Sarasota, FL, one of five Florida municipalities selected to participate in a pilot program designed to test mooring fields and restrictions on anchoring, is moving to install 35 moorings in the city’s main anchorage, a city spokesperson says.

At the same time, Sarasota will begin the process of developing an ordinance that potentially could place some restrictions on anchoring in the vicinity of the mooring field, city spokesperson Alex DavisShaw tells Skipper Bob.

Sarasota was chosen in February to take part in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission’s pilot mooring field program, which allows municipalities to establish mooring fields and regulate anchoring outside the boundaries of those mooring fields.

The city has struggled for years with the problem of derelict boats in its large anchorage directly off its downtown on Sarasota Bay.

For several years, Sarasota has had plans in the works to install moorings in the anchorage, although various problems have delayed the project. Now, as part of the pilot program, Sarasota will move ahead with the project, and will issue a request for proposal to vendors for the first 35 moorings, DavisShaw says.

Those moorings, which will be closest to shore, should be in place within nine months to a year from now, she says.

The ordinance that could impact anchoring in the bay off the city will take up to a month or possibly longer to craft, DavisShaw says, adding that the city attorney is working on it now. Once it’s developed, the city government will hold hearings on it, and then will submit it to the Fish and Wildlife Commission for approval.

DavisShaw says it’s not clear what restrictions on anchoring, if any, the new ordinance will include.

For full details on cruising Sarasota Bay and other parts of southwest Florida, consult Skipper Bob’s Cruising the Gulf Coast.

The following is from the Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District website.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has postponed the start date for installation of the Manatee Protection System (MPS) at the Moore Haven Lock as a result of concerns expressed by the public at a meeting held Feb. 16 in Clewiston.

The lock on the Okeechobee Waterway is now scheduled to be temporarily closed from May 14 – July 9, 2012. The adjustment comes after local business owners, recreational boaters and residents expressed concerns about closing the locks earlier in the spring due to heavy usage of the facilities.

“After hearing the economic and recreational concerns expressed at last night’s meeting, the Corps has adjusted the scheduled lock closure to reduce the impact to the local communities,” said Lt. Col. Michael Kinard, deputy district commander. “This timeframe will allow the lock to remain open further into the boating season, while allowing us to complete the installation at the beginning of the hurricane season when the risk is low. It’s all about balancing impacts and risks.”

Installation of the MPS is part of the Manatee Pass Gates project. The primary goal of the project is to safeguard Florida’s endangered manatees from serious injury or death at water control structures and navigation locks by modifying these structures with a MPS. Using a set of acoustic transmitters and receivers, the MPS detects the West Indian manatee and prevents the gates from closing and harming the protected animal.

The Manatee Protection System has been manufactured and above-ground fixtures have been installed at Moore Haven Lock. The remaining work includes dewatering the lock, installing the MPS to the lock gates, testing the system, and re-watering the lock. Work is expected to be complete within two months.

5 years ago this morning I had to tell my children that their dad had died. It seems like yesterday but still like forever ago. 5 years ago today I lost the best friend I ever had.

Elaine Reib

Exactly five years ago today, I got out of bed and checked my email and saw
there was one from Skipper Bob. The evening before, I had sent him my
latest batch of updates for the New York Canals book. The email was a
short thank you note from Bob, time-stamped exactly 8 AM that morning. I
could picture Bob sitting at his desk, probably looking forward to doing
some editing on the books that morning.

It turned out sending me that email was the last thing Bob did … and then
he slumped to the floor and died. The email remained on his screen
afterwards.

Bob is a great guy. He wrote the Skipper Bob books to asist the long
distance cruisers, and with the help of his wife Elaine Reib, he did a
mighty fine job.

I first saw a copy of the New York Canals book, on my first visit up here
in 2003. I was amazed how it contained absolutely everything I needed to
know for my cruise, and I got my own copy the first chance I had. Kathy
and I spend many days planning our future trips with the Skipper Bob book
open as the ultimate reference. It wasn’t very wordy, but it was concise
and to the point, the perfect cruiser’s helm reference. I loved the book,
so I contacted Bob and started helping with it.

Since about 2004, I had been sending Bob all kinds of updates and
corrections, so that the book might be correct and complete and benefit
future boaters, as it had done for me. The books are now continued by Ted
Stehle, who continues Bob’s excellent work, and I continue to send Ted
updates for it. Bob is often in my mind as I gather info for the next
updates.

When Bob died, he left a big gap, but I always talk about Bob in the
present tense as he will always be around. He will live on in the memory
of those who knew him, those who worked with him, and his family. Skipper
Bob is out there on the canals and waterways somewhere even now. You may
not see him on your cruises, but he’s out there with you.

Skipper Bob, December 11th, 2006. May he cruise with us forever.

Fred Wehner

The lake stage this morning is 13.09 feet (NGVD29). This provides a navigation depth for Route 1 of 7.03 feet. Since the level is above 12.50 feet the St. Lucie and Franklin Locks will operate on demand per Corps of Engineers Navigation Bulletin CESAJ-OD-M (1130) issued May 23, 2011. For the US Army Corps of Engineers Navigation Depth Report, click here.

Ted Stehle, editor

St. Petersburg, FL, is poised to install moorings in its North Basin by this fall, and plans to ban anchoring there beginning sometime this summer, a city official says.

Once the city eliminates anchoring in the North Basin — also known as the Vinoy Basin due to its proximity to the Vinoy Hotel — cruisers who want to visit downtown St. Petersburg by boat will have little choice but to pick up a mooring or rent a slip.

“You won’t be able to anchor in there,” says City of St. Petersburg Marina and Port Manager Walter Miller. “You must use a mooring ball.” Anchoring in the central and south basins also is impossible since any areas not in the main channels are filled with marina docks.

St. Petersburg is one of five sites selected to take part in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission’s pilot mooring field program, which allows municipalities to establish mooring fields and regulate anchoring outside the boundaries of those mooring fields.

The city has pursued moorings in the North Basin since late 2006, following a public hearing in which residents said they wanted mooring fields in St. Petersburg, Miller tells Skipper Bob Cruising Guides.

“Realistically, part of our issue is to prevent derelict boats,” he says. “A lot of that goes on around here.” He says derelicts in the North Basin itself haven’t been a problem, but the city wants to keep it that way. “Lots of boats anchor in there, but it’s not good holding ground in certain conditions.”

St. Petersburg has received bids from potential contractors for installing the mooring field, and expects to choose one within the next one to two months, Miller says.

Once the vendor is selected, the city will begin the process of installing the first 13 moorings. At that point, the city’s marine police officers will “help facilitate moving anchored boats out of the basin,” he says.

Ultimately, St. Petersburg plans to install 26 moorings in the basin. The first 13 will be installed this year, and then 13 more will follow in 2012, Miller says. The project also will include a new dinghy dock on the south wall in the basin.

St. Petersburg will charge for the moorings, but that price hasn’t been set yet, Miller says. When the city surveyed the market to determine what other municipalities were charging for moorings several years ago, $15 to $20 a night seemed like a fair range, he says, but adds that may have changed.

“We want to charge a fair price, and we don’t want to not have anybody using it,” Miller says. “It will vary with the market.” Boaters renting moorings will have access to restrooms and showers on shore, he says.

For more information on St. Petersburg and other Florida destinations, check out Skipper Bob’s Cruising the Gulf Coast.