Thoughts on Marathon after the first 24 hours: Seems like a liveaboard…

Thoughts on Marathon after the first 24 hours: Seems like a liveaboard paradise… and a decent stop for a cruiser if you can get in.

What a HUGE mooring field! There are 226 moorings maintained by the city, for boats up to 60’ There are also some spots to anchor but plenty of shoals.

It’s an interesting system, the moorings are for liveaboards ONLY, which is unusual. You also can’t make reservations it’s first come first serve, and to get on the waiting list you boat has to be anchored here somewhere. Currently there are 17 boats on the waiting list, I have no intention of sticking around long enough to see how fast it goes.

Pricing for moorings seems very fair, especially when you consider the amenities regardless of size it’s about $22 a day, or a monthly fee of $334. If anchoring and you want to use the dinghy dock and other amenities it’s still $22 a day, or $225 a month. Seems like a lot to spend on a place to park your dinghy BUT it comes with access to: -Showers -Laundry -Mail Room (can have packages and mail sent to you here!) -Massive dinghy dock -lounge areas -library -Outdoor party spaces -1 car parking space -project room (for fixing stuff, pretty cool actually) -A decent social scene.

Now it’s not a place I’d want to spend all winter, I’d go stir crazy, but for a week or two while we wait for the dogs Bahamas paperwork to clear it should be good. There are some very nice and lovingly maintained sailboats here, honestly the first I’ve seen in Florida at anchor or on a ball that fit that description. There is the usual “Florida vibe” of derelict half-sunk boats scattered about but they are outnumbered by proper sailboats being tended to by what appears to be proper mariners.

The moorings are all full so I’m anchored out on the wrong side of the tracks (literally there is an abandoned bridge that separates me from the mooring area. But I scoped it out today and may have found a better spot to anchor tomorrow. We are supposed to have some big winds Friday and Saturday. Currently, I’m anchored a mile from the dinghy dock which makes for a long trip to shore and back…

Happy Humpday from Boot Key!