The Florida Keys offer a boating experience like no other. A trove of marine beauty, the Florida Keys demands respect and a bit of know-how to ensure your anchoring adventure goes smoothly. Here are some of our golden rules for anchoring in the Keys:

• Respect the Coral: Never anchor over coral. It's not just beautiful, it's vital to the ecosystem.
• Personal Space: Keep a respectful distance from fellow boaters.
• Expect Unexpected Guests: Vegetation-covered shores are a haven for critters, including the biting kinds.
• Prep for the Dance: The tidal ballet that occurs in the Keys might have you swinging 180 to 360 degrees.
• Keep it Simple: Never use two anchors when one will do. However, if you find yourself in a situation where nothing but two anchors will do, the easiest solution is to set your first anchor and either dinghy out your second anchor or drop back to put down the second anchor and then position yourself between them. Remember that current and tidal flow always win over wind.
• Visual Verification: Always try to dive to check that your anchor has set or check it using a dive mask or a glass-bottom bucket from your dinghy. If the bottom is hard-packed sand or rocky, you may have to dive to set an anchor.
• Sound Etiquette: Generators can bring a lot of noise to the peaceful setting. Use them sparingly and thoughtfully.
• Shine a Little Light: Always set an anchor light. Local boats go about their business at all hours of the night often at high speeds. A conventional masthead light is just too high to warn off someone racing along at sea level. Mount an auxiliary anchor light about 10 feet above the water and see how that looks to you from your dinghy. It could be just the most sensible precaution you ever took.
• Stay Put: Take anchor bearings or get a GPS fix and keep them displayed at the helm station. Check them to ensure that you have not dragged. If the risk is high, make out a roster and keep checking through the night. Most modern chartplotters have a built-in anchor alarm feature that can alert you if you have moved more than a set amount of feet from your point of set. Always use these and consider a backup such as a phone App.

Choosing Your Ground Tackle

You need to carry two anchors while cruising in the islands (three if you count your tender's anchor). We recommend a plow or spade type and a Danforth. Fit your anchor to your boat length and go oversize if in doubt. When it comes to anchors, BIGGER is always better. In addition, make sure you know the safe working load and the breaking point of your ground tackle.

Depth & Scope

Scope is the length of anchor rode you put out measured from the bow roller into the water to the anchor and it helps determine how well your anchor will hold under most conditions. Generally the greater the scope, the better. With an all-chain rode 5:1 is sufficient in sheltered water. (That is about 5 feet of anchor chain for every 1 foot of depth at high tide.) With nylon and chain 7:1 scope is good. If you are working in meters, take that initial 5-foot figure and work it as 1.5 meters. It is simpler and errs on the side of safety. Don't forget to add your freeboard (the vertical distance from your bow roller to the water surface) to the depth of the water when calculating your scope.

A Buoy for Every Boat

There are almost 500 mooring buoys available on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the Everglades National Park Service. These are provided at no cost to the boater to help protect the coral reef. Boaters can tie off to the 18-inch diameter, blue-striped buoy markers to avoid anchoring on the reef. Run your boat's bow line through the loop of the yellow pick-up line. Cleat both ends of your bow line to the bow of your boat. Never tie the yellow pick-up line directly to your boat as it puts undue stress on the mooring anchor.

Most Reviewed Florida Keys Anchorages

Here's your insider's list to the most celebrated anchorages by the Waterway Guide Community:

1. Boot Key Outside - Marathon

• Location: Hawk Channel, Mile Marker 1195
• Lat / Lon: N 24° 41.718' / W 081° 07.215'
• Depth: 8-10 Feet
• Reviews: 11 Total, 5 Star Average
• Read the Reviews

2. Rodriguez Key

• Location: Hawk Channel, Mile Marker 1145
• Lat / Lon: N 25° 03.340' / W 080° 27.139'
• Depth: 7-8 Feet
• Reviews: 9 Total, 5 Star Average
• Read the Reviews

3. Lignumvitae Key Moorings

• Lat / Lon: N 24° 54.395' / W 080° 42.250'
• Reviews: 7 Total, 5 Star Average
• Read the Reviews

4. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Mooring Field

• Location: Hawk Channel, Mile Marker 1141
• Lat / Lon: N 25° 07.765' / W 080° 23.830'
• Depth: 3-5 Feet
• Reviews: 5 Total, 5 Star Average
• Read the Reviews

5. Matecumbe Bight

• Location: Florida Bay, Mile Marker 1167
• Lat / Lon: N 24° 52.075' / W 080° 42.824'
• Depth: 6-7 Feet
• Reviews: 4 Total, 5 Star Average
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6. Indian Key Moorings

• Location: Hawk Channel, Mile Marker 1165
• Lat / Lon: N 24° 52.634' / W 080° 40.553'
• Depth: 7-8 Feet
• Reviews: 4 Total, 5 Star Average
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7. Upper Matecumbe Key Inside

• Location: Islamorada, Mile Marker 1160
• Lat / Lon: N 24° 55.324' / W 080° 38.124'
• Depth: 5 to 8 feet
• Reviews: 4 Total, 5 Star Average
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8. Newfound Harbor - Big Pine Key

• Location: Hawk Channel, Mile Marker 1215
• Lat / Lon: N 24° 39.508' / W 081° 22.705'
• Depth: 7-9 Feet
• Reviews: 3 Total, 5 Star Average
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9. Thursday Cove

• Location: Barnes Sound East, Mile Marker 1132.8
• Lat / Lon: N 25° 12.025' / W 080° 22.511'
• Depth: 6-7 Feet
• Reviews: 3 Total, 5 Star Average
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10. Cowpens Anchorage

• Location: Florida Bay, Mile Marker 1155
• Lat / Lon: N 24° 58.582' / W 080° 33.802'
• Depth: 5-6 Feet
• Reviews: 3 Total, 5 star average
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