Tag: Port Everglades

Tall Ships in Charleston

There was once a day when tall ships with square sails were a regular sight in Charleston, South Carolina. For three days in May these magnificent ships will once again grace Charleston’s historic harbor. From May 19th through the 21st tall ships from around the world return to Charleston, as one of only two U.S. ports to host a tall ship event this year.

Ships on display range from historic military to merchant vessels and unique, privately built sailing yachts. One of the most interesting is the 63-foot schooner When and If built in 1939 by General (then Colonel) George S. Patton, who told the famed naval architect John Alden, “When the war is over, and if I live through it, Bea and I are going to sail her around the world.” General Patton would be happy with the condition in which the current owners have kept his proud ship. The largest of the international ships attending is the 205-foot, three-masted barque Alexander von Humboldt.

In addition to ships being open for tour, several will take passengers on a 90-minute sail around the harbor, including the Spirit of South Carolina, the Pride of Baltimore and the When and If. The festival has maritime events planned for all ages and interests. Families will have the opportunity to build small wooden skiffs over the three-day event. Other activities include a wooden boat show, a display of maritime art, live music throughout the weekend, and a Pirates Camp for “ye enjoyment ’n learnin’.” Proceeds from the event will be donated to Charleston Community Sailing, the Lowcountry Maritime Society, The Spirit of South Carolina, and Warrior Sailing. More information about the event can be found at tallshipscharleston.com.

Fleet Week Port Everglades and the Fort Lauderdale Air Show

Fleet Week allows the public an up-close and personal view of naval and Coast Guard

You may see a similar Super Hornet at the Fort Lauderdale Air Show.

ships along with an opportunity to meet the women and men that serve aboard them. Beginning with an opening ceremony on Monday, May 1st, the community will welcome visiting sailors, Marines and
Coast Guard personnel at Esplanade Park on the Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk. Navy and Coast Guard vessels will be available and open for public tour Tuesday, May 2nd through Saturday, May 6th. All vessel tours are scheduled at specific times with a limited number of people allowed on each tour. Due to security restrictions, tours require registration prior to boarding any military vessel.

Visiting service personnel will be participating in vocational and recreational activities while in port. Military personnel will also be visiting local hospitals and schools while assisting with community service projects. Event details can be found at browardnavydaysinc.org.

Coinciding with Fleet Week is the Fort Lauderdale Air Show, with flight demonstrations on May 6-7. Military and civilian aircraft will perform flight maneuvers directly off Fort Lauderdale beach. Watch precision flying performed by U.S. Marine Corp Osprey aircraft and the Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds. Spectators on the beach will also enjoy paratrooper teams landing right in front of them. For more information and to purchase tickets go to fortlauderdaleairshow.com.

Dania Beach Marina, FL

Just south of Port Everglades on the Intracoastal Waterway, the Dania Beach Marina reopened on June 24th after a two-year, $7.5 million renovation project, with Westrec Marinas operating as interim management during the reconstruction period.

With 120 wet slips for vessels up to 65 feet, every accommodation is brand new and promotes competitive prices. Water, electricity, Wi-Fi, and pump-out are all available, and seven free public day docks are first to come, first serve. Dania Beach Marina provides laundry, shower and restroom facilities, a cruisers lounge, and a covered pavilion for picnics and gatherings. Barbeque grills and a fish cleaning station allow anglers to conveniently prepare their catch. The Quarterdeck Restaurant offers a delicious daily special and the Chicago-Style hot dog at the Dania Beach Bar & Grill always hit the spot.

Stretch your legs and take a stroll down the beautifully landscaped promenade that house gazebos with gorgeous views of the ocean and pier. Nature enthusiasts can explore the nearby Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park and catch a glimpse of the local wildlife. The marina is also very close to the beach.

Dania Beach Marina is also the site of the Annual Plywood Regatta, a boatbuilding and racing competition for area schools hosted by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida. The marina is also host to the annual chamber of commerce and Kiwanis Club fishing tournaments. A bait and tackle shop is in the works to be located opposite of the marina.

According to John Louis, Regional Manager of Westrec Marinas, spaces are expected to fill up fast. “The level of interest in the new facility continues to grow since its completion, with many new customers coming on board since the grand opening.”

Marina Features:

  • 120 wet slips for vessels up to 65′ (no dry storage)
  • 7 free public day docks
  • Water, electricity, pump-out
  • Wi-Fi
  • Restroom, shower, laundry
  • Cruisers lounge
  • Covered pavilion, promenade with gazebos, picnic tables, barbeque grills
  • Local state park & nature trail
  • Local restaurants
  • Close to the beach

Information:

Dania Beach Marina
101 North Beach Road
Dania Beach, FL 33004
(954) 924-3796
daniabeachmarina@gmail.com
ci.dania-beach.fl.us

By Daniel Wagner, Southern Exposure

“All Aboard Florida” Potentially Threatens the Marine Industry

Increased future rail traffic is certain to impact Fort Lauderdale’s marine industry. A high-speed passenger train between Miami and Orlando under the project name “All Aboard Florida,” and projects in Port Everglades and the Port of Miami require building several new bridges over 30 or more waterways. The New River railroad bridge in central downtown Fort Lauderdale is a main concern and when closed offers a slim four-foot clearance. Since many of the area’s refit and repair yards are up the New River, the slow-paced bridge would be closed more often. A 2009 study showed the bridge closing for 20 minutes, 11 times a day. Fear is that with added hindrance to marine traffic, repairs and jobs in the area’s marine industry will go elsewhere. Concerned citizens and boat owners are encouraged to contact Governor Rick Scott, state legislators, and Florida congressional delegation. allaboardflorida.com

Shipwrecks rich with history
A mysterious shipwreck near St. Augustine, Florida, was identified as the Bermuda schooner The Deliverance, wrecked in a brutal 1947 storm. The vessel was named after the original Bermudian Deliverance that helped settlers in Jamestown in 1608. The shipwreck of the SS Central America in 1857 led to the first worldwide financial crisis and is now being raised off the coast of North Carolina. Within its hold is 21 tons of gold worth $100 million. Its recovery by Tommy Thompson in 1988 led to litigation against him and his eventual fugitive status in 2012. And finally, budding maritime archaeologists are measuring and mapping century-old Carolina duck hunting skiffs to create models using 3-D printers at East Carolina University’s Maritime Studies Program. By doing so, students learn how a boat is put together—a prerequisite to examining shipwrecks.ecu.edu/cs-cas/maritime

Free dockage in North Carolina
Mariners Wharf’s free docks in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, are even more inviting to visiting cruisers this season with new restrooms and showers. Elizabeth City is on the ICW halfway between Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks. Restrooms are free and showers are $5, payable at Elizabeth City Area Convention and Visitors Bureau or the Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc. offices. Both offices are closed on weekends. discoverelizabethcity.com

Another friend to ICW transients is the North Carolina Museum in Beaufort, North Carolina, known for its artifacts from Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge. The expansion on Gallants Channel just north of downtown brings deep-water fixed 1,500-foot wharfs, 10-slip floating docks, and a 110-foot face dock. Short-term dockage is just $1 per-foot per-night or $10 per foot per month. Water and power are available, but there are no shore-side facilities as of yet.

Biscayne Bay navigation notes
Severe shoaling continues to be a problem along the ICW near Bakers Haulover Inlet near Biscayne Bay Buoy 7B south to DBN 11 and from Biscayne Bay 6A to Biscayne Bay DBN8. Channel depth and width vary, and at any tide boats may be pushed east or west out of the channel. Cruisers should contact dredge Jenni Lea II on VHF channel 13, 16 or 78, or local tow boat operators for information on a good deep water passage around the shoal.

By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating July 2014

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