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Anchorage

Bahia Honda anchorage

A beautiful stop by the old rail bridge, good in southerly winds – but holding is unreliable and the current runs hard, so leave before a norther.

Bahia Honda Key · Lower Keys24°39.700′ N · 081°16.610′ W (Bahia Honda Key North anchorage, reported)Last checked 21 Oct 2026
Open in buoya
Depth (reported)
6–8 ft
Bottom (reported)
thin sand on rock
Max ebb in the channel
2.6 kn
Tide station
NOAA 8724138

Depths come from operators, the Coast Pilot, cruiser reports or a seabed model. This is not a nautical chart and does not tell you whether you will get through – use official charts and Local Notices to Mariners.

NESW
  • Sheltered
  • Partly
  • Exposed
  • No reliable report
Shelter by wind direction

Good in southerlies – leave before a norther

From cruiser reports in Waterway Guide (2017–2024): comfortable in south to south-east winds, exposed to the north and south-west, with one boat dragging three times in a northerly. Grey means no reliable report.

Getting in

According to the Coast Pilot, Bahia Honda Channel is the deepest pass between the Straits of Florida and Florida Bay – what limits you is the bridges. The Coast Pilot gives about 20 ft under the southern bridge, with open gaps at its ends where spans of the old rail bridge were removed, and 23 ft under the twin bridges further north. It also warns of falling debris near the old bridge. Masted boats usually come in from the Hawk Channel side; check the clearances on the current chart before you commit.

The current averages 2 kn or more. NOAA's Bahia Honda Harbor station (FLK1327) predicts up to 2.6 kn on the ebb and 1.7 kn on the flood for November 2026. Arrive near slack water, and watch the set when you turn north-west after the bridges – there are banks on both sides.

Anchoring

Cruisers report 6–8 ft over a thin layer of sand on rock, so anchors tend to skip: set yours carefully and back down hard. The current turns with the tide, and with wind against tide boats sail around their anchors. Keep well clear of the bridge – a boat that drags here drags towards it. This is not a place to leave the boat alone in changing weather.

Ashore

Bahia Honda State Park is open from 8 am to sundown. Dinghies land at the marina wall near the office; Waterway Guide reports a landing fee of $4.50 for the first two people plus $0.50 per extra person, while the park itself publishes no boat-landing fee. Outside the marina, boats must keep 400 ft off the park's shore.

The park marina is the shallow-draft alternative: 19 overnight slips in a protected basin with water, 30 A power, showers and pump-out, for $2 per foot with a $30 minimum. Its controlling depth is only 4.5 ft. Book ahead on 305-872-3210.

Rules that apply here

  • Designated anchoring area: Bahia Honda Channel is one of FWC's seven designated anchoring areas in Monroe County (Fla. Admin. Code 68D-14.002, since October 2023).
  • 90-day rule: within 10 nm of a public mooring field or designated anchoring area, move at least 0.5 nm every 90 days.
  • Long-term anchoring permit: since 1 January 2026, staying 14 days or more within 30 days near one spot needs a free FWC permit.
  • Distance: no anchoring within 150 ft of the park marina or boat ramp.
  • Sanctuary: no sewage discharge anywhere in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and no anchoring on living coral other than hardbottom in less than 40 ft where the seabed can be seen.
  • Pump-out proof: after more than 10 days at anchor, carry proof of a pump-out within the last 30 days. The county's mobile pump-out is free – fly the orange flag.

Questions sailors ask

Is Bahia Honda a good anchorage?

In settled southerly weather, yes – it is one of the prettiest stops in the Lower Keys. But cruisers report poor holding on thin sand over rock, the current runs up to 2.6 kn, and the spot is exposed to the north and south-west. Leave before a cold front.

Can a sailboat get under the Bahia Honda bridges?

The Coast Pilot gives about 20 ft under the southern bridge, with open gaps at its ends where spans of the old rail bridge were removed, and 23 ft under the twin bridges further north. Masted boats usually approach from the Hawk Channel side. Check the current chart before you commit.

Can I land my dinghy at Bahia Honda State Park?

Yes, at the marina wall near the office, between 8 am and sundown. Waterway Guide reports a landing fee of $4.50 for the first two people plus $0.50 per extra person; the park's own pages list no separate boat-landing fee.

Sources & checks

Written by buoya editorial from the sources above. Every figure was checked against its source on 21 Oct 2026. Anything marked “reported” comes from cruiser reports, not from an official source.