Middle Florida Keys: Waterfront House with Sailboat?

[Saleen411]

Thanks guys....appreciate the replies.

Speaking of Boot Key. We stopped by there to have a look awhile back.....LOTS of boats and lots of boats that didn't look, ummmm, really well maintained.

I'm curious....what happens there when a named storm like IRMA heads their way? Are most boats able to leave for a hurricane hole or do they just hunker down where they're at?

As far as a canal front home....I wouldn't be keeping my sailboat there during hurricane season. It would be nice to have the option of using the house as a base for launching to the Bahamas in the winter months. But not really a necessity.

So many bright ideas, so little time.

[acem]

Galveston will never be taken by the sea. They will just keep raising it up higher and higher. Read the history of Galveston.

When I've sailed the keys I had to be very careful where I went and I was in my swing keel Catalina 22!

Thx-Ace

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Indeed.
Miami Beach, Key West, the Upper, and Lower Keys will soon be underwater, according to a study, first published in 2018, by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
The study identified U.S. coastal communities where “the largest number of residents live in properties that are projected to face the highest level of chronic and disruptive flooding, or effective inundation” by 2060.
The top 10 cities/regions that the group says will soon be underwater:
1. Miami Beach
2. Hoboken, NJ
3. Atlantic City, NJ
4. Key West
5. Galveston, TX
6. Hilton Head Island, SC
7. Lower Keys
8. Mount Pleasant, SC
9. Chesapeake, VA
10. Upper Keys

“Rising Seas, Chronic Floods, and the Implications for US Coastal Real Estate” ~ Union of Concerned Scientists
➥ https://miami.cbslocal.com/wp-conten...underwater.pdf

"The $27 Billion Question - Can the Florida Keys adapt to sea level rise?"
➥ https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-u...ea-level-rise/

Climate Change in Monroe County
The county is looking at multi-billion-dollar bills to pay for elevating roads and homes, shoring up public and commercial buildings, and buying out properties in areas that flood more frequently.
➥ https://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/803/Sustainability

NOAA says that in the past 100 years sea levels have risen 5-3/4 inches -- From 1919 to 2019. They use US Gov Geodedic benchmarks inland as a base that have not sunk--- Miami Beach and areas in South Florida have actually sunk from filling/dredging and hi rise overbuilding.

[BlueH2Obound]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Except for house in the middle you cant see

Would that now make it a HOUSEBOAT?

[tdh1849]

There are several sailing clubs in the Keys, look them up and then get first hand information from those who live and sail there.

[tdh1849]

There are also two sailing clubs in the Pompano and Ft.Lauderdale area, Hillsborough Inlet Sailing Club being one of them.

Again, look them up and get first hand information from those who live and sail there

[Capt. Morgan12]

We lived in Islamorada a few years ago for 7 years. Almost everything said in the previous thread is true (hurricanes, one road, high cost of housing and everything else, etc); however, we miss it very much and wish we had never sold.

Islamorada does have the best fishing in the world because of the easy access to both the bay and ocean sides by way of the Snake Creek drawbridge. Also, the diving is great. Since we were at mile marker 81, we were not too far from Miami. We lived in Venetian Shores whose 12 canals all open onto Snake Creek. when you leave your canal, if you turn to port you are in the ocean side
side in 15 minuets and the same if you turn to starboard for the bay side. Because of Snake Creek, we never had a large storm surge that covered our 75' concrete dock.

We had a 40' Manta Cat with a 21' ft beam and the 100' wide canal were no problem. We also had a 26' Grady white Tiger Cat center console on davits on the dock. The canals are a great place to weather a hurricane. Everyone puts their boat in the middle of the canal and spiders the lines to both sides.

If you can afford it, there is no place better to live.

[Sailmon]

We base in Punta Gorda (Burnt Store Marina). 2000 door gated community with beautiful landscaping, many activities, good security. 500 boat marina with great storm protection. Once outside the gate, 9 miles by car to shopping, big box stores, great restaurants (Cape Coral or down town Punta Gorda). Good shopping convenience but not over developed. We live aboard (my brother has a house on property). We can day sail Charlotte Harbor, anchor at wonderful State parks, head out onto the Gulf to stretch our legs... We can make Tampa St. Pete in 2 day sails. We can get to the Dry Tortugas (amazing clear water & fishing) in an overnight sail... or the middle to lower keys in 3 day sails (too many crab traps for overnighting). It’s laid back and lacks the intensity of the East Coast. Still we can easily make it to the Bahamas in 3 day sails and one overnight... weather window permitting.

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by Capt. Morgan12

We lived in Islamorada a few years ago for 7 years. Almost everything said in the previous thread is true (hurricanes, one road, high cost of housing and everything else, etc); however, we miss it very much and wish we had never sold.

Islamorada does have the best fishing in the world because of the easy access to both the bay and ocean sides by way of the Snake Creek drawbridge. Also, the diving is great. Since we were at mile marker 81, we were not too far from Miami. We lived in Venetian Shores whose 12 canals all open onto Snake Creek. when you leave your canal, if you turn to port you are in the ocean side
side in 15 minuets and the same if you turn to starboard for the bay side. Because of Snake Creek, we never had a large storm surge that covered our 75' concrete dock.

We had a 40' Manta Cat with a 21' ft beam and the 100' wide canal were no problem. We also had a 26' Grady white Tiger Cat center console on davits on the dock. The canals are a great place to weather a hurricane. Everyone puts their boat in the middle of the canal and spiders the lines to both sides.

If you can afford it, there is no place better to live.

This is EXACTLY the first hand information I was looking for.

We stayed at the Post Card Beach Resort for a few days a couple years back while we were exploring about. We really liked Islamorada and will definitely take a closer look on our next trip.

Thank you for your response.

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by Sailmon

We base in Punta Gorda (Burnt Store Marina). 2000 door gated community with beautiful landscaping, many activities, good security. 500 boat marina with great storm protection. Once outside the gate, 9 miles by car to shopping, big box stores, great restaurants (Cape Coral or down town Punta Gorda). Good shopping convenience but not over developed. We live aboard (my brother has a house on property). We can day sail Charlotte Harbor, anchor at wonderful State parks, head out onto the Gulf to stretch our legs... We can make Tampa St. Pete in 2 day sails. We can get to the Dry Tortugas (amazing clear water & fishing) in an overnight sail... or the middle to lower keys in 3 day sails (too many crab traps for overnighting). It’s laid back and lacks the intensity of the East Coast. Still we can easily make it to the Bahamas in 3 day sails and one overnight... weather window permitting.

Thanks Sailmon. We stopped by the Burnt Store Marina on our drive up the west coast awhile back (Guard was nice enough to let us thru the main gate.)

It looked like a very nice clean community. So many choices.

[delphys44]

Have lived in Keys for 25 years, both in houses and on board sailboat. Personally like living in lower Keys and Key West much better than Middle keys. Obviously more expensive down here. But great place to sail out of, is the Bahamas with a bridge. Most boat services out of Marathon but service Key West.
Suggest living on board at a marina, if possible, to see which Key you like best before you buy. They are very different. Or both Marathon and Key West have mooring fields.
Have fun. You may never leave either.

[Ozmirage]

The "secret" of the pointy wizard's hat. . . .
Gnats tend to gravitate towards the highest point on your body, so if you make that highest point even higher than your head, they'll usually leave your eyes, nose and mouth alone.
EUREKA!

[geozeck]

My wife and I along with 2 bird dogs lived on our catamaran in the Keys for 3 1/2 years and LOVED every minute. We cruised from marathon to Key West. We lived at anchor, on moorings balls and marinas. I never lived in a house but knew many people that did and they love it. Lots of places with a dock big enough for a cat. The problem in the Keys is skinny water. Deep draft boats don’t work well. You said you knew the pros and cons so don’t be shocked at the real estate prices you see. Hurricane Insurance is especially painful. Good luck to you.

[boatingisbetter]

I have lived on Grassy Key's Bayside which is on the North end of Marathon City Limits since 2011. I was so happy that my former trimaran, former sailing catamaran and current catamaran trawler had/have shallow draft. The Keys are a wonderful place to enjoy the water with a shallow draft boat. (as are the Bahamas).

Duck Key, Coco Plum and Key Colony Beach are obvious choices for a deeper draft in the Marathon area (to name a few). But once out of your slip/lift. The water is shallow everywhere you want to go locally. Consider the boat first and the house second. There are many, many homes with dockage. But fewer boats that really excel at shallow draft.

In truth, sometimes I wish my boat was in a local marina for the security. There are plenty of boat slips available in the Middle Keys. A smaller boat at your house and a live aboard size at a local marina might be considered as many more options are then available for home choices.

BTW, I love The Keys because the weather is warmer in the Winter and cooler in the Summer than the Mainland. Though Stuart FL has caught my eye of late. It has a safe Ocean inlet and plenty of sheltered water with its rivers. Not to mention the canal connecting to Ft Myers. As I get older I start to consider locales with better health care options than are available in The Keys.

Jupiter is nice but Stuart seems like more of a real town somehow. There is also fresh water dockage on the St Lucie River with ocean access.

[V. Randle]

Check out Port Antiqua on Lower Matecumbe (last island of Islamorada). Great neighborhood with wide canals. Easy access to both Intracoastal (bayside) and the ocean via the Channel 5 bridge. Private beach too - rare in the keys.

I'm personally not a big fan of Key Largo... It's OK, but feels too busy and pretty much like the mainland too me. We're weekenders from the Boca area, and Marathon is just a bit too far. Islamorada is only 2 hr drive from our home. We love it there!

The Boy Scout High Adventure Sea base is also on "our" Island and they have quite a few nice cruising sailboats. So, water depths must work for them.

Happy hunting