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Anchorage

Little Shark River

A river mouth on the Gulf side of the Everglades, six miles north of Northwest Cape, that the Coast Pilot gives as a channel for vessels drawing four feet or less.

Everglades National Park · Gulf coastLast checked 22 Oct 2026
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Channel to Oyster Bay, for vessels drawing
4 ft or less
Oyster Bay and Joe River
4 ft can be carried
Whitewater Bay
2 to 6 ft

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

Two crews report it held them in northerlies – the south-west is the named open side

The Coast Pilot calls the anchorage well protected but names no direction, so the rose is built from Waterway Guide instead. Its listing rates the spot somewhat exposed from the south-west, and two cruiser reports name the other side: one crew in 2024 wrote that it did protect them from a northerly, another in 2021 reported ducking a north-easter here. Nothing read for this run reports on east, south-east, south, west or north-west, and those stay blank rather than guessed. Reports also mention a strong current through the river and hard objects on the bottom.

Where it is

Little Shark River empties into the Gulf of America on the south side of Shark River Island, about 6 miles north of Northwest Cape. There is no settlement, no dock and no fuel: this is a stop on the Everglades coast between Flamingo and the Ten Thousand Islands, and everything here comes from the Coast Pilot.

The Coast Pilot gives the river as a channel to Oyster Bay for vessels drawing 4 feet or less, and says an entrance light and daybeacons mark the channel as far as Oyster Bay. Beyond Oyster Bay the marks stop. From there the river trends east-northeast to a junction with Shark River about 7 miles above the entrance light.

The depths the Coast Pilot gives

Four feet or less is the figure for the channel in. Inside, the Coast Pilot says a depth of 4 feet can be carried through Oyster Bay and Joe River by avoiding occasional bars, and that a depth of about 5 feet can be carried through Shark River and Tarpon Bay. Whitewater Bay, whose brackish water lies behind the coast, it gives as 2 to 6 feet deep.

These are the Coast Pilot's figures, not a survey of today's riverbed, and in a river mouth they are the kind of number that moves. The DepthNote above says what they can and cannot answer. One more thing the Coast Pilot adds and worth knowing before you work out your water: northeast winds often cause drops in the water level of a half foot in Whitewater Bay.

The anchorage

The Coast Pilot describes the river as providing anchorage "of limited extent but well protected" – its words, and the whole of what an official source says about lying here. It gives no holding ground, no recommended spot and no capacity, so neither do we.

Limited extent is the part to plan around: room is the constraint rather than shelter, and a boat arriving late behind others may not find the swinging room it wanted.

Inside: Whitewater Bay, Tarpon Creek and the park

From the inside waters Tarpon Creek leads into Coot Bay, and the Coast Pilot notes a 5-mph no-wake speed limit enforced in Tarpon Creek. All of this lies inside Everglades National Park, so a park entrance pass applies: $35.00 for a single vehicle or vessel, good for seven consecutive days at all park entrances.

Good to know

  • Marks end at Oyster Bay: an entrance light and daybeacons mark the channel as far as Oyster Bay, and no further.
  • Bars: the Coast Pilot's 4 feet through Oyster Bay and Joe River is a figure for avoiding occasional bars, not a clear run.
  • Northeast wind: often causes drops in the water level of a half foot in Whitewater Bay.
  • Tarpon Creek: a 5-mph no-wake speed limit is enforced on the way into Coot Bay.
  • Park pass: $35.00 for a vehicle or vessel, good for seven consecutive days at all park entrances.

Questions

How deep is Little Shark River?

The Coast Pilot gives it as a channel to Oyster Bay for vessels drawing 4 feet or less, with an entrance light and daybeacons as far as Oyster Bay. Inside, it says 4 feet can be carried through Oyster Bay and Joe River by avoiding occasional bars, and about 5 feet through Shark River and Tarpon Bay. Depths change – check the current chart.

What kind of anchorage is it?

The Coast Pilot says the river provides anchorage "of limited extent but well protected". That is the whole of what an official source says about it: no holding ground, no capacity and no recommended spot are published.

Do I need a park pass at Little Shark River?

The river lies inside Everglades National Park. A park entrance pass for a single vehicle or vessel is $35.00 and is good for seven consecutive days at all park entrances.

Sources & checks

Written by buoya editorial from the sources above. Every figure was checked against its source on 22 Oct 2026. Anything marked “reported” comes from cruiser reports, not from an official source. Found something wrong? Report a correction.