Garrison Bight

Overview

Garrison Bight lies on the north side of Key West, away from the bustle of the Historic Seaport. The City Marina has 245 slips on both sides of the Palm Avenue causeway. North of it, between Fleming Key and Sigsbee Park, the city runs a mooring field of 149 balls – expanded from 81 – for boats up to 50 ft with dinghies up to 13 ft.

Inside the Bight the speed limit is 5 mph, and anchoring or mooring anywhere other than the field is not permitted except in an emergency.

Approach

The marked Garrison Bight Channel leads from Man of War Harbor round the north end of Fleming Key, then south and east to Trumbo Point. The Coast Pilot last reported a controlling depth of 6 ft in 2012 and 7.5 ft in the turning basin – check the current chart before you rely on it.

Fleming Key Cut is a shortcut for small boats: unmarked, about 6 ft, with very strong current, and under a fixed bridge with 18 ft vertical clearance. The Palm Avenue causeway bridge into the south-west part of the Bight is fixed at 19 ft. An overhead power cable crosses the entrance at 50 ft and elsewhere at 34 ft.

Taking a mooring

Bring your documentation or title, registration, dinghy registration and proof of liability insurance. Cruisers report that balls with a small extra buoy belong to annual renters; pick up an empty one and pay at the office.

The county's free mobile pump-out (On The Hook Marine, 305-833-1978) serves the field – fly the orange flag. Cruiser reports describe the field as exposed to northerlies, one from December 2021 with 4–6 ft of swell.

Good to know

• Cancellations: at least 48 hours ahead by email to the dockmaster; a no-show is declared at 3 pm, check-out is at 11 am.
• Going ashore from the field: the Garrison Bight dinghy dock is for mooring renters. Many use the Key West Bight dinghy dock instead, closer to Old Town.
• Tides: the nearest NOAA station is 8724542, Sigsbee Park in the Garrison Bight Channel.