Material for fiberglass repair | Fish cleaning station
MARATHON CITY COUNCIL
• Mayor Lynn Landry
• Vice Mayor Jeff Smith
• Council Member Robyn Still
• Council Member Kenny Matlock
• Council Member Jody “Lynny” Del Gaizo
• MCSO Station Commander
Capt. Derek Paul
• Fire Chief James Muro
ON THE COVER:
Whether you’re a year-round resident or one of dozens who visit from far and wide, there’s nothing quite like the melting pot of people and vessels who make Boot Key Harbor such a unique community. @bublikhaus
ABOUT THIS ISSUE
Many people and organizations were instrumental in making the 2025 Boot Key Cruiser’s Guide a success. The staff at The Weekly Newspapers would like to thank Sean Cannon and the entire staff at the Marathon City Marina, the City of Marathon and the Cruisers Net.
PUBLISHER
Jason Koler | jason@keysweekly.com
CONTENT&DESIGN
Alex Rickert | alex@keysweekly.com
Javier Reyes | javier@keysweekly.com
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Patti Childress | patti@keysweekly.com
Anneke Patterson | anneke@keysweekly.com
ART&MAP
Travis Cready | travis@keysweekly.com
John Bartus Designs
9709 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050
phone: 305.743.0844
fax: 305.743.0866
www.keysweekly.com
WHERE MOORING IS A ‘BALL’
Dear Cruisers,
On behalf of the City Council, welcome to the City of Marathon and our City Marina at Boot Key Harbor. We hope that you will have a great experience here in the heart of the Florida Keys! City staff is committed to making your stay safe and comfortable. Our harbor offers 360-degree protection. For that, and many other reasons, it is considered by many to be the best harbor in the Florida Keys.
For example, our marina is only minutes away from Sombrero Reef, an internationally-renowned diving and snorkeling spot. In addition, the marina is within walking distance of marine retailers and boatyards, grocery stores, pharmacies, hospital, a public library and restaurants. Many local restaurants offer dinghy access to their establishments.
The marina is located adjacent to both a beautiful municipal sports park complex and the municipal park/ beach which is accessible by dinghy or kayak. Public bus service conveniently stops nearby and connects to Key West including the Key West Airport
and mainland Miami, where public buses and trains are readily available to transport you throughout Miami and Miami Beach including Miami International Airport. Rental cars are available in Marathon if you wish to tour on your own. Bicycle rentals are available through our Cruisers Net, keeping bike counts down around the marina.
The marina is proud to be a profitable economic engine for the City of Marathon. In the past year, the marina has brought in north of $1 million in revenue for the city. As a testament to the services and environment we offer, the marina now maintains nearly 70% occupancy year round, with all slips and moorings occupied during the winter and spring.
We are proud to be a sponsor of the 2025 Boot Key Harbor Cruiser’s Guide. We are confident that you will have a great stay and join the ranks of our many repeat visitors.
MEET THE STAFF
By Alex Rickert | alex@keysweekly.com
If you’re anything like me, you’ve never made a mistake on the water.
…Is what we wish we could all say. But I don’t care if it’s your first time launching a boat (good luck) or you’ve been sailing the high seas since they invented salt water, it’s a lie. We’ve all done something worthy of a social media video with the caption “look at this idiot.” (Side note: For a fantastic collection of these, follow @thequalifiedcaptain on Facebook or Instagram.)
I’M A BLAMELESS BOATER
Made you look … now keep reading A
ERT/Keys Weekly
“We’ve had a number of serious incidents in the last few weeks, even when there was a dive flag up,” Sheriff Rick Ramsay told me after a string of tragic earlysummer boat strikes this year. “Even when there’s not a dive flag up, you just need to assume there’s a snorkeler or somebody in the water. Think about it – if that was your family in the water, how close would you want another boat to come?”
While we’re all the best boaters in our own minds, let’s face it – we ALL need reminders. And before you think I’m preaching, I’ll admit to committing ALL of the mistakes I’m about to talk about at one point, especially when I first moved here.
Proper placement of a dive flag means flying it from the absolute highest point on your vessel. FWC/ Contributed
STAY AWAY. If you see a dive flag up, you need to stay 300 feet away – that’s a football field – while driving the boat (100 feet inside a canal). That means if you’re close enough
to hear your fellow captains hurl expletives at you for crowding their prize fishing spots, you’re way too close. If you MUST (and I mean MUST) come within 300 feet, your boat needs to be at idle speed. But let’s be real – there’s usually another way around.
STICK AROUND. There are two parts to the dive flag agreement. Boats have to stay a certain distance away, but snorkelers and divers also need to stick with their flags and boats – within 300 feet in open water, or 100 feet in channels and canals, at MOST. If you’re not even in the same zip code as your dive flag, it’s doing nothing to protect you. Go back and move the boat. And if you’re thinking of diving in hightraffic areas like bridges and channels, think about whether the risk is truly worth it.
SIZE MATTERS. If you’re flying a dive flag from a boat, it needs to be 20x24 inches. As I learned a few years ago from a very polite officer, that means no, the little dive flag attached to scuba buoys isn’t big enough to work for an entire boat – but you can, and should, use those smaller flags attached to yourself while in the water. And remember: Flags must have a stiffener (that’s that weird little wire across the back) to keep them extended and obvious for the world to see, even if there’s no wind.
FLY HIGH. No, not “that” kind of high. Make sure your dive flag is the highest point on your boat, and anyone driving toward you can see it from any direction. Hanging it off the bottom of your T-top rail doesn’t count, and neither does attaching it to the poles of your bimini top or throwing it in a low-lying rod holder.
crumpled, broken dive flag under the Seven Mile Bridge with no boat in sight during mini-season is a disaster waiting to happen. ALEX RICK-
Cameras installed at each of Marathon’s public boat ramps automatically scan license plates to identify violators who don’t pay their fees. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly
EASY WAY TO PAY
App simplifies new parking and boat ramp payments in Marathon
In April of 2023, the city of Marathon began charging parking fees at Sombrero Beach and parking and usage fees at its three public boat ramps.
Use and parking remains free for Marathon residents, confirmed via license plates registered to a Marathon or Key Colony Beach address. For non-residents, parking fees at Sombrero Beach are $5 per hour for the first two hours, plus $2 for each additional hour. Boat ramps carry a $25 fee to launch or retrieve a boat (each way), plus $20 per day for trailer parking at the ramp. Overnight parking is prohibited.
What’s the easiest way to pay?
Pay stations are installed at each boat ramp and throughout the Sombrero Beach parking lot. Users can also download the Flowbird mobile parking app for fast, easy payment directly from a smartphone.
How much is the fine?
Cameras are installed at each ramp to assist on-site personnel with enforcement. Failure to pay launch fees will result in a $200 fine per occurrence, while parking violations at the beach will result in $90 fines. Violators who pay their tickets within 15 days of receiving their notice will receive a 50% reduction.
What if I only live in Marathon part-time?
Launching and parking are free regardless of whether a property owner lives at the home seasonally or even rents the home for part of the year. However, the free parking is extended ONLY to the property owner who has an out-of-town vehicle registered in the same name. To register out-of-town vehicles, apply online at ci.marathon.fl.us and upload the appropriate documents, or come by City Hall and do the same. Free launching and parking privileges are NOT extended to short-term renters of a property.
What if I own a house here, but the deed is recorded in the name of a limited liability company (LLC) or a trust?
Court rulings have established that an LLC or a trust are entities that are not entitled to the same rights as people. Homeowners with property registered to an LLC or trust will not qualify for free parking or launching.
What if I just bought a new car with a new license plate?
The database used to exempt vehicles registered in Marathon from fees is refreshed only periodically. If you purchase a new vehicle and do not transfer the plate from your old vehicle registered in Marathon, call the Public Works department at 305-289-4115 to have your new plate added to the database. After the first six months, it should continue automatically.
The law is designed to regulate pumpouts and keep derelict boats from cluttering the harbor.
Anchoring & Mooring ordinance
WELCOME TO ‘THE ZONE’
There are special mooring and anchorage rules in Boot Key Harbor. What began as a pilot program was signed into law by then-Gov. Rick Scott on Jan. 1, 2017.
The main idea is to protect the environment from boater impacts such as raw sewage dumping and seagrass destruction, while keeping the harbor “clean” of derelict boats.
There are two mooring fields in Boot Key Harbor that are managed by the City of Marathon in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies. (Boats on a mooring ball pay a fee.) There is also a narrow wedge where cruisers can anchor just east of the Boot Key Bridge. The mooring fields are surrounded by a buffer zone where anchoring is prohibited. The entire managed anchorage zone extends from Sister’s Creek on the south side of Marathon through Boot Key Harbor to the west channel opening on the gulfside of the 7 Mile Bridge. Some of the area fronting Sombrero Beach is also a managed anchoring zone.
All vessels in that area must display proof of pumpout when anchored for more than 10 consecutive days and have a marine sanitation device (buckets don’t count!). A minimum of one pumpout per month is required and the boat owners must display a tag or provide documentation.
There is no anchoring within 100 feet of Boot Key Harbor’s mooring field.
The harbor managers are also looking for boats in danger of sinking or breaking loose. Vessels that are listing, aground, sinking, dragging anchor, in danger of breaking loose or not able to be used for navigation are not allowed.
There are similar managed zones in parts of the Lower Keys. They are the Boca Chica Basin (eastern and western portions), Cow Key Channel, Key West Harbor and the Key West Seaplane Basin.
BOCA CHICA BASIN
COW KEY CHANNEL
KEY WEST SEAPLANE BASIN
KEY WEST HARBOR BOOT
Waste disposal
PUMP IT, DON’T DUMP IT
Vessel sewage discharge has been prohibited in state waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary since its designation as a No Discharge Zone by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2002. In December 2010, the sanctuary amended regulations to further prohibit discharge of sewage incidental to vessel use and generated by a marine sanitation device in accordance with the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. A marine sanitation device not secured in a manner that prevents discharge or deposits of treated and untreated sewage is also prohibited.
Boot Key Harbor is a “No Discharge Zone.” This means it is illegal to dump waste and overboard discharge into the water. Seacocks must remain locked in the closed position.
The Marathon City Marina is in the National Marine Sanctuary and is designated as a Clean Marina. Please be kind to your neighbors, dolphins, manatees and other marine creatures by disposing of sewage and waste properly.
The City Marina provides recycling bins and trash receptacles for your convenience and pumpout service to improve the health and cleanliness of our waterways. In the past year, our two pumpout boats have pumped out more than 125,000 gallons of waste.
National Weather Service, Key West 305-295-1316 weather.gov/key/
The schedule
• All Marathon City Marina mooring and dinghy customers receive weekly pumpout service free of charge. Pumpouts for vessels on a mooring ball are performed on a weekly schedule (see below). Vessels are automatically pumped on their scheduled day of the week; captains need not be present.
• Additional pumpouts can be scheduled for a $5 fee.
• Pumpouts for vessels at anchor must be scheduled a day in advance for service Monday through Friday. Captains can call the Marathon City Marina at 305289-8877 or hail staff on VHF 16 to schedule. As a temporary measure, anchored boats that are neither mooring ball nor dinghy dock customers can also receive a pumpout for $5. Boats will be marked with a sticker that is good for one month.
• Dockside pumpout service is available seven days a week and captains must call 305289-8877 or hail staff on VHF 16 before arriving.
• Captains are required to keep the waste fitting clear of obstructions such as solar panels, jugs, kayaks, etc.
what’s your row?
Monday Rows A, J, N, & O
Tuesday Rows B, K, L & M
Wednesday Rows C, Q & R
Thursday Rows D, G, S, T, & P
Friday Rows
E, F, H, U, V & W
WHAT CRUISERS NEED TO KNOW
APPROACHES
• Via Hawk’s Channel
The best entrance into Boot Key Harbor is from the west. Using chart 11451, the channel lies between Boot Key and Vaca Key, running west-east. Deep draft boats should favor the side with the Green “1” to Green “9” markers or stay in the middle of the channel. The bridge that spans Vaca and Boot Key has been dismantled. The only other shoal is between Green “19” to Green “21”, which is 6’ at MLW.
• Via Florida Bay
Boot Key Harbor can also be approached via Florida Bay. From the north, keep Green “17” (Bullard Bank Light) to starboard. Follow the channel southwest to the Seven Mile Bridge. This bridge is 65’ tall. From there, follow the channel south to Hawk’s Channel, and approach Boot Key as mentioned above.
RECYCLE
The Marathon City Marina has a very comprehensive recycling program on the premises. It can accommodate almost every type of recyclable waste ranging from household-type items to materials associated with engine maintenance. The waste is deposited into clearly marked bins that are well kept and emptied regularly.
These items must be placed in their respective bins: waste oil, diesel, gasoline, anti-freeze, used oil and gas filters, oily rags and old starter batteries. Any materials not listed above, such as plastic bags or oily containers, will render the bin as contaminated and it will be discarded as trash.
In addition, at the marina cruisers can recycle: plastic bottles and containers (No. 1-7), including plastic lids and caps; aluminum and metal cans, clean foil and foil containers; glass bottles and jars (green, brown and clear only, no lids); paper goods including paperboard boxes, office paper, newspapers, magazines and catalogues.
MAIL, PACKAGES & FREIGHT
City Marina staff will accept mail, packages and freight for current marina customers only. Please note the following:
Mail must be addressed only to your name, at 800 35th St. Ocean, Marathon, FL 33050. Please do not include “City Marina” or a vessel name. Please do not call the City Marina to inquire about package deliveries. Staff will not sign for packages and special mail deliveries. They are placed in the package room adjacent to the mailboxes. Items are not secure, so make sure important items are picked up promptly.
U.S. mail is sorted according to the first letter of the last name, and is placed in the corresponding box located opposite the marina office.
• FedEx requires the recipient’s signature and will not allow marina staff to sign for packages. Recipients must be present. FedEx will leave a slip and will attempt to redeliver three times before returning to sender.
• Oversize packages and freight are NOT accepted by staff, but customers may meet drivers or scheduled delivery time and arrange to be at the marina when the item arrives.
BERRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly
VESSEL SAFETY & THE LAW
Boot Key Harbor is a safe and secure neighborhood of cruisers and live-aboard sailors. This is due to the genuine sense of community among the residents and visitors, along with the efforts of local law enforcement agencies to promote safety and curb crime. Here are a few reminders pertaining to Boot Key Harbor:
Required
All vessels under 16’ in length must have the following items:
• A copy of the vessel registration, except for nonmotorized vessels. (Vessels with inoperable motors are still considered motorized.)
• Life jackets for everyone aboard.
• A horn or whistle.
• A fire extinguisher, if there is a built-in fuel tank or enclosed portable fuel tank.
• Visual distress signals are not required when operating in Boot Key Harbor, but are required as soon as a vessel leaves the harbor or adjoining canal system.
• Navigational lights on motorized vessels capable of speeds over 7 knots. (Motorized vessels incapable of 7 knot speeds require only a 360-degree visible white light.)
Know the difference
Idle Speed-No Wake is the lowest speed necessary to maintain steering. All man-made canals are Idle Speed Zones.
vs.
Slow Speed-Minimum Wake means the craft is settled in the water, not plowing, and creating only a minimum wake. Most of Boot Key Harbor is a Slow Speed Zone.
I can see the light
Make sure your light meets USCG requirements
A common navigation light that you will see near harbors or popular cruising destinations is the anchor light. The anchor light is an all-around light that must be visible for two miles in any direction. No other navigation lights should be on while at anchor.
Anchor lights are required in Boot Key Harbor even though it is a designated anchorage. The requirement has to do with “colregs” – Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions. Colregs demarcation lines are shown on coastal charts as magenta-colored dashed lines. On the charts, Boot Key Harbor is located in “International Waters.” The colregs demarcation line crosses near Lower Matecumbe Key. From there, south and west throughout the Florida Keys, a vessel is outside of the colregs and therefore in International Waters where it’s required to display an anchor light.
• The Boat House 12399 Overseas Hwy. oceanside | 305-481-0653
3896 Overseas Hwy. (87 octane)
The FWC’s Vessel Turn-In Program allows boat owners to relinquish boats that are in danger of becoming derelict, which can lead to significant fines, safety hazards and environmental damage. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly
APPLY NOW FOR FWC’S VESSEL TURN-IN PROGRAM
Voluntary process keeps derelict boats from local waterways
The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners reminds boat owners in the Florida Keys that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is accepting applications for its Vessel Turn-In Program (VTIP), a key component of Florida’s derelict vessel prevention program.
The VTIP is a voluntary process designed to help owners dispose of their unwanted, at-risk vessels before they become derelict. Upon approval of an application, VTIP will take a surrendered vessel and dispose of it at no cost to the boat owner. Removing the vessel before it deteriorates into a derelict condition prevents legal ramifications for the vessel’s owner and protects Florida’s natural resources, including seagrass and marine life along with human safety and property.
A derelict vessel in state waters is a criminal offense and can carry serious penalties, fines or possible jail time.
To qualify for VTIP, a vessel must be floating in state waters and cannot already be determined derelict by law enforcement. The owner must have at least one written at-risk warning or citation and possess a clear title to the vessel.
More information is at MyFWC.com/VTIP or call the FWC Boating and Waterways Division at 850-488-5600.
— Contributed
AREA EVENTS AND ATTRACTIONS
Parks & Beaches
Marathon Community Park is located on Overseas Highway, adjacent to the City Marina. Inside the park you will find restrooms, picnic tables and a covered pavilion for large gatherings. The park has two Little League baseball fields, four tennis courts, an exercise circuit, a toddler playground and a combination basketball court/pickleball courts/inline hockey rink. The park is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Jesse Hobbs Park is at the corner of U.S. 1 and 41st Street, gulfside. The park is a neighborhood hangout for kids enjoying the playground or shooting hoops. Hours are 8 a.m to 10 p.m.
City of Marathon / Rotary Children’s Park is located at 7575 Overseas Highway (corner of U.S.1 and 75th Street, oceanside). Built with the combined efforts of Marathon’s Rotary Club and the city’s volunteers, there are swings, a climbing wall, toddler playground, monkey bars, slides and many play elements. Hours are 8 a.m. to dusk.
Events
January 11-12, 2025
Florida Keys Celtic Festival
This annual festival at Marathon Community Park features family-friendly Celtic rock and traditional music, Irish & Scottish dancing, sheep-dog herding demonstrations, pipes & drums, a Children’s Glen with games, face painting and fun activities, and fabulous Celtic foods and crafts vendors.
February 22, 2025
Sombrero Beach Run Weekend
Runners and walkers from around the country come to the Middle Keys for the Sombrero Beach Run, a mixture of athleticism and beach fun. For Saturday’s main event, kids and adults of all ages can participate in a 5k, 10k or 15k challenge.
March 8-9, 2025
Original Marathon Seafood Festival
Shrimp, spiny lobster, stone crab claws and fish, all “fishermen-to-fork fresh,” are to headline the attractions for attendees. For over 40 years, the taste bud–tempting outdoor feast has drawn seafood lovers and Keys families to gather at the Marathon Community Park. MarathonSeafoodFestival.com
Sombrero Beach MM50, oceanside
A lovely sandy beach on the Atlantic Ocean frames a shady park with picnic pavilions, volleyball courts, restrooms and showers. The beach is open from 7 a.m. until dusk.
Coco Plum Beach MM54.5, oceanside
Established as a natural beach area with an adjacent wetland area, Coco Plum (like Sombrero) is also a turtle nesting beach. A popular spot for locals and their pets, Coco Plum has basic restroom facilities and is open daily from 7 a.m. until dusk.
Oceanfront Park 98th & 99th streets
This park, located behind City Hall on the oceanfront, features a fenced run for dogs, and a series of pavilions for fishing or relaxing. There is also a kayak launch.
Attractions
• Crane Point Museum, Nature Center MM50.5, gulfside 305-743-9100 | cranepoint.net
• Dolphin Research Center MM59, gulfside 305-289-1121 | dolphins.org
The annual race is staged on the longest of 43 bridges along the Florida Keys’ renowned Overseas Highway. The race is one of the most popular running events in the southeast United States, attracting a field of 1,500 runners from around the world.
January-May, 2025
Main-Stage Shows at Marathon Community Theatre
Come see one of three full-length productions at the Middle Keys’ hub for the performing arts. The 2024-25 season will feature “Always a Bridesmaid” beginning in January, the musical “Nunsense” in March, and “The Siegel” starting in May. Tickets and information are at marathontheater.org.
July 4, 2025
City of Marathon’s Fourth of July Celebration
In this annual summer highlight, the City of Marathon partners with the Marathon Rotary Club to provide an all-day Independence Day celebration. Starting with a morning parade along Sombrero Beach Road, the day culminates in a fireworks extravaganza set to music shortly after sunset.
• The Lagoon on Grassy Key 59300 Overseas Hwy MM 59.3 305-414-8245 | keyscable.com
• Florida Keys Country Club 4000 Sombrero Blvd, MM 50 305-743-2551
• Coffins Patch - Marine sanctuary preservation area known for excellent snorkeling.
• Sombrero Reef - This traditional favorite of the Marathon dive portfolio is marked by a 140-foot retired lighthouse.
• The Thunderbolt Wreck – This 188’ former World War II cable-laying ship was deliberately scuttled in 1986 and now lies intact upright on sand bottom in 120 feet of water four miles south of Marathon and Key Colony Beach.
MARINE THEFT PREVENTION
• Install motion sensor lights. Make sure areas around the boat are well lighted
• Install sur veillance cameras and make sure they will capture the face of an intruder. Cameras are often installed too high and only capture the top of a suspects head or the brim of the hat he is wearing
•
• Install a GPS tracking device on your boat and/or engines.
• Disconnect the batteries to disable the trim / tilt function. Keep the engine down, touching the ground so the lower unit can’t be removed.
• If the boat is on a trailer, chain the rims together or boot one of the wheels to prevent the boat and trailer from being stolen.
• Keep a trailer hitch lock on at all times.
• Install bolt locks on the engine or put extra-long engine bolts on and bend the ends.
• Destroy the threads on one bolt so the nut can’t be removed.
• Keep valuable electronics in a secure location. It might be a hassle, but it will same you thousands of dollars in the long run.
• Take pictures and record serial numbers if available.
• minute - literally - to take it.
• deputies will keep an eye on your property while you are away
