Reviews: Bethune Park
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Bethune Park
- Mile Marker: 831
- Lat / Lon: N 29° 11.977' / W 081° 00.377'
- Depth: 10 feet
- Tide: 1 foot
- Description:
We used this anchorage for years. There's lots of room and near shore access for dog relief at a sandy beach - we always pick up. Approach the anchorage on a line from R44.
NOTE: Per Florida Statute 327.4109
The owner or operator of a vessel or floating structure may not anchor or moor such that the nearest approach of the anchored or moored vessel or floating structure is:
- Within 150 feet of any marina, boat ramp, boatyard, or other vessel launching or loading facility;
- Within 300 feet of a superyacht repair facility. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term "superyacht repair facility" means a facility that services or repairs a yacht with a water line of 120 feet or more in length; or
- Within 100 feet outward from the marked boundary of a public mooring field or a lesser distance if approved by the commission upon request of a local government within which the mooring field is located. The commission may adopt rules to implement this subparagraph.
4.00 out of 5 stars
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Review for Bethune Park
Reviewed by: Francis Gravel on Dec 11, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 36'
Draft: 6.7'Overall Rating:3Holding:4Wind Protection:3Current Flow:3Wake Protection:3Scenic Beauty:3Cell Service:4We anchore south near R44. A lot of morring balls and depth of 8-10' all around. Too many boats to be able to go near the anchor mark. We had 20kt + South-South West winds that change for West - North West diring the night . That was a ruff night but not too choppy. Waves was their but not big enough to wake you up. The anchor hold well. 36' boat with 45pounds vulcan anchor. Scope of 5:1 all chain.
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Review for Bethune Park
Reviewed by: Reve de Mer on Apr 1, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 30'
Draft: 5.0'Overall Rating:3Holding:3Wind Protection:3Current Flow:3Wake Protection:2Scenic Beauty:3Ease of Shopping:1Shore Access:4Pet Friendly:4Cell Service:4WiFi:1Good spot, the sunk derilict boat near from the dock that other comment referred to was removed when we were there, we saw it. We dragged the first time so next time we used 8:1 chain and we had a good holding.
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Review for Bethune Park
Reviewed by: Janet Gannon on Feb 7, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 37'
Draft: 6.0'Overall Rating:4Holding:4Wind Protection:3Current Flow:5Wake Protection:4Scenic Beauty:3Ease of Shopping:3Shore Access:5Pet Friendly:5Cell Service:5WiFi:1Easy on and off. Entered at Red 44 and found enough water for our 6 foot draft. Dinghy dock is sufficient and the park is great for the dog.
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Review for Bethune Park
Reviewed by: Brent Massey, True Story, on Jan 22, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 40'
Draft: 5.0'Overall Rating:4Holding:5Wind Protection:3Current Flow:4Wake Protection:2Scenic Beauty:3Ease of Shopping:1Shore Access:5Pet Friendly:5Cell Service:5WiFi:1Echoing some other reviews, the shore access for our pup is what drew us to this spot. We didn't venture too far into the anchorage because of the many permanent residents here, but found a good spot off the channel and dropped the hook in about 8-9 feet of water. Holding was excellent! We even brought some of the thick mud/shell mix up with our anchor the next morning. There are multiple options for shore access here, but we opted for the floating dock at the park's boat launch. Be cautious: there is a submerged sailboat on the southern dock with only the mast and rigging visible. Plenty of room to tie up on the north side of the dock though. The park was really nice, with plenty of greenspace to play ball with the pup and for the humans to stretch their legs.
Weather was calm during our stay, but I wouldn't want to spend time here in a strong N or S wind. There is nothing to block the wind or wave action from those directions. Would definitely stay here again.View location on the Waterway Guide Explorer
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Review for Bethune Park
Reviewed by: Jeremy Hatch, River Girl, on May 23, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 49'
Draft: 5.0'Overall Rating:3Holding:2Wind Protection:3Current Flow:4Wake Protection:2Scenic Beauty:2Shore Access:5Pet Friendly:5Cell Service:5Surprisingly after 2+ mos. of cruising, mostly anchored, we couldn't get a good set here. Options with sufficient depth were limited by the large number of permanently anchored small local boats. 1st set dragged immediately on 5:1 scope in 12' of water with 100lb Spade & all chain plus snubber in 10-15 G 20 max. Reset @>7:1, and got an initial hold, but would drag back 10' every hour, them regrab. Anchor came up without the sticky mud Bob Scherrer described, but we weren't exact on his spot. Moved on to Memorial Bridge on the East side & stuck immediately.
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Review for Bethune Park
Reviewed by: Jim Mincher, Nomad, on Mar 11, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 5.0'Overall Rating:5Holding:5Wind Protection:4Current Flow:5Wake Protection:3Scenic Beauty:3Ease of Shopping:1Shore Access:5Pet Friendly:5Cell Service:5WiFi:1This was a great anchorage and had a beach as well as a boat ramp to take our dog for a walk. Good in most winds except strong N-NE-E-SE-S directions.
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Review for Bethune Park
Reviewed by: Robert Sherer on Jan 16, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 42'
Draft: 5.0'Overall Rating:5Holding:5Wind Protection:3Current Flow:4Wake Protection:2Scenic Beauty:2Ease of Shopping:1Shore Access:5Pet Friendly:5Cell Service:3WiFi:1This is a large anchorage with room for dozens of boats although you'll have to look a bit to find a spot among the permanent residents. The holding is excellent and it shows when you pull up your anchor in the morning, it will be covered in thick mud. The attraction for me is a dinghy dock for shore access for my dog. Passing boats on the ICW will rock you during the day but it dies down at night.
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Review for Bethune Park
Reviewed by: Len Barton on Jul 3, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 41'
Draft: 5.0'Overall Rating:5Holding:5Wind Protection:4Current Flow:3Wake Protection:3Ease of Shopping:1Cell Service:3If your draft is more than four feet, do not proceed very far off the main channel. Turn west northwest at the Red 44 and proceed far enough to stay out of the main channel and anchor in about nine feet. My Navionics chart says you can carry 14 feet in. But that is incorrect. My chart said I was in 13 feet of water, but I was hard aground. It is good holding and protected from westerly winds.
We did not attempt going ashore.View location on the Waterway Guide Explorer
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Review for Bethune Park
Reviewed by: Paul Hoffman, Changes in L'Attitudes, on Jan 5, 2021
LOA: 41'
Draft: 3.8'Overall Rating:5Holding:5Wind Protection:2Current Flow:3Wake Protection:2Scenic Beauty:2Ease of Shopping:1Cell Service:5Big fan of Robert Sherer so this was a no brainer place to stop. We don't have a dog, so we only came about two hundred yards north of Halifax River DB 44 and about two hundred yards west of the channel to support quick in and out - while keeping enough distance from the channel to minimize rocking from wakes. Stopped here twice (end of DEC ' 20 and early JAN '21) and both times it was very windy from the south/southeast. Mud/clay bottom really made for strong holding - we didn't drag at all. Bit of a pain to clean off in the morning - had to scrape a bit because the wash down hose just couldn't knock some of it off.
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Review for Bethune Park
Reviewed by: Billy Wilson on Jan 20, 2020
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 43'
Draft: 4.5'Overall Rating:4Holding:5Wind Protection:3Current Flow:3Navionics chart shows 9’ access from R40, not true, we bottomed right away and entered at R44. Anchored in 9’, good holding.
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Review for Bethune Park
Reviewed by: Robert Sherer on Apr 23, 2019
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 42'
Draft: 5.0'Overall Rating:3Holding:5Wind Protection:3Current Flow:1Wake Protection:2Scenic Beauty:2Ease of Shopping:1Shore Access:5Pet Friendly:5Cell Service:5WiFi:1We like anchorages where we can get our dog ashore easily and that are not crowded (so there are no bumps in the night!) Bethune Park fulfills those requirements. There is protection from waves from the north and west and it does settle down at night when the ICW traffic lessens.
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