Stuart Harbor

Marinas near Stuart Harbor

Helpful Links:

City of Stuart

Stuart Chamber of Commerce

Introduction:

Located at the “Crossroads of the Intracoastal Waterway, Stuart Florida is known as the “Sailfish Capital of the World,” and has many excellent marina facilities for cruising boaters.The “Crossroads of the Intracoastal Waterway” moniker comes from the area near the Saint Lucie Inlet where the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Okeechobee Mile Marker Zero, and the passage offshore through the Saint Lucie Inlet meet.

Above is an image of the Saint Lucie River where it branches off into the North and South branches at Bessey Point and the city of Stuart. The South Branch of the St. Lucie River carries the Okeechobee Waterway route south toward the Saint Lucie Lock, and then on to the rest of the Okechobee Waterway, which leads across Central Florida all the way to Fort Meyers on the Florida West Coast.

Navigating the Water:

Use NOAA Chart 11428, 11472, and 11474.

From the Intracoastal Waterway, Okeechobee Waterway Mile 0 begins at flashing red buoy “2” off Rocky Point, and also marks the beginning of the passage up the Saint Lucie River toward the city of Stuart. Once you have picked up flashing red buoy “2,” and green can “1,” continue up the channel to pick up green can “3,” red nun “4,” green daybeacon “5,” red daybeacon “6,” red nun “6A,” and red daybeacon “8” at the turn north near Sewall Point.

As you head up the St. Lucie River, make sure you honor all of the lighted aids up into the piece of water known as Hell Gate (they are lighted for a reason; current are strong here and going off station can put you aground.

Clear of Hell Gate, you will head toward the series of fixed and opening bridges and then on into the Stuart area of the North and South branches, where the majority of the marinas are located (see our detailed marina listing for the area).

Local Notices to Mariners:

Local Notices to Mariners are available online from the U.S. Coast Guard.