Fort Pierce - Docking
The City of Fort Pierce sits directly on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) and just inside the wide Fort Pierce Inlet. As elsewhere at ICW inlets, the tide runs strong and regularly can flow more than 1.5 knots in either direction. Celestial tides may occasionally cause the tide to run even faster.
Particularly in this area, follow all marked buoys. The US Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers maintain the buoys well in areas that have ongoing construction, but the tide runs so strongly that smaller floating buoys may be pulled under or be difficult to see at night. Whilst there is little or no perceivable current inside the marinas, cruisers have reported experiencing cross-currents and eddies in the approach channel to the marinas.
Also, the North Causeway bridge opens on a schedule. When the tide is running, keep a close watch while waiting for this bridge. The current at the bridge can approach 1.5-2 knots in either direction. Many cruisers strategize their journey north to coincide with the tide coming in so that they get the extra speed, but the current push waiting for boats toward the bridge.
Anchorage:
Like elsewhere along the ICW, it is permissible to anchor anywhere outside marked channels. However, the strong tide flow in this area makes it necessary to carefully plan any anchoring and allow for the swing. There is a relatively quiet popular anchorage just outside Harbortown Marina. Also, it is common to anchor in the protected areas against causeways and bridges: usually choose the leeward side.
Last updated: September 2016
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