Stuart (St. Lucie River) - Health

Description:

This is a popular fishing and sailing resort area approximately 30 miles north of West Palm Beach on Florida's Atlantic coast. It is a large inlet and navigation is relatively straightforward.

Many cruisers prefer this inlet to Jupiter Inlet. Even so, all inlets on the Atlantic coast of Florida should be respected as potentially dangerous and care should be taken in order to transmit them safely.

Tidal currents in the St. Lucie Inlet are occasionally extreme: 4-6 knots is not uncommon at peak flow. Currents continue to flow 2 hours after high and low tides. Entrance to the St. Lucie Inlet is best at the flood side of the slack water.

The St. Lucie River and the greater Stuart/St. Lucie area is an important access point for the Okeechobee Waterway. The Okeechobee Waterway cuts directly across Florida from Stuart to Ft. Myers, significantly shortening passage times to the Gulf of Mexico as long as the mast height does not exceed 54ft. The inland waterway also bypasses the busiest areas (Miami or Ft. Lauderdale) and the navigationally complex Florida Keys.

Hurricane Matthew (Oct. 2016) damaged some floating buoys and channel markers in this area. Seek local knowledge in advance of approach or read the US Coast Guard "Notice to Mariners" for the most recent buoy positions and shoaling alerts

Position:  

27° 09.90'N, 80° 09.00'W (inlet entrance)