Looking for captains experiences with East Coast Florida inlets

Jacādie

Member
Aug 26, 2021
31
Barnegat Bay
Boat Info
300slx Bravo III, axius
Engines
Twin 350 Mercruiser w/Bravo III Drives
Thinking of relocating to Fl, Looked in the St Augustine area. Now looking in the Sebastian, Ft Pierce and Stuart inlet areas. I heard Sebastian is a rough one, but I navigate Barnegat inlet in NJ with little or no issues,95% of the time.
Any feedback would be much appreciated!
 
Sebastion can be challenging; I've had my 52DB in and out many times. There is plenty of overhead clearance for my boat. In the last five years they have done a good job dredging on the West side but make sure to stay in the markers as the sand does shoal quite a bit. There is rock shoaling on the South side of the inlet on the ocean side so stay rather close to the North side along the walkway/rock jetty. The current can rip in and out, so I always time my passages two to four hours after high tide to catch slack tide. I would never attempt Sebastion during a storm but rather either go north to Cape Canaveral or south to Ft. Pierce.
 
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Good info Thank you for that! Funny how you think about your boating, when considering a place to move to!
Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't see me being satisfied cruising up and down the river (Inter-coastal) I need some open seas.
 
Good info Thank you for that! Funny how you think about your boating, when considering a place to move to!
Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't see me being satisfied cruising up and down the river
Being winter in MD we looked into moving to NC, when we we realized what we would give up with Chesapeake boating we cancelled those ideas.
 
Thinking of relocating to Fl, Looked in the St Augustine area. Now looking in the Sebastian, Ft Pierce and Stuart inlet areas. I heard Sebastian is a rough one, but I navigate Barnegat inlet in NJ with little or no issues,95% of the time.
Any feedback would be much appreciated!
If you spent any time running Holgate on the south end of LBI, most any inlet wont bother you.
 
Ft Pierce inlet is pretty safe. I’ve been in and out it many times without any concerns/issues.
 
If you spent any time running Holgate on the south end of LBI, most any inlet wont bother you.
. That what I was thinking.
Belmar to Longport, I've done every inlet. with no issue, however when I see that's it really stirring up, I spin it around and stay in the bays.

[/QUOTE]
ZZ13

New Ft Pierce inlet is pretty safe. I’ve been in and out it many times without any concerns/issues.

-- Bill[/QUOTE]

Thank you for that, we looked up by St Augustine, next visit- Ft Pierce, PT ST Lucy and Stuart. There's other areas but i will not limit my vessel to back-bay, intercostal, river boating. No interest in the west coast of FL
I wrote off- Palm Coast, down to Vero Beach, as that's the boating limits.

If I wanted to be 40 minutes to an inlet, ( And with the Biden cost of Gas) I'll stay where I am
 
Matanzas Inlet is not navigable.
Ponce Inlet can get ripping but normally easy and wide access from the ocean. Ponce is primary access for New Smyrna, Daytona and Palm Coast.
There is no current at Cape Canaveral; but you do have the locks.
Jupiter inlet at Stuart is usually very good; that is access to the Okeechobee waterway to the Florida West coast. Have your latest charts out for Jupiter as it is a bit confusing on where to navigate once in.
Then Ft Pierce...
 
Sebastian inlet and the river interior can get pretty rough even in 15mph winds. I was down there recently and we had to go back in the St Sebastian to find enough calm to fish. My Proline 23 Bay gave me a beating back to the ramp. I grew up there, at one time the north jetty was not that long and the waves on the north side were great for surfing, in the top 10 areas. And the inlet was not that rough as I recall. I remember snorkling along the north jetty while my Dad fished, in the actual inlet by the bridge. A few years after I got married and moved to Ga, they lengthened the north jetty considerably. In my opinion and others, it killed the surfing and the long jetty funnels more in at tide change, which makes it rougher than it used to be. Man made, 12-15' D, 100yds W. Lots of rip rap on bottom.
That being said, I've been through it on 22-38 boats all the time growing up, we have not got the "The Office" down yet but are planning a month or so to do that. I think the 440 will be fine.
Just gotta hit it at the right time, slack tide is best as said, can be challenging. Ft. Pierce is way different and better I think, only been there a few times.
 
You probably already know this, but will throw it out. East Florida coast inlets conditions can change, sometimes fairly quick based on tide and wind. Some inlets are all weather or all conditions (within reason). Others you can go through multiple times with no issues, then you hit substantial water.
 
Matanzas Inlet is not navigable.
Ponce Inlet can get ripping but normally easy and wide access from the ocean. Ponce is primary access for New Smyrna, Daytona and Palm Coast.
There is no current at Cape Canaveral; but you do have the locks.
Jupiter inlet at Stuart is usually very good; that is access to the Okeechobee waterway to the Florida West coast. Have your latest charts out for Jupiter as it is a bit confusing on where to navigate once in.
Then Ft Pierce...
I saw, it looks like a creek...
 
Matanzas Inlet is not navigable.
Ponce Inlet can get ripping but normally easy and wide access from the ocean. Ponce is primary access for New Smyrna, Daytona and Palm Coast.
There is no current at Cape Canaveral; but you do have the locks.
Jupiter inlet at Stuart is usually very good; that is access to the Okeechobee waterway to the Florida West coast. Have your latest charts out for Jupiter as it is a bit confusing on where to navigate once in.
Then Ft Pierce...
The inlet into Stuart is the St. Lucie inlet, not Jupiter inlet. The St. Lucie inlet is wide, deep and about as safe and easy as they get regardless of conditions. This inlet leads to the St. Lucie River, and as you say, the Okeechobee Waterway.

The Jupiter inlet is about 15 miles south of Stuart and leads into Jupiter not Stuart. It is narrow, shallow, and on an out tide with any sort of onshore ocean swell or wave action, it builds a very large surf and rollers. It can be very dangerous/deadly.
 
The inlet into Stuart is the St. Lucie inlet, not Jupiter inlet. The St. Lucie inlet is wide, deep and about as safe and easy as they get regardless of conditions. This inlet leads to the St. Lucie River, and as you say, the Okeechobee Waterway.

The Jupiter inlet is about 15 miles south of Stuart and leads into Jupiter not Stuart. It is narrow, shallow, and on an out tide with any sort of onshore ocean swell or wave action, it builds a very large surf and rollers. It can be very dangerous/deadly.
Yup you are right. Sorry about the mistake.
 
No problem! I just didn’t want the OP to come peeling into the Jupiter inlet and get a HUGE surprise!!
And it can be. I've had my 400DA out of Jupiter and also ridden on dive boats going in and out.
 

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