HURRICANE IAN RECOVERY

Update from Harbormaster Austin Gilchrist

February 27, 2023 

The Town is in the process of conducting a phased reopening of Matanzas Pass Mooring Field and continuing recovery efforts from Hurricane Ian to resume services for cruisers coming to FMB. Unfortunately, the Town lost all of the Mooring Field amenities in the hurricane and is now in the process of rebuilding to better serve the community and ensure that the mooring systems are safe for boaters. The anticipated opening of the Mooring Field is planned to occur in phases to ensure a safe and smooth operation, beginning with wet storage.

Initial Reopening: The first phase is to open the new area north of the Matanzas Pass Bridge. The Town recently completed the construction of 19 additional moorings west of Matanzas Pass Bridge which will accommodate vessels up to 85 feet in length. This project was in process before Hurricane Ian. The closure of the field due to the storm provided the opportunity for it to be completed. 

Systems numbered 1 through 19 will be converted to WET STORAGE ONLY. Any vessel that is in the Town’s Mooring Field must register through the Town’s online Dockwa system to provide required registration information and payment. Information and pricing within the lease agreements still serve as the guiding principles for the field. We are currently only leasing to WET STORAGE VESSELS until additional amenities are available again. Many of the docks on the island were damaged, including the Town’s public dinghy docks.

If you need to use a dock, there is one located at the end of the Tropical Shores Way canal (behind the Bay Oaks Recreational Campus baseball fields). There are restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities located at the community center at Beach Baptist Church on the corner of Connecticut Street and Estero Boulevard at least until March 2023. 

To execute a wet storage mooring lease with the Town, your vessel must meet all Coast Guard requirements, have current registration, have a type 1, 2, or 3 marine sanitation device, have a current insurance policy with a minimum of $100,000 liability coverage, must be seaworthy and able to maintain seaworthiness, and follow all other requirements set forth by the Town’s Harbor Management Plan.  Please take this time to read over the Harbor Management Plan and lease agreement to stay aware of all criteria set forth by the Town. 

We plan to resume normal operations as soon as we can. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Harbor Master at 239-224-4118. 

We thank you for being a part of this community and look forward to welcoming everyone back to the Matanzas Pass Mooring Field in the near future.