A SIMPLE PLAN FOR A FUN SIGHTSEEING CRUISE
They call it the �Venice Of America� with good reason. The waterways look like streets! Fort Lauderdale has over 165 miles of navigable waterways and canals. It�s home to more than 40,000 boats. Cruising here allows you to see all sorts of interesting things in a relatively short distance. Every year Fort Lauderdale hosts the world�s largest in-water boat show.
From the helm you can see extravagant mansions, the largest of the large mega-yachts, huge cargo ships, cruise ships, charming canals and downtown skyscrapers.
I�ve heard it said that 80% of the world�s mega-yachts are sold through Fort Lauderdale. In places you can see them rafted-up like cordwood (especially in the winter months.) The ones with the helicopter pads are the most interesting.
Port Everglades hosts an interesting mix of large cruise ships, gambling ships and cargo carriers.
Downtown Fort Lauderdale can be toured from the New River, as can many of the city�s neighborhoods.
Fort Lauderdale is only about 50 miles south of the Palm Beaches. It will take you about an hour to trailer your boat down. If you cruise down the Intercoastal Waterway from West Palm Beach, it will take about four hours (allowing for all of the manatee zones.) It�s a sightseeing trip that is well worth it!
BOAT TOUR SPECIFICS
For this cruise, you will want to have both a nautical chart and a Fort Lauderdale city road map. Because Fort Lauderdale has so many inland canals and bridges, sometimes it�s actually easier to refer to the wide area road map!
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO NAVIGATE BASED SOLEY ON THIS INFORMATION.
CURRENT NAUTICAL CHARTS ARE REQUIRED.
THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED ONLY FOR AN EXAMPLE.
IT IS NOT INTENDED FOR NAVIGATION PURPOSES!
Most of this route is slow-speed. Fort Lauderdale has a lot of manatee zones.
The route is well dredged and should accommodate most large boats.
You�ll want to leave 5-6 hours for the cruise suggested below. You can save 2-3 hours by turning around on the New River in Downtown and not proceeding down the New River�s South Fork.
RAMP: The best ramp to use is the Southeast 15th Street ramp in Fort Lauderdale. It is busy, but it�s in the heart of everything. It has easy access to the Intercoastal Waterway, with no fixed bridges.
Most other Fort Lauderdale area ramps require you to pass under very short fixed bridges. Other ramp alternatives are suggested at the end of this article, though I strongly recommend the SE 15th street facilities over all others.
Directions: Starting from the West Palm Beach area, take I-95 south to I-595/SR-736/DAVIE BLVD exit- exit number 28/26C-D- towards I-75/PORT EVERGLADES/FLORIDA'S TURNPIKE. Keep LEFT at the fork in the ramp. Turn LEFT onto DAVIE BLVD/FL-736 east. Turn RIGHT onto S FEDERAL HWY/FL-5 south. Turn LEFT onto SE 15TH ST. You will see the ramp area on south side at 1784 SE 15th Street.
There are two doublewide ramps with metered parking and restroom facilities (the meter will cost you about $5 for the day.) Park your trailer then get a ticket for that space from a machine.
Note that this is the area�s most popular ramp. You�re likely to encounter many big boats with harried captains� all in a tight setting. Come prepared to get-in and get-out quickly. Click here for ramp ettiquette guidelines.
CRUISE & CARGO SHIPS: Begin your tour by turning right (east) away from the ramp area. You will immediately come across the Intracoastal Waterway. Turn right (south) and go under the huge bridge (the 17th Street Causeway/A1A/Brooks Memorial Bascule Bridge.. at ICW SM 1065.9)
Once you pass under the bridge, you are now in the turning basin for Port Everglades. The cruise ship terminals will be to your right (west). The ocean inlet will be to your left (east.)
Head across the turning basin and back into the Intercoastal Waterway �ditch� to the south. Here you will see the huge cargo docks.
Click here to see pictures of the Port Everglades Inlet and Cruise Ship terminal.
Go no further than the Dania (�Day-Nee-Yah�) Cut-Off Canal. Dania Cut-Off is the large, clearly marked canal immediately south of the cargo docks.
Turn around and retrace your route back north to the 17th Street Causeway Bridge.
Note: The waters in the turning basin can be quite choppy due to heavy inlet traffic. It can be especially bad on Sundays. Come ready from some lumpy water.
You must stay at least 150 feet away from the cruise ships. Marine law enforcement is frequently to check.
MANSIONS: From the 17th Street Causeway Bridge, head north along the Intercoastal Waterway several miles until you reach the Oakland Park Boulevard Bridge (ICW SM 1060.5) You�ll see hundreds of great homes and the Bahia Mar Marina along this stretch.
Watch out for the confusing �triangle� crossing where the New River meets the Intercoastal Waterway. You can safely pass near shore along any of the triangle�s sides (the channels are well marked but confusing.) However there is shoaling in the middle of the triangle. Many people who are unfamiliar with the area run aground here. The locals call the area �Gilligan�s Island� after all of the sloppy boaters who have unwittingly made themselves castaways. DO NOT GO OUT OF CHANNEL, NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING IT MAY BE!
DOWNTOWN RIVERWALK & MEGA YACHTS: At Oakland Park Boulevard, turn around and retrace your route back to where the New River meets the Intercoastal Waterway (the triangle �Gilligan�s Island� area.) Head west using the triangle leg that�s to your right (north side of the triangle.) Once you are through the triangle, you are on the New River. The New River is the major waterway in Fort Lauderdale.
Head west towards downtown. You will twist and turn past wonderful homes until you reach downtown. The area is very charming and reminds me of San Antonio�s Riverwalk.
Once downtown, you will cruise past several draw bridges, past the Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk, Cooley�s Landing and into a residential neighborhood.
Take the South Fork of the New River when you come upon the split.
From the split, head southwest for a few miles through Fort Lauderdale�s homes and canals (�Venice.�) Go under the I-95 Bridge to see an area with more stored mega-yachts that you will see anywhere. It�s remarkable!
Once you hit the I-595/Route 84 bridge, turn around. Retrace your route back to the boat ramp (down the New River, south down the Intercoastal Waterway, west down the ramp canal before the 17th Street Causeway.)
I recommend that anyone with a larger boat (bigger than 24 feet/3.5 foot draft) turn around at I-595/Route 84 and not take the full circle cruise.
OPTIONAL FULL CIRCLE CRUISING: If you want to see more of the area and don�t want to retrace your steps, you have an option to make complete a full circle back to the Intercoastal Waterway via the Dania Cut-Off Canal. The full circle tour adds some mileage. It took me about 6 hours to complete the tour above with the full circle option.
Note: The full circle cruise takes you under some low fixed bridges (8 feet clearance) and some tight, shallow and rocky canals. Again, larger boats should not try this!
To make a full circle back to the ramp, do not turn around at the I-595/Route 84 Bridge. Instead, head into the South New River Canal.
Finding the canal is a bit tricky. From the general area where the South Fork of the New River meets the I-595/Route 84 bridges, look for an industrial area with several boat businesses. The South New River Canal starts at businesses called Pipe Welders and Artmarine. You will go past these businesses, under some roadways and into the very narrow canal. Because you have been traveling in wide, well-marked channels this area will look strange (tight and rural.) However, you�re on the right track!
As you proceed into the canal, you will see PVC pipes sticking up out of the water. These mark where the rocks are. The PVC markers have red and green reflectors on them, so you can (with some difficulty) distinguish where the channel is. Locals say the channel is dredged and safe for passage (though you might not think so from the canal�s appearance.) I made it through with no problems at high tide with my 3 foot drafting boat� though I was worried. Note: This is the only portion of the trip where the chart marks the shallow water with blue. The rest of the trip is charted with deeper white.
Once you clear this short rocky portion of the channel, the rest is easy.
The narrow South New River Canal runs through undeveloped land for a few miles. It meets with the Dania Cut-Off Canal at the power plant.
Turn left (east) on the Dania Cut-Off Canal. It goes about a dozen miles through residential neighborhoods, marinas and the Fort Lauderdale airport. There are some low (8 foot clearance) fixed bridges along the way.
When you meet the Intercoastal Waterway, turn right (north). You will immediately pass the Port Everglades cargo dock and turning basin/cruise ship terminal. Once you pass the 17th Street Causeway Bridge (north side of turning basin), turn left into the canal and you�re back at the ramp!
If you have a smaller boat and a little extra time, the full circle cruise is very interesting.
DOCKSIDE DINING
Some nice casual restaurants with boat docks that were recommended to me: Southport Raw Bar, Coconuts and Bahia Cabana.
If you want something a little nicer, try the Harbor Grille. "Neil's Fresh Red Snapper" is said to be �dynamite.� Also check out the restaurant at the Bahia Mar Marina.
RAMP OPTIONS�FOR BOATS THAT CAN PASS UNDER LOW FIXED BRIDGES
Cherry Creek�small single ramps, very limited parking
Colohatchee Park
Cooley�s Landing�New River near Riverfront
George English Park�2 double wide ramps, good (metered) parking
Lloyd State Park�Tricky during low tide
Hollywood: A couple of hardly used spots are in Hollywood. Take Hollywood Boulevard east past the circle to 9th street (2nd street before the bridge) turn left. Go to the end and the ramps are on the left side.
THE WATER TAXI ALTERNATIVE
I noticed the water taxis during my cruise. For $5 (ride all day) they go to many of the nice places mentioned here� and they offer a tour guide to point out the local specifics. If you don�t feel like lugging your boat down to Fort Lauderdale, simply drive down are ride the water taxi.
I hope you enjoy cruising �America�s Venice!� Fort Lauderdale is a great destination. You won�t be disappointed!
Port Everglades Inlet
Port Everglades Photos
CURRENT CHARTS ARE REQUIRED.
THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED ONLY FOR AN EXAMPLE.
THIS INFORMATION IS NOT INTENDED FOR NAVIGATION PURPOSES!