Boat care on the water in Miami Beach
Government Cut, with no fixed bridges, is the deep-water route connecting Biscayne Bay and the Intracoastal to the Atlantic at Miami Beach's south end; Indian Creek runs the length of the barrier island on its other side. Miami Beach Marina sits right at Government Cut with 400 slips to 250 feet; Island Gardens Deep Harbour on Watson Island takes superyachts to roughly 550 feet; Sea Isle Marina and the Venetian Marina & Yacht Club hold 222 slips to 130 feet on Biscayne Bay.
The no-fixed-bridge, deep-water setup at Government Cut is why Miami Beach handles vessels most other South Florida harbors can't, and why sunset charters routinely route past Star Island and the downtown skyline through the Cut on their way out.
The Venetian Causeway, built in 1927 to link Miami and Miami Beach, carries 12 bridges across Biscayne Bay, 10 fixed spans and 2 bascule leafs. The eastern bascule leaf, closest to the Miami Beach side, closes to just 5 feet above mean high water, the lowest clearance in this file; the western leaf is a little more forgiving at 12 feet. Almost nothing with real height is getting across the Venetian on a closed bridge.
Miami-Dade also designates the water between Palm Island and Star Island as an Anchoring Limitation Area, no anchoring there between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise, under a 2025 state law that tightened the rules for counties this size. It's a different kind of restriction than a bridge schedule or a speed zone, aimed specifically at overnight anchoring in the celebrity-island stretch of the bay.
- Government Cut
- Indian Creek
- Biscayne Bay
Dive services for Miami Beach boats
Marinas and docks around Miami Beach
We come to the boat in Miami Beach: dock, lift or slip.
- Miami Beach Marinaadjacent to Government Cut, no fixed bridges, 400 slips to 250 ft
- Island Gardens Deep HarbourWatson Island, vessels to roughly 550 ft
- Sea Isle Marina / Venetian Marina & Yacht Club222 slips to 130 ft, Biscayne Bay
Listed for location only, not an affiliation.
The visit, step by step
- 01
Free inspection
We look first and tell you straight what we found.
- 02
Hull schedule
Every 2-3 weeks in summer, 3-4 in winter. It depends on the boat.
- 03
Zincs
Swapped at about half their life, with a zinc report.
- 04
Props
Pulled by our divers; repairs go to F&J.
Miami Beach questions
Why can Miami Beach handle such large yachts?
Government Cut has no fixed bridges and deep water, which is why marinas like Miami Beach Marina (to 250 ft) and Island Gardens Deep Harbour (to roughly 550 ft) can take superyacht-class vessels.
What's the water like around Miami Beach for a working boat?
Government Cut and Biscayne Bay carry heavy vessel traffic, cruise ships, charters and superyachts sharing the same deep-water channel, which means more time running for boats based here.
Can a boat anchor overnight between Palm Island and Star Island in Miami Beach?
No. Miami-Dade designates that stretch an Anchoring Limitation Area, barring anchoring from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise.