Boating
Navigating Florida's shallow waters can be a challenge for even the most experienced boater. With a little care, you can avoid damaging seagrass habitat (and your boat!) and avoid fines, fees and other costs associated with running aground.
Before you go...
- Take a safe boating course.
- Familiarize yourself with the local waters where you plan to boat.
- Study your charts. Always use up-to-date nautical charts of the area.
While on the water...
Use marked channels where they exist and stay in deeper water where your propellers and hull won't damage shallow water habitats.
Always pay attention to signs, markers, navigational aids and information buoys, which may indicate shallow areas closed to motorized vessels and/or provide user information for that area.
 Remember this jingle... "Brown, brown, run aground. White, white, you just might. Blue, blue, sail on through. Green, green, nice and clean." Shallow water appears dark (brown) to the observer, while deeper water appears blue or green. Sand covered bottoms appear white and may or may not be deep enough for your vessel to navigate.
Keep track of the tides. The greatest range of tides (shallowest and deepest water) occurs during a full moon and new moon. Use extra caution when boating on a low tide.
If you are running in water that is too shallow, you will leave a sediment trail behind your boat, making the water murky and probably cutting seagrass roots. Stop immediately and tilt your engine. Pole or push your boat into deeper water. If you run aground, do not try to "motor off" — this will only create more damage to the seagrass and may increase your fines and penalties.
Prop dredging and seagrass scarring are impacts to the natural resources that you can control. Study your charts. Read the waters. Know your depth and draft.
 Running your boat aground in a seagrass habitat is an offense subject to possible federal and/or state fines and penalties, depending on the location and extent of the grounding. You may also be responsible for costs associated with restoring and monitoring the damaged area. Many boat insurance companies do not cover some of the fines and other costs resulting from a grounding incident.
SOP News Releases Seagrass:
Links to Tides and Weather Websites:
Downloads:
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