Adopt-a-Buoy (Mooring Buoy) Program

Want to help the Miami-Dade County Mooring Buoy Program? Adopt a buoy!

Individuals, groups and corporations can help protect natural and artificial reefs from anchor damage by making donations to help fund the ongoing maintenance of the mooring buoys.

There are several levels of contribution.

Coral Reef Ambassador: Donation of $4,000 and up
Your donation will pay for one year of maintenance for multiple mooring buoys. Consider sponsoring an entire mooring buoy site. The number of buoys differs between sites -- from two buoys ($4,000) to seven buoys ($14,000)

Coral Reef Benefactor: Donation of $2,000
Your donation will help for one year of maintenance for one mooring buoy.

Coral Reef Sponsor: Donation of $1,000
Your donation will help pay for six months of maintenance for one mooring buoy.

Large Coral Colony Sponsor: Donation of $500
Your donation will help pay for three months of maintenance for one mooring buoy.

Small Coral Colony Sponsor: Donation of $100
Your donation will help cover a portion of the program's regular maintenance costs.

Coral Polyp Sonsor: Donation of $25
Your donation will help cover a portion of the program's regular maintenance costs.

A contribution at any level would be greatly appreciated and acknowledged on the Mooring Buoy Donors webpage (unless you wish to remain anonymous). For a donation at the Coral Reef Benefactor Level or higher, a decal of your logo can be placed on the buoy you sponsor.

Please maintain idle speed with no wake in the vicinity of the mooring buoys. Watch for swimmers, snorkelers, divers and diver bubbles. Follow these instructions:

• Slowly approach the mooring buoy head-on against the wind or current (whichever is stronger and will have the greatest effect on the boat's course). The mooring buoy pick-up line will be pointed toward you in the direction of the current/wind.
• Never tie your boat directly to the pick-up line as this puts too much stress on the buoy anchor system.<

Always connect to the mooring buoy with a line from your boat. To secure your boat to the mooring buoy, follow these steps:

• Cleat off one end of the bowline to the bow.
• Use a hook to lift up the pick-up line.

• Run the free line of the bowline through the eye of the pick-up line.

• Cleat the free end of the bowline to the bow of your boat.

• With the proper amount of scope, the buoy should not be pulled under the water by the action of the boat. During rough weather, add extra scope to the pick-up line to improve the ride of your boat and reduce wear on the buoy system.
• Use buoys at your own risk! Always inspect the buoy system your boat is moored to. Check that the lines and buoy are in good condition and the mooring system is holding as intended.

Note: Vessel captains are responsible for the safety of their vessels and passengers. Miami-Dade County assumes no liability for the use of any mooring buoy.

Regular maintenance is necessary to keep the mooring buoys in good working condition. The Miami-Dade County Mooring Buoy Program requires monthly and quarterly maintenance inspections for each buoy.

Monthly inspections:

• Inspect all buoys and pickup lines.
• Clean pickup lines of growth or replace as needed.
• Clean buoys and check for cracks; replace as needed.
• Inspect and clean exposed portions of the buoy through-line and replace as needed.

Quarterly inspections -- complete all tasks required during monthly maintenance, as well as:

• Inspect down line and protective hosing for wear and damage; replace as needed.
• Inspect down line and protective hosing for wear and damage; replace as needed.
• Inspect anchor for wear or damage; replace as needed.