Black Point Park & Marina, oftentimes referred to as "Black Point," is the largest public marina located in

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

and it is part of the

Miami-Dade Miami-Dade County () is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most-populous count ...

Parks & Recreation department. The marina is also very close to

Biscayne National Park Biscayne National Park is a national park of the United States located south of Miami, Florida, in Miami-Dade County. The park preserves Biscayne Bay and its offshore barrier reefs. Ninety-five percent of the park is water, and the shore of th ...

. Black Point is a starting point for fishing and diving expeditions, especially among locals. The park consists of large picnic pavilions, grills, bikeways, jogging trails and a

jetty A jetty is a man-made structure that protrudes from land out into water. A jetty may serve as a breakwater (structure), breakwater, as a walkway, or both; or, in pairs, as a means of constricting a channel. The term derives from the French la ...

, which extends 1.5 miles into

Biscayne Bay Biscayne Bay is a lagoon with characteristics of an estuary located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida. The northern end of the lagoon is surrounded by the densely developed heart of the Miami metropolitan area while the southern end is large ...

History

In the early 1970s, Black Point was an isolated area where sailors anchored their vessels to take a break as they headed toward Key West. In 1972, a countywide referendum established that this site was to be turned into a marina. After 11 years of pulling permits and receiving government approvals, the site plan was finally accepted. In 1992,

Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew was a compact, but very powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures dama ...

destroyed the marina. Many doubted that the damage could be reversed. The businesses of fisherman and boats of sailors were devastated and some were never recovered.

Wildlife

Sightings of the

Florida manatee The West Indian manatee (''Trichechus manatus''), also known as the North American manatee, is a large, aquatic mammal native to warm coastal areas of the Caribbean, from the Eastern United States to northern Brazil. Living alone or in herds, it ...

are common at Black Point Marina. Many manatees are brought to this "Manatee Sanctuary" for release and study.Savethemanatee.org - Help Researchers Find Manatees
Last checked on 2010-07-26.
, Last checked on 2010-07-26. The manatee is an

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

. Black Point Marina and Miami-Dade County have placed provisions and ordinances in place to ensure that they are protected in these areas. American crocodiles also frequent the area. Because of the danger they pose, management prohibits anyone from swimming in these waters.

Black Point's Ocean Grill Restaurant

Black Point Park & Marina attracts locals throughout day and night by the means of its Ocean Grill restaurant. Since 2005, this restaurant has served seasonal seafood dishes, along with other foods associated with bars like hand-cut steaks and sandwiches. The waterfront restaurant and bar has a casual setting for all patrons. There is also an ample amount of space around the restaurant that is available for boaters to dock their vessels with direct access to the site. During the night, the Ocean Grill restaurant has a live band that plays a variety of music, from Rock to Blues.MiamiBandStuff.com
, Last checked on 2010-07-27.

Special events

Annually, Black Point hosts the "4th of July Spectacular." This event is held for locals and is supported by the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade, Miami-Dade County District 8 and the city of Cutler Bay. Family and friends typically congregate with lawn chairs and blankets to watch the annual waterfront firework show. The marina and its boat ramps are opened 24 hours a day.Miamidade.gov - Black Point Marina
, Last checked on 2010-07-26. Marine Fuel (non-ethanol gasoline and diesel) and kayak/canoe rentals are available on-site at Loggerhead Marina - dry storage for boats located in Black Point Park. www.loggerheadmiami.com.-Loggerhead Marina
, Last checked on 2010-07-26.

Geography

Black Point Marina is located at . It is situated in the residential neighborhood of Cutler Bay, FL.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Miami.com
review of Black Point Ocean Grill

Manatee Viewing Guidelines Marinas in Florida Buildings and structures in Miami-Dade County, Florida