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

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

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 county in ...

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

Biscayne National Park Biscayne National Park is an American national park 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 the bay is 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 structure that projects from land out into water. A jetty may serve as a breakwater, as a walkway, or both; or, in pairs, as a means of constricting a channel. The term derives from the French word ', "thrown", signifying some ...

, 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 la ...

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 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 US to northern Brazil. Living alone or in herds, it feeds on un ...

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. 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 The American crocodile (''Crocodylus acutus'') is a species of crocodilian found in the Neotropics. It is the most widespread of the four extant species of crocodiles from the Americas, with populations present from South Florida and the coa ...

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