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Haulover Inlet: the boater's guide
Updated November 8, 2026
Baker's Haulover Inlet is the only direct opening between northern Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic, cut through the barrier island between Bal Harbour and Sunny Isles Beach. For anyone boating from Aventura, North Miami Beach or Sunny Isles, it's the gateway to the ocean, the reef and the Gulf Stream. It's also one of the most talked-about inlets in South Florida, for good reason.
Haulover Inlet at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Haulover Park, between Bal Harbour and Sunny Isles Beach, Miami-Dade County |
| Bridge | Fixed A1A (Collins Ave) bridge, about 32 ft vertical clearance |
| Depth | About 12 ft in the inlet, about 10 ft on the run to the Intracoastal; federal entrance channel authorized at 11 ft by 200 ft |
| Currents | Roughly 4 to 6 knots at peak flow |
| Jetty spacing | About 400 ft between the boulder jetties |
| Speed zone | Idle speed, no wake from the ICW channel east to the A1A bridge |
| Tide station | NOAA 8723080 (Haulover Pier); mean range about 2.5 ft |
| Chart | NOAA chart 11467 |
Depth, current and clearance figures come from published marina and boating references and change with shoaling and dredging. Not for navigation: check current charts and Local Notices to Mariners.
When Haulover Inlet gets dangerous
The inlet's reputation comes from one combination: an outgoing (falling) tide running against an east wind or ocean swell. The current pushes out while the waves push in, and the seas at the mouth stand up steep and close together. Small boats can be swamped or knocked sideways in a matter of seconds, and the inlet is busy with charter boats, center consoles and jet skis on weekends.
- Check the tide for NOAA station 8723080 before you leave the dock.
- Watch the inlet from inside before committing; if it looks rough from the bay, it's worse at the mouth.
- Keep speed down and wake small inside the no-wake zone west of the bridge.
- Know your air draft: anything taller than about 32 ft can't fit under the A1A bridge and should use Port Everglades or Government Cut.
Getting from Aventura to Haulover by boat
From Aventura, run south on the Intracoastal past the William Lehman Causeway (fixed, 65 ft) and the Sunny Isles Causeway at NE 163rd Street (bascule, about 30 ft closed). Haulover's entrance is on the east side of the waterway near Bill Bird Marina at about ICW statute mile 1079. Our bridges guide has opening schedules. Manatee slow-speed zones apply in Dumfoundling Bay from November 15 to April 30.
Haulover Park, the marina and fishing
Haulover Park covers about 177 acres with 1.4 miles of lifeguarded beach. Car parking is $7 Monday to Thursday and $10 on weekends and holidays. Bill Bird Marina has 152 slips, fuel and one of South Florida's largest charter fleets, and the Haulover boat ramps are open 24 hours (they can close at capacity on busy weekends). Fishing is allowed in designated areas along the cut and the bay shoreline with a valid Florida license. See our list of Haulover fishing charters.
Coast Guard Station Miami Beach patrols the inlet, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue runs fireboats around the clock, and Miami-Dade Ocean Rescue is headquartered at Haulover.
A short history
The inlet was cut in 1925 and opened that April. The original jetties were destroyed in the 1926 hurricane, rebuilt in steel in 1927 and replaced with the current boulder jetties in 1963 to 1964. The county credits the name to sponge fisherman Philip Edward Baker and his crew, who hauled boats over the narrow strip of land here; the City of Miami Beach calls the origin "shrouded in mystery." The A1A bridge dates to 1948 to 1950.
FAQ
How tall is the Haulover Inlet bridge?
The fixed A1A bridge over Haulover Inlet has about 32 feet of vertical clearance, so taller boats use Port Everglades or Government Cut instead.
When is the best time to go through Haulover Inlet?
At slack tide or on an incoming tide. The worst conditions come on a falling tide with an east wind or swell, which builds steep standing waves at the mouth.
Is there a speed limit in Haulover Inlet?
Yes. The inlet is an idle-speed, no-wake zone from the Intracoastal channel east to the A1A bridge.
Can you fish at Haulover Inlet?
Yes, in designated areas along the cut and the bay shoreline in Haulover Park, with a valid Florida fishing license. Charter boats also run from Bill Bird Marina.