Sebastian Harbor Marina comes to life in downtown St. Augustine

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL — A waterfront landmark two decades in the making is finally coming to life. Sebastian Harbor Marina, a 64-slip boutique marina in the heart of St. Augustine, is moving toward an anticipated October 2026 opening on the San Sebastian River — completing a harbor basin that has sat dormant since the early 2000s in the middle of America’s oldest city.

Bordering St. Augustine’s historic district and adjacent to the recently completed AC Hotel by Marriott St. Augustine, Sebastian Harbor Marina will offer boaters a protected home port less than two miles from the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and approximately five miles from the St. Augustine Inlet. Its location also places visiting boaters within walking distance of Historic Downtown St. Augustine and the city’s restaurants, shops, attractions and entertainment.

The marina basin was originally constructed in the early 2000s, but the project stalled in the wake of the Great Recession and the harbor sat unfinished for nearly twenty years — a protected basin in one of Florida’s most visited waterfront cities, waiting for its moment. That moment has arrived. The property’s current ownership, the same group behind the neighboring AC Hotel, is completing an extensive multimillion-dollar revitalization of the marina and surrounding waterfront, finishing what was started a generation ago.

Construction and marina improvements are being supervised by John Valdes & Associates, Inc. Work includes final dredging, improvements to the floating dock system, new and augmented pilings, infrastructure improvements and other enhancements designed to harden the docks against future storms and prepare the marina for its next chapter.

Upon completion, Sebastian Harbor Marina will feature 64 wet slips accommodating vessels up to 55 feet, with an approximate controlling depth of 7 feet Mean Low Water following final dredging. Amenities will include shore power and potable water, Wi-Fi, controlled gated access, 24-hour camera monitoring, modern luxury restrooms and showers, laundry facilities, pump-out stations, and a harbormaster office. The marina will accommodate monthly and long-term slip guests as well as transient boaters visiting St. Augustine. Sebastian Harbor Marina will not offer live-aboard dockage. For those seeking time ashore, two luxury waterfront apartments adjacent to the marina will be available for short-term stays — ideal for visiting cruisers, guests of slip holders, and owners spending a night off the boat.

Safe Passage Marina Management, LLC, led by St. Augustine business professionals John Valdes and Nico Recore, has been selected to oversee the marina’s operations and management.

Valdes brings a lifetime of experience owning, operating and constructing marinas and waterfront properties. Through John Valdes & Associates, Inc., his decades of construction experience are also providing hands-on oversight during the marina’s restoration and completion.

Recore brings extensive local business management experience to the project, including five years serving as Financial Manager of English Landing Marina and six years as Managing Partner of Marina Munch Waterside Food Truck Park. As General Manager of Sebastian Harbor Marina, Recore will oversee day-to-day marina operations, guest services, administration, marketing and the development of the marina’s customer experience.

Together, Valdes and Recore intend to create a marina experience centered on professional management, exceptional customer service and a genuine appreciation for St. Augustine’s boating lifestyle.

“We want Sebastian Harbor Marina to be more than simply a place to dock a boat,” said Recore. “We have an extraordinary location in the heart of America’s oldest city, a beautiful, protected harbor and an opportunity to welcome boaters into the St. Augustine experience from the moment they step onto the dock. We can’t wait to welcome our first guests.”

Attracting cruising boaters is central to the marina’s vision. St. Augustine is one of the most popular stops on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and a favorite port for Great Loop cruisers, and Sebastian Harbor Marina’s protected inland basin offers transient vessels a sheltered alternative to exposed anchorages. From the dock, visiting boaters can walk to Historic Downtown’s restaurants, shops and attractions – or stay ashore at the adjacent AC Hotel by Marriott – bringing visitor spending into downtown St. Augustine with every arriving vessel.

Construction and final preparations are currently underway ahead of the anticipated October 2026 opening. Slip rates are being finalized, and prospective slip holders and transient guests are invited to join the marina’s interest list at www.sebastianharbormarina.com

Sebastian Harbor Marina is a new 64-slip boutique marina located on the San Sebastian River in St. Augustine, Florida. The protected inland harbor offers convenient access to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the St. Augustine Inlet and Historic Downtown St. Augustine. The marina will offer monthly, long-term and transient dockage along with modern boater amenities and professional on-site management by Safe Passage Marina Management, LLC. Sebastian Harbor Marina is located at 13 Sebastian Harbor Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32084.

Learn more at www.sebastianharbormarina.com.

Nico Recore, Safe Passage Marina Management, LLC