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ChesapkLady
New member
Re: Florida Keys
I've done a bit of cruising in the Florida Keys . . . your depth of 6 feet will be an important consideration, as last year (winter of 2004) it seemed that the tides were forever being "blown out," so even with 4' we were limited in places. The Gulf of Mexico is almost an even 11 feet deep. You find yourself tapping the glass on the depth sounder: "STILL eleven feet?? Not possible! It's been that for three and a half hours!" Yep, still eleven feet. Where it's not eleven, it's nine feet deep. Where it's not nine or eleven it's less, almost never more.
On the Keys. . . there are many places you can stay, most with easy reach to provisioning. Liveaboards and marina personnel almost always make it easy for you to find places you need, and to get there. The town of Marathon is one which houses a lot of liveaboards, with many who are there for the long haul, or the season only, and yet there are still transient slips or moorings available for those who want to stay a few days or a week. But honestly, Islamorada or Key Largo, both farther east and north are fascinating and accomodating as well.
I think the Florida Keys are an "experience," and while each one is different, you will also find that none is to be missed. Where the best jump off is I don't know because I have never jumped off, just kept heading north. But spend as long as you can there, JUST for the pleasure of it.
Peggy
I've done a bit of cruising in the Florida Keys . . . your depth of 6 feet will be an important consideration, as last year (winter of 2004) it seemed that the tides were forever being "blown out," so even with 4' we were limited in places. The Gulf of Mexico is almost an even 11 feet deep. You find yourself tapping the glass on the depth sounder: "STILL eleven feet?? Not possible! It's been that for three and a half hours!" Yep, still eleven feet. Where it's not eleven, it's nine feet deep. Where it's not nine or eleven it's less, almost never more.
On the Keys. . . there are many places you can stay, most with easy reach to provisioning. Liveaboards and marina personnel almost always make it easy for you to find places you need, and to get there. The town of Marathon is one which houses a lot of liveaboards, with many who are there for the long haul, or the season only, and yet there are still transient slips or moorings available for those who want to stay a few days or a week. But honestly, Islamorada or Key Largo, both farther east and north are fascinating and accomodating as well.
I think the Florida Keys are an "experience," and while each one is different, you will also find that none is to be missed. Where the best jump off is I don't know because I have never jumped off, just kept heading north. But spend as long as you can there, JUST for the pleasure of it.
Peggy
Sea Devil
Well-known member
Re: Florida Keys
I spent a while in the Keys a few years back - With the exception of Key West and Marathon they are pretty shallow - sadly they are also very expensive -there is a dodgy (difficut not to drag) anchorage in Key west but you can pay $60 upwards for for a marina berth for the night!
Between KW and Marathon its really shallow out of the channel - Marathon is fine but crowded with lots of liveaboards - quite a nice place with supermarkets a dinghy ride away - in the basin the bars charge £5 to park the dinghy whilst you drink or do your laundry in their establishment.........
Possibly the nices is out of the Keys in Biscayn Bay - coconut grove has an excellent anchorage - really nice town and the marina has good deals like 5 weeks for the price of 4... The Keys generally are pretty garish and commercial and designed to 'host' holiday makers - or camping sites - lots of scuba diving establishments et al
I spent a while in the Keys a few years back - With the exception of Key West and Marathon they are pretty shallow - sadly they are also very expensive -there is a dodgy (difficut not to drag) anchorage in Key west but you can pay $60 upwards for for a marina berth for the night!
Between KW and Marathon its really shallow out of the channel - Marathon is fine but crowded with lots of liveaboards - quite a nice place with supermarkets a dinghy ride away - in the basin the bars charge £5 to park the dinghy whilst you drink or do your laundry in their establishment.........
Possibly the nices is out of the Keys in Biscayn Bay - coconut grove has an excellent anchorage - really nice town and the marina has good deals like 5 weeks for the price of 4... The Keys generally are pretty garish and commercial and designed to 'host' holiday makers - or camping sites - lots of scuba diving establishments et al
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ChrisE
Active member
Re: Florida Keys
We spent a couple of weeks in the Keys, going down the outside route on Rival Spirit which draws just short of 6'. It is easy to get from Miami to Key West in three day sails, well motors, there wasn't much wind at the time. There are plenty of anchorages just off the main bouyed channel if you don't want to go ashore/ save money.
Key West has a large, deep water but protected anchorage off the quay at the end of the city. We stayed there for a week.
If you want specific info/old charts for the area, PM me.
Chris
We spent a couple of weeks in the Keys, going down the outside route on Rival Spirit which draws just short of 6'. It is easy to get from Miami to Key West in three day sails, well motors, there wasn't much wind at the time. There are plenty of anchorages just off the main bouyed channel if you don't want to go ashore/ save money.
Key West has a large, deep water but protected anchorage off the quay at the end of the city. We stayed there for a week.
If you want specific info/old charts for the area, PM me.
Chris
Sea Devil
Well-known member
Re: Florida Keys
Bahamas were good - you can cross from there to Marathon and get a flavour of the keys - I was dissapointed in them but then I loved the DR and Cuba on the way - just personal taste. You can also cross to Biscayne Bay and Coconut grove from the Bahamas - mind you they are seriously expensive ashore but fun to sail over...
Bahamas were good - you can cross from there to Marathon and get a flavour of the keys - I was dissapointed in them but then I loved the DR and Cuba on the way - just personal taste. You can also cross to Biscayne Bay and Coconut grove from the Bahamas - mind you they are seriously expensive ashore but fun to sail over...
Salty John
Active member
Re: Florida Keys
I've taken 6 feet from Tampa to Moser channel, off Marathon, where you can go through the fixed bridge (65 foot clearance). Then you are on the east side and can go north to Miami to step off for Gun Cay, Bahamas and on to Nassau. Or you can turn south in Hawks Channel to visit Key West if you like.
I've taken 6 feet from Tampa to Moser channel, off Marathon, where you can go through the fixed bridge (65 foot clearance). Then you are on the east side and can go north to Miami to step off for Gun Cay, Bahamas and on to Nassau. Or you can turn south in Hawks Channel to visit Key West if you like.
DrCot
New member
Re: Florida Keys
any help grateful, start of planning stage re buying boat in Florida and staying/ crusing, wrote to american consul for advice.
Better from people who have already encountered problems, not text book questions.
Selling my boat in Spain
Thanks Dave
any help grateful, start of planning stage re buying boat in Florida and staying/ crusing, wrote to american consul for advice.
Better from people who have already encountered problems, not text book questions.
Selling my boat in Spain
Thanks Dave