Waypoint for somewhere in Hawke Channel, Florida Keys?

[shmoo]

Please can someone give me a waypoint for somewhere in Hawke Channel, Florida Keys so I can find in on Google Earth. Not going to sail there so can be approximate and no responsibility for me banging into a Key by mistake!

Thanks

 

[Salty John]

24 07.45 80 17.80

 

[shmoo]

So that is Hawke Channel, between the Keys and Elbow Cay. Thanks very much.

 

[Twister_Ken]

I took a Google look and could only find some old references - between Florida Reef and Keys.

 

[shmoo]

Yeh, that's why I posted the question here - 'cause I had drawn a blank on Google!

Is Florida Reef the shallow area about 60NM SE of the keys?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Dunno. Looked at an electronic chart of the Keys and couldn't find Hawke Channel. Maybe it's a name no longer current. Or maybe you'll have to wait for the cousins to wake up.

 

[Salty John]

Hawk Channel is the channel that runs for 100 miles from about Key Largo (south of Miami) to Key West at the southern tip of the Florida Keys, between the land and the fringing coral reef (the second longest in the world, I believe). The coordinates I gave are those of the statue of Christ, a sunken statue in the John Pennekamp park where they ferry out tourists to dive on the reef.

 

[shmoo]

Thanks I have found John Pennekamp and the statue now. Just out of interest is the Channel part of the Intracoastal Waterway?

 

[Salty John]

Technically the east coast ICW ends at Miami, at mile 1095, but Biscayne Bay and then Hawk Channel provide an inshore route the final 150 miles to Key West. (Mile 1 of the east coast ICW is at Norfolk, Virginia at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay).

 

[Salty John]

Actually, that's not strictly true - the charts continue to describe the route south to Key West as the ICW. You can view all the US Atlantic charts at:
http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/AtlanticCoastViewerTable.htm
My guide book for the ICW and many of the chart folios end at Miami so I always think of that as the 'official' ICW.

 

[shmoo]

John, thanks for full info. I think you may have lost a degree on the LAT on the waypoint above. 2<u>5</u> N for the degrees gets you pretty much there.

By the way, this is the first time I have followed your link - useful stuff there. I must talk to you offline about the anchor light.

 

[Salty John]

Oops, I must still be on British Standard Latitude!

 

[AndrewB]

In fact the ICW continues south of Miami through Biscayne Bay and INSIDE the Florida Keys, not down the Hawke. There is a minimum of 5' depth through this section at present, so only for shoal daft boats.

 

[hideaway]

Hi You-all, I am in Florida and will be sailing south next week for my 2nd trip to the Keys. The ICW runs from Miami to Key West, but the channel from Long Key or Lower Matecume Key is not dregged so it is only for very shallow draught boats. One pops out into the Hawk for trip south to Marathon and Key West It is a super cruiseing area; the water is crystal clear at some 80; many good anchorages and marinas. I do urge all to have a look. calm seas and light winds to you all.

 

[AndrewB]

Hope you have a great time. I've been there three times, and as you say it is a super cruising ground. But really only for shallow draft yachts. A blue water boat with a 2m draft, like mine, is very limited in where it can go. Key West, Marathon, and a few tenuous fairweather anchorages such as Loggerhead Key.

 

[Guitarrich]

All a bit late, but I thought I'd mention that "Hawk Channel" is in fact marked on my electronic chart. I'm using Navionics on a Raymarine plotter. Hawk Channel appears at the North-East corner of Key Largo at the Eastern end of "Broad Creek", (which is probably an ambitous name!)

Dreaming about "The Trip", due to start in a couple of years and will no doubt include the Intracoastal. I'm really hoping to find a suitable vessel with a lifting keel . . . . .

 

[Sea Devil]

It is a magic trip - I went from Key West up the Hawke Channel then the ICW all the way to the Potomac and Washington DC... One of the most enjoyable experiences and so much fun.. Not sure you really need a lifting keel for it - My moody 36 drawing 5'6 (I think) made it fine - did run aground a couple of times but that was due to sandbanks - mud banks moving and I always got a tow off from a passing boat... Anchorages on the ICW by Skipper Bob is essential I think.
Michael