Boat Navigation-Florida Keys
This post details the boat navigation-Florida keys from Ft. Myers Florida through the Florida Keys with the new owners of a 48 Hatteras Long Range Cruiser as written in the log book by Mary and myself; I hope you enjoy the trip.
Before you attempt boat navigation-Florida Keys, please do your research ….it can be difficult.
Day 1 – Boat Navigation-Florida Keys
Mike made it safely to Ft. Myers yesterday, thank goodness. I thought I would enjoy my “space” but guess what? I miss him terribly and can’t wait for him to get home! He spent today working on the 48′ Hatteras he just sold and is helping bring to North Florida. He fixed plumbing problems with the heads, fixed a marine antenna, installed a gas grill, and checked and replaced hoses. Those are the chores he told me about; I’m sure he was busy all day. It’s 82 degrees down there and Mike’s wearing shorts. Here I sit with the heat on, wearing sweat pants and a heavy sweatshirt! The plans are for them to leave Ft. Myers tomorrow and go to Marco Island, which is a relatively short run.
The next day will be a 9 hour run from Marco prior to their boat navigation-Florida Keys. I will be writing the blog entries as best as I can based on our phone conversations. I’m not the writer Mike is but I’ll do my best.
~ Mary
Day 2
Mike said….he left Ft. Myers at 9:30 after taking on several hundred gallons of fuel. Boat navigation of the inlet wasn’t much of a hassle as there is plenty of water. The run today will be to Marco Island, about 70 miles south. We’ll be running offshore in about 50 feet of water. I programmed the Raymarine C120 with way points to guide us along.
“There were thousands of crab trap floats along the way. You have to keep your eyes focused or you’ll run right up on them.
We have an inoperative depth sounder on the bridge so we have to be careful when running from there. The stb engine gave me a fit along the way but we think it was debris let over from the tank cleaning. We made 7.5 knots at about 1600 rpms, 2-3 foot seas and a 10-15 knot wind out of the SE… I spent time with owners on navigating, electronics and operations along the way.
Beautiful weather. We made port at Marco at 3:30.
Turkey sandwich for dinner. :)”
– Mary
Day 3 – Boat Navigation-Florida Keys
Mike told me he’s been up since 3:30 on preparation for today’s boat navigation-Florida Keys; navigation through the Florida Keys will be a challenge so he’s going to adjust my plans.
“I’ve decided not to attempt the long 85 mile run to the keys today. I’m not sure if we should push these engines too hard right now and daylight is limited to 10 hours now. We’re going to drop the hook in the Everglades at Shark River at 25.19.2 N/81.09.3W or about 50 miles south of Marco Island for anyone that interested.
We’ll make the Keys run tomorrow.
Today’s forecast calls for 2-4 seas, winds 5-10.; we’ll run about 30 miles offshore.
We crossed the bar out of Marco Island at 6:30, and by 9 was about 10 miles SE of Cape Romano. The boat ran very well at about 9 knots 15 miles offshore today. Seas were less than 2 feet all day. Crab pots began to a be problem, thousands of them causing a lot of maneuvering to keep them out of the stabilizers and running gear. So far so good. We hit some terrible squalls about 1:30, with heavy rains and 50 knot winds. No problems other than getting soaked. This full-displacement trawler can handle it.
We arrived at a backwater anchorage in Shark River. Nothing here including cell service or VHF reception as well. Sure was a nice anchorage though. We dropped the hook at 2:30 as we could not make it to the Keys today before dark.
The owners got a good feel for offshore boat navigation and anchoring today.”
-Mary
Day 4-Boat Navigation-Florida Keys
Mike said he was up at 5 getting ready to continue the boat navigation-Florida Keys. He chose not to begin before light to avoid the crab traps. No one had any interest going over the side with a knife to cut one loose.
“Destination today, Islamorada Florida, some 52 miles to the south. We’ll be taking the Yacht Channel through the Florida Bay, part of the Everglades.
For those of you with charts go to chart 11451 and you can follow from Red 2 south of Cape Sable to Channel 5 through the “Yacht Channel”. Its about a 2 hour run at 7 knots.
I was on deck at 6:30 and the no-see-ums were eating me alive. I forgot to bring the Juniper Breeze.
We left Shark River at 7:30 and passed Cape Sable at 1:30 PM entering the Keys. Boat navigation was simple with charts and chart-plotters. The water depths averaged about 11 feet. Several times the trawler kicked up sand as it skimmed the bottom. We passed through Channel 5 into Hawks Channel at 3:30PM.
We proceeded to the channel to the Smugglers Cover Marina to take on fuel and spend the night. Reported depths from both the marina and Maptech cruising guide reported depths of 6 feet. No luck, hard aground right in the channel. Figures….navigation through Florida Keys is tough to do.
Seatow showed up about 20 minutes later and towed us back into deep water. I guess you can’t believe the cruising guides nor the marina personnel down here. I notified Claiborne Young of Salty Southeast Cruisers Net so he can update his guides.”
-Mary
Day 5 – Boat Navigation-Florida Keys
“The wind never laid down last night. We were anchored between the reef and the island so we had some protection but not much.
I awoke at 5 today. It was miserable last night with boat pitching last night. I don’t think I slept at all. We can’t enter the channel to go to marina for fuel until 12:20 and watching the clock is difficult. We’ll lose 1/2 day for sure. Boat navigation-Florida Keys…think its easy…think again!
I found that the Keys are having a difficult time with marina channels being full of sand. I could find only 3 that had a chance of accommodating a boat with our draft, and then only at high tide.
We fueled and left at 1:30, heading north in Hawks Channel. We have only 4 hour of daylight so we will be close reaching our destination.
We are bound for Angelfish Creek, found on chart 11451, one of the few safe passages from the Atlantic to Biscayne Bay on the inside. We’ll be passing Tavernier and Key Largo to our port, passing through the John Pennenkamp Coral Reef state park.
We entered Angelfish Creek about 20 minutes before dark and proceeded through without mishap. The waters a little skinny but enough. Dropped the hook in Biscayne Bay just as the sun dropped over the horizon.”
-Mike
Day 6 -Boat Navigation-Florida Keys
“We departed our anchorage from Biscayne Bay and proceeded north towards Miami at 6:30 AM. We had originally planned to run offshore to avoid the many draw bridges but losing the 1/2 day messed up that plan.
We could not make West Palm before dark if we attempted it.
The depths of the Biscayne Bay channel were good but you MUST stay within the channel or you will run aground. There were many bridges to open but the traffic was low so we did just fine.
The Miami skyline is impressive as is the travels through the waterway with high rises and homes right up to the water’s edge.
Destination is Ft. Lauderdale.”
-Mike
Day 7 – Boat Navigation-Florida Keys
“Welcome to Ft. Lauderdale, where boats are king, the bigger the better.
How about that 300 foot yacht? She’s a beauty with a crew of about 5 working on her as we passed.
Even TowBoat US has a large boat, probably a 60 footer.
We took a berth at Pier 66, home of the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show, the world’s largest. The 48 Hatteras looked tiny compared to the others.
Well it was now time for me to end my duties. The owners of the Hatteras had progressed well in their boat handling, boat navigation, chart reading, anchoring, system troubleshooting and seamanship.
Lisa confided and said she had gone from sheer terror a few days back to fully relaxed.
So I departed the boat at about 3:45, leaving her owner’s the task of bring her the remaining 5 days to be placed in the yard.
My final instruction, plan your day’s cruise, don’t rely on one single navigation source (use charts, chart plotter, dead reckoning, read the waters, call on radio if need be) to navigate. Don’t rush, slow down, when docking.
Boating is a lifelong learning experience, have fun, enjoy, get out there and mess around in boats.”
-Mike
