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Please Note That Postings Below From Fellow Cruisers Are Listed in Chronological Order, Based on Publication Date
Channel 5 is ,arguably the most important of the Inside Route to Hawk Channel, or the other way around, passages in the Florida Keys, north and east of Marathon and Moser Channel. And, Captain Charmaine has found a real possibility of dangerous navigational error in these well traveled waters. ALL Florida Keys cruisers need to read the article below CAREFULLY!!
We would very much like to hear about your Channel 5 cruising experiences. Have you had a similar/dissimilar experience from Captain Charmaine. Please click the “Comment on This Posting/Marina/Anchorage/Bridge” link below, and share your information.
April 29th 2011
“Channel 5 Bridge Passage – Chart 11449 Recommended Route in Error”
24 50.281 N, 80 46.401 W
by Charmaine Smith Ladd
The Channel 5 bridge spans between Long Key and Lower Matacumbe Key. It has a fendered underpass for vessels needing clearance (65′). Being the first opportunity for boats coming down to the Keys from the West coast of Florida to cross over from Florida Bay into the Atlantic, Channel 5 is understandably heavily traversed. For those desiring a calm anchorage while traveling the Atlantic to those wanting to explore the backwaters of Florida Bay, crossing via the Channel 5 bridge underpass has its reward of a calm night in the shallower waters of Florida Bay and does not disappoint with its access to the serenity and beauty of its backwaters.
September Sea and her crew have used Channel 5 for such purposes for nearly a decade. From the first time, it became apparent that the bridge underpass was marked incorrectly on my paper chart (#11449). There is a recommended route on that chart that is in error. The recommended route takes you between the wrong bridge pilings and dangerously close to a massive utility pole piling. I made note of it directly on my chart and drew a line to show the actual route.
The next time we passed through Channel 5, we had a chartplotter and had plotted a course based on the recommended route of the vector charts in the chartplotter. Of course the vector charts had propagated the same error, and we once again had to adjust our course to pass between the correct fendered bridge pilings. This is when the reality of the true danger became much more apparent. Charting a course based on an erred recommended route could find one in a very confusing situation, especially in foul weather or at night. The intersection of the black tracks in the photo below show where to properly cross (24 50.281 N, 80 46.401 W).
Each time we’ve come here, it never fails that we observe other boats attempting to follow the recommended route of the chart. Just the other day, s/v Restless (shown above) was spotted on the wrong course to cross beneath Channel 5 from the Atlantic, while September Sea (also shown) was on the correct course.
I tried to hail the vessel on Channel 16 but the couple in the cockpit either could not hear me or did not have the VHF turned on. Their vessel continued and just as I thought the Captain would try to pass beneath between the wrong bridge pilings, the realization of a huge utility pole piling staring back at him from the other side proved to quickly change his mind. The vessel turned hard to port. That was when the fenders lining the proper bridge underpass were noticed by its Captain. I am sure the vessel’s Captain then noticed that the boat behind him (we aboard September Sea) were on the proper course.
This is a dangerous situation. The huge concrete pilings (foundations for communication cables) run parallel to the bridge on Bay side and do not give a boat much room to maneuver if the bridge is crossed anywhere but at the proper fendered opening. Those pilings are very difficult to notice from the Atlantic side.
Yesterday, checking online with NOAA’s most recent charts, I saw the error still exists (see photo below). I’ve added a red dot on the NOAA chart to indicate where the proper crossing is actually located.
I have learned from this that navigational chart changes do not take place unless we as cruisers report potentially dangerous errors when we see them. In the meantime, please make note on your current chart (#11449) and manually update any pertinent routes in your chartplotter.
Cruisers helping cruisers, it’s what we’re all about!
Charmaine Smith Ladd, s/v September Sea
SSECN Correspondent, Florida Keys
“Bringing you the low down from down low!”
Question for Captain Charmaine:
Is water always deeper in the middle of a channel when crossing? And when approaching a bridge to cross, how far in advance do you choose which pilars or opening to go thro? Maybe questions a rookie sail person might ask like me. Thank You
Skipper Burr Bault
Captain Charmaine replies:
Thanks so much for taking the time to read my article, Burr. Local knowledge is often handy when navigating channels. Over time, areas of a channel can be silted in (due to hurricanes, usually) and not have the minimum depth as shown on charts. So the answer to whether or not the middle of a channel is always where the deepest waters are is: not always. Most of the time, especially in wide channels, you will find deeper water in the middle. The narrower the channel, the more local knowledge one should seek.
On the charts, the opening beneath bridge spans for boats needing height clearance is well indicated. At that area, in most cases, boats with a mast height of up to 65′ can clear safely. In the case of Channel 5, I believe that the chart is still showing where a drawbridge of the old bridge span opened and allowed boats to pass through. When the new elevated bridge span was built, it was done so that boats could pass beneath without the need of a drawbridge and bridge tender to raise it. Therefore, the recommended route for Channel 5 shown on the charts is outdated, as it is in line with a drawbridge which no longer exists.
At Channel 5, the placement of the new fendered opening for vessels is on the opposite end of where the old drawbridge used to be. Pilings are shown incorrectly. It is therefore very important to pass through where height clearance is optimal and the opening is clear of obstructions. Such areas are well marked on the charts and usually correct. However, in this particular case the recommended route is in error because it has not been updated since the new bridge span was built.
Hope this helps!! Hugs!
Charmaine
Very informative article. Your knowledge of the 5 Channel Bridge, of the Florida Keys, is awesome!
Linda Honore-Pitts
I have read many of your articles and appreciate your advice and warnings. My husband and I are bringing our s/v, draft 4’8’³ from Tampa Bay to Ft. Lauderdale the last week in November. What passage would you recommend from Marathon to Miami? We have limited sailing experience on the Atlantic but we like the greater depths. We do like to anchor and are not overly excited about visitng any towns or marinas unless necessary. And as always we are under some time constraints. Thank you for any suggestions!
Beth Falkenhagen
FOUNDERS PARK AND PLANTATION YACHT HARBOR MARINA ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC
DECEMBER REOPENING PLANNED
Founders Park (MM 87 bayside in Islamorada) is being utilized for Florida Keys Electric Cooperative repair crews and as a staging site for vegetative debris from Hurricane Irma being picked up from neighborhoods and properties in the Village. It is not safe to use any Founders Park facilities and the park is completely closed to the public.
Given the time it will take to collect, grind and remove the massive amount of debris from neighborhoods and properties throughout the Village, it is anticipated that reopening of Founders Park will not occur until December 2017. The pool will be covered to protect it from the effects of the debris grinding.
All events scheduled to be held at Founders Park will be cancelled or relocated to a different venue.
The Plantation Yacht Harbor Marina, including the boat ramp and fuel dock, will also be closed for public use during the time Founders Park is closed. Long-term Marina residents may continue to reside at the marina, but no new reservations will be made.
The Village Council and Village staff are aware of the importance of Founders Park to the community and will strive to resume operations as quickly as possible.
Caribee Marina – Click for Chartview
Caribee Boat Sales and Marina at 81500 Overseas Highway in Islamorado, FL, does not currently offer transient slips, but according to Skipper Dixon, they know how to treat visiting cruisers!. Their phone is 305-664-3431 and their website is http://www.caribeeboats.com/
We’ve anchored off Lorelei Restaurant in Barley basin several times but didn’t know about Caribee Marina until today. We needed gas for our dinghy. Someone told us to dinghy down creek to Carabee which is SW of Lorelei. The service was great. We bought 3 gallons @ the guy couldn’t have been nicer if we bought 300 gallons.
Mary Dixon
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Caribee Marina
Lorelei Marina – Click for Chartview
Lorelei Cabana Bar and Marina lies perched on the northwesterly shores of Upper Matecumbe Key, hard by the southeastern corner of the popular Islamorada anchorage. This review comes from our friends at Trawlers and Trawlering.
Our favorite bar/restaurant in the keys is the Lorelei in Islamorada. It includes a small marina, and the local anchorage is 300 yds away. They have the best happy hour specials we have found, and there is nearly always live entertainment at the tiki bar from around 5PM on. There’s a nice small grocery a few blocks south, and the local public library another couple blocks south.
Mark Richter
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Lorelei Marina
There are two possible routes for cruising the Florida Keys, the offshore Hawk Channel passage, and the “Inside Route.” Hawk Channel features more, but not all, marinas, while the Inside Route offers the greatest bonanza of wonderful anchorages to be found anywhere in the Southeast. Trouble is that I have personally sounded 5 feet at low tide directly between the markers in places on the FL Keys inside route. Mind you, only in places, but nevertheless, this is a real concern for those piloting vessels that draw more than 4 feet. Skipper Zimmers expressed his concern in the question below and received several answers via the AGLCA Forum.
We are in Marathon and arrived here from Key Biscayne via Hawk Channel. We want to return on the ” inside” via the ICW from Marathon to Biscayne Bay. We have a Nordic Tug with a 4.5 foot draft. Is the ICW deep enough for that draft?? Thanks,
Herb Zimmers aboard GiddyAp
We draft 4 feet and have done it several times. Never had a problem.
Steve and Gina Smith
M/V Island Time
Herb, You should have no problem. Just pay attention to your charts and stay in the channels through the cuts. Those are the places you can get into trouble if you get distracted.
Chuck Baier
Try to go on a rising tide
Mike and Rosie
I carry a five foot draft and the last time I went the inside route, I ran hard aground right around marker `60’³ on a low tide. I could see I was scraping the bottom for a mile for finally stopping. I used my dingy to heel me over and got loose and never touched bottom again.
On a high tide, I wouldn’t have touched anywhere.
R. Holiman
We did the inside from Biscayne Bay to Marathon. We draw 4 ft and at low tide we had some mud in our wake near R80 to Steamboat channel. What was more of a problem was the crab pots and now some are marked with green, brown and blue floats. Our friend had his boat hauled yesterday and the props were wrapped with a bushel basket full of ropes. I may have been out of the channel sometimes but it seems the pots are in the ICW with no regard for boats.
May be the prop shops are paying the crabbers to place the green floats in the ICW:)
Sonny Reeves
We just arrived in Marathon from Key Biscayne. Our Cabo Rico draws 4’10’³. Although we encountered some less than 5′ depths, we made it through with no drama. We did time our passages through channels with the tides.
Beth
Wilson Key Anchorage - Click for Chartview
Wilson Key Anchorage lies off the eastern half of the Whale Harbor Channel, and is entered from the Florida Keys Inside route.
Recently spent the night here and found it to be a very nice anchorage. Very well protected and quiet. I found the bottom to be grassy but got a good set on the anchor.
Dan
Snake Creek Bridge - Click for Chartview
Snake Creek is the northernmost (and easternmost) channel in the Florida Keys that provides reasonably reliable access from the Florida Keys Inside (Florida Bay) Route to Hawk Channel, or the other way around. Several earlier articles here on the Cruisers’ Net, as well as my own soundings, indicate that MLW soundings on the extreme Hawk Channel end of the Snake Creek channel, have risen to 5-foot levels.
Snake Creek, is one of only three passages (the other two being Channel Five and Moser Channel) between Miami and Big Pine Key that cruisers can (reliably) use to cruise between the inside and outside Florida Keys routes.
So, timely operation of the bascule bridge crossing Snake Creek is an important consideration for cruisers. Below, Captain Dennis found the bridge tender a bit balky, and he also comments on some nearby powerlines.
I just went through Snake Creek bridge yesterday in a Hunter 285. They publish that they open on demand other then restricted hours. They have change the restricted hours a couple times in the recent past so I won’t quote those hours now, but during the restricted hours they still open on the hour and on the half hour when requested. After just missing the 10:00 am opening, when we could not get a response on the VHF radio from the bridge attendant, we whistled for passing at 1030 at 11 and again at 1130 before we finally got an opening. The bridge attendant’s phone number is 305-664-3632. the mast on our hunter is 44 and a half feet above the water. I estimate that we cleared the power lines by 6-10′ so your 70′ stick is way too high. I tried to call just to see for cities reference, but all I got was a recording.
Capt Dennis with Sailshare
We went through the snake creek channel twice in a leopard 46 with a 70′ mast without incident. The lower wires are telephone and data cables. This was done in Feb 2011.
T. Macpherson
We have taken a 50′ Prout 3 1/2′ draft with 70′ bridge clearance under the Snake creek bridge wires at low tide. The bridge tenders said we were pretty close to the lowest wires, maybe within a foot or two.
Captain Harold Ochstein
January 14, 2014
We took 42ft cat through Snake Creek 12/30/13 ‘“ Took it on rising tide with no issues, except ‘“ bridge tender would not respond. After waiting 15min and requesting response again, then waiting another 15min requesting response, another captain came on and said he was waiting also and that bridge would open at 4. It did open at 4pm, however no response what so ever from bridge tender. I asked some of the locals at fuel dock, and they indicated this was pretty common complaint.
Brenda & George Lindberg
Don’t know why they have not replaced that bridge yet. I lived in the Keys in the 80’s and 90’s and that bridge was stuck in the up position more than twice that I can remember. Great for the boaters, but once it was stuck for over 24 hours. Hundreds of people south were stuck, missed flights and also the nearest hospital was in Marathon. Monroe County needs to hire more friendly people as bridge tenders.
Frank Collins
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Snake Creek
Snake Creek - Click for Chartview
For several years now, there’s been a concern about MLW depths on the Hawk Channel side of the Snake Creek Channel. (See /?p=105412) The shallow water is a real problem, as Snake Creek is the only really reliable route for cruising sized craft to cruise from the Florida Keys Inside Route to Hawk Channel, or the other way around, between Angelfish Creek and Channel Five. Captain Robinson’s observations confirm that shallow depths reported earlier are still present.
Went out with a handheld depthsounder yesterday Oct. 6, 2013 at 3:00 pm, one hour before low tide and measured 4.5′ on the hawk channel side just before the channel where the chart reads 4′. Measured 6′ on the bayside next to each of the red markers at 3:30 PM.
Jules Robinson
Snake Creek has been this shallow for years. Any sailing cruisers should be using Channel Five and never attempt Snake Creek.
Jim
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Snake Creek
Plantation Yacht Harbor Marina - Click for Chartview
Plantation Yacht Harbor Marina, owned and operated by the city of Plantation Key, Florida, is one of only a handful of facilities, south of Jewfish Creek, and north of Channel Five, which offer ready transient dockage on the Florida Keys Inside Route. We have always found Plantation Yacht Harbor to be a superior facility in every sense, and yours truly recommends this marina without hesitation. Just understand that the word got out long ago, so make your dockage reservations early!
We are on the T Dock’¦We have been at marina for a year’¦The dock-master and assistants are fine people. Nice clean restrooms and showers, laundry facilities, pump out at each dock, electric and wifi. A very quiet marina, with great boaters (both transient and f/t). Being in Founders Park is a BIG plus. Yes, you have to pay to use the pool’¦but it is worth it. The tennis courts are available anytime, the beach is great, AND there is a 2 acre fenced dog park!!! If you want to go out to eat, it is only a taxi call away. Diesel, gas, ice’¦all available. Highly desirable for the sunsets too!!!
Laurie Facsina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Plantation Yacht Harbor Marina
NE Cowpens Anchorage - Click for Chartview
The northeastern anchorage is on the northeastern reaches of charted Cowpens Anchorage. This body of water comprises the southeasterly section of Cotton Key Basin and borders on Plantation Key. Wouldn’t want to get caught here in fresh western or southwestern winds, but otherwise, this spot makes for a good Florida Keys place to drop the hook!
Anchored 3/31/13 off south west anchorage. We were located right outside Plantation Yacht harbor in about 6 feet of water. A short dinghy ride to the beach at Founders Park.
Russ
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Cowpens Northeastern Anchorage
Islamorada Anchorage - Click for Chartview
Islamorada Anchorage is found in Barley Basin on the northwest side of Upper Matecumbe Key, north of Little Basin and southeast of marker #86. Lor-e-li Restaurant, Cabana Bar and Marina lies within dinghy distance, southeast of the anchorage on Upper Matecumbe Key.
Anchored in the Southwestern part of Barley basin in light winds. Good holding and more than adequate depth for 5′ sailboat draft. Took 10 minute dinghy ride into Lor-e-li restaurant dock which was the quintessential beach restaurant/bar experience. Good food and service. Crowded at sunset. Live music on a Tuesday evening. Many more land patrons than boat patrons. All in all a very good experience.
Victor
Click Here To View This Facility’s Full Listing of Services on the Florida Keys Marina Directory
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Islamorada Anchorage
Bowlegs Cut - Click for Chartview
Capt. Victor confirms earlier reports that all hazards have been removed and markers in place in this narrow channel through Peterson Keys in Florida Bay. Channel Five Bridge is 4.5 nautical miles southwest of Bowlegs Cut. BTW, any idea why several official charts spell “Bowlegs” with a “y” – “Bowlegys”?
Bowlegs Cut
Headed through Bowlegs Cut without a problem and again at low tide there was more than adequate draft for 5′ sailboat. After Bowlegs Cut there was no problems heading out to Hawk’s Channel through the Channel 5 bridge on our way to Marathon.
Victor
I can’t speak about `bowlegys’ but my Garmin chartplotter has mispelled signs as `sings’ in multiple places.
Al
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Bowlegs Cut
Click Here To View the Florida Keys Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Channel Five Bridge
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Channel Five Bridge
Lignumvitae Key Mooring Field - Click for Chartview
The Florida State Park mooring field reviewed below lies off the northwesterly shores of Lignumvitae Key, which is itself found near the Indian Key Channel and Lignumvitae Channel, off the Florida Keys Inside Route near Islamorada.
We spent a night on the western side of Lignumvitae Key due to east winds of 18-20 knots. We were well protected in the lee of this island with good holding in sand with our Delta plow anchor. There was again, only one mooring ball at the northern tip of the key and since it was very exposed to the east wind we decided not to use it.
Victor
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Lignumvitae Mooring Field
Steamboat Channel and Shell Key
From Plantation Key we headed towards Steamboat Channel. Prior to the Steamboat Channel, there was some sailor angst about shallow water at low tide even on the ICW Magenta line, but we never touched bottom. Steamboat Channel had adequate depth and we went through without any problems. Spent overnight on the northwest side of Shell Key. Good holding with a Delta plow anchor. There was only one mooring ball visualized and of course taken by late afternoon.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Shell Key
Plantation Yacht Harbor Marina - Click for Chartview
Plantation Yacht Harbor Marina, owned and operated by the city of Plantation Key, Florida, is one of only a handful of facilities, south of Jewfish Creek, and north of Channel Five, which offer ready transient dockage on the Florida Keys Inside Route. We have always found Plantation Yacht Harbor to be a superior facility in every sense, and yours truly recommends this marina without hesitation. Just understand that the word got out long ago, so make your dockage reservations early!
Overall nice marina with slip pump-outs, nice showers, and laundry room. Tim is helpful and friendly, but the pool, tennis courts, and beach are a pay for use city facility. The resteraunts are a mile away, bt you can dingy to one of them(1 mile). $3.00 a foot.
John Pholeric
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Plantation Yacht Harbor Marina
Our good friend, Captain Sterling has done it again!!!!!! Really, fellow cruisers, do NOT miss this one!!!
Click her to see our winning entry
_FRIGHT B4 CHRISTMAS 2012 – YouTube_
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY4gFOO0H3Y
See you in Paradise!
Capt. Sterling
SterlingLadyIII
Over the week of August 13-18, several posts appeared on the T&T (Trawlers and Trawlering) Mail List concerning the general cruising characteristics of the Florida Keys Inside route. Those messages are reproduced below. Incidentally, the entire SSECN staff highly recommends the T&T list if you own one of these roomy, fuel efficient vessels.
Just to add my 23 cents worth, I have always considered a 5-foot draft to be the cutoff for safe cruising of the Florida Keys inside route. On numerous occasions, I have sounded 5-feet directly between the markers in the Key Largo region, particularly where the main channel passes the marked entrance to Tavernier Creek.
If your vessel draws 5-feet or preferably less, don’t let these soundings discourage you. Some of the most wonderful anchorages, not to mention the views, you will ever enjoy lie off the FLK inside route!
Looking for info on the practicability of taking the inside route from Miami to Marathon.
I draw 5 feet. What is the opinion of the boaters that have done this route. Is it doable?
Thanks
Larry
Larry,
We’ve done the inside route and we draw 4’9″. Never had a problem, but then we watch the water, not a screen. It is marked adequately. Neither Jill or I can recall anyplace where another 3″ would have made a difference. There is a tide down there, though I doubt it is much more than 2 feet. If those 3″ might make a difference, plan to transient at high tide during a new or full moon, might want to consider spring tides too.
Rudy
Briney Bug- Panama City, Fl
Larry,
I have gone the inside route from Miami to Marathon a number of times, both in Pooh (draft 4’8″) and my previous sailboat with 5′ draft. Should be little problem. Not to say the water isn’t skinny; we often are reading
depths of 5.0 to 5.2 feet on parts of this route (shallowest is just north of Islamorada), but haven’t touched bottom.
Steamboat Pass, just south of Islamorada used to be a problem, but this has been dredged and is now good for around 6 feet (deep water ;-).
Mark Richter
Sorry Larry, but I disagree. I carry 5′ draft and have soft grounded in the center of the channel on two different trips on the inside route several years apart. I won’t try it a third time.
Paul
Time of year can make quite a difference. In the winter, northers will blow water out of Florida Bay. But don’t let that discourage you. It’s wonderful cruising!
Regards,
Randy Pickelmann
Morning Star
The trick is to wear polarized sun glasses, use you eyes.
The water is usually clear, and it looks scary shallow, it is, but with 5 ft u can make it.
The channels are well marked. The tide is about 6 inches in the upper keys,wind can effect water levels more than the tide.
Go for it!
See you in paradise!
Capt. Sterling
I don’t know where Mr. Kennedy traveled in the ICW on the inside, we have found the inner passage from Miami to Spanish Key to be a chalky green only rarely clear. We obey the day markers backed up by GPS. If your draft is 6-plus you are cruising for a bruising. If you need Sea Tow they are not allowed to move you until the environmental police arrive. The fines are prodigious..
We have made the trip back and forth seven times.at different times of the year. Mr. Kennedy obviously has had a different experience.
One thing is beyond dispute If you need Sea Tow you are in bad trouble
Peter Denton
Susie Q
42′ Draft 4′
Now that I know that Captain Sterling runs a tourist boat in the Keys, I must defer to his greater experience. I guess I was there at the wrong time. But it remains true that if you are passing over water that is 4,5or 6 feet it is impossible to tell the difference even if the water is crystal clear. Several of the passes are that shallow. Call me naive but I advise extreme caution. Remember you do not have advantage of some one who has local Knowledge.
Peter Denton
Susie Q
Shell Key Anchorage and Mooring Field is a series of 5 five mooring buoys off the Shell Key’s northwesterly shoreline, maintained by the State of Florida.
We had good holding here in 5-15 knots from ESE through SW. Nice quiet anchorage that was almost bug-free too.
John Byrne
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Shell Key
Hmmmm. Kind of concerns me to hear Captain Dixon’s report below concerning Plantation Yacht Harbor Marina. This is one of only a handful of facilities that offer transient dockage on the Florida Keys Inside route between the southerly mouth of Jewfish Creek and Channel Five!
Tried unsuccessfully to reach PYH marina for 2 days by phone or vhf. They didn’t even return a message we left on their answering machine. We wanted to get fuel, water & pumpout. Also wanted to get a slip so we could go buy new boat batteries. We finally moved on to Coral Bay Marina at Lorelei anchorage who were very accommodating. Coral Bay is more like a boatyard, but they have ordered our batteries and we are in a nice slip. A mini grocery store and liquor store are right behind the marina. Afternoon of second day I was able to reach PYH by phone and they said they are in and out, and in the future just tie up at the fuel dock and they’ll get to us. I kept calling because I wanted to know what is going on with them because we’ll be back up that way. We had hesitated to do that because the fuel dock is not easy to get to and there isn’t room for more than one boat. We’ll do that in the future because there aren’t many pumpout places on the bay side of upper keys.
Mary Dixon
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Plantation Yacht Harbor Marina
Comments from Cruisers (4)
The first thing you should do is check the date of the chart survey. You might be surprised! I have been through the bridge several time with no problem, but I make a deliberate effort to compare the terrain when in sight to the chart. Remember to keep those dead reckoning skills sharp and if you really want to be amazed and confused pick up a copy of Nigel Calder book "How to read a Nautical Chart". Lots of info into what goes into making an chart and what to look for.
S/V Dreamweaver
i need to bring this petterson sailboat with wing keel 6ft draft up to blackwater sound unloaded would like to use icw bayside ..do you think i can do it? i know the waters fairly well my last sloop was 4.5 anyone done similar route?
Captain Charmaine, we are moving our Beneteau 381 (5.5 draft) from Virginia to our new homeport in Alabama. We are making the transit through the Keys for the first time and are looking for the best place to safely transit from the Atlantic side to the Gulf. Based on what I've read from other experienced Captains, I take it that Channel 5 requires spot on navigation getting to the Gulf. The other option appears to be Moser Channel as we do not desire to sail all the way around KW. We're seeking advice for our transit from Miami and then through the Keys until we're in good open water in the Gulf, and based on your post with pictures of Channel 5 we'd love to hear from you your recommendations.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Capt Bob I am trying to get an answer to the same question you had. Did you make the crossing? If so what route did you end up taking? Im in a 60 Bertram Sportfish. Sounds like we have the same draft, about 5.5'. It looks pretty staright forward getting to the bridge from the Atlantic side, just wondering how tricky it is once you get under to navigate to open water on the gulf side to make our way up the gulf coast. . Any input or experience is appreciated.