The northerly part of the cruise outlined by Captain Jim below leads through (or at least parallel) to the Ten Thousand Island region of southwestern Florida. Then, as is ably outlined below, there are several choices as to how to cruise from the Little Shark River – Cape Sable area to the Florida Keys.

From EC or the Indian Key area, travel south along the inside boundryline of the Everglades National Park boundry (clearly marked on the charts) to avoid crab pots. Water is reliably 5 – 6 ft in this area. Outside the park, there are several large crab fields, but of course, deeper water. Which anxiety do you prefer? You do have choices. Again, best time for this area is generally noon and later, when afternoon high tides are coming on. Go into the Little Shark River for another neat, wild anchorage. Mind the shoal building southwest into the gulf from the north shoreline. No place to walk a dog.
From the Little Shark, you’ll have several choices. One is the Yacht Channel south and east across Florida Bay. It’s shallow, and there are crab fields to avoid, but even in 20 kt winds, seas will be calm because of the shallow water. This choice takes you toward Channel 5 and Islamorada. Choice two is to head slightly southwest to Seven Mile Bridge and Marathon. That part of Florida Bay carries somewhat more water – 10 – 15 ft – but is still a fairly good ride in 20 kt winds, at least until you go under the bridge into Hawk Channel. Then, it’ll change abruptly, and get potentially uncomfortable. From there it’s only an hour or so to Marathon harbor and cover.
The third option is to head west towards Key West/Las Tortugas. If you go to the Tortugas, be aware, it’s about a 65 mile open water transit west
of Key West, and the last third of that is in deeper gulf water (100 ft). That trip is completely exposed from virtually every direction and carries ocean sea states. Don’t go to the Tortugas unless you are well provisioned and could stay a week or more if you had to wait out a weather window. Worst case is a shopping trip from the Tortugas on a ferry to Key West, but that’s certainly not optimum.
Jim
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary