Good Ports of Call in the Florida Keys – Fort Lauderdale to Marathon
The discussion below was copied from the Net's "Ask Your Neighbor" page and the AGLCA mailing list.
We will be making our way down from Ft Lauderdale next week to Maratheon & then up the West side. Those who have been in this area I would appreaciate comments on where the great marinas are located or interesting stops.
Also if we go down the ICW where can we cross to Hawks channel easily, or should we go Hawks from Miami?. We draw 4.5 ft
Any comments on the route from Maratheon to Naples?
Thanks
Larry
Hi Larry,
The best the Keys has to offer is on the Gulf side!
Too often people just do the Florida Keys – Hawk Channel three-step (Largo, Marathon, and Key West).
But, as an example, we list 222 anchorages and moorings in our guide, most of them on the Gulf side.
And with 4.5 foot draft, you're in great shape to get off the Magenta Line and explore!
To answer your question, don't stay in Hawk Channel. Play the 19 crossovers to experience all that both "sides" of the Keys have to offer.
But you will want to cross back over to Hawk Channel at the Channel Five, Moser Channel, or Bahia Honda Channel crossovers … versus going up the "back country" route over Big Pine, etc.
If you're in Miami for the Boat Show, stop by the Strictly Sail Author's Corner. I'm giving a Keys presentation on Monday at 1045 hrs (Tent A). We'll get down and get Keysie. [wink]
Stay in the deep water,
Mark Doyle
I think it's great fun to stop at John Pennekamp state park at Key Largo. They have 2 slips righ in front of the park dock with power and water. Take to park boat out to the reef and scuba or snorkel. It's a beautiful coral reef. You can also take your own boat out to the reef and use one of the gov't, moorings free. Snorkel from your own boat and eat lunch moored over the reefs. Watch your charts carefully getting to the moooring balls, but there's plenty of water depth to go in and out. The mooring field at the poark is for smaller boats. Ours draws 4.5 ft. and it was fine getting in and out at the
park dock, but the mooring lagoon is too shallow.
Doug Shuman
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