Snake Creek is an important passage that allows Florida Keys cruisers to easily pass from the Inside/ICW/Florida Bay route to the offshore Hawk Channel route, or the other way around. A couple of years ago, I began to hear reports that the Snake Creek channel was shoaling on its extreme Hawk Channel side tip. However, the report from Captain Brad below is the most alarming I’ve seen. Looks like vessels drawing 5 1/2 feet or better may have trouble in Snake Creek, even at high tide.
It would be very helpful to one and all if some other cruisers would chime in, and share their experiences and soundings observed while running Snake Creek within the last several months. Just click on the “Comment on This Posting/Marina/Anchorage/Bridge” link below.

I had a slip in Islamora for a month (October). [My] boat draws 5’7′. [I] ran aground in Snake Creek on the way in on a mid tide, then bumped twice in the channel.
Tried to day sail bumped twice on the way out and wound up hard aground on a falling tide and was stuck for 7 hours, 150 feet from open water.
When I left there the final time on an almost high tide. bumped once in the middle but was ok after that. Even on a +2 tide lots of places set of my shallow water alarm (6ft)
Brad

I went through here with a 53′ trawler drawing 5 feet with tides starting to go out. Jan. 13, 2010, 2:00 PM
Very low depths but no touching going east into the Hawk Channel. Worst point, according to my dephtfinder, was just east of the last markers where the depth was showing right at 5 feet. My keel did touch coming in to the creek on the western end.
Andrew Scallan

Robbies Marina is located on the western side of the long causeway/bridge, joining Upper and Lower Matecumbe Keys, in Islanmorada. It’s not the easiest place to get to by water, but you can always anchor up around Lignumvitae Key, and then dinghy into Robbies.
For years, the attraction at Robbies has been to purchase a bucket of bait fish, and then feed the beautiful tarpon which hang around the docks, waiting for a free meal. Now, it looks as if there’s a reason for famished cruisers to pay a call at this facility.

Subject: Robbie’s marina
Cruising News: We just came back from a week’s trip to the upper keys. We sailed down from Miami and had a great time. Your latest cruising guide was a big help. We had now issues with water depth, we draw 4.5′. One thing I would like to mention is that after taking the dinghy out to Indian Key we stopped in to visit Robbie’s for some beer and a little gas. We decided to stay a while and eat dinner at the Hungry Tarpon. I was not expecting too much based on the write-up in the current cruising guide, but we were very pleased with our dinners and the experience. The recently new chef, Joseph Sassine is delightful and a master chef. I would highly recommend it for food and atmosphere.
Bill R.

Lignumvitae Key sits just off the Inside/ICW route, between Upper and Lower Matecumbe Keys, north of the long Indian Key bridge and causeway. This historic and ecologizal attraction makes for a great visit, but, as you will see, the state park operatings here are being cut back at the moment, and only three moorings are available.

Subject: Lignumvitae Key
Cruising News: Today we enjoyed an interesting and informative tour at Lignumvitae Key and would like to update you on the current status of this park. Tours have been cut back from 5 to 3 days a week – now only Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 10am and 2pm. We were told this is due to current economic conditions, that many of the Florida state parks are being cut back or closed, and to contact our legislators to help keep our parks open. We also noted only 3 moorings where there used to be 5 (there is also plenty of room to anchor). This is a great stop for anyone cruising through the Keys. We came up from Marathon on the bay side and never saw less than 6 feet.
Pam and Frank
aboard s/v Blackfoot

Click Here To View the Florida Keys Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Lignumvitae Key Mooring Field

I think Captain ran into some unusually low water levels (see below), due to wind tides. However, caution is advised in the areas he notes.

Hello,
Your keys guide is being put to good use on my trip. The wind is howling and it's nice to have a reference to figure out where we can hide.
FYI, we touched the bottom (5' 1" draft) in the middle of the channel approaching Channel 5 from Hawk. We were probably 100-150 left of the first red, right on the line on my chartplotter. The tide was -0.2' at  the time.
Then, in on the way to Matecumbe Bight, we were in 5.4' to 5.9' of water most of the way, where the chart said 7'. Combination of the low tide and 25 knot winds I suppose, so didn't surprise me as much as the Channel 5 depth did.
Thanks,
Chris
S/V Mayari

I was wondering how many moorings there now were in this small field. Captains RL and & Karen answer that question below.
Notice also that this cruising duo discussed the current shallow water depths on the Florida Keys Inside/ICW route. This is the subject of a string of messages posted just below this one.

Cruising News: Question 31 We stayed 2 nights on the state mooring off Lignumvitae Key (2/1 – 2/2/09). There were 4 moorings available. Took the dinghy to Robbie\’s Marina to feed the tarpons. We came through Channel 5 with no problem, but weren\’t as lucky when we went through Bowlegs…very shallow water. We left on high tide 2 days later and had no problem.
RL & Karen
s/v Last Call
45′ Island Trader 5 1/2′ draft

Click Here To View the Florida Keys Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For The Lignumvitae Key Mooring Field

On 12/4/08, as part of a “Florida Keys Wish List,” I posed the following question:

Does anyone know if the mooring field off the northwestern side of Lignumvitae Key (off the Inside/ICW route, near #91A) has been re-established since the 2005 hurricane season? If so, have you moored here? Did you find enough shelter for a comfortable overnight stay? Did you go ashore and take a tour of the Florida state park on Lignumvitae Key? Did you enjoy your visit ashore?

Responses follow:

Lingumvitae Mooring. Weʼve stopped here twice. With a south wind it was peaceful, with a north east it was very bouncy. A few moorings are sheltered around the south west side but theyʼve always been taken.
Bob and Toni Dorman

Click Here To View the Florida Keys Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Lignumvitae Key State Park Mooring Field

On 12/4/08, as part of a "Florida Keys Wish List," I posed the following question:

32. Channel Five (near Statute Mile 1150 on the Inside/ICW route) is arguably the most important passage to connect between the Inside/ICW passage and Hawk Channel. That’s partly because it is crossed by a fixed, 65-foot bridge. Conversely, there is a real absence of navigational markers on Channel Five. Has anyone else been bothered by this scarcity of aids to navigation?

Responses follow:

Channel 5 Bridge posed no problems for us in either direction.  We did pass through both times with good daylight.
George

On 12/4/08, as part of a "Florida Keys Wish List," I posed the following question:

Snake Creek, southwest of Plantation Key, is the first of the really important connector streams, which provide access from Hawk Channel to the Inside/ICW route, or the other way around. Within the last several years, however, the Hawk Channel side of the Snake Creek channel has shallowed. The last time I sounded these waters, MLW depths of 5 feet were noted. Who has run the Snake Creek channel lately? What were the minimum soundings you observed?

Responses follow:

We have been thru snake creek many times, both from the ICW and hawks Cannel.  We try to time our departure for hi tide.  We go very slow entering and exiting snake creek.  So far no problems.  We encountered depths of about 5 to 6 feet.
Ron Hollander

Snake Creek  Depths here were 5 ft or better at mean tide. Watch out for the currents when waiting for the bridge to open. Itʼs very easy to drift out of the channel and go aground.
Bob and Toni Dorman

5 to 6' MLW ealier this year…
Pascal