The unpleasant passages through St. Andrew Sound experienced by many cruisers have prompted any number of alternate routes to avoid the infamous R32 at the mouth of St. Andrew Sound. See /144151. Cruisers Jim and Peg Healy suggest a route east of Horseshoe Shoal that they have used many times as weather permits.

Sanctuary and crew departed Brunswick, GA, southbound, at 08h40 on 11/1/2017. The weather was clear, winds light and variable, seas flat, low humidity. A great welcome to Florida in November!

St. Andrews Sound – for many years, we have followed a route along the East end of Horseshoe Shoal. The shoal does not seem to have been affected by Hurricane Irma, but is growing toward the east. We transited at 10h00 with the tide at +4.1. Along the route we take, we saw nothing less than 8 ft. That implies 4.0 ft at MLLW, but today winds were light and variable and seas were flat. On a day with lots of energy coming in off the ocean, and/or more vigorous winds, the practical depth in wave troughs would have been much less. Anyone else using this “shortcut,” heads up. Screen shot “StAndrews” shows that area, attached.

Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary, currently at Rock Creek, Pasadena, MD
http://gilwellbear.wordpress.com
Monk 36 Hull #132
MMSI #367042570
AGLCA #3767
MTOA #3436

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of St. Andrew Sound