On Fri, 13 Jan 2006 17:25:10 -0500, "Skip Gundlach" skipgundlach at
gmail dotcom wrote:

Well, technically, as to the bridge, we're talking about the closest point
under the road to Key West in order to make our transit as short as
possible.

That would be Moser channel at Marathon.

The subject shoals are on the St. Pete side of the bridge, which
we assume to be mile marker 5 or some such.

No. You are totally out of the ICW at this point.

All the looking at paper and
electronic charts have not been very definitive about how to make that
happen successfully, and there seem to be several points where bridges are
high enough, which surprises me.

Only at Moser Channel west of Marathon.

The approach from the north goes like this:

Aim for a way point at roughly Lat N24-55 by Lon W81-09.

From there proceed due south 6.7 nautical miles leaving Bullard
Bank to starboard.

Next, run a course of 213 magnetic for a distance of 3.7 NM leaving
Red Bay Bank to port.

Continuing on, go south again towards Moser Channel and the bridge,
taking a small westward jog around the 7 foot spot just north of the
bridge.

From the bridge go south .75 nm to R2, then turn ENE towards FL G
'1' at the Marathon channel entrance. That will take you south of
Pigeon Key Banks and north of the 6 ft spot.

If you don't want to do the run non-stop, Venice is a good stop over,
as is Ft Myers Beach or Marco Island.

Heh. Unless Venice has dredged, their ICW channel is from hunger - or, more
likely, starvation!, putting it charitably. We went aground a half dozen
times trying to follow directions (in the ICW!) to get to the yacht club.

You don't need to go on the ICW if you are just pulling in off the
Gulf of Mexico for the night. There is a large marina on the right as
you go in (Crow's Nest Marina).