On Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:41:04 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Tue, 6 Apr 2010 10:37:46 -0700, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
. ..
On Mon, 5 Apr 2010 19:12:53 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch
wrote:

My 28' sailboat is now in Stuart, Fl after transiting the Okechobee
waterway but I want to get to Bimini and then to the Berry Is. so I
need to get to Miami. However, I am now very tired of the ICW so I
would like to sail down the coast on the outside from Stuart to
Miami. If I stay within 5 miles of land, will I have any problems
with the Gulf Stream pushing me N.?

You can minimize the current by staying right along the beach in 20 to
30 ft of water but you will still have half a knot or so against you
in many places.

This is due to the smaller volume of water (shallow vs. deep)? Or is
something else going on?

It's a combination of being as far away from the center axis of the
stream as possible, combined with the friction/constriction of shallow
water along the shore.

Usually there is a counter current on the sides of any really strong
current like the Gulf Stream.

After the first year, we always went from Ft. Pierce to Miami outside.
Had no problem with the Gulf Stream as we stayed closer to shore than
that. We set the instruments to show us the water temperature and if
it got warmer, we went west until it was cooler again. We do have a
larger boat than you do but maybe not much faster.

I always resisted going from Lake Worth - I know people do it but it
seemed counter-intuitive to me- we tried to get down at least as far
as Rodriguez Key when going to Bimini and even then we couldn't make
any progress against the Gulf Stream.

Even the first time, we never went with anyone else. It never worked
out and it isn't necessary.
S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44 WO #156