"WillT" wrote in message news:7eIkd.1302$5H4.121@trndny06...
I'm planning on cruising the Florida Keys for the first time this Winter.

Any suggestions for not-to-miss places to go? We draw 6 feet and will
mainly stay on the Hawk Channel side...

Thanks!

Suggest that you review all available FL Keys cruise guides to guide
your decisions. I have been in and through Keys, both "inside" and
"outside," so often I am somewhat jaded and thus not in a good
position to render more counsel. Watch depths in Hawk. Charts can be
somewhat misleading in some parts, i.e., off SE end of Vaca Key and
off Key Largo, where channel is narrow and can be shoal, less than
your 6 feet. Suggest you might call other boats in questionable areas
for local knowledge. Be sure to watch channel markers very carefully
and record each of them as you pass.

Enjoy and be safe.

If you need an upper keys contact for local info , contact me off line. 6 ft.
will be tough though.

(Florida Keyz) wrote:

If you need an upper keys contact for local info , contact me off line. 6 ft.
will be tough though.

We are going to be down by car this year. Expect to be in Duck after
Thanksgiving, and in New Orleans (by plane) from the 10th to the 20th
of Dec, in Titusville and Ormond Beach the 2nd and 3rd week in Jan,
and in Key West the first two weeks in Feb.


grandma Rosalie

On 11 Nov 2004 10:47:14 -0800, (anchorlt)
wrote:
Watch depths in Hawk. Charts can be
somewhat misleading in some parts, i.e., off SE end of Vaca Key and
off Key Largo, where channel is narrow and can be shoal, less than
your 6 feet.
================================

My charts show 12 to 20 feet in Hawk Channel. What am I missing?

Wayne.B wrote:

On 11 Nov 2004 10:47:14 -0800, (anchorlt)
wrote:
Watch depths in Hawk. Charts can be
somewhat misleading in some parts, i.e., off SE end of Vaca Key and
off Key Largo, where channel is narrow and can be shoal, less than
your 6 feet.
================================

My charts show 12 to 20 feet in Hawk Channel. What am I missing?

I don't know what he's talking about either. As long as you stay
between the markers, out of the crab pots, and off the reefs there's
no problem in Hawk Channel with depth.

There IS a problem on the Blackwater Sound to Barnes Sound side of Key
Largo, but that's not Hawk Channel. Or if you go thro Caesar Creek or
something.

As for Vaca Key - the Sister's Creek entrance to Boot Key Harbor might
be a problem for you and I've never done it either. You CAN get
around to the Gulf side of Vaca Key by going through Moser Channel and
there are some shallow spots over there I suppose.

grandma Rosalie

My charts show 12 to 20 feet in Hawk Channel. What am I missing?


We went to the Abacos last Winter. It doesn't look like there are more
problems depth-wise in the Keys than the Cays. It doesn't look like there
are many nice places to tuck into if a storm comes up though either...

I draw 4'8" with a powerboat (meaning that hitting bottom is a $10,000
problem instead of a 6 hour problem) We have cruised everwhere on the
Hawks side from Miami to Garden Key. Our favorite spots are Key
Largo-Penecamp area (due to the excellent diving and snorkeling withing
5 miles of shore... OK by dingy in most weather)

Islamorada Sand bar (Dingy only... just outside of holiday isle...
BTW... don't try Holiday Isle on anything but the highest of tides and
hug the south side of the channel)

Hawk's Cay area

Looe Key area

garden Key (Fort Jefferson) (one day run from Key West)






WillT wrote:
My charts show 12 to 20 feet in Hawk Channel. What am I missing?



We went to the Abacos last Winter. It doesn't look like there are more
problems depth-wise in the Keys than the Cays. It doesn't look like there
are many nice places to tuck into if a storm comes up though either...

Islamorada Sand bar (Dingy only... just outside of holiday isle... BTW...
don't try Holiday Isle on anything but the highest of tides and hug the
south side of the channel)

Hawk's Cay area

Looe Key area

garden Key (Fort Jefferson) (one day run from Key West)


FINALLY! Good advice - thank you.

We're a powerboat too and I'm planning on going to Dry Tortugas as you
suggested.

Any other spots? Nothing around Marathon?

Thanks!

"WillT" wrote in message news:kffnd.15778$2V4.2220@trndny06...
Islamorada Sand bar (Dingy only... just outside of holiday isle... BTW...
don't try Holiday Isle on anything but the highest of tides and hug the
south side of the channel)

Hawk's Cay area

Looe Key area

garden Key (Fort Jefferson) (one day run from Key West)


FINALLY! Good advice - thank you.

We're a powerboat too and I'm planning on going to Dry Tortugas as you
suggested.

Any other spots? Nothing around Marathon?

Thanks!

Not sure if you'll be in the upper keys at all....I get the impression
you'll be doing the entire length...if that's the case, I've always
liked Looe Key for a decent dive myself, however, Molasses Reef off SE
end of Key Largo turned out to be a very nice dive. I always thought
Looe was the best down there, but this gave Looe Key a run for it's
money, and there's a nice anchorage in the lee of Rodriguez key pretty
much straight in from the reef. Other than a midnight mosquito attack,
it was a great place to spend a couple days/nights.

Also, just a dink ride away there's a canal to the ENE that runs you
up into key largo w/some restaurants etc. available. They didn't have
a dinghy dock where we ended up, but a parasail boat was quite nice
and offered to let us tie up to him and head off to dinner....

enjoy! we sure did...

Capt. Rob Welling
Sarasota, Fl

Send me your email address and I will forward an Excel spread sheet with
dive and snorkel spots.

ed xx @ xx estrobel xx . xx com (remove the x's)

WillT wrote:
Islamorada Sand bar (Dingy only... just outside of holiday isle... BTW...
don't try Holiday Isle on anything but the highest of tides and hug the
south side of the channel)

Hawk's Cay area

Looe Key area

garden Key (Fort Jefferson) (one day run from Key West)



FINALLY! Good advice - thank you.

We're a powerboat too and I'm planning on going to Dry Tortugas as you
suggested.

Any other spots? Nothing around Marathon?

Thanks!