Angelfish Creek channel

[sail_destiny]

We just sailed down Biscayne Bay and anchored overnight off Pumpkin Island and then had second thoughts about heading out Angelfish Creek channel to Hawk Channel to proceed south. There were posts on cruising sites that made it seem very iffy for a sailboat like ours drawing 5 1/2 feet. We entered the channel from the bay about 1/2 hour prior to high tide and had 7 1/2 ft. of water under the keel the whole way. Inside the channel at the mid-point there is 10-15 ft. Local boater told us that there is a 5 ft. obstruction on the east end, but it you time your passage to mid-to-high tide depending on your draught you should be fine.

S/V DESTINY
Bristol 45.5

[Tellie]

I've sailed through Angelfish for years and have yet to see that obstruction. They say it's there but I've yet to see it.


PS, Don't ever anchor off of Pumpkin during Swamp Angel season.

[Grunfeld]

What is swamp angel season please. I plan on anchoring off pumpkin periodically.

[pete33458]

Swamp angels = mosquitoes.

Until last April I was through Angelfish all the time (also anchored there during "swamp angel season...," and I can tell you the mosquitoes are highly variable in their density). I would guess at least a hundred passages, possibly twice that. I also have never encountered this underwater obstruction that everyone talks about (which, if it's there, is good news!). I've participated in several threads on this issue in the past, I would say that my estimate of the controlling depth parallels yours, which is 7-1/2' at near high tide and generally 2' tides in that region, for a roughly 5-1/2' controlling depth. Two things to keep in mind for people passing that channel are 1) the nearest reference station (Ocean Reef) clearly has very different tide times, and 2) I believe that the controlling depth (located just exactly between #1 and #2) is gradually decreasing over the years. Pete

[MartinBoyer]

I would like to use this chanel with a 6 feet draft sail boat. Am I pushing my luck or base on what you are saying I whould be fine?

Ref Mosquitos I am planning to anchor this coming April to Pumpkin would I be eaten alive?

Thanks

[FSMike]

Originally Posted by sail_destiny

----
We entered the channel from the bay about 1/2 hour prior to high tide and had 7 1/2 ft. of water under the keel the whole way. ----

You had 7 & 1/2 feet under the keel or 7 & 1/2 feet of depth in the channel?

[jcapo]

I taken 6-1/2 through Angelfish creek on the tide many times but the last as 2 years ago, things may have changed. Go slow, pay your Boat US towing insurance.

[pete33458]

As I mentioned I have anchored near Pumpkin Key many times, and passed through Angelfish even more times. Here is what I think:

Mosquitoes: there has only been one time when they were really bad, and I mean they were everywhere. When I went on deck the next morning, the deck was literally covered in mosquitoes that had landed in the heavy dew. Nonetheless, most of the time there are just a few mosquitoes about (remember, this area is the exclusive playground of the very wealthy, and they are generally well controlled - the mosquitoes, I mean...), and simple repellent is enough. Sometimes they are almost non-existent.

6' draft: as I mentioned, in my opinion the controlling depth is somewhere around 5-1/2 feet, maybe 5'3" (and becoming less). You should certainly be OK at half tide or better, the problem is figuring out when that is, because the nearest tide station (Ocean Reef) clearly has very different tide times. There have been many occasions when the tables said I should be going through at a slack and the water is clearly running strongly. So I would say that near high tide at Ocean Reef, with the tide still coming in, would be the safest bet for you.

The only place to be concerned about with 6' is the area just inside #1 and #2. Pete

[pete33458]

Originally Posted by FSMike

You had 7 & 1/2 feet under the keel or 7 & 1/2 feet of depth in the channel?

Sorry Mike : just saw that you had asked me a question, when I said controlling depth I meant for any vessel, so that was the depth of the water at MHW (my estimate).

Wouldn't it be nice if we could somehow resolve this accurately?!? I'm usually alone, otherwise I would drop anchor there, snorkel to confirm the presence/location of the oft-described obstacle, and confirm the depth at low water. pete

[Blue Crab]

Used to be very good langosta-ering in Angelfish Creek. Or so I heard.