Trip from Hollywood to st. Petersburg fl

[nightlife]

I am planning a trip from Hollywood fl to st Petersburg fl. I have a 2000 carver 356 motor yacht I would like to know what is the best rout I should take and some stops along the way? Thanks

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by nightlife

I am planning a trip from Hollywood fl to st Petersburg fl. I have a 2000 carver 356 motor yacht I would like to know what is the best rout I should take and some stops along the way? Thanks

Is your objective to make the trip quickly or leisurely?

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, nightlife.

[nightlife]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Is your objective to make the trip quickly or leisurely?

It would be leisurely and safely. Is lake ocachobee a good bet? My priority is getting there in one piece.

[nightlife]

It would be leisurely and safely is lake ocachobee a safe bet. My priority is getting there in one piece.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by nightlife

It would be leisurely and safely. Is lake ocachobee a good bet?

Okeechobee? Yes.

Originally Posted by nightlife

My priority is getting there in one piece.

That will depend more on the captain and crew than the route you take.

[sailm8]

Spend time in Stuart, Clewiston, Labelle, Franklin Locks, City of Ft Myers city docks, St James City, Pelican Bay/Boca Grande, Venice, Sarasota anchorage. Active Captain is your friend.

[tdh1849]

Made the trip in 2013 from Ft.Lauderdale. Go south outsideand eventually there is a bridge that allows access into the Bay of Florida, Then get into the "Yacht Channel" and take that to the west coast of Florida and then up to Tampa Bay.
I dont recall the bridge name but would suggest U make a phone call to one of the many sailing clubs in the Keys and get the name.
Also, watch out for the numerous lobster pots.

[pete33458]

If safety is your only priority then I think the canal (Okeechobee) is the best bet. But you can easily get through safely with much more variety and ambience. Take the Intracoastal to Yacht Channel and then just follow the markers up the other side. Stop where you want both heading south and north along the peninsula. Active Captain will show you your options.

You'll see turtles and dolphins and who knows what else in vast numbers, as well as vast expanses of blue-green crystal clear water. The canal route is houses, buildings, gravel embankments, and roads...

Pete

[pete33458]

Originally Posted by tdh1849

I dont recall the bridge name but would suggest U make a phone call to one of the many sailing clubs in the Keys and get the name.

Channel 5. Well, the bridge probably has a name too, but unless you are planning on driving your boat on the bridge, Channel 5 is probably more relevant!

[tinkrman69]

your post sounds like experience is a little on the light side. It's good that you're asking for input. going across ocachobee is a safe route and has plenty interesting things and places to see. going south and outside is fin and dandy if you don't have a north wind of over ten knots. it can get pretty uncomfortable in the straights from miami to carrysfort reef. If diving a reef is on your list go down Biscayne bay and out at angle fish creek...you'll have 5 to 6 foot depth in the creek. you can then pick a reef to dive and head on down to channel 5 and head off to cape sable and marco and onwards. If you take the ocachobee route when you come out of the caloosahatchi go south and around Sanabel island you can go outside to Venice and get to see some marine life along the way. either route would give you plenty of entertainment. I would suggest, not going outside from Miami to carrysfort for the next month tho as there a lot of north winds kicking up. Wind against a strong current equals big waves. the bigger the wave in the florida straights the closer they get and the more dangerous they are.