Sailing from Fort Lauderdale for 6 days

[sailawhile]

Hello All
My boat is in Fort Lauderdale and I would like to take a trip between Christmas and New Year. I have 6 days of traveling. I would like to do short hops, typically 20 to 30 miles per leg with maybe one longer leg thrown in the mix. I figure that will give me a max range of 90 miles. Anchoring most of the time but a night or two at the dock.

I sail a Tartan T4100 41' / 13' 6" Beam / 5'6" Draft

Preferring some quiet coves half the time and a little night life the other half. I'm sailing with casual boaters so nothing to extreme.

Am I asking for too much? Any Ideas?

Thanks

[Dulcesuenos]

Not sure but maybe head to Biscayne bay and sail around there for a few days, protected from big seas, still good wind though anchorages all over, you will probably have to go outside to get there and back unless mast is under 55'. Could be nasty outside as lots of northers. Maybe head to gilberts,

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[sailawhile]

Yeah I plan to spend a little time in Biscayne Bay. Any part of the bay you'd recommend? Can you anchor in the national park?

I would also like to get to the John Pennekamp park. Does anyone know if anchoring is allowed near there?

[Sun and Moon]

You pretty much have to choose to go north or south from there. Going south you'll have time to get down to the top of the keys. Coconut grove has mooring balls and access to Miami. Noname harber on Key Biscayne is a cool little place with a restaurant, a nice beach, and a lighthouse. Further into the keys gets more remote. Going north you'd be mostly motoring up the ICW. Many people don't like that, but I find it entertaining. From Jupiter you can keep going north and it gets more scenic, or turn west and head towards Lake Okeechobee. It all depends on what kind of trip you want, but if you're adventurous and haven't done this before you'll likely have a good time no matter which way you go. Check Active Captain for anchorages - there are plenty of them in both directions, though some fit only a few boats. Watch your depth and get towing insurance - with 5 1/2 foot draft there are lots of opportunities to run aground.

[sailawhile]

We just finished delivering the boat from Rhode Island so we would like to go south.

I'll look into Coconut Grove and No name. Thanks

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by sailawhile

Yeah I plan to spend a little time in Biscayne Bay. Any part of the bay you'd recommend? Can you anchor in the national park?

I would also like to get to the John Pennekamp park. Does anyone know if anchoring is allowed near there?

Like the advice on Coconut Grove if you can get a ball, you can also anchor there.

Problem with anchoring in the South part of Biscayne Bay is you may not have a lot of protection if a front comes through from the North. Problem with anchoring in a national park in particular and in Florida waters, especially in the keys is FWC can fine you if you drag and destroy sea grass, something that can happen when a 20-30 knot front comes in from the North. Activecaptain has a map of anchorages.

I have anchored of Rodriguez close to Pennenkamp which has easy access to the reefs. It is also a popular staging area for boats headed from the Keys to the Bahamas and you may have company.

Obligatory warning about waiting for a weather window. In good weather you could leave Ft. Lauderdale and sail on the outside to maybe Sands Key and anchor, next day head to Rodriguez and anchor then back up to Elliot Key and keep an eye on the weather to get back to Lauderdale on time.

All bets are off in bad weather.

[RKsailsolo]

Originally Posted by tomfl

Like the advice on Coconut Grove if you can get a ball, you can also anchor there.

Problem with anchoring in the South part of Biscayne Bay is you may not....

I have anchored of Rodriguez close to Pennenkamp which has ....

Obligatory warning about waiting for a weather window. In good weather you could leave Ft. Lauderdale and sail ....

All bets are off in bad weather.

One of the great benefits from this forum is learning from the experience of others. Priceless for me as I will soon follow the original posters directions in this same coastal area. Thanks Tom.

[tdh1849]

Since you draw 5'6 go out side from Port Everglades to Miami and then into "Government Cut".
You will come to a shipping channel on the left, cargo and container ships, you MUST take that channel to the ICW and then head south into Biscayne Bay.
If you go straight you will pass the docked cruise ships and this is forbidden since 911, there is a NOTAM to that effect.
Note that when you get to the ICW you will see a Marina, Bayside Marina, at your 12 o'clock , which is well worth a stop over with its shops, music, and dancing.
And I am assuming that your mast height allows you to get under the Julia Tuttle Causeway, 64 ft. as I remember but not sure.
BTW, Ft.Lauderdale to Miami is about a 4 hour trip and as you approach the channel at Miami be sure to go out far enough so as to enter the channel in deep water.
Fair winds............

[captmikem]

Rather than go in at Govt cut, it is much easier to just continue down to Fowey Rocks, there is a well marked channel due west of there that leads you into the bay and No Name harbor is right there. I draw 7 feet and have no problem there, it mostly deeper than the chart shows. Also, if it is nice you can anchor in the eastern bay of Key Biscayne island. I hike out to the lighthouse is pretty interesting, and a beach.

Rodriguez is about 40 miles south, a bit more than what you mentioned you would like to do in your post, but there is good snorkeling on the reefs off Elliott key 8 or 10 miles south of Biscayne.

Have fun!

Michael

[rognvald]

Sailwahile,
Here you go: 1.) Lauderdale to Nixon's anchorage(west side of Key Biscayne).Sail outside unless rough. If the wind goes north once in Miami, anchor off No Name Harbor(south side of KB), not inside. Good holding in sand/gravel 10-12 feet. 2.) KB to Elliot Key. If wind goes north or west, head to the Arsenicker Keys for perfect protection in clean sand bottom with good fishing. 3.)Elliot/Arsenickers to Thursday's Cove in Barnes Sound. If wind goes north, anchor in the NE or NW top of the sound. Return to Lauderdale. These are all easy daysails in well-protected waters. Except for Elliot Key, you won't see many cruisers. Good fishing for snapper and sea trout along the shoreline. Excellent holding and even if you get a bad norther, you can anchor somewhere in the lee with excellent protection. In regards to Tom's statement about dragging in seagrass in Biscayne National Park, it's all good holding sand at Eliliot and the Arsenickers with no seagrass close to the preferred anchorages. We've sat through 50 knots at Elliot and never dragged an inch. Good luck and good sailing. P.S. When sailing up/down Biscayne Bay, trail a spoon/lure as you sail. We've caught some nice Grouper on several occasions.

[TheOffice]

I highly recommend No Name.

After that you could go to Key Largo down the Bay, through Angelfish Creek and down the coast until you are there. There is a large State park north of Largo accessed from the ocean side. Narrow channel but plenty of depth.

Take the outside for the return and ride the current.

[sailawhile]

Kudos to the Cruisers Forum. All great information, right on target. Keep it coming, I'm all ears.
BTW my bridge clearance is 63'. I believe Tuttle is 56' but I will have to check.
Thanks again all !

[CaptainBW]

Originally Posted by TheOffice

I highly recommend No Name.



After that you could go to Key Largo down the Bay, through Angelfish Creek and down the coast until you are there. There is a large State park north of Largo accessed from the ocean side. Narrow channel but plenty of depth.



Take the outside for the return and ride the current.

With your draft you may not be able to go through Angelfish Creek. Also, the Julia Tuttle bridge in Miami is 56'.

I second No Name harbor. It may be crowded or full if boats are waiting to cross to the Bahamas, but lots of anchoring space just outside. There is also a great anchorage on the north side of Key Biscayne at Marine Stadium. Dinner key/Coconut Grove is a good suggestion too. There are also several anchorages around Miami Beach that give you access to South Beach. Dinghy landing there is limited but you can still tie up near Publix in the Collins Canal. As others have stated, look at Active Captain.


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[tdh1849]

BTW, in Ft.Lauderdale there is the 17th Street Bridge over the ICW and when going south you pass under it and you are now in Port Everglades, 1/2 mil from the exit channel to the ocean.
I recall that my Hunter 33.5 had a 53 ft mast so I didnt need the bridge to open. Any taller and you need to tell the attendant you are waiting for his next opening, every 1/2 hour.
Just saying...........and I lived 2 blocks from the bridge for 15 years.

[Vasco]

No Name at this time of the year is always crowded. You can anchor outside and get waked by the sportfish. But my favourite spot if it's hard from the west is Hurricane Harbor. Just south of Nixons. Keep close to the wall on your left as you go in. You definitely won't make the Julia Tuttle. Good spot for fuel and water is Crandon Park on Key Biscayne.

If you want to see South Beach go up to the Venetian Causeway and turn right, head all the way east. Apparently it's harder to land a dink there now. Guess I'll find out in a couple of weeks. I'm still up around Jacksonville.