Marco Island to......

[BlackOak]

Cant decide which way to do this......

Marco Island to Dry Tortugas or

Marco Island to Key West or

Marco Island to Marathon along the coast road, then make KW and Dry Tortugas. Its about the same mileage from here to DT or KW on the straight shot from Marco Island, and about the same mileage running the coast road to Marathon. Running the coast road to marathon would give me stopping spots to catch some zzzzz's and make it a easy sail in about 3 days if I dilly daddle, but DT and KW would be a 24 hour straight hop, no sleep.

Decision Decision..either way I'm ready to make a hop somewhere south, and I have already arranged for a TowBoatUS boat to follow me.

I will be leaving here either tomorrow or Monday, wont leave on the 13th, dont need the extra badluck

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by BlackOak

Cant decide which way to do this......

Marco Island to Dry Tortugas or

Marco Island to Key West or

Marco Island to Marathon along the coast road, then make KW and Dry Tortugas. Its about the same mileage from here to DT or KW on the straight shot from Marco Island, and about the same mileage running the coast road to Marathon. Running the coast road to marathon would give me stopping spots to catch some zzzzz's and make it a easy sail in about 3 days if I dilly daddle, but DT and KW would be a 24 hour straight hop, no sleep.

Decision Decision..either way I'm ready to make a hop somewhere south, and I have already arranged for a TowBoatUS boat to follow me.

I will be leaving here either tomorrow or Monday, wont leave on the 13th, dont need the extra badluck

KW = ~90nm
DT = ~105nm
Marathon = ~88nm

But, as you say, spend a night in Little Shark on the way to Marathon and get some sleep.

Marathon to KW = ~48nm - easy in one day
KW to DT = ~70nm - a long day

So, MI to Marathon to KW to DT is good. DT back to Marco will be a long one as it has a chance of being into the wind the whole way.

[BlackOak]

Ty for that. Yeah, prolly right to take the coast road, a little easier and better to be rested than going into a unknown area without properly rested. Bad choices can be made when sleep deprived.

[bob_77903]

I also would do Little Shark, Marathon, Hawk Channel to KW, DT.

[DotDun]

Enjoy!

Little Shark to Marathon across Florida Bay will be a minefield of crab pots, obviously need daylight.

Set a course for green 17 on Bullard Bank, then follow Moser channel under 7 Mile bridge. Mooring ball or anchor out, whatever your preference. Marathon is cruiser friendly.

KW is always a hoot. DT is the other end of the spectrum compared to KW.

[endoftheroad]

Originally Posted by DotDun

KW = ~90nm
DT = ~105nm
Marathon = ~88nm

But, as you say, spend a night in Little Shark on the way to Marathon and get some sleep.

Marathon to KW = ~48nm - easy in one day
KW to DT = ~70nm - a long day

So, MI to Marathon to KW to DT is good. DT back to Marco will be a long one as it has a chance of being into the wind the whole way.

I think many make an overnight from marathon to kw, getting around kw to the good anchorages and getting anchored takes some tiime. Running out of daylight, easily done this time of year, and having to anchor on a lee shore with the forcast for easterly wind of 20 or more would be an unrestfull and ungracefull first night in key west.
Good anchoring along the way, Newfound Harbor being a great choice.

[Blue Crab]

[QUOTE=DotDun;1128085]Enjoy! Little Shark to Marathon across Florida Bay will be a minefield of crab pots, obviously need daylight.QUOTE]

That's if you survive Little Shark. Only the sharks are little. The sheeters and the snakes are huge.

[capngeo]

I'd head straight to DT; the water is shallow enough the entire route that you can drop anchor and get some rest. Explore DT a few days, then head back to KW with a stop in the Marquessas to break the 70+nm into two days.

[tamicatana]

I've just been the other direction (Marathon northward). Second the crab trap minefield - wouldn't do at night, and the traps are surprisingly far offshore.

Was in Little Shark for NY eve. Few bugs, lots of porpoises. Very kewl.

[hgd137]

Get a Grib file and look at the direction of the wind and then take the course which gives you the most desireable passage.

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by BlackOak

And I have already arranged for a TowBoatUS boat to follow me.

And why would you need TowBoatUS to follow you?

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

And why would you need TowBoatUS to follow you?

Exactly what I was wondering. Never heard of someone arranging for a tow boat to follow them! How much is that costing?

[IceDog]

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...uda-91566.html

It's a long story but it made me laugh out loud, and that's not easy to do in Afghanistan...
Hang in there Black Oak...I admire your fortitude

[belizesailor]

I thought you were calling it quits?

Pro's and con's as posted to each route, but I definitely recommend including the DT's one way or the other. A very unique place.

But, be sure you have your navigation down (not difficult to get into trouble there), and don't even consider arriving there at night. Night time approaches into the DT's can be little anxiety producing even when you know the routes.

Also, often lots of commercial fishing traffic at night on the shallow banks between FL mainland and DT's.

[DeepFrz]

I think the tow boat thing was a little tongue in cheek humor.