Well, Key West is a dump... moving on

[accomplice]

Originally Posted by RTB

Not sure where you are looking? It's plenty deep in the Gulf from Clearwater to Carrabelle or Apalachicola. You can do the ICW from Apalachicola to Port St. Joe, and it is a beautifully scenic route.

Depends what you consider deep. I looked into sailing to visit my father in law outside Tampa. I found there are few places we could get in with an 8' draft and 85' air draft.

I'm sure it's scenic there, but some of us do better sticking to scenic places with deep water. (Now enjoying Penobscot Bay).

One sailor's skinny water is deep for another.




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[dpddj]

Originally Posted by accomplice

I'm sure it's scenic there, but some of us do better sticking to scenic places with deep water. (Now enjoying Penobscot Bay).

Where in Penobscot Bay are you? Going to the Lobster Boat Races at Long Island today (Saturday 15th)?

[accomplice]

Originally Posted by dpddj

Where in Penobscot Bay are you? Going to the Lobster Boat Races at Long Island today (Saturday 15th)?

Rockland now. Today I'm at (Boston's Logan) airport fetching my wife's friend.

We spent the last six weeks cruising the area between Mt Desert Island and Pemaquid, and loved it. But that's probably best for a different thread.

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[RTB]

Originally Posted by accomplice

Depends what you consider deep. I looked into sailing to visit my father in law outside Tampa. I found there are few places we could get in with an 8' draft and 85' air draft.

I'm sure it's scenic there, but some of us do better sticking to scenic places with deep water. (Now enjoying Penobscot Bay).

One sailor's skinny water is deep for another.




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From Tampa to Port St. Joe is an offshore passage in the open Gulf of Mexico. Not sure if avb3 was looking at going in close around the Florida Big Bend, or what? If you want, just sail outside around Apalachicola instead of taking that short section of ICW between there and Port St. Joe.

Otherwise, I'm confused about the skinny water.

Ralph

[avb3]

Originally Posted by RTB

From Tampa to Port St. Joe is an offshore passage in the open Gulf of Mexico. Not sure if avb3 was looking at going in close around the Florida Big Bend, or what? If you want, just sail outside around Apalachicola instead of taking that short section of ICW between there and Port St. Joe.

Otherwise, I'm confused about the skinny water.

Ralph

Yes, I was looking stopping over night rather than taking a straight shot. Stopping overnight is almost impossible once you get past Tarpon Springs.

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[LEOCAT66]

Originally Posted by RainDog

It is not the liveaboards that have changed Key West. It is the cruise ships.

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You are dead right Brian. The cruise ships are the main problem. Too many tourist who have no real connection to anything that Key West really represents to most sailors and ocean loving people.

The millionaires have now been run out by the billionaires. No average person can afford to pay for slips, or most anything else, for an extended period of time.

Money has ruined it in some ways, as it has in so many beautiful other places too. We still love the keys and Key West. If you find it dirty and disgusting, do not visit Bourbon St., in NOLA. As KW is pristine in comparison.

The Eagles said it best, "Call someplace paradise, kiss it good by".

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by avb3

I just took a quick look as at the online charts, and man is there a lot of skinny water going up from Tampa to there.

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That is why unless you have a Carolina Skiff, you avoid that area
But seriously, go from either Clearwater or from Tarpon Springs to Dog Island, then if you head further West, give Cape San Blas a wide berth as there is shoaling there, but it's well charted.

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by avb3

Yes, I was looking stopping over night rather than taking a straight shot. Stopping overnight is almost impossible once you get past Tarpon Springs.

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I have anchored in the skinny open water offshore quite a bit along the Florida and Louisiana coasts. Fewer bugs and unimpeded breezes.

I have always sailed straight through across the Middle Grounds but the coastal route looks like good fishing with shallow water to drop the hook close by.

Looks like 2 days at a leisurely speed. I may take that route south if solo on my next crossing.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by LEOCAT66

The millionaires have now been run out by the billionaires. No average person can afford to pay for slips, or most anything else, for an extended period of time.

Marina I stayed in overnight, was I think about $150 a night, but the monthly rate was about $3,000 a month I was told.
Odd thing was it had quite a few boats that were worth only about $20K or so, but had obviously been there for quite a while.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

I have always sailed straight through across the Middle Grounds but the coastal route looks like good fishing with shallow water to drop the hook close by.
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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

I wouldn't skirt the shallow water with the idea of dropping a hook overnight, I grew up in that part of the world, Carrabelle, St. Marks, lived on Alligator Point for awhile, once spent most of the night in a 23' Roballo after having run aground, on plane, miles off shore in water that wasn't charted to be that shallow.
You can literally be out of sight of land, in knee deep water in the Big Bend area, in spots.
Now fishing wise, it's tough to beat the Middle Grounds, especially if you like catching Kings and the like. If your only making three or four knots, I've had excellent luck trolling for Grouper with a Mann stretch 30, but trolling them at 6 kts plus is tough, you have to have some considerable equipment.

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I wouldn't skirt the shallow water with the idea of dropping a hook overnight, I grew up in that part of the world, Carrabelle, St. Marks, lived on Alligator Point for awhile, once spent most of the night in a 23' Roballo after having run aground, on plane, miles off shore in water that wasn't charted to be that shallow.

You can literally be out of sight of land, in knee deep water in the Big Bend area, in spots.

Now fishing wise, it's tough to beat the Middle Grounds, especially if you like catching Kings and the like. If your only making three or four knots, I've had excellent luck trolling for Grouper with a Mann stretch 30, but trolling them at 6 kts plus is tough, you have to have some considerable equipment.

Thanks for the heads up. I try not to get shallower than 20' when nudging in to drop the hook.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by LEOCAT66

If you find it dirty and disgusting, do not visit Bourbon St., in NOLA. As KW is pristine in comparison.

.

Several of us from near New Orleans went to Key West last year and we kept saying, "It's kind of like the French Quarter, but it smells better."

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

Thanks for the heads up. I try not to get shallower than 20' when nudging in to drop the hook.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

I think you will find 10' depths a rarity in the big bend area even miles from shore. Unless you bring your own dredge, doubt you will find much 20' water.

Stienhatchee makes a nice stop if you want to break it up into day runs making the crossing. You pretty much have to be comfortable running 6-8' of water to play in the area.

[LEOCAT66]

Originally Posted by Group9

Several of us from near New Orleans went to Key West last year and we kept saying, "It's kind of like the French Quarter, but it smells better."

Well, Duval is much cleaner than Bourbon for sure. We first went down in 1964, and twelve trips since. Many changes for sure, not many for the better.

Back then one could not buy a sandwich after 6 PM or so, it was much nicer, and cleaner too.

Another thing which has caused an influx is the new road down from Miami. Used to be two lane all the way, a difficult drive which helped limit the flow. Now it is more of Miami's playground.

In 64 we rented a room at the Sea Horse Motel on Vaca Key for $5.50 a night.

Buffett too is partially responsible for the current state of things there.

Good times, never to be seen again.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by Group9

Several of us from near New Orleans went to Key West last year and we kept saying, "It's kind of like the French Quarter, but it smells better."

Pashaw... you spend too much time on Bourbon Street. It is a bit better over on Royal.



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