Quote:
Originally Posted by velero
A few weeks ago we called a local towing comp. for local knowlwdge. Fog offshore was very thick. My plan was to enter Sarasota Bay skipping Venice inlet and the company advised us to go further north to Longboat Pass. When I called the bridge tender, he said I will raise the bridge when I see your vessel.......... How is he going to see the vessel if i cant see 50ft in front of the bow? As we turned east there it was a few yards away!!!
After a few days I am wondering if it safe to enter/exit BP. I scouted the inlet from the end of Liido Key and could not see any nav aids west of green 9. Are there nav aids showing the inlet? Controlling depth? I understnad that under some conditions (NW, W or SW with strong wind) its not recommended to use the inlet/pass.
Thanks
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The "pass" at Big Pass moves around a lot, virtually with every heavy
weather event, and shoals up very quickly. It would be very foolish to attempt that pass in anything but a very shaol
draft yacht. Either come in at Venice and run the
ICW or at Longboat Pass although the channel there has moved around a lot as well and does not match the channel that appears on most
charts (see various NTM). Note that Longboat is a narrow channel and is subject to sharp, strong, currents. You'll want to enter there at slack
water. If you can't see the bridge from the channel entrace mark due to fog, continue north and come into Tampa Bay through the Southwest Channel.
FWIW...