Boating Marco Island to Key West

[Davy J]

Based on your other thread, in which you butchered the name Okeechobee, I'm guessing you plan to pop out of the Caloosahatchee River.

If so, and you have the time, Fort Myers Beach has some great sights. Salty Sam's marina is a fun place with a couple of bars/restaurants. If you want a little more luxury, Pink Shell Resort is the place to go.

In Marco Island, the Esplanade marina, in Smokehouse bay has many shoppes and restaurants. Depending on the tide and current, entering Smokehouse bay can be a little unnerving, don't worry, hit the throttle and keep going.

Once you get to Key West, be sure to go to the A&B Lobster House. If they have hogfish on the menu, forget lobster, and order that.........

[Woodland Hills]

A&B is a tourist trap. If you want a great hogfish dinner go to the Hogfish Grill on Stock Island. Great food and atmosphere with far fewer cruise ship day trippers and more locals and full time cruisers. Roostica Pizza and Italian is also another local favorite especially on Sundays when they have a great Spaghetti and meatball special price dinner.

The folks who work in all the shops and restaurants can’t afford to live on Key West, but they can afford Stock Island. Being in the food service business these folks won’t put up with overpriced crap when spending their own money, thus the popularity and quality of the places on Stock Island.....

[Davy J]

If you want a great hogfish dinner go to the Hogfish Grill on Stock Island

That's true, but the drive down Front Street is an eye opener........

[Woodland Hills]

It’s what Key West was like 35 years ago: “a place of such charm and disgrace” as Jimmy Buffet said in his song. Run down and seedy with funky bars and odd people...... That’s is definitely NOT Key West anymore!

[Davy J]

You and I seem to know the area well, it's sad that most tourist's will never see all there is to see.........

[Davy J]

Just to add some fun............

Every time I'm in Key West, I tell my wife, people spend thousands of dollars to come here, to a place, that would be condemneded in thier own home town....

[Woodland Hills]

You have to stay long enough to discover that there is often a locals only discount. You can’t get it if you ask, you just see 10% to 20% taken off your bill with local discount next to it.

[rhpike]

I've done it on my Island Packet in three day trips. Marco Island to the Little Shark River. River is large and deep. Day two sailed to Marathon Key and stayed in Boot Key Harbor. Day three sailed the Hawk Channel to Key West. Used Navionics charts on my chart plotter which were very accurate.

[stevec195]

My thought would be...as long as you’re in the hood, stop by Ft. Jeff for a couple of days, and then you can pick up a good current on to KW. Leaving Marco, you’ll have crab pots till you’re deeper than 40’. Arriving Ft. Jeff you will need to be completely self contained for everything, there are no services there-although they generally post a copy of the daily NOAA marine forecast at the entrance, you will need to get your weather via SAT or HF.

[stevec195]

Seems like I do remember being able to get some weather on VHF 22