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cdory25



Joined: 05 Feb 2012
Posts: 162
City/Region: Flagler Beach
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Shoal Mates
Photos: Blues Cruiser
PostPosted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 12:57 pm    Post subject: Cruisn' the Keys Reply with quote

We're taking Blues Cruiser for a week of cruising & fishing from this Saturday to the following Saturday or Sunday, getting back in time to hit the St. John's Gathering. We plan on launching from John Pennakamp State park and heading south. Can I consider this my float plan? Anyway any tips, company or local knowledge would be great as this is the first time in these waters for Blues Cruiser.

A quick question: Is the Hawk Channel marked on the Garmin with a Magenta line to follow, channel clearly marked or should we try and get on the north western side and follow the ICW?
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Miafun1



Joined: 02 Jan 2010
Posts: 111
City/Region: Illinois
State or Province: IL
C-Dory Year: 2004
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Lake Effect
Photos: Lake Effect
PostPosted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 1:09 pm    Post subject: The Keys Reply with quote

You'll probably see a few C Dorys along your travels. There are two of us at Mangrove Marina in Tavernier.
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anchorout



Joined: 03 Jul 2013
Posts: 357
City/Region: Lake Charles
State or Province: LA
C-Dory Year: 1999
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: EZ DUZIT
Photos: EZ DUZIT
PostPosted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 2:39 pm    Post subject: keys Reply with quote

Depending on wind and conditions, why not go one way and return the other. They both have plus and minuses, and if you don't like one side, there are channels between the keys that lead to the other. As for Hawk Channel, it's a wide open channel between the outer reefs and the keys. First time I ran it, there were only paper charts. There wasn't even LORAN back then. Just don't, "go over there to see the pretty light colored water" and you should be alright.

Seriously, two years ago I ran part of it North out of KW, and the hazards were well buoyed.

In KW, don't miss the Beer and Bacon Bar, right off Duvall St. and the Cat Man street performer, sundown on the waterfront. We will be down there in April where we secure the truck and trailer and shove off for Georgetown in the Exumas.

Have fun.

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BTDT



Joined: 07 Jan 2011
Posts: 322
City/Region: Grand Lake Oklahoma
State or Province: OK
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Vessel Name: C- Lark Wine Down
Photos: C-Lark
PostPosted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 6:13 pm    Post subject: Re: keys Reply with quote

anchorout wrote:
we secure the truck and trailer and shove off for Georgetown in the Exumas.

Have fun.


Are you taking your C-Dory to Georgetown in the Exumas? More details please.

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Foggy



Joined: 01 Aug 2013
Posts: 1518
City/Region: Traverse City; Northern Lake Michigan
State or Province: MI
C-Dory Year: 2014
C-Dory Model: 26 Venture
Vessel Name: Boatless in Boating Paradise
Photos: W B Nod
PostPosted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 9:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have run Miami to Key West and back several times.
Both Hawk Channel and the bayside route are well marked
but don't snooze underway when going bayside. Hawk Channel
is wide open much more exposed and more of a straight shot
while bayside can be shoal in areas, with slow speed in other
areas, usually more protected and requires more navigation.
The choice depends on wind/waves/weather; no surprise here.

There are many great stops for fuel, rest, refreshments, food
overnights in marinas or on the hook all accessible either side
except not to anchor overnight in H Channel. I have special
memories at the Tiki Bar (Holiday Inn) in Islamorada when I hit
it 'just right'... KW is always a gas: Rick's, The Green Parrot,
Sloppy's and much more.

Just check a cruising guide and with a GPS chart plotter fairly
updated, you should be good to go.

Aye.

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cdory25



Joined: 05 Feb 2012
Posts: 162
City/Region: Flagler Beach
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Shoal Mates
Photos: Blues Cruiser
PostPosted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming, favorite watering holes, fishing holes or hazards that'll put a hole in your boat. Actually more worried about my cruising buddy in his 25' Carver that draws 3' who just wants to "wing it" and has an old GPS unit.
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thataway



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 20778
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 12:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nick and Marsha Rukavina on Valkarie, and Charless and Marge Fowlkes should be down there currently. Lots of really great places to explore--
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Thataway
Thataway (Ex Seaweed) 2007 25 C Dory May 2018 to Oct. 2021
Thisaway 2006 22' CDory November 2011 to May 2018
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Thataway TomCat 255 150 Suzukis June 2006 thru August 2011
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Will-C



Joined: 21 Aug 2007
Posts: 2476
City/Region: Temple
State or Province: PA
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Will-C
Photos: Will-C
PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 9:30 am    Post subject: Cruisn' the Keys Reply with quote

Be careful coming in or out of Pennekamp as there are some blind corners and rather large snorkel boats coming and going. If you go left you can go out through Largo Sound and get over to the gulf via the Marvin D Adams waterway. You can wonder down the inter coastal following the magenta line but keep an eye on the markers. Some people stop in Islamorada but I like to come down to Marathon cross under the 7 mile bridge and pickup the
channel into Boot Key Harbor. Stop at Burdines's for fuel and you can get free ice. They also have a bar restaurant with great food upstairs which has a wonderful view of the area. Back in the boat I would head back out under the bridge to the gulf side and head the 10 miles or so and stay a night at the Bahia Honda state park lagoon. Nice spot. Long walk to the showers but a beautiful place. From there I would continue on the inter coastal up through Bahia Honda and Big Spanish channel and on to Florida Bay. This will be the prettiest part of your trip don't miss it. Make a left when you reach Florida bay and it's about 30 miles down to Northwest channel which will take you right into Key West. You will be on the backside of the keys with land in sight. We usually stay at the City Marina at Garrison Bight. When in Key West try and make a reservation at a restaurant called 7 Fish a nice dinner spot. It's a little off the beaten path but a nice place. Better make sure where ever you are headed they have room for you if you don't plan to anchor out. Key West can get kind of busy this time of year. Leave Key West and take the Hawk Channel back north on the Atlantic side to Bahia Honda or Marathon and then on to back to Key Largo. And try to keep the wind to your back run the route in reverse if the wind does not cooperate. If you have a dink make sure you have a lock on the motor and a cable lock to insure nothing goes wrong while in Key West. Have fun.

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Will-C



Joined: 21 Aug 2007
Posts: 2476
City/Region: Temple
State or Province: PA
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Will-C
Photos: Will-C
PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 9:30 am    Post subject: Cruisn' the Keys Reply with quote

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cdory25



Joined: 05 Feb 2012
Posts: 162
City/Region: Flagler Beach
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Shoal Mates
Photos: Blues Cruiser
PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 4:47 pm    Post subject: Re: Cruisn' the Keys Reply with quote

Will-C wrote:
Be careful coming in or out of Pennekamp as there are some blind corners and rather large snorkel boats coming and going. If you go left you can go out through Largo Sound and get over to the gulf via the Marvin D Adams waterway. You can wonder down the inter coastal following the magenta line but keep an eye on the markers. Some people stop in Islamorada but I like to come down to Marathon cross under the 7 mile bridge and pickup the
channel into Boot Key Harbor. Stop at Burdines's for fuel and you can get free ice. They also have a bar restaurant with great food upstairs which has a wonderful view of the area. Back in the boat I would head back out under the bridge to the gulf side and head the 10 miles or so and stay a night at the Bahia Honda state park lagoon. Nice spot. Long walk to the showers but a beautiful place. From there I would continue on the inter coastal up through Bahia Honda and Big Spanish channel and on to Florida Bay. This will be the prettiest part of your trip don't miss it. Make a left when you reach Florida bay and it's about 30 miles down to Northwest channel which will take you right into Key West. You will be on the backside of the keys with land in sight. We usually stay at the City Marina at Garrison Bight. When in Key West try and make a reservation at a restaurant called 7 Fish a nice dinner spot. It's a little off the beaten path but a nice place. Better make sure where ever you are headed they have room for you if you don't plan to anchor out. Key West can get kind of busy this time of year. Leave Key West and take the Hawk Channel back north on the Atlantic side to Bahia Honda or Marathon and then on to back to Key Largo. And try to keep the wind to your back run the route in reverse if the wind does not cooperate. If you have a dink make sure you have a lock on the motor and a cable lock to insure nothing goes wrong while in Key West. Have fun.


I like it! Thanks!
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schiavolou



Joined: 10 Mar 2007
Posts: 122
City/Region: Wilton Creek, VA
State or Province: VA
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Skimmer
Photos: Skimmer
PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 8:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On the way from Bahia Honda to Key West, I recommend Geiger Key for a Cuban or Hogfish sandwich and a beer.

Also, Skimmer is planning to be in Pennekamp March 9-16, and would love to connect with any Brats in the area.

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Will-C



Joined: 21 Aug 2007
Posts: 2476
City/Region: Temple
State or Province: PA
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Will-C
Photos: Will-C
PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 8:27 pm    Post subject: Cruisn' the Keys Reply with quote

Those folks at Geiger Key make a bad ass fish sandwich fo sure. Nice little spot.
D.D.
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JamesTXSD



Joined: 01 Mar 2005
Posts: 7444
City/Region: from island boy to desert dweller
State or Province: AZ
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: "Wild Blue" (sold 9/14)
Photos: Wild Blue
PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 8:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you're going to be in Boot Key Harbor, have lunch or a drink at the Dockside Tropical Cafe - find out when Eric Stone (he runs the place now) will be playing. The man understands boat life and tells great stories with his songs.
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Bob&Alicia



Joined: 29 Aug 2015
Posts: 50
City/Region: Athens
State or Province: GA
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Photos: Bob&Alicia
PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 10:41 pm    Post subject: Some of our Keys ideas Reply with quote

That sounds like a great trip. We just got our C-Dory 25 in Sept and have only used her in the Destin FL area. My wife and I use to keep a MacGregor 26 sailboat in the Keys. The Mac is a water ballast motorboat/sailboat that is IIRC about 3500#. No big heavy keel.

Before I forget to ask....What are you using as a tow vehicle? I have a 1/2 ton Dodge with 5.9L and tow package but it's rated at 8500 lbs. Haven't towed the C-Dory 25 yet.

Sorry for such a long post and I know I have left a bunch of stuff out but hopefully you will find some of this helpful....


I don’t have any of my log books or other records with me but I wanted to share a few things. I would highly recommend getting a copy of Claborne Youngs Cruising the Florida Keys. He does a very good job detailing the Atlantic side AND the bayside. What we learned, especially this time of year, was you either played in one or the other for a week or so. The winds came from the East and you stayed in the Bay or from the West and you stayed on the Atlantic side. We actually like the bayside better. More secluded places to anchor.

If Pennakamp does not work out. Try South Dade Marina. Little whole in the wall “marina” just under the billboard just as you exit Dade County. Cheap to park truck/Trailer. Tight little canal that leads into Manatee Bay with easy access to Barnes Sound through a cool cut under the Jewfish Creek Bridge out into Key Largo Blackwater Sound. There is a cut to the Atlantic side (Adams I think) but we had a stick so I took the dink under but don’t recall the height. We enjoyed anchoring on the bayside in Buttonwood Sound/Sunset Cove and Tarpon Basin. Remember the sunsets are on the bayside. Lots of protected anchorages bayside. Check out the dive bar The Caribbean Club (Blackwater Sound). Filmed Key Largo there. If you have Netflicks watch the first Season 13 episodes series Bloodlines. You will see tons of places you will eat at drink at. We watched it just to see what we recognized. Ms Macs is a good restaurant in Buttonwood Sound. All of these places are a dink to shore and walking distance. On the ocean side we did anchor in a larger sailboat (15,000lbs) at Rodriguez Key and had 20kt winds and finally weighted anchor and went into Key Largo Harbor around 4AM. At least I didn’t have to dodge the snorkel boats piloting Crash Corner. The several marinas in there and restaurants. Just watch the weather if anchoring. This is just below Pennekamp.

In Islamorada we anchored in Little Basin and could dink up to the big World Wide Sportsman. Very shallow in there so not a lot of traffic and protected. Follow the markers and guidebook. Across the street from WWS we love Ma’s Fishcamp for Bahamian Conch Chowder and smoked fish dip AND great wifi. It was our go to place.

There are a couple of mooring balls (or were) of Lignumvite. The island was neat and we explored around it. Its just below World Wide Sportsman.
Now you start getting into much clearer water bayside. The Key Largo area has the dark tannin look and as you move towards Islamorada it clears up.
Boot Key harbor was great for showers and West Marine. Also, if you dinked all the way to the Dockside Tripical Café ( I think that is it…heard Eric Stone singer and does the Bob Bitchin Lats and Ats parties owns it now). You can tie up have a drink and it is a short walk to Publix. You can also catch the Keys bus and go up and down the keys.

Lower Matecumbe Oceanside---Safari Lounge and the Caloosa Cove Marina. A little tricky to get in with a keel but no issues with C-Dory. We took a charter sailboat in there and my wife got her up against the slip and stopped a foot from the concrete and I just stepped off. The guys who came out of the bar to “help her” were impressed. They asked her how long she’d operated the boat and she said about 2 hours. We got some stunned looks. She does all our close quarter maneuvering.

Bahia Honda: great place. The marina is nice and the C-Dory is a great size for it. You can anchor right outside the marina entrance but holding sometimes was not the best and you have ZERO drag room until your into the bridge. We anchored some bayside and would dinghy over to Bahia. If you snorkel start at the very low bridge crossing on the way to the cabins where all the big RVs park. Float down to the entrance to the marina. Very shallow but has a very deep drop-off so you get some neat stuff. Thought a great white was swimming right at me. All I could see was a darker object in the dark and it was moving fast. Swam right up to my mask. Then I saw the cute whiskers of a Manatee who was just checking me out.

Just below Bahia Honda is No Name Key and Big Pine Key. Check out No Name Pub. It’s famous. Google it. Lots of fun. Anchored off No Name Key. Wind was not right for Doctors Arm. We just dinghy over and walked. Bring a flashlight and maybe long pants/sleeves and walk around the neighborhoods and look for the Key Deer. There is something really weird about a 12 point buck that is the same size as my Labrador Retriever. We anchored off a punch of the little islands into the bay in this area. We never made it to Key West on the boat. We took the bus several times to wait out storms etc but just loved the Middle Keys so much we never made it further.

Some things I am glad I had with me:
Dinghy. Got to take one. A motor is best. Sometimes you are really fighting the current. Home Depot Walmart sales the little stick lights. Looks like a baton. They come in red, green, and clear. Never had FWS question them BUT they did look for them. They also have a whistle built into them.

Handheld VHF. What if the dinghy breaks down on the way back from dinner and you can’t row out of the current.

I had 25’ chain, 200 rope rode, and a west marine 23lb plow. I would add 25’ of cheap home depot chain for the keys trip. Okay…its not ship shape and Bristol chain but there were times I really needed the extra. I would wash it off when I came home and coat with some oil. Still have it. Looks bad but works. I had a Fortress FX 16 with 25’ chain and 150 rope. Couple of times used them both.

Army surplus no-seeum net. NOT mosquito. If you can clearly see through the holes it will only stop mosquitoes. If you look through the holes and it looks blurry then it is probably no-seeum. Also Thermacell Mosquito repellent butane device. I had deet and skin so soft concoctions I mix up but that really makes you feel greasy so we would use the nets and Thermacell.

I always had a thin wetsuit this time of year in case I had to dive the anchor or get in the water to work on a fouled prop.

Luci inflatable solar lamp. They make a frosted one now. This makes a great find the boat on way back from shore as well as sit around the boat light that doesn’t draw on the batteries. Easy to find on amazon.

NoRinse Body Wash- you can bathe in ½ a Solo cup of water. So nice to get clean at night and not draw down water supply. We also had NoRinse Shampoo.


In the event you need to get back via land to the tow vehicle and are down in the keys consider the Lower Keys Shuttle bus. www.kwtransit.com. You can take it to Marathon and get off at the airport for a car rental. Greyhound and Keys Shuttle will run all the way to Miami but it is not nearly as frequent. I always kept this printed and in my backpack.
Navionics for Ipad. It was nice to be able to plot out the next day while sitting at a bar versus having to be bent over the chartplotter. If you have a cellular ready ipad, even if you don’t pay for the service, the GPS chip will be in it. You can also buy a GPS puck to tether to it.

Hope you find this helpful

Bob and Alicia

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cdory25



Joined: 05 Feb 2012
Posts: 162
City/Region: Flagler Beach
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Shoal Mates
Photos: Blues Cruiser
PostPosted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bob & Alice -

Wow! That's a lot of useful information! First, I don't have a dingy. Neither does the other boat I'm cruising with. Don't these bars, marinas, and eateries have transient slips/parking? Water taxis? Is that a must have? I do have a Waterway Guide.

Oh, my tow vehicle is a 2011 Silverado 1500 Z71 4x4 w/tow pkg and trans cooler. It is rated at 9400lb. It has proved good for Florida although I wouldn't tow Blues Cruiser through any mountains with it.

I'm handicapped and can't walk far either. Probably selling boat after this trip due to amount of prep required for these trips.

Does anyone know where I can get non-eth gas off route 1 before Pennekamp?

Thanks!
John & Karen
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