Florida Keys, Winter 2013

Jim,
We are coming down to Florida in April I want to fish for grouper and I think the Atlantic side opens for grouper in April. I will go to Key West for the first couple of weeks and then to Marathon for a couple of weeks. We were going to try the west coast of Florida but that will have to wait till I retire completely.
Dave and Ginny Deem
 
We are planning on doing something in January. Am open to ideas...at least now we're on the thread.


Thanks!
John and Karen
 
At least give us who are down there a shout, come by and visit and have a been etc.
 
I live on Summerland Key and noticed that several C-Dory owners will be here in the Middle and Lower Keys this winter. I'd love to get together with someone with a 22 Cruiser. My wife and I are considering purchasing one, and would like to speak with one or more owners, and see a 22 up close and personal.
 
We might be talked into exploring the Keys sometime this winter. First we would need to find a launch that is close to I95 and a safe haven for our truck and trailer. Second we would like to hook up with other C-brats or at least know the best places to see and stay in Keys.

TIA
John & Karen
 
I would bring the boat on down to the keys on the trailer, rather than launching near I 95. The rig should be much safer in the keys, and it will be easier to find a place. Many of the folks like Tavernier. Bahia Honda is a state park. There are lots of places to launch and leave the rig on the keys. We drive a 42 foot RV, towing an 18 foot CC--no problem on the roads.
 
Key West's City Marina at Garrisson Bight has a nice ramp and rig parking, Same goes for goes for the Black Fin Resort in Marathon. The Pilot House marina in Key Largo is nice with rig parking also. You can have the Pilot House lift you in or travel a couple miles up the road to the John Pennecamp State park and they have a nice ramp about four mile boat ride back over to the Pilot House Marina. All the above have excellent weekly rates. All the above places are in areas with lots to do and are near plenty of grocery stores etc. I have not stayed yet at the Black Fin Resort in Marathon but it is rated very good. THe other places I have launched and stayed out with out ever have a problem
D.D.
 
If you haven't checked the Active Captain database, it's a great resource, and the Keys are filled with information on launch ramps, anchorages, user reviews, etc.

There are countless places to anchor, but you can spend a lot of time driving up tiny channels trying to find that special spot - Active Captain can help you locate a good anchorage and maybe save some time.

A couple years ago, while doing the "South Florida Loop" I tried to find a spot that George and Penny (C-Dory Wanderer) had recommended. It was located between Vahalla Resort and the "Curry Hammock State Park," but I was searching on the Bayside and the anchorage is accessed from the Oceanside of the Keys at approx 24.74510N x 080.98037W. It's one of the dozens (hundreds?) shown in Active Captain database.

Have a Great trip!

Best,
Casey&Mary
 
We're thinking about just getting in the boat and heading south on the ICW. Anyone know how long from Daytona to Key West? We were just told by a couple while at the marina today that they did it there and back in a 25' cruiser in two weeks. Thoughts?
 
Last year we put in at Fort Pierce and ran down the intercoastal to Key West. It took us thirteen days about 350 miles if I remember correctly. We docked over night at North Palm Beach,Ft. Lauderdale,Dinner Key Marina,Pilot House Marina in Key Largo to Marathon to a short hop to Bahia Honda (10 miles) then on to Key West on the backside following the intercoastal waterway. We laid over in North Palm beach for three days because of strong winds and Ft. Lauderdale for a few days waiting for better weather. We went in March the windiest month. It's about 140 miles from Daytona to Ft. Pierce so what you say seems about right if the weather cooperates. We have friends on the St.John river now and they went from Jacksonville down to Sanford. They reported temps in the fifties and up to 70 during the day but they had a lot of cloudy dreary days in the past week. They mentioned using their diesel heater at night. This time of year maybe go to where is warmest first (Key West) and work your way north as the weather warms up. Key West usually 80 during the day 70 at night this time of year.
D.D.
 
There is a file which all of us should have on our computers:
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/nsd/distances-ports/distances.pdf

Distances between ports--US. This has river as well as all of the coastal distance. There is also a world wide publication--Distance between ports, pub 115.

I keep the East and Gulf Coast distances laminated in a book aboard.

On the I CW it is 359 Nautical and 413 statute miles. Remember that some of this is "No Wake", so you will be running at about 5 knots in those sections. I have done all of this in several boats including one with 62.5 air draft and 7 foot water draft. I think it is worth doing the total run just to see what is along the way--and take a few days to do canals, rivers etc as you go.

You can probably do it in a week--but you will not have seen many of the real sites. We have also spent weeks at points along the way--and now enjoy spending time in the keys.. But a lot of water there--and we are almost ready to go!
 
We are flying out to Florida for a week in the Keys. Would love to meet up with any C-Brats in the area. We will be there from Jan 17th to the 21st.
Drop me a PM and I'll send you my cell #.
Terry & Ann
Rock-C
 
Almost there. Camped at Monument Lake, Big Cypress Preserve in the Everglades. Finally put on shorts! Tempature 5 PM is79, with a nice breeze. Silent camp ground--our180 watt solar panel is still gharging away. Hope to see some critters tonight. Tomarrow it's Knights Key.
 
Sweet! Isn't it great to finally hit the road (or water)? If you're like me you prep and have lists and do things and make more lists and work your way through them, and then, in one magical moment, you drive off and .... you're done! The lists and chores of prepping are behind you and the trip stretches out ahead. Ahhhh, a great moment :thup

It even feels good vicariously :D

Sunbeam :hot
 
Never heard the "magical moment" described so well but I know exactly what you're talking about. I love lists. I love The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande. I even do research on checklists. My lists for the upcoming trip to the Keys are getting longer by the day. And when I check off that last item and pull out of the driveway I say "Aaaaahhhh....." 8) That is a magical moment!

Planning to leave for the Keys in 5 days.
 
Not many lists; we are on the road so much.

Last night Marie returned fron the 10 PM angel walk and asked me what animal might guttural purr/growl? I played a few clips from the Internet which confirmed our suspicions--a Florida panther! There controlled burns about a mile away, which pushed most mammals toward the camp. I confirmed the animal with the FLIR scope. Fortunately no panther attacks ever reported in Florida... But poodles are desert... Marie had used her head and situational awareness; she slowly backed away. Watching for movement of the panther.

No panthers at Knight's Key.. The caracal is in the water and we had a lobster Rubin for supper. Temp today here was 79; now 72. Sunset beautiful!
 
Joefish,
We have had a change of plans. We were going to go down to Florida in April but now we have decided it's too cold here with a high of 32 predicted today. We plan to leave Jan 31st and should be putting the boat in the water at the city marina at Garrison Bight Feb 3rd. On Feb 9th will head up to Marathon and stay at the Black Fin Resort living on the boat for another week. Then the following Saturday we will head to the Pilot House Marina in Key Largo and do the same thing. The following Saturday I think we are going to put in on the St. John's river at Aster to do a weeks worth of cruising on the St. Johns. After that in early March we will head home. So maybe we will bump into you in Key West.
D.D.
 
We did a Marathon Harbor tour today--less boats than last year. There were about 30 vacant moorings--last year this time, there was a two or three day wait for a mooring. No more anchoring in Sister Creek--less boats anchored in the anchorage area--since the charges are almost the same for anchoring as for a mooring.

Lucky Fin: Ranger 25, was a close to a C Dory as we could find.

Tonight we did the first of the Florida Keys Concert Association series. It was a wonderful performance of the Dukes of Dixieland. (Of course this current re-incarnation is a "tribute" band--but as Marie said, the clarinet player was every bit as good as Pete Fountain who did play with the original band, and I thought the horn player was very close to Louis Armstrong, who also had played with the original band. Dixieland Jazz has a special place for me--We had the fire house 5 plus 2 play at many of our High School dances and Assemblies. I also played trombone in a jazz ensemble in High School, and played a number of the pieces played tonight. Its a bargain at $85 for 5 concerts--we got there early and had general seats on the same row as the reserved seating which was twice the price...

There are 4 more concerts between now and the 20th of March--including the Glen Miller Tribute band, Fredrick Moyer Clasical Pianist, An evening of Opera highlights, Jupiter String Quartet, and The Philadelphia Virtuosi. A lot of fun are the people you meet standing in line. The fellow next to us was a small boat sailor (Maybe C Dory Convert?), who is 82 and still actively racing in New Jersey--but his home was destroyed in Long Beach NJ by Sandy.

The wind is picking up for the next few days, so we will not be able to run as far out in the Caracal as we did today.
 
Saw Molly and Andy on Molly J yesterday, and we will get together in the next couple of days. Pretty windy which is keeping most boats (both traveling and fishing) in the harbor, but great temps.

Last night was "Glen Miller Orchestra" in the series. Couple we met in line had 11 Cubian residents arrive on their beach Saturday AM. They had feet on the beach, so get $10,000 and social benefits, plus get to stay! They came in an inflatable, powered by a low HP Russian Outboard motor about 14 hours for the crossing.

By the way, some of the seams were held with ... Duct tape!

The last refugee a couple of years ago arrived on their beach on a wind surfer. He was an instructor at a hotel, and with a good South East Wind just keep on going. 9 hours for the crossing (strapped in with harness).
We are so fortunate in the US!

Come on down.
 
Made it down thru ice and snow and two (2) shutdowns of 95 on the way. Docked at Bahia Honda for past five days. Like Dr. Bob says warm but breezy. Fished a couple days but only caught small ones in small numbers. Spent most of my time trying to duck out of the wind. With a south breeze I did have a good day north of the Content Keys. Cool spot. Met up with Greybeard who is directing me to the good restaurants (Cracked Conch sandwich and Lobster rueben) :thup Frank's Grill in Marathon great for Italian. On to Key West Monday. Maybe an adventure to the Marquesas if the wind will settle down.
 
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