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Random Quote: If you want to catch fish, you have to drink like a fish...... Duh...or is that think like a fish???
My charts tell me I'm good-to-go running half-mile out without depth problems from Jax down to Marathon. It's not like I draw a lot of water anyway, but I just want to check it with you guys.
For better sightseeing I'd like to stay between 1/4 to 1/2 miles out during the trip.
Depth wise you're probably ok..watch out for gun fire at Cape Canaveral.
Thanks Bill. I noted the cautionary yellow buoy locations in the area.
Triplenet I've seen some good things written elsewhere about taking the ICW through Biscayne Bay. I'm pretty convinced you're right. I have plenty of time each day so your suggestion sounds like the way to go.
Pro
i would suggest you run outside a 1 mile off the beach and if i am right you need to be 3 miles off of cape untill you make the turn south, when we fly to bahamas we must be 3 miles offshore around the cape
Stay east of #8 Bouy N/E of Canaveral. Watch out for Hetzel Shoel,I have seen 20' breakers there. If you know where the ditch is you can run that but if water is dirty you woun't find it. Once your past Canerval entrance you can cut back in towards shore.
Take care entering Ponce Inlet. It can get pretty nasty with an east wind. Stay wide of Port Canaveral as mentioned. There is a large shoal area to the north of the port entrance.
Don't worry about getting to close to the launch sites, NASA will send helicopters and Port Security boats out to guide you in the right direction.
The ride down the intracoastal is nicer and a bit easier on the bod. Several hours in a beam sea this time of year and you will want to sell the boat.
Good luck!
__________________ USCG 100 TON MASTER
Pursuit 2870 CC
Palm Beach 161
1984 Mckee Craft 14'
Sunset on the ICW
Madeira Beach, Fl
Honeymoon Harbor
Bimini
"Many times life gives you the test, before you learn the lesson!"
I'd suggest going inside at Miami, through Fisherman's Channel (south of the Main Ship Channel and in to Biscayne Bay. Follow the ICW to Marathon. It's a picturesque trip and you can run at speed through most of it. If you elect to stay outside at Miami you can eith follow the markers through Hawk's Channel or go further out to the deep water around Fowey Rocks, Carysfort reef, etc. When I run on the ocean side, I prefer the deep water and always keep a couple trolling rigs handy for when I see weed lines and debris.
DO NOT enter the Main Ship Channel in Miami if there are cruise ships in port. If you do, you'll probably get the same armed escort that I had a few years ago. They're pretty unfriendly types.
Airbrush I'm laughing now, but I'm sure your event with the law wasn't funny at the time. Thanks for the heads up. It's my nature to want a closer look at those cruise ships so you probably saved me from an encounter of the undesirable kind.
It seems on this thread and others that two themes are consistent. If I want the scenic route, and I think I do....I should go inside through Biscayne Bay and down/around. That I can run at speed for the most part is nice. The second theme is that Hawk Channel is faster and more efficient, albeit less scenic. It's going to be a tough choice, and one I'm glad I get to make.
It's the running at speed thing that makes the ICW less-than-desirable south of Ponce. Of course, as signman said, getting beat up offshore - if that's the case - will be worse than slow going. If it's soft outside and I can make time like Fish did, then outside is for me until I get to Miami.
St. Augustine Inlet extends out at least 1.5 miles with a shallow bar on the North side that gets down to about 5 feet deep and gets very rough. Matanza Inlet requires going offshore slightly too. You will be able to tell as you approach. Riding the beach from Jax to Daytona you should be good other than the hiccups mentioned..
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Ive gone in above Canaveral when it was blowing before. Is that Ponce? we ran down the ditch and through the barge canal / locks and stayed in Canaveral for the night. It was neat run.
Ive gone in above Canaveral when it was blowing before. Is that Ponce? we ran down the ditch and through the barge canal / locks and stayed in Canaveral for the night. It was neat run.
Yes that would have Ponce Inlet, most likely
__________________ "I'm suing the THT and the guy that made it."
Airbrush I'm laughing now, but I'm sure your event with the law wasn't funny at the time.
Yea, I see the blue lights in the distance and comment to my wife "Boy, someone's in deep sh't". A few moments later I realized it was me. Talk about a nasty LEO - he'd have rammed my boat if I hadn't taken evasive action. There ar no signs, nor is (was) the area noted on the charts. I had been through there several times before 911 (before the restrictions) and even a few after - guess my timing was off.
The irony is you go into Port Everglades and pass right by the ships so long as you stay beyond mid-channel to the opposite side of the ships.
Last I was in Government Cut the rules were if one cruise ship was in port you could proceed but stay all the way on the North side of the channel. If 2 cruise ships were in port Government cut is closed and you need to use Lumus Island cut.
Your original post mentioned staying offshore a half mile. If you do that in the Keys, you'll ground in several spots before you get to Marathon. If you follow the advice given above, you'll be good, just be aware that in the Keys you'll at times be much further than a half mile out.
Dumass homeland security..on my last cruise (and it was my LAST cruise) I couldn't believe the security about a cruise ship. Smugglers come right into Stuart and unload at Sandsprit Park..no Homeland Security. I just don't comprehend the whimsical way "Homeland Security" is trying to protect us from ourselves.
ljk thank you very much. I wasn't very specific about the half mile thing. I should have said I'd like to run from Jax to Miami about a half mile out. Regardless, your advice is right on.
Regarding the keys, my initial plan was to use Hawk Channel out of Miami to Marathon and come in at Boot Key Harbor before heading north to Naples. Now however, given the advice that the ride on the ICW through Biscayne Bay at least to Adam's Cut if not farther is worth it, I'm leaning that direction.
The really cool thing is...all the choices are good ones.
Running the coast half-mile out.... 
