Messages sorted by:
[ date ]
[ thread ]
[ subject ]
[ author ]
Randy -
The distance FTL to KW is 151 nm. so you don't really have much distance
to cover in two weeks. You can afford to dawdle and have a good time, get
the kids ashore, etc.
There are relatively few decisions to be made. From FTL to Biscayne Bay
(Miami) you can go outside or inside. Outside is easier if wx cooperates,
but maybe one way down and one way back. Biscayne Bay to Marathon again
offers only three possibilities; outside the reef, Hawk Channel between the
reef and Keys chain, and gulfside (north) of the Keys. With the time you've
got and kids aboard, skip outside the reef. You don't see much and it can
be rough. Of the other two possibilities, I'd suggest again splitting them
up and down so you've seen both when you finish. Let the prevailing winds
determine the order in which you do them. From Marathon onwards, you really
have only one possibility - Hawk Channel. This means that if you've come
down gulfside, you need to go south under the Seven Mile Bridge just west
of Marathon and join Hawk Channel.
With the time available, you might think of adding to the itinerary a bit.
30 miles west of KW you've got the Marquesas and then another 30 and you
come to the Dry Tortugas. Getting back from this latter can present a few
problems if the winds blow up from the east, so I'd be careful if time is
of the essence at that point.
Another possibility is to head over to the Little Shark River and/or
Flamingo in the Everglades from either KW or Marathon. From Marathon it's
only about 25-30 miles over to Flamingo. From KW its about 75 miles. At
Christmas time you'd probably better try to get reservations at the park
marina in Flamingo before showing up on their doorstep. However, you can
always anchor just outside the harbor and dinghy in to see the park.
Problem is it may be a rough anchorage if the wind is from the wrong direction.
Hope this gives you some ideas.
Tom
At 03:30 PM 11/2/2000 -0800, Randy Boelsems wrote:
>I have 2 weeks at Christmas, when the kids are out of school, and plan to
>cruise Ft.Lauderdale to Key West and Back.
>
>1) Is it better to go down the East Coast of the Keys and back the West Side
>or down the inside and back the outside?
>
>2) Do you stay inside the reef or fight the Gulf Stream outside? Any
>favorite spots to stay
<snip>
