considering a trip to Tampa...need some help/advice...

chuck1 said:
Thanks, One of these days I'm going to make it.:thumbsup: I copied that article that "water rat" posted for future reference. Thanks for the info "water rat" Morpheus you still hoping to make it up to the TN river this year? Looks like the TN river trip may be the only trip we do this year until the real estate market picks back up. Don't you just hate it when you have the time you don't have the funds:smt089 O well I guess that is why they call it work:smt021:smt021 Another one of them 4 letter words.:lol:
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I'm in the same boat as you so to speak no pun... sales are down (I'm not in realestate) no one wants to part with their money... Unless something happens between now and then I don't see us making the trip although I'd love to. Admiral still doesn't like the idea of towing that far, but most of my vacation time is used up already... First week of June will be a big boating week/month about 20 family members will be down at the mother in law's punta gorda house where the boat is and we plan on being on the boat every day all day long for 2-3 weeks during june.
 
Egmont vets..any tips for Egmont and saltwater noobs? I was going to go today but was rained out. Shooting for tomorrow now.

What side is best? Do you anchor and wade to shore? I realize you don't want to come back and find the boat high and dry so beaching is out of the question, but what is common procedure to deal with tides in these situations? (No, no dinghy)
 
I have spent many a day at Egmont and love it. I usually go to the West side (Gulf) and anchor so the boat is about 75 feet out from the shore. Depths are around 5-6 feet or so in that area. I then just wade into shore.

Be careful coming around the NorthWest side of Egmont- there is a shoal that will drop the depth down to around 4 feet, even pretty far off the shoreline. What's interesting is just off of this shoal (to the north) the depth is near 90'- it's called the Egmont hole. Since the water is usually pretty clear, make sure you have a good pair of polarized sunglasses and look for the darker, deeper areas. As you cross the shoal and head South, the depth will pick up to 9-10 feet and you should be good to go.

Brian
 
Yep, same as Mystic said. We hang out on the west side of Egmont. Just check your tide chart before you anchor - then you'll have a better idea if the direction it's going to go before you get out there. Use two anchors so you aren't swinging around out there.

Have fun! That's a great way to spend Easter!
 
Well getting there wasn't too bad. I was surprised when the 20' deep channel out from the Fort Desoto boat launch turned into sandbar hell but I made it out OK. A shallow area north of the main channel extended way too far out but I went around it and then in to the beach. Boats everywhere, and it was an incredible afternoon.

The wind seemed to be picking up quite a bit so we loaded up as best we could with the bow pulpit submerging and the stern drive coming completely out of the water. I tried to motor along on plane but didn't much care for the waves washing over the bow. Nobody else did either, and it wasn't much better at slower speeds. I found my way across the shallow area along the north side of the channel on the way back to save time but sandbar hell got me on the way in. I had to hop off and push the boat along in baby steps when it was on a swell until were were afloat again. Finally made it back to that channel and calm water. The GPS is essentially uselass for water depth info. Definitely a bit more of an intense experience than boating in the midwest!
 
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Ow. That sounds like an ugly trip home. FYI West Marine has charts, if you don't have them yet. I'd get some asap.


It is a bit tricky getting in and out of Egmont if you aren't familiar with the area. We give it a wide berth, just to be safe. Some people really cut in close to the key, but I think they are nuts. You can really mess up if the tide is low.

We are from Michigan originally, so I know what you mean about saltwater boating. It's different down here with the tides, etc.

Maybe we'll see you out there one of these days!
 
I can look back on that return trip now and smile about it but it was a bit stressful at the time and the screaming grandkids didn't help. I tried my best to make the first trip just my wife and I but the family HAD to come.

At one point I was following another boat that was weaving and wandering around looking for deep water in front of the north beach of Fort Desoto too. Apparently he didn't know much more than I did because he was tilling up plenty of sand himself. :) In and out of Egmont wasn't the problem - it was in and out of the boat launch at Fort Desoto.

I'll definitely pick up the charts. This was only what a 2-3 mile trip?? I had intended to for backup anyway, but now I definitely will to compare chart data to Garmin data. Maybe my GPS needs an update!
 
I think your GPS might need an update, you have the local charts loaded on it right? I find my GPS is pretty accurate when it comes to finding deep and shallow water.
 
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