Dry Tortugas Trip Idea

[surfinjoe]

"I don't think 100 gallons will make it, and you can not re-fuel there (or get water) hence the 'Dry' part of the name. I would avoid hurricane season for sure."

No water, no fuel. What else do they not have? What is the attraction here? Sounds too much like camping to me. At the risk of sounding negative, I can think of more desirable destinations with a whole lot less worry. Each to their own, I guess. Nevertheless, have fun and let us know how it turns out. :thumbsup:

For me, the attraction is the sea turtles that lay their eggs on the shore of DT. There are also countless coarl reefs in the area. Not to mention that this Key is pretty much the last piece of land that is West of Key West. It's like an adventure in a boat....and yes you must camp if you stay on the island (or sleep abord). I think that Loggerhead Key is actually the Westward most key, but who's counting....

 

[gwkiwi]

I would just catch the ferry to the TD and leave your worries at home.

We are now sitting at a berth in the Key West Harbor Yacht Club on Stock Island after a trip down from Charleston SC.

The last couple of days we came from Miami to Homestead to Caloosa Cove on the inside along the ICW with very shallow spots in places in Biscayne Bay where my wife sat on the bow as a look out at idle speed and we stilled stirred mud a couple of times at 2 miles off shore.

Then we crossed over at Lower Matecumbe Key and we took the outside Hawks Channel down to Key West with 3 to 5 foot seas. Outside the reef the seas are usually 1 to 2 feet higher depending on wind etc. The trip was 75 miles in approx 3 1/2 hours but we had to stop several times to put the boat in reverse to spit out caught up sea grass that was prevalent.

Also there were so many cray pots everywhere that we were very lucky not to hit one, my wife was excellent at calling out 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock, 1 o'clock every 30 seconds or so to make sure that I had all so seen them coming up and that we didn't hit one. I would have clocked one with out her help especially the ones that are painted teal or green like the color of the water.

Let the weather dictate your route and departures, also gas here is $4.75 gallon as of today but the weather is sunny and 76 with the same for the next 10 scheduled.

We will leave mid March to head back to Marathon and then follow channel 5 to Marco Island and onto the western gulf.

Again the weather must dictate everything otherwise we could be reading about you and not on this site but in the newspaper.

Also we carry a GPS chartplotter, a PC with Coastal Explorer Navigation and detailed charts to help, I wouldn't do it with out all the backup systems as it is too easy to get off course in unfamiliar areas and hit a reef or shallow spot.

Good Luck with what ever your choice is - Gerald

 

[mmcguire2002]

I will not be with my boat, but I plan on doing the one day tour in the first week of April to the Dry Tortugas, as I will be in Key West for four-five days from April 1-5, 2011. Maybe this time I will check out the Hog Fish Grill and their fish sandwich? :huh:

I am toying with the idea of doing a charter fishing gig on Monday, April, 4, 2011 again. Two years ago I went out in a group of five and caught about a 12 pound dolphin in eight hours. The only fish which was caught at $200.00 a person. The only thing I want to do is catch a large fish once in my life...I don't care about a record or even keeping the fish, I would just like to catch a large fish once before dirt nap time. I guess you could call it a bucket list thingy. LOL :smt043

Do yourself a favor and take a trip to Cabo. Big game fishing there is great. In a few hours we landed 2 mahi mahi and 2 yellow fin tuna, as well as a 185lb blue marlin.

 

[Pseudomind]

I would just catch the ferry to the TD and leave your worries at home.

We are now sitting at a berth in the Key West Harbor Yacht Club on Stock Island after a trip down from Charleston SC.

The last couple of days we came from Miami to Homestead to Caloosa Cove on the inside along the ICW with very shallow spots in places in Biscayne Bay where my wife sat on the bow as a look out at idle speed and we stilled stirred mud a couple of times at 2 miles off shore.

Then we crossed over at Lower Matecumbe Key and we took the outside Hawks Channel down to Key West with 3 to 5 foot seas. Outside the reef the seas are usually 1 to 2 feet higher depending on wind etc. The trip was 75 miles in approx 3 1/2 hours but we had to stop several times to put the boat in reverse to spit out caught up sea grass that was prevalent.

Also there were so many cray pots everywhere that we were very lucky not to hit one, my wife was excellent at calling out 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock, 1 o'clock every 30 seconds or so to make sure that I had all so seen them coming up and that we didn't hit one. I would have clocked one with out her help especially the ones that are painted teal or green like the color of the water.

Let the weather dictate your route and departures, also gas here is $4.75 gallon as of today but the weather is sunny and 76 with the same for the next 10 scheduled.

We will leave mid March to head back to Marathon and then follow channel 5 to Marco Island and onto the western gulf.

Again the weather must dictate everything otherwise we could be reading about you and not on this site but in the newspaper.

Also we carry a GPS chartplotter, a PC with Coastal Explorer Navigation and detailed charts to help, I wouldn't do it with out all the backup systems as it is too easy to get off course in unfamiliar areas and hit a reef or shallow spot.

Good Luck with what ever your choice is - Gerald

Not to change the thread, but what kind of davit system are you using, and what would you say the weight of your dinghy and motor combined comes to?