Homestead To The Keys Trip In A 220 SD

Surfinjoe, I was just reading in another thread about Holiday Isle and it isn't good. I guess the hurricanes have taken their toll in the recent past. Better check it out good before committing. My info must be old news. :-( Mike
 
Another option for a jumping off point is my buddy's place in Marathon. It is called the Sombrero Reef Inn and was the old Man O War Boatel. He has some nice rooms and a awesome dock and pier you can tie up to. He even has his own ramp on the property. It is family owned and is ocean side at the end of a canal. Nothing like opening your window in the morning and looking right to your boat on the dock 30 steps from your door!
If any of you call tell them Scott sent you! I helped him move down there and I did not want to come home!:smt089

http://www.sombreroreefinn.com/

This is also their restaraunt:

http://www.sparkyslanding.com/

I am going to run away there when my kids go off to college!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
I will look them up. Thanks for the info. I am ready to move down there myself! I can't stand winter anymore.

Another option for a jumping off point is my buddy's place in Marathon. It is called the Sombrero Reef Inn and was the old Man O War Boatel. He has some nice rooms and a awesome dock and pier you can tie up to. He even has his own ramp on the property. It is family owned and is ocean side at the end of a canal. Nothing like opening your window in the morning and looking right to your boat on the dock 30 steps from your door!
If any of you call tell them Scott sent you! I helped him move down there and I did not want to come home!:smt089

http://www.sombreroreefinn.com/

This is also their restaraunt:

http://www.sparkyslanding.com/

I am going to run away there when my kids go off to college!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
A suggestion for a place to stay in Key Largo - the Marriot. Good property down there. They have a small marina and boat ramp right on property. I wouldn't use the boat ramp - rediculous angle of attack! I put my boat in at the ramp at high tide and thought the trailer was going to come off the ball. In the end, it did lift the back end of my Durango a little. Not pleasant. There is a private launch a mile north. Nice, easy drop in. Ten bucks and well worth it.

But my main point is on the marina facilities. They have room foir about 20 boats on a first come, first serve basis. NO EXTRA COST. Many of there places down here charge an additional $50 plus per night to leave your boat in the water. I thought it was well worth it. We used the hotel as our jumping off point all over the upper Keys. There is also a nice pool and beach area for when you need to take a morning break from boating...

Yeah, right...
 
John,
Do you have the info on the ramp you used?
 
Thanks for the info. I will check it out. Do you know what the name of the ramp was?

A suggestion for a place to stay in Key Largo - the Marriot. Good property down there. They have a small marina and boat ramp right on property. I wouldn't use the boat ramp - rediculous angle of attack! I put my boat in at the ramp at high tide and thought the trailer was going to come off the ball. In the end, it did lift the back end of my Durango a little. Not pleasant. There is a private launch a mile north. Nice, easy drop in. Ten bucks and well worth it.

But my main point is on the marina facilities. They have room foir about 20 boats on a first come, first serve basis. NO EXTRA COST. Many of there places down here charge an additional $50 plus per night to leave your boat in the water. I thought it was well worth it. We used the hotel as our jumping off point all over the upper Keys. There is also a nice pool and beach area for when you need to take a morning break from boating...

Yeah, right...
 
I'm going to have to do some looking on the net. I can't remember the name of it. It's not a public ramp, but a bar/grill that has a boat ramp. It's on the bayside about a mile north of the Marriott.

I'll keep looking...
 
I didn't think they had rooms, just a bar. You aren't referring to the Keys Caribbean website, are you? I was down there February 2009. It's probably pretty safe to say that I see most of the bars in the area to be dive bars! And I frequent them too! But a good ramp with plenty of parking.
 
Yea, I was referring to the Keys Caribbean. I like dive bars :) Thanks for the info. I am leaning towards the Marriott.

I didn't think they had rooms, just a bar. You aren't referring to the Keys Caribbean website, are you? I was down there February 2009. It's probably pretty safe to say that I see most of the bars in the area to be dive bars! And I frequent them too! But a good ramp with plenty of parking.
 
Sound slike a wonderful trip, but BRING the DEET! After sundown the critters you'll meet are down right scary!:smt100
 
We have the timeshare on Singer Island reserved for Thanksgiving week. I really want to reserve a room at the Marriott resort in Key Largo, but the price is a little high. I am shopping around for a better rate as I won't really be spending much time in the hotel room.

So what is the status on the trip?
 
Questions:

1) What do I need to know about this area (navigation, safety, weather)
2) Is this trip feasible in a 220 SD (no jokes about Bimini trips in a bow rider PLEASE :)
3) Is this a worth-while trip for snorkeling?
4) Would I be better-off staying in Palm Beach Shores and camping on Peanut Island (innercostal party island)?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Not sure you got much in the way of answers to these Q's.

#1 Navigation is very tricky on the west side of the keys (Florida Bay) and is often referred to as inside. The ICW is well charted as to depth and the best way to think of this route is its all shallow everywhere including the ICW, and channel marks can be very far apart. Without local knowledge, a GPS would be of great benefit in Florida Bay as the water tends to be turbid and is difficult to read depth for newbies to the area. While you are always in sight of land, you don't always know exactly where the ICW is in inclement weather without more sophisticated nav tools. (See comments below on Traps)

Navigating Hawk's Channel (east & south) side of the Keys is much better marked but also has its challenges and the ICW is the only place to transit unless you have local knowledge. One special aspect of navigation in the keys during the winter months is the crab and lobster traps. The entire area is covered with multi colored floats tethering the traps below. These constitute a significant hazard in that they are close very close and they are everywhere including in the ICW channel. A skipper has to hand steer the route to keep from wrapping his prop every 500 feet . You can run at speed but you have to dodge these traps constantly. Make sure you bring a set of diver skins, a sharp knife, goggles and gloves, because you just may well be cutting loose your prop or worse rudder from a trap or two. I never run Hawks Channel at night during the lobster/crab season, preferring to run "outside" the Keys in the open Atlantic, and northbound take a free 3 knot push home.

2. Of course a 22 footer is good in the coastal water of the Keys, just use good coastal navigation practices, have plenty of sunblock, deet and a rain poncho for everyone. The water is generally clear to 15-18 feet and shallows are not too difficult to see. Fuel is available but not every Key has a fuel pump you can get to so plan your fuel stops. Weather is very nic ein the winter, but take note rain storms can be fierce, see a store on the horizion check W1 and if you're in the storms path run for cover if you can. (I've been in white out rain storms that lasted for hours wher emuch of the time I could not see my bow some 25 feet away!)

3. The keys are made for snorkelers, but that said the current between Keys can be VERY swift. Make sure you use good sense and don't dive alone nor leave the boat unattended. Who ever stays on board should be capable of chasing your butt down if you get swept away. Here is a hint for you. At Bahia Honda Park, you can go some distance south to the old bridge pilings which have been under swept by the current. Water is 8-10 ft at low tide and the crevices between the hard sand bottom and the end of the piling can yield a bounty of Hog snapper, lobster etc. Take a tickle stick, thick gloves and a gage and working those crevices you'll get supper every day! Fish off those pilings for a nice snapper dinner as well. Fresh Shrimp, bring a lantern to hang off the rail and with a good sized dip net you can take a few pounds of shrimp in an hour or less. Just drift along with an outbound tide between keys, (Bahia Honda is great for this) and then run back to the narrow of the channel and drift back again. Have the shore side crew to keep the Shrimp Boil simmering on the on the fire!

4. With Pennekamp, and all the other attractions of the Keys, Peanut Island simply pales unless you want to spend your time on the week ends at a drunk fest. There isn't much else for a boater in that area except deep sea fishing and beer and eye candy on week ends.

Hope that helps some
 
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Your comments are much appreciated. You do have me a little concerned about the currents in the Keys. My youngest daughtor is not a great swimmer as she is only 8. We are leaning towards Key Largo. Are the currents less there?

Not sure you got much in the way of answers to these Q's.

#1 Navigation is very tricky on the west side of the keys (Florida Bay) and is often referred to as inside. The ICW is well charted as to depth and the best way to think of this route is its all shallow everywhere including the ICW, and channel marks can be very far apart. Without local knowledge, a GPS would be of great benefit in Florida Bay as the water tends to be turbid and is difficult to read depth for newbies to the area. While you are always in sight of land, you don't always know exactly where the ICW is in inclement weather without more sophisticated nav tools. (See comments below on Traps)

Navigating Hawk's Channel (east & south) side of the Keys is much better marked but also has its challenges and the ICW is the only place to transit unless you have local knowledge. One special aspect of navigation in the keys during the winter months is the crab and lobster traps. The entire area is covered with multi colored floats tethering the traps below. These constitute a significant hazard in that they are close very close and they are everywhere including in the ICW channel. A skipper has to hand steer the route to keep from wrapping his prop every 500 feet . You can run at speed but you have to dodge these traps constantly. Make sure you bring a set of diver skins, a sharp knife, goggles and gloves, because you just may well be cutting loose your prop or worse rudder from a trap or two. I never run Hawks Channel at night during the lobster/crab season, preferring to run "outside" the Keys in the open Atlantic, and northbound take a free 3 knot push home.

2. Of course a 22 footer is good in the coastal water of the Keys, just use good coastal navigation practices, have plenty of sunblock, deet and a rain poncho for everyone. The water is generally clear to 15-18 feet and shallows are not too difficult to see. Fuel is available but not every Key has a fuel pump you can get to so plan your fuel stops. Weather is very nic ein the winter, but take note rain storms can be fierce, see a store on the horizion check W1 and if you're in the storms path run for cover if you can. (I've been in white out rain storms that lasted for hours wher emuch of the time I could not see my bow some 25 feet away!)

3. The keys are made for snorkelers, but that said the current between Keys can be VERY swift. Make sure you use good sense and don't dive alone nor leave the boat unattended. Who ever stays on board should be capable of chasing your butt down if you get swept away. Here is a hint for you. At Bahia Honda Park, you can go some distance south to the old bridge pilings which have been under swept by the current. Water is 8-10 ft at low tide and the crevices between the hard sand bottom and the end of the piling can yield a bounty of Hog snapper, lobster etc. Take a tickle stick, thick gloves and a gage and working those crevices you'll get supper every day! Fish off those pilings for a nice snapper dinner as well. Fresh Shrimp, bring a lantern to hang off the rail and with a good sized dip net you can take a few pounds of shrimp in an hour or less. Just drift along with an outbound tide between keys, (Bahia Honda is great for this) and then run back to the narrow of the channel and drift back again. Have the shore side crew to keep the Shrimp Boil simmering on the on the fire!

4. With Pennekamp, and all the other attractions of the Keys, Peanut Island simply pales unless you want to spend your time on the week ends at a drunk fest. There isn't much else for a boater in that area except deep sea fishing and beer and eye candy on week ends.

Hope that helps some
 
The tidal currents are strong throughout the Keys...including Key Largo. It's not an issue to be overly concerned with unless you are near cuts between the islands near navigable passages.

There is a cross key canal that connects Barnes Sound with the ocean that runs beneath US 1 near the Caribbean Club in Key Largo that is very swift at change of tide. I remember being in that canal once with my 18' Formula against the tide at 3/4 throttle with 35 MPH showing on the old pitot tube fed speedometer...and I was barely moving!!
 
Now that's a crazy tidal current indeed! I am sure we can figure things out. It sounds like it is very important to pay attention to the tide schedule! At least with our boat we only draft 36" fully trimed out.

The tidal currents are strong throughout the Keys...including Key Largo. It's not an issue to be overly concerned with unless you are near cuts between the islands near navigable passages.

There is a cross key canal that connects Barnes Sound with the ocean that runs beneath US 1 near the Caribbean Club in Key Largo that is very swift at change of tide. I remember being in that canal once with my 18' Formula against the tide at 3/4 throttle with 35 MPH showing on the old pitot tube fed speedometer...and I was barely moving!!
 
You will do fine...just watch your depth finder and study the charts...don't trust the GPS...have your chart in front of you in the shallows and watch for cloudy water that other boats have stired up...especially on the inside (Bay/Gulf side).

Keep a close watch for trap lines....keep a good dive knife handy to cut lines off your prop just in case.:thumbsup:
 

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