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Boot
Key
Harbor An On-Line
Cruising Guide for the Florida Keys & Cuba |
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FALL OF 2002 - Would you like all of these "good" waypoints and
anchorages on CD-ROM - PLUS listed as Marks you can import into your electronic
charts? This will give you these spots right on your own charts, with short
descriptions and pictures or satellite views of many of them. Many will include
short video clips. Check back in the
fall of 2002 to buy the "Florida Keys & Cuba" CD-ROM and take with you while you cruise. Make sure you review the rules for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary before you dive / cruise. Where are we in the scheme of things? CLICK HERE to see a map of S. Florida, Bahamas, The Caribbean Sea, Central & S. America.
*Note: Key West is a no discharge zone. At anchor you can call Key West mobile pumpout service at 305-295-8811 (11/00) or hail them on VHF 16. KEY WEST TO THE TORTUGAS including Marquesas - South Route RW"F", ~ 2m SW Key West LORAN: 13924.8 43637.3 RW"E", SW Key West LORAN: 13919.2 43665.9 TURN toward Marquesas - West Channel ½ way between SP"E" and R4 Boca Grande, ¾ Mi S of SW point LORAN: 13898.7, 43715.5 Y"O" Buoy, entrance SE Channel Tortugas LORAN: 13800.8 43984.2 TORTUGAS TO KEY WEST, including Marquesas - North Route
"New Ground" 19 ft light, 1 ½ mi S of light (N. of Halfmoon Shoal) Ellis Rock Light, ½ mi North of light (Marquesas) LORAN: 1389.7 43779.5 Boca Grande - Reasonable Anchorage and nice day stop with
beach. G1, N approach to NW Channel Range - into Key West KEY WEST NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE - This is an area of Islands from Boca Grande which is about 11nm West, to just off Key West. CLICK HERE FOR SATELLITE & AERIAL PHOTOS & CHART OF THIS AREA JUST OFF KEY WEST KEY WEST TO CUBA SEA BUOY - RW "KW" MoA Buoy into South Channel of Key West Mariel Hemingway Marina - approach. DeBarlovento Light (RW) about 825 yards
out from buoy Havana Harbor Approach - about 1/4 mile off harbor entrance. Please note that
this is a restricted Harbor. Do not enter CLICK HERE FOR CUBA CRUISE INFO, PICTURES & CHART OF HEMINGWAY MARINA BAHAMAS - I'm not really covering the Bahamas on this site, but click the title for a short primer on how to cross the Gulf Stream, fees and rules & regulations. CAY SAL BANK BAHAMAS (Midway between the Florida Keys, Cuba, and Bahamas) Check back later in the summer of 2002 - we're going there to take pictures, gunkhole, get waypoints and make sketchcharts. It's just 30 miles North of Cuba, and about 60 miles South of the Keys. This is the most remote area of the Bahamas. You won't even find it listed in any Bahamas Boating Guides - plus chart11461 of the area is very large 1:300,000! (no detail - but try chart # 27087 for a larger scale chart). Though patrolled by the USCG (drug & Cuban smuggling), the Bahamians have no facilities or patrols here at all. The Cay Sal Bank has one of the highest concentrations of blue holes in the world and spectacular vertical walls for diving. It offers great snorkeling and diving. It is a popular fishing spot for US Fisherman making day trips to the banks from the Keys. The bank is about 37x53 nautical miles across the entire bank, and about 142 nm in circumference. It is comprised of 8 named Island groups and several unnamed ones.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A CHART OF THE
CAY SAL BANK
KEY WEST:
(See Sea Buoy GPS# above)
Key West Mooring Field: In the Seaplane Basin on the North Side of Key West. Prices in May 2002 are $120 month ($4 day) for permanent residents and $12 day for transients. This includes parking and a dinghy dock at the Barracuda pier. Rates will increase once the restrooms and showers on the pier are completed. No anchoring is permitted in the mooring field and every boat must have a holding tank. Key West provides a mobile pumpout service. The 81 mooring buoys are so close together than they can accommodate boats only 40' in length. An additional 68 moorings are planned for July 2002 and these should be able to accommodate bigger boats. Key West Water Taxi - (June 2002) - Liveaboards Arno & Naja Girard run a bright yellow water taxi called "MAGIC PENNY" (a restored navy longboat). $5 summer of 2002. 7 days per week, from about 7am to 11pm. Give rides to and from the boats, and will also deliver packages for reasonable fees. Call "Magic Penny" on VHF 16. Arno also fixes about anything on boats. Key West also has a 600 foot no-anchor zone around the entire Island. This includes areas such as Cow Key Channel. CLICK HERE for some restaurants/bars in Key West - these are the ones on the list at Mile Marker (MM) "0" - listed along with other Keys Restaurants. KEYS GULFSIDE: Lower Florida Keys (going from Key West to 7 mi bridge (Marathon) This is called the "Backcountry" of the Florida Keys. It's so shoal that the
Coast Guard even hates to cruise here. Fisherman love it though, but you have to
know the waters very well. Most of it is exposed at low water, and tides are
usually only a foot or foot and a half ordinarily anyway. If you're not familiar
with this area you should go slowly and carefully. Even a 3-4 foot draft will
have problems in many places. There are some nice spots to snorkel and lobster
along the reef edge on the North side of this area, but you're anchored in open
exposed water. I've included a couple places where you might be able to get in
and anchor with some protection, but these shoals are subject to continuous
shifting so you must be able to read the water and decide for yourself whether
you can get in here or not. CLICK HERE for some chart views and satellite photos of the Keys "BackCountry" Includes Jewfish Basin, Airplane Wreck, Johnston Key, Tarpon Belly, Marvin Keys, Snipe Point, Content Keys. KEYS OCEANSIDE: Lower Florida Keys (going from 7mi bridge (Marathon) toward Key West) Boat Ramps in the Lower Keys (aside from Key West)
KEY WEST Boat Ramps: Garrison Bight, Simonton Beach, 11th Street ramp, Bertha Street Ramp ANCHORAGE in Bahia Honda: (pronounced Bay-uhh Honda). The anchorage is nestled between the old bridge (S. or Ocean side) and the new bridge (N. or Gulf side). Clearance under the new bridge is about 19' if you're coming in from the Gulf Side. On the Ocean side part of the old bridge has been cut out on the East end to allow unrestricted passage. Anchor close to the roped off beach between the two bridges. The current gets pretty steep here between tides so anchor well and/or use a Bahamian Moor with two anchors. Don't get up close to the new bridge (N. side) to anchor on this side. We're told there's a lot of junk on the bottom to foul an anchor, but have not confirmed this. You can also anchor outside the bridges on the NW side. There is significantly less current here than between the bridges, but the holding has been reported poor too. Bahia Honda State Park has a small marina basin which contains a nice gift and snack shop. You can dinghy or boat in and tie up at no charge for the day, or dock overnight at a modest charge (don't tie up in front of the shop because the tour boats go out of here). There's also no charge for coming in to the park when you do it this way, but people coming in by car pay admission. There's a nice roped off small beach right beside the anchorage / basin. You can walk up the trail to the top of the old railroad bridge (shown below) which has been fenced off as an observation deck. Dinghy out oceanside and you'll find a couple miles or more of nice beaches on that side of the park. Some of these are hard to access from landside so you can have them to yourself. Dogs are not permitted on the beaches and they get picky about this. Dogs are allowed in the park if you keep them on a leash and stay out of the picnic areas and beach. Though most of the Keys don't really have beaches, Bahia Honda has been reported to be one of the seven best beaches in the United States. Across the highway on the Gulfside there is a small marina basin with Cottages for rent from the park.
CLICK HERE for a Chart view of the Bahia Honda anchorage between the bridges (the NW one outside the bridges not marked here) Also see Approaches to Bahia Honda from Gulfside listed further down this list, on Gulfside. Newfound Harbor Approach from East: R50 24 36.736 081 23.590 Newfound Harbor Channel - R2 24 37.117 081 24.419 ANCHORAGE in Newfound Harbor: This is a very nice anchorage where we
frequently spend weekends. It's a good jumping off point to run back and forth
to Looe Key reefs for diving and snorkeling too. (Look at the diving pages for
an aerial picture of Looe Key Reef). A "quickie-just-overnight-for-some-protection" anchorage is just inside
past Little Palm Island Resort on your starboard side. The better anchorage (to
the West side of three islands you see off your port bow as you come in the
channel) requires that loop up and around the islands to approach the anchorage from
the North West side. Follow the chart and stay off the shoals - it loops around
like a comma. Try anchoring at about 24 38.181N 081 23.742W just off the
little island with a sandy beach. You'll be looking at the view below.
If
you can get someone local to give you pointers on where the canal is (look at
the Satellite view link above), you can dinghy in
to the Looe Key Tiki Bar and restaurant for dinner or entertainment from the
anchorage here. It's a small residential canal just to the NorthWest of
the anchorage, which turns and heads straight North after you're in it - up toward US 1 -
then turns East in behind the Looe Key Reef Resort and Dive Center. Tie up and enjoy.
It's 1.85 nm from the anchorage to the Bar by dinghy route. The entrance
daymarks to this canal are at 24 38.803N 081 24.194W. Don't dinghy directly from
the anchorage to these daymarks because of the shoal on the West side of the
anchorage - curve around to avoid it. The Tiki bar and Restaurant are shown
below.
*Divers - for waypoints and information on Looe Key Reef (about 6.7nm SW of Big Pine Key & 4.5nm S of Little Palm Island) go to our DIVE SITES pages Key Lois - 50A Red Daymark, 100 yds channelside of the daymark Between Ninefoot Shoal Light & G51, In Hawk’s Channel W Washerwoman Shoal - G55 450 yds channelside of the daymark - in Hawk's
Channel - Saddlebunch Keys, R2, Channel into Stock Island, & Oceanside Marina G57 - 450 yards Channelside in Hawks Channel, Key West 24 32.158N 081 45.522W KEYS OCEANSIDE: Middle Keys - going from 7 mi bridge (Marathon) East to Upper Keys Money Keys - 24 41.00N 081 12.9W - Oceanside off 7 mile bridge. Nice day spot to explore and wade. Shoal all around, must proceed in toward the 7 mile bridge, then parallel it by the electric poles (look at your chart), then head back south to the island. Molasses Keys - 24 41.00N 081 11.45W - Oceanside off 7 mile bridge. Nice day spot to swim, explore & wade. The rock just to the SW of the main island has an old bomb hole on its NW side. This goes from about 5 foot depths at the rim to 15 or 16 feet in the hole. Good swimming. The middle island is the main one & you can beach your dinghy & explore. The water in the flats between this Island and the mangrove one to the east is very shallow and VERY HOT in the summer - it must be 105-110 degrees. Unique sand in these flats. We sometimes anchor in the channel just to the NW of the island and stay the weekend there. Fast currents. S. Approach to Money Key Channel - Molasses / Money Keys (S Side of 7 mi
Bridge). Moser Channel Approach from South (7 mi bridge), R2 Pigeon Key (7 mile Bridge) - Between Moser Channel and West channel to
Boot Key Harbor / Marathon ANCHORAGE in Boot Key Harbor -
Boat Ramps in/around Marathon:
Boot Key Harbor Channel West, between G1&R2: Approach to Sister Creek - (1/2 way between channel and E Washerwoman) ( To Boot
Key Harbor) Sister Creek, R2 24 41.206 081 05.220 LORAN: 14023.6 43436.7 Key Colony Beach / CoCo Plum Beach - CLICK HERE for a labeled aerial photo of the entrance channel R48 off Key Colony Beach: (on N. Side of Daymark) Duck Key Approach from Hawks Channel - 1 1/3 mi SW of Duck Key Channel Duck Key Channel, R2: Marina - Hawk's Cay Resort & Marina, on DUCK KEY- Follow the Duck
Key channel in from R2 around to the right and all the way to the back - Marina
is nestled up close to highway in a basin. One of the nicest Marina's in the
Keys because of the friendly marina employees.
Great views from Marina. Good ship & convenience store. Access to all the
resorts facilities including multiple pools, jacuzzi's, exercise facilities, 4
restaurants, 2 bars. They monitor VHF 16 and work on 10. Tell them Greg Absten
sent you. 03/00 Tel: 305-743-7000. Beverly works the radio and takes
reservations. The Marina and people there are very nice. The main resort however
has become very overdeveloped, restricting scenic views and bringing restaurants
and facilities there to overcapacity.
CURRY HAMMOCK STATE PARK: 24 44.444N 080 58.882W . Just east of Marathon. Has picnic shelters & tables, barbeque pits, playground for kids, small boat access & ramp, small sandy beach. Approach channel is marked. Please note that the waypoint listed here is for the park itself ON SHORE, not that of the approach channel. Good day-trip for a picnic. R45 E Turtle Shoal: 24 43.739 080 56.000 Tennessee Reef Light 24 44.700 080 46.900 R44 Channel 5, Oceanside (buoy no longer there May 99, but waypoint still good)
Long Key
Indian Key Channel - South, from Oceanside approach 24 52.584 080 40.215 (see photo below) Anchorage at Indian Key AND Lignum Vitae - 24 52.681N 080 40.807W. This is just to the west of Indian Key in about 5' of water off lower Matecumbe Key about mile marker 78.2 on US1. Provides access to historical Indian Key on oceanside, and Lignum Vitae on gulfside. Very exposed for oceanside wind/waves from SE through SW. Mooring buoys have been placed here by the park service. (Also see Lignum Vitae anchorage under Gulfside upper Keys - it's just across the bridge from here)
Alligator Light 24 51.100 080 37.100 Outback Restaurant at Hampton Inn - 24 53.979N 080 39.325 W (street side) - 305-664-0073. Small boat dock. Restaurant, Tiki Bar. Also "It's-a-Dive" dive shop on site. Cheeca Lodge & Spa: 24 54.998N 080 38.019W (street side) . Upscale Resort & Restaurant. www.cheeca.com 305-664-4651. MM 82 Islamorada Whale Harbor Restaurant: 24 56.246N 080 36.738W - This has an All-You-Can-Eat Seafood Buffet that is well know through the Keys. Also there is the Dockside Restaurant upstairs on the same property. A charter marina is there adjoining the Channel, but call ahead to see if there is anyplace to tie up to come in to dinner.
Holiday Isle Beach Resorts & Marina: 24 56.510N 080 36.379W (street side) - MM 84.5 This is a major party place. Includes several hotels. Big time tourist & college kid spot. Party area. Theater of the Sea next door. Long sand bar out in channel oceanside that is major party sandbar on weekends and holidays. (Whale Harbor Sand bar is at 24 56.067N 080 35.954W) www.holidayisle.com Theater of the Sea (attraction): 24 56.558N 080 36.362W (street side). MM 84.5 Islamorada. Marine Park & Tropical Gardens. Swim with Dolphins. Rays, turtles & lots more on display. Family oriented place. Can access through Holiday Isle Resorts docks if they'll allow it. Pelican Cove Resort: 24 56.628N 080 36.294W (street side). Upscale Resort with small boat dock, ramp, restaurant. www.pcove.com Smuggler's Cove Motel & Marina: 24 57.149N 080 35.326. Restaurant &
Marina at Snake Creek, Bayside. MM 85.5 Islamorada. KEYS OCEANSIDE: Upper Keys (Also look up the Dive Sites for places in the upper Keys) Boat Ramps in the Upper Keys:
Mandalay Marina - Restaurant/Bar - 25 04.405N 08027.569W, MM 97.5 on US1 . 80 E Second St in Key Largo, Oceanside. 305-852-5450. www.themandalay.com . This is a very small marina - could not accommodate cruisers, but many boats anchor just out of the restaurant and dinghy in to the rock jetty dinghy landing or docks. When approaching docks don't confuse it for the condo's marina right next door to the West. "Old Keys" place. Full menu & bar. Sunday church services each Sunday morning at 9am. Have a kids fishing tournament (free) the 2nd Sunday of each month - all kids catch something - they provide everything including the boats. Entertainment most nights. Check their monthly calendar on their web site. Also have associated charter fishing, back country, eco tours, scuba certification, dive & snorkel trips, boat rentals - for these call 305-853-0296.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park -
www.pennekamppark.com - based at
MM 102.5 in Key Largo, this is America's first undersea park, extending about 3
miles out to sea to the reef, and 25 miles long. The visitor information center
and marina in Key Largo offers glass bottom boat rides, snorkel and scuba trips,
on-site camping, a boat ramp, kayak and canoe trails and rentals and a couple
small beaches in the sound. Mooring buoys are placed in Key Largo Sound and
managed by the park. Fees are about $15/night in 2002. Limited dockage is
available as well with 2002 rates at $25 and $50/night. The park headquarters,
marina basin and moorings in Largo Sound are entered via South Sound Creek. At
Green Daymark G19 in the creek, it splits left and right. The left branch goes
up into the marina basin and park office. The right branch goes out into Largo
Sound to the mooring buoys. Dry Rocks Reef (Christ of the Abyss) - Pennekamp Park 25 07.361N 080 17.843W R6, Elbow Reef - Pennekamp Park 25 08.700N 080 1.500W Carysfort Light & Reef 25 13.300N 080 12.700W Turtle Reef - Pennekamp Park 25 16.54N 080 12.493W
GULFSIDE: Middle Keys (also see the "Backcountry" pages listed above for more locations Gulfside) Cudjoe Channel approach - out in approx. 20’ water 24 46.483N 081 33.598W Between R30/G29, N of Bahia Honda Bridge (gulfside) ICW Bahia Honda Channel (gulfside) - First (Southernmost) approach into channel ( 1st waypoint from
ICW) Moser Channel Approach from North (7 mi bridge), 1/4 mi North of bridge R22 - ICW, N of 7 mi Bridge 24 43.066N 081 09.189W Between R22/G21 - ICW, N of 7 mi Bridge 24 43.064N 081 09.187 R24 - ICW, N of 7 mi Bridge 24 42.635N 081 11.167W R26 - ICW, N of 7 mi Bridge 24 42.189N 081 13.310W Knight’s Key Channel, South Side- between pillars 7-8 on 7 mi bridge (outside
of fishing from bridge sign) Knight’s Key Channel, North Side - between pillars 7-8 on 7 mi bridge Knight’s Key Channel - just E of Shoal Mark, used when heading N/S Knight’s Key Shoal - 1/8 mi N of Shoal Mark, used when heading E/W Faro Blanco Oceanside, approach from West 24 42.881N 081 06.386W R12, ¾ mi West of Red Bay Bank 24 45.299N 081 10.464W Between R18-G17, Bethel Bank 24 44.339N 081 06.325W G17, Bullard Bank 24 48.960N 081 09.245W Rachel Key - ¼ mi North of Key 24 43.867N 081 04.750W Bowlegs Cut @ Peterson Key Bank (Lower Matecumbe), middle set of daymarks Gulfside: Middle Keys - to Upper Keys Anchorage at Lignum Vitae: 24 52.681N 080 40.807W just off lower Matecumbe Key at mile marker 78.2 on US1. Directly across bridge from Indian Key on oceanside. Anchor on NW of island. Mooring buoys have been placed here by the park service. The State conducts guided tours twice daily at 10am and 2pm. The March 2000 cost is only $1 if you come to the dock on the E side by your own boat. You can only dock there at the time of these tours. Nice hardwood hammock and historical island. Lots of mosquitoes reported! - take repellant. CLICK HERE for an info sheet about this destination, regarding bridge clearances, distances, nearby restaurants-bars, things do, etc.. R90 - ICW - West End of Steamboat Channel
24 56.388N 080 40.042W Anchorage at Shell Key: 24 55.480N 080 40.215W gulfside, between Lignum Vitae (above) and the Lorelei Restaurant (below). This is a state owned Bird Sanctuary. You are not allowed on the island, but can bird watch from you boat or dinghy. Several mooring buoys have been placed here by the park service. Very exposed from the North. CLICK HERE for an info sheet about this destination, regarding bridge clearances, distances, nearby restaurants-bars, things do, etc..
R78a - ICW around Plantation Yacht Harbor (PYH) 24 58.863N 080 35.969W Plantation Yacht Harbor Approach (start of turn off ICW between R78a and R78) Plantation Yacht Harbor Entrance - right off breakwall
24 58.107N 080 34.086W Grouper Creek - S. Entrance - ICW 25 07.277N 080 26.774W Dusenbury Creek - North Side - ICW 25 08.642N 080 25.430W R2 just South of Cape Sable & West of 1st Natl Bank Shoal 25.05.00N 080.04.98W G9 Entrance to Flamingo Lodge Channel (Everglades National Park) 25.07.419N 080.55.789W
Anchorage Resort & Marina - other (East) side of Jewfish Creek bridge from Gilbert's. Slips, pool, hot tub, showers, laundry, gas grills, cable TV. No fuel. $1.50/ft for slips in 2001. Flamingo Lodge & Marina -
Everglades National Park. This is a very nice marina and lodge
right in the middle of the everglades. A Park Ranger station is located at the
lodge. They have a screened in swimming pool and a restaurant. Friends can drive
there from Florida City. Click on the name for more complete information on
navigating from the middle keys, pictures, waypoints and things to do. South Florida - West Coast - heading South Cape Romano - 9 miles West of Cape, to avoid near shore shoals San Carlos Light 26 25.100N 081 57.500W Cape Sable - 2 miles West of R4 25 12.780N 081 13.820W Shark River Approach - ¾ mi West of River (little shark river) 25 19.110N 081 10.200W Shark River G1 (little shark river) & Tarpon Bay 25 19.327N 081 09.222W South Florida - East Coast Miami - MOA, approach from offshore to inlet 25 46.157N 080 05.051W THE WORLD NORTH OF MIAMI - Now why in the world would anyone want to go
that far North anyway??
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Boot Key Harbor website created and maintained by Capt. Gregory
T. Absten, Marathon. - A Boater's Guide to the Florida Keys & Cuba |
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