Hello all, As was posted elsewhere on the site, the Key West Sailing Club recently hosted a cruise out to the Dry Tortugas, and I thought I'd post a follow-up to let everyone know how it went! For the most part, things went as planned. We departed Key West harbor, heading out the Southwest Channel at about 11 o'clock Monday morning, headed for the Marquesas Keys. There were 4 boats along for this part of the trip, and the weather was more or less agreeable- Winds from the ESE at 10-15, so it downwind or a broad reach for most of the 20 or so miles. Having a pole to set the jib with made it MUCH nicer... As we passed Boca Grande Key, the fourth boat decided to cut the trip short and spend the night there. As I understand things, they returned to Key West the next day, without incident. The other two boats in the fleet (an Aurora [40?] and a Pierson 390) passed through the Boca Grande Channel to approach the Marquesas Keys from the north, while my wife and I decided to maintain our southerly entrance plans... ...and proceeded to run aground in about 3 feet of water! Ah, well, as I understand it, there are two kinds of sailors- Those who run aground and those who lie about it. Anyway, we managed to kedge our way into deeper waters and join the other two boats just west of the Marquesas Keys. We dropped 2 hooks in about 10 feet of water, paid out about 5:1 scope on each, had a good set on both hooks, and joined our fellow cruisers for cocktail hour and sunset aboard the Aurora. Early the next morning, we watched as the other two vessels got under way before we were quite done with our morning meals... but we were able to catch up with them later in the day. The winds were still light (5-10 kts) from the ESE, and the group decided to stay on the Gulf side of the reef for this leg of the trip. The GPS was set, the charts noted, and we made for New Ground shoal, the half-way point of the 35-mile trip. After about 4 hours of, well, controlled drifting (I wouldn't call it sailing!), we decided to give our VMG a little boost from the Iron Genoa. We motor-sailed for about 90 minutes, at which point I noticed that the breeze had freshened up a bit and we could continue sailing without the mechanical assist... We proceeded to find deeper waters with about 5 kts of speed, in about 12 knots of wind, fighting a minor current from the south. Not Bad! We set a course well north of Rebecca Shoals, as we didn't want to get caught up in her notorious currents. After passing that area, we found we could see one of the approach markers for the Dry Tortugas National Park and Sanctuary on the horizon, and made for it. From there, we made south at 7.7 Kts (over ground) with the help of a 2.5 knot stern current. We rounded the sanctuary 'N' mark at about 1800 local time, headed to Iowa Rock, and got back in touch with our fellow cruisers. Seems they motored all day and got to the anchorage at about 1400! They were starting to get concerned about us, and then told us about the latest anchorage info (I'll include that as a reply to this post). When we told them we had only spent a total of three hours under motor, they were quite jealous indeed... About 45 minutes later, we made our way into the anchorage and found it PACKED with other boats! We tried to anchor between our friends on the Aurora and the Freedom 30 next to them, but their neighbor aboard the Freedom felt we were a bit too close- they were afraid that they had put out enough scope to swing to where we were, and didn't want us to get bumped in the middle of the night. So, we motored towards the east end of the harbor and set one hook in about 6 feet of water. Shortly after that, it was again time to join the crews aboard the Aurora, for cocktails, dinner, and a FANTASTIC sunset. After dinner the guitar came out, the stories were told, and a good time was had by all... The next day (Wednesday) was reserved for exploring Fort Jefferson and Garden Key. Fort Jefferson is an amazing structure, when you think about all the time and energy that was put into creating it. The brickwork is all fantastic, and the methods people used to come up with their everyday needs border on ingenious. There are also some great history lessons, and a nice beach available for public use. After exploring the fort, we donned the snorkeling gear and checked out the ruins of the southern coaling docks- There were reports of turtles, barracuda, conch, and even a nurse shark or two! Dinner that evening was aboard the Pierson, and it was wonderful! Fajitas, rice and beans, two kinds of salads, an plenty of cold beverages to wash it down with. Anyone who tells you that you need more than a Magma kettle grill and a good icebox to host a party of six needs to meet the owners of this boat! We decided to get an early night of rest, as we needed to depart at first light if we expected to make it to the Marquesas Keys before sundown. It would be a close-hauled trip for the entire day, and would also be against the currents and tides... a long day indeed! First light on Thursday found us, once again, to be the last boat in our group out of the harbor. Not so bad this time, as we were only about 1/8th of a mile behind the other two, but still at the back of the pack. We motored into headwinds from the East at 15 knots, until we were able to clear the 'N' marker again. We raised a reefed main and a 110 jib, and started making 5 knots past the bouy; then we noticed that there was a 2 knot tidal current to the north! This was good news, as it meant we were likely to have a southerly current when we tried to land in the Marquesas later that day. A few hours later, we were all still in sight of one another. The bigger boats had taken a more southerly route (our shoal-draft H25 with worn sails just won't point that high!), but all were moving along at about 5 knots to the ENE. After a while, we spotted the Aurora moving a little faster, and then the Pierson... with a little mechanical assistance, we guessed. We decided to shake out the reef, change the 110 for the 135 as the breeze had died down, and maintained our course... About three hours later, we noted that the other two boats were now both drifting with all sails down. Seems the Aurora was having problems with her fuel systems, and her Captain was spending a little quality time with the fuel filters. The Pierson was standing by to assist, and we were told (via VHF) to press on. About 45 minutes later, everyone was under way again- The Aurora and our boat under sail, and the Pierson motorsailing. The Pierson caught up with us after about an hour and a half, and made it to the Marquesas first... We didn't make it until about 2100 that night, as we weren't able to make it back as far south under sail as we'd hoped. We ended up motor-sailing into the harbor, and the winds picked up quite a bit as we got closer to the harbor! By the time we got an anchor out, one of the other boats was reporting steady winds of 20 knots with gusts to 25- In the anchorage. We quickly battened the boat down, fixed a small meal, and called it a day. The Aurora was still having fuel problems, which is why she was still under sail when last seen. She finally sailed into the anchorage at about 0200. Friday morning gave us another (now traditional?) late start. The Admiral decided that today was a day to take it easy, and enjoy ALL of the compliments that our little H25 could give us... Hot coffee, hot breakfast, a quick swim, a warm shower, and dry clothing were all high on the list! About 0930, we hoisted up the anchor and set the sails for a northerly return route- Not going to run aground out HERE again!. The winds had died down from the previous night, and had shifted a little more southerly. We enjoyed a nice long close reach under full main and 135 jib to Smith Shoal, just outside of Key West's Northwest Channel. After motorsailing through the channel (!@#ing headwinds!), we enjoyed a relaxing sail back to our slip, and enjoyed the sunset from there. All in all, it was a successful cruise! We felt the timing for everything was a little short- We would have liked to spend another day in the Marquesas, and another two in the Tortugas- but there was only one week to be had for this trip. The weather was nice, and the wind was just enough to keep the bugs from biting. If the lower Florida Keys are on you cruising wish-list, I highly recommend a visit to the Dry Tortugas. --Jon Bastien H25 'Adagio' (The smallest boat in the anchorage at Ft Jefferson!) ------------- More info for Ft Jefferson at the following link:
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E
Ed Schenck
Thanks Jon,
we are landlocked and really appreciate that you took the time to tell us about your cruise. Someday. . . .
we are landlocked and really appreciate that you took the time to tell us about your cruise. Someday. . . .
T
Tom
Another Thank You!
Being a Lake Erie sailor, we spend a fair amount of time dreaming about sailing in "open water". Am looking forward to the day (retirement) when we can explore southwest Florida. Please continue to post logs of any cruises you take, really enjoy reading them!
Being a Lake Erie sailor, we spend a fair amount of time dreaming about sailing in "open water". Am looking forward to the day (retirement) when we can explore southwest Florida. Please continue to post logs of any cruises you take, really enjoy reading them!
D
Don
J
Jon Bastien
As promised- Anchorage info
Hello again, Glad you're enjoying the notes I made about the trip! I mentioned in the original post that I would make notes about the anchorages along the way, so... =============== The Marquesas =============== The Marquesas Keys are a little short of half-way to the Dry Tortugas, but they are the last group of islands before you're out in open water... There are no other islands before you get to the sanctuary area. We anchored on the west side of the Marquesas, in the lee of the largest island of the group. The best approach to the western side of the islands is from the north, as you may have guessed from the original post. Lots of shallows and shoals to the south, and the open water to the west has MANY hidden, unmarked, or submerged obstructions. To enter from the north, our fellow cruisers headed to Ellis Rock, south from there, and then skirted the islands in 15 feet or so of water. We used Danforth style anchors, laid 180 degrees away from each other, and both set well in the sandy bottom. A word of caution and advice, a Danforth doesn't get a good bite into sea grass, and there's plenty of grass here! Look for the sandy spots before you drop the hook. The islands are uninhabited, so there are no facilities of any kind; In fact, I'm not sure that exploring on the islands is even allowed as they are bird sanctuaries. Finally, I HIGHLY recommend you use some form of anchor light in this anchorage. There are a good number of fishing boats that come through in the middle of the night; Also, any other cruisers entering the anchorage after dark will have a VERY difficult time seeing your unlit boat as there is no ambient light out here. =============== Garden Key (Fort Jefferson) =============== There are many charts showing anchorages around Garden Key; most of them are wrong. There used to be an anchorage on the northeast side of the fort, but hurricanes and shoaling have changed whatever was there into a small lagoon... (not to mention attaching Bird Key to Garden Key via sandbar). To expand a little on what was in the original post, here's the way we went into the anchorage: - From yellow bouy 'N', straight to Iowa Rock. There are some shoals here, but none shallower than 10 feet. - From Iowa Rock to Red marker '6'. You will see some black and white diamond shaped markers as you pass Iowa Rock; These mark the shoals around the OLD anchorage- and you should avoid that area altogether. - From marker '6', there are a WHOLE BUNCH of day markers visible to the left; these marks aren't on any of the charts we had. These mark 2 seperate channels into the anchorage- One from the north and one from the south. If you follow the green markers in their numbered order (I can't remember the numbers- we were having a little outboard problem at that time...) you'll stay in about 30 feet of water until you're inside the anchoring basin. Inside the basin, there will probably be plenty of other boats to offer you advice, but here are my tips... -- Just like the Marquesas, the bottom is going to be either sandy or grassy. You can spot the sand by looking for bright green colored water. Avoid anything brown (rock or coral) or dark green (grass), as the Marine patrol may try to fine you for anchoring on them! -- Be prepared to have your boat boarded by the local Marine Patrol boat- and they WILL want to look at your head installation. Specifically, they want to see that you've got a holding tank of some sort, and that the seacock for your overboard discharge is WIRED CLOSED to prevent accidental discharge. Also worth noting- As I understand it, Lectra-San units are NOT approved in National Park waters; If you have one, you may want to invest in a Porta-Potti! -- There is a large dock in the basin, and you should leave plenty of room between your mooring and the dock. There are large boats that come into the basin to bring the tourists, and they need the turning room. Also, the seaplane passes through that area on the way to its portion of the beach. -- To the left of the dock spaces is a small beach; This is where you are allowed to beach your dinghy for the day (no charge). We left most of our belongings (towels, a cooler, snorkeling gear) in the dinghy while we were exploring the island, with little fear of them being stolen. -- We only set one anchor while we were here, as the anchorage is largely protected from tidal currents and the wind was constantly from the east. We set about 7:1 scope, but we had plenty of 'swinging room' as we were pretty much alone in 6 feet of water (everyone else stayed back in about 15'). -- No, the birds don't get quiet at night. You'll hear them chattering for your entire stay... -- Finally, the facilities at Ft Jefferson are pretty sparse- There's no fresh water for visitors, and there's only one bathroom- plumbed with salt water. Don't plan to leave trash or dump holding tanks here, there are no facilities for that (pack out what you pack in!). Good luck if you want to take the trip, and if you want to know anything else, drop me a line! --Jon Bastien (jonbastien@yahoo.com) H25 'Adagio'
Hello again, Glad you're enjoying the notes I made about the trip! I mentioned in the original post that I would make notes about the anchorages along the way, so... =============== The Marquesas =============== The Marquesas Keys are a little short of half-way to the Dry Tortugas, but they are the last group of islands before you're out in open water... There are no other islands before you get to the sanctuary area. We anchored on the west side of the Marquesas, in the lee of the largest island of the group. The best approach to the western side of the islands is from the north, as you may have guessed from the original post. Lots of shallows and shoals to the south, and the open water to the west has MANY hidden, unmarked, or submerged obstructions. To enter from the north, our fellow cruisers headed to Ellis Rock, south from there, and then skirted the islands in 15 feet or so of water. We used Danforth style anchors, laid 180 degrees away from each other, and both set well in the sandy bottom. A word of caution and advice, a Danforth doesn't get a good bite into sea grass, and there's plenty of grass here! Look for the sandy spots before you drop the hook. The islands are uninhabited, so there are no facilities of any kind; In fact, I'm not sure that exploring on the islands is even allowed as they are bird sanctuaries. Finally, I HIGHLY recommend you use some form of anchor light in this anchorage. There are a good number of fishing boats that come through in the middle of the night; Also, any other cruisers entering the anchorage after dark will have a VERY difficult time seeing your unlit boat as there is no ambient light out here. =============== Garden Key (Fort Jefferson) =============== There are many charts showing anchorages around Garden Key; most of them are wrong. There used to be an anchorage on the northeast side of the fort, but hurricanes and shoaling have changed whatever was there into a small lagoon... (not to mention attaching Bird Key to Garden Key via sandbar). To expand a little on what was in the original post, here's the way we went into the anchorage: - From yellow bouy 'N', straight to Iowa Rock. There are some shoals here, but none shallower than 10 feet. - From Iowa Rock to Red marker '6'. You will see some black and white diamond shaped markers as you pass Iowa Rock; These mark the shoals around the OLD anchorage- and you should avoid that area altogether. - From marker '6', there are a WHOLE BUNCH of day markers visible to the left; these marks aren't on any of the charts we had. These mark 2 seperate channels into the anchorage- One from the north and one from the south. If you follow the green markers in their numbered order (I can't remember the numbers- we were having a little outboard problem at that time...) you'll stay in about 30 feet of water until you're inside the anchoring basin. Inside the basin, there will probably be plenty of other boats to offer you advice, but here are my tips... -- Just like the Marquesas, the bottom is going to be either sandy or grassy. You can spot the sand by looking for bright green colored water. Avoid anything brown (rock or coral) or dark green (grass), as the Marine patrol may try to fine you for anchoring on them! -- Be prepared to have your boat boarded by the local Marine Patrol boat- and they WILL want to look at your head installation. Specifically, they want to see that you've got a holding tank of some sort, and that the seacock for your overboard discharge is WIRED CLOSED to prevent accidental discharge. Also worth noting- As I understand it, Lectra-San units are NOT approved in National Park waters; If you have one, you may want to invest in a Porta-Potti! -- There is a large dock in the basin, and you should leave plenty of room between your mooring and the dock. There are large boats that come into the basin to bring the tourists, and they need the turning room. Also, the seaplane passes through that area on the way to its portion of the beach. -- To the left of the dock spaces is a small beach; This is where you are allowed to beach your dinghy for the day (no charge). We left most of our belongings (towels, a cooler, snorkeling gear) in the dinghy while we were exploring the island, with little fear of them being stolen. -- We only set one anchor while we were here, as the anchorage is largely protected from tidal currents and the wind was constantly from the east. We set about 7:1 scope, but we had plenty of 'swinging room' as we were pretty much alone in 6 feet of water (everyone else stayed back in about 15'). -- No, the birds don't get quiet at night. You'll hear them chattering for your entire stay... -- Finally, the facilities at Ft Jefferson are pretty sparse- There's no fresh water for visitors, and there's only one bathroom- plumbed with salt water. Don't plan to leave trash or dump holding tanks here, there are no facilities for that (pack out what you pack in!). Good luck if you want to take the trip, and if you want to know anything else, drop me a line! --Jon Bastien (jonbastien@yahoo.com) H25 'Adagio'
B
Bill Coxe
I was going to skip
your article, because it is a far cry from CT to the Dry Tortugas. So glad I didn't miss it. thanks for the info and maybe some day... Bill, O-22 Closure and O-28 soon to be named
your article, because it is a far cry from CT to the Dry Tortugas. So glad I didn't miss it. thanks for the info and maybe some day... Bill, O-22 Closure and O-28 soon to be named
M
Mike Tyler
Restricted areas in the Marquesas
I enjoyed your article on your trip to the Tortugas.I lived in Florida and have cruised to the Keys and Tortugas from Ft Myers. It seems to me that in the past parts of the Marquesas were used for bombing practice by US Navy planes. I think the charts in that area noted that there maybe unexploded ordinance in the area and while you could travel in the area you should monitor for warnings indicating use of the area by the military. I did not see mention of this in your note. Is this no longer the case?I hope to be able to cruise the area this summer and would like to know the status of that range. Thanks,
I enjoyed your article on your trip to the Tortugas.I lived in Florida and have cruised to the Keys and Tortugas from Ft Myers. It seems to me that in the past parts of the Marquesas were used for bombing practice by US Navy planes. I think the charts in that area noted that there maybe unexploded ordinance in the area and while you could travel in the area you should monitor for warnings indicating use of the area by the military. I did not see mention of this in your note. Is this no longer the case?I hope to be able to cruise the area this summer and would like to know the status of that range. Thanks,
J
Jon Bastien
Re: Restricted Areas...
Mike, I'm not sure if the military is still using that area as an explosive range; It's still marked on the charts, but I've never seen or heard any military activity in that area. I wouldn't recommend dropping an anchor anywhere except the known anchorage, though- I wouldn't want it to find an unexploded bomb! --Jon Bastien H25 'Adagio'
Mike, I'm not sure if the military is still using that area as an explosive range; It's still marked on the charts, but I've never seen or heard any military activity in that area. I wouldn't recommend dropping an anchor anywhere except the known anchorage, though- I wouldn't want it to find an unexploded bomb! --Jon Bastien H25 'Adagio'
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