Dry Tortugas

Status
Not open for further replies.
sailaway78

sailaway78

.
May 11, 2005
3,431
Seidelman S37 Slidell, La.
Planning a trip to Key West, Dry Tortugas in late March or early April. Being this is a no discharge zone, and I do not have a gray water holding tank, how do you deal with this. Is it legal to discharge gray water. If not how do people deal with such things as washing the body, washing dishes etc. Do you just wait till after dark and no one is watching. I do not want to do any damage to the environment, or break the law, but I can't imagine spending several days with basically no usage of water, other than drinkiing it. Ideas, suggestions, experience.
 
Ross

Ross

.
Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Body washing can happen in the ocean so I don't think that rinsing a wash cloth will kill the marine life around you. Nancy always wipes as much food as she can from plates and pots with a paper towel before she washes them with "Dawn" detergent which is the first choice for cleaning wildlife caught in oil spills. As a result our gray water discharges are as inoccuous as washing hands in a bucket of sea water and dumping the bucket. If you catch a fish and clean it are you allowed to throw the waste over board? Is chumming allowed?
 
Scott B

Scott B

.
Sep 20, 2006
2,952
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
From the link

The No Discharge Zone designation prohibits discharging
sewage into all State waters of the Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary. This includes treated sewage from marine sanitation
devices but does not apply to gray water from showers or sinks,​
only sewage.
 
seadaddler

seadaddler

.
Dec 19, 2006
5,832
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
OK

I just came through the Keys at the end of Jan and was under the standing that no sewage of any type can be discharged,I don't have gray water holding tank either on my 2007 Hunter.
Keep us informed when you actually plan this trip.
When I did my trip around the keys it was a quick no stopping to enjoy it and hope to go back and see the sights and spend more time in Marathon and Key West and a trip over to the Dry Tortugas.
So let us known on the west coast your trip plans when you know and maybe some others will make the trip and have some type of raft up,I am new to boating here so I would love to hook up with others making some trips.
Nick
 
L

Larry Neese

.
Oct 12, 2008
42
chrysler 26 my house lower Florida Keys
we have followed the current rules all our lives because we see the damage people cause who don't care, try to discharge your gray water far from the reefs and inshore waters, they WILL check your boat on occiasion. We are under a state mandate to have sewers by Jully 2010 but don't have the money, Boot Key Harbor and Key West Bight have pump out boats that will come out to your mooring, give us a hail and we will have boat drinks, or you can tie up at our seawall overnight, we go to Ft Jefferson all the time you'll love it. Thank you for respecting our waters and reefs
 
B

Benny

.
Sep 27, 2008
1,149
Hunter 320 Tampa, FL
The Dry Tortugas is an unincorporated territory of Monroe County in Florida but is under the jurisdiction of the National Park Services. The no discharge zone pertains to raw sewage and not gray water. The marine patrol will be more interested whether your engine powered dingui has a current registration than where you dump your bath/dish water. The Gulfstream passes close by and there are powerful currents flowing through the atoll so the waters maintain themselves very clean.
 
S

svmaja

.
Apr 6, 2008
6
Bristol 32 Coquina Key
I would strongly suggest you rethink your timetable for that trip. The gulf of mexico is unsettled at best during that time.. there is NO protection from the elements at Fort Jefferson. We get some pretty nasty weather during this part of the year.
You have to figure your time from key west to fort jeffereson in between fronts..then make sure you can get in... more than likely you will need to come in on the NW channel.. call "park service" once you get inside the preserve.. you cannot miss it .. big floating bouy cans that surround the dry tortugas preserve. I have heard stories about fronts that come thru that time of year.. none good..
 
S

svmaja

.
Apr 6, 2008
6
Bristol 32 Coquina Key
Nice N Easy said:
Planning a trip to Key West, Dry Tortugas in late March or early April. Being this is a no discharge zone, and I do not have a gray water holding tank, how do you deal with this. Is it legal to discharge gray water. If not how do people deal with such things as washing the body, washing dishes etc. Do you just wait till after dark and no one is watching. I do not want to do any damage to the environment, or break the law, but I can't imagine spending several days with basically no usage of water, other than drinkiing it. Ideas, suggestions, experience.
Click to expand
yes, washing dishes is okay... I use dawn or joy.. I take my baths on the transom.. rather then indoors if it is warm.. water is like ice that time of year...
 
flhunterowner

flhunterowner

.
Nov 17, 2008
36
Hunter 30 Punta Gorda
This is a trip I also planned to take, although I had not picked a date.
When is the best time of year to make the trip?
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

.
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Three yrears ago I was there around the end of March, and the weather was perfect, though we stayed in DT an extra day while some rain passed. The anchorage is wave-protected almost 360 degrees. The sea planes come and go, and once a day there is a ferry boat that sets up a buffet on shore for their passengers. You can see the fort in a half-day, and snorkle and go to Loggerhead Key for a day. It is just a pleasant place to be, but be advised the "Dry" means there's no drinking water there.
 
sailaway78

sailaway78

.
May 11, 2005
3,431
Seidelman S37 Slidell, La.
Thanks all

Thanks all for the info and advice. I am aware that anything you want, you have to bring with you, including water. I do not have a definite date set. Being retired I am pretty flexible, but want to go from there up the east coast, and miss the hurricane season in the gulf. Have been through four of them in the past three and a half years. This year I want to be out of the zone. I know, I know, they go up the east coast, but at least not as frequent or as severe. The Chessy is in my plans, and maybe as far north as NY or even farther. Just going to play it by ear and see where I end up.
 
L

Larry Neese

.
Oct 12, 2008
42
chrysler 26 my house lower Florida Keys
I agree with my fellow sailor in Cayo Hueso, maybe because of the nasty front that blew thru last nite, would not have wanted to been out there, gale force cold wind just nasty, good time to go late april, may is great water back to 80ish no front, not hot yet
 
B

Buck 100

.
Aug 26, 2006
54
Oday 25 Eastport, Maine
Gents, if you are using charts number 11434 and 11438 you might want to check chart note Z for discharge rules.
 
Soundbounder

Soundbounder

.
Dec 26, 2008
134
Bristol 30 Long Island Sound
The Tortugas are a great place. Was there about 20 years ago, and have always wanted to return.
 
zeehag

zeehag

.
Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
am with nice n easy-we are having a ball--we head for tortugas tomorrow....then points elsewhere as described above by phil......both of us are flexible so is fun and the sailing has been awesome--fishies biting nicely and feeding us well and just loving life and blue blue water......
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top Bottom