Fort Pierce down to the Keys and Punta Gorda

[seadaddler]

I am planning to sail down to Marathon or maybe to Channel 5 and up the west coast over to Bunt Store in Punta Gorda.
I am thinking some time after Jan 1 and will be watching for a good weather window to start the trip.
Have you done any parts of this trip,what about going through Channel 5 instead of going to Marathon and stopping at Boot Key.
I have a 36 Hunter with 5 ft Draft and all of my cruising routes and or changes will depend on the weather,I should have my Sirius Weather System hooked up to my C-80 Raymarine with Radar so it should help keeping an eye on any weather during the trip.
Nick

 

[Benny]

You can cross at Channel 5 but you would still be in the fringes of the flats of Florida Bay which means you will have to navigate the narrow channels leading up to the yacht channel heading for East Cape. As plenty of westing is required to reach any desirable destination in the Florida penninsula the trip time difference between choosing Channel 5 or Moser channel should be negligible to your destination. The only advantage to heading for East Cape is that you may get some overnight rest on the hook. Moser channel offers a quicker approach to deeper waters and more sea room to choose your course under sail. This time of the year the prevalent winds come from the north or north east which should favor either route. Weather is always a concern as some of those cold fronts can pack a punch. Give yourself a 24-36 hours window of acceptable weather for making passages from the keys to the penninsula. There is nothing from East Cape to Marco Island as far as a destination or safe harbor. Off of the Cape or Shark Point currents can be strong. Boot Key is nothing to brag about but a good place to rest and take on fuel. It seems you want to do a quick trip so I would head for Mosers Channel and head straight (wind permitting) for Captiva. The South Seas Plantation Marina is the best deal in town for a layover. Then you would be a short jump up the intracoastal from Charlotte Harbor. Good luck and safe passage.

 

[Sailm8]

Just as a note. We had a very low tide this Sunday afternoon. Came in through Ponce Inlet and bumped for the first time in years. I draw 4 feet. Parts of the passage showed 5.2 and 5.6. If you come in that way watch for the combination of NE wind and low tide.