Tampa to Key West to Stuart

[Tayana]

I’d like to take my Tayana 42 from the Tampa area to Stuart/Port St Lucie area. Need to start the journey end of June and am trying to plan the trip. I prefer to pull in every night but having problems on the last part to Key West. It looks like after Marcos Island (Tampa, Sanibel, Marcos, key west) there are no great places to spend the night. The plan is to push hard until Key West then spend 2 days there and continue up the coast to Port St Lucie (key west, islamorada, Hollywood, Stuart) I am averaging 4.5 knots for my calculations, I believe that is conservative for the 42’ Tayana but let me know your thoughts.
Any advice on routes or things to avoid would be appreciated.

 

[dlochner]

Are you looking for marinas or anchoring out?

The online version of Waterway Guide is helpful. A subscription is only $4 a month and can be cancelled at any time.

Also take a look at Aquamaps for IOS and Android, especially helpful for the ICW legs with very accurate and current information on bridges and depths.

 

[Tayana]

I’m looking at marinas. Thank you for the guide and app rec!

 

[Sailgunner]

After Marco no marinas until Marathon. 13 hour trip for us going around 7 knots. The common anchor between the two is Little Shark River. I would think your boat should be able to average 7.
Don't know your draft but for my 5'4" draft I have to anchor between Marathon and Key Biscayne. The common anchorage is Rodriquez Key. Done this trip several times so pm me if you would like to review more.

 

[SFS]

Does your air draft eliminate the possibility of the Okeechobee Waterway?

 

[Tayana]

Does your air draft eliminate the possibility of the Okeechobee Waterway?

My draft is 5’10” and mast height is 60’ from what I can tell mast height eliminates that option quickly.

 

[Rick Webb]

After Marco no marinas until Marathon. 13 hour trip for us going around 7 knots. The common anchor between the two is Little Shark River. I would think your boat should be able to average 7.
Don't know your draft but for my 5'4" draft I have to anchor between Marathon and Key Biscayne. The common anchorage is Rodriquez Key. Done this trip several times so pm me if you would like to review more.

+1 on Little Shark River, have a plan for mosquitos

sometimes I swear you could walk from there to Marathon on top of the crab pots

keep wanting to do the Dry Tortugas but hasn't worked out yet, consider that option

 

[Tayana]

+1 on Little Shark River, have a plan for mosquitos

sometimes I swear you could walk from there to Marathon on top of the crab pots

keep wanting to do the Dry Tortugas but hasn't worked out yet, consider that option

Would an overnight passage from Marcos to Marathon or Key West be a reasonable option?
I’ve been looking Dry Tortugas as well and depending on winds it looks like a potentially faster route from Marcos.

 

[Sailgunner]

No crab pots from May 1 to October.
I have done an overnight from Port Charlotte to the Dry Tortugas twice. Both were not good trips but it all depends on the weather. Have also done an overnight from Marathon to Punta Gorda. You could easily do an overnight from Marco to Key West or to the Dry Tortugas.
If winds from the east you can anchor off shore at Little Shark or anywhere in that area. Its all shallow and easy to anchor.
At Marco you have marinas or two good anchor areas. Factory Bay or Smokhouse Bay. Smokehouse is a little tricky getting in and you need some tide. Factory is easy, BUT, going in go between the two signs on the east side and not close to the Green marker.
If you are going this time of the year you will get into thunderstorms. We don't do any cruising from June through September.

 

[Rick Webb]

Would an overnight passage from Marcos to Marathon or Key West be a reasonable option?
I’ve been looking Dry Tortugas as well and depending on winds it looks like a potentially faster route from Marcos.

Overnight seems viable to me if you're sure about not catching crab pots

I've charted it out and Tampa to Dry Tortugas to Key West I think I remember was faster than day tripping down the coast if you are good with two all days and an overnight.

 

[Rick Webb]

No crab pots from May 1 to October

did not know that one need to file that away

our trips were always late fall or early spring for some reason

 

[flightlead404]

After Marco no marinas until Marathon. 13 hour trip for us going around 7 knots. The common anchor between the two is Little Shark River. I would think your boat should be able to average 7.
Don't know your draft but for my 5'4" draft I have to anchor between Marathon and Key Biscayne. The common anchorage is Rodriquez Key. Done this trip several times so pm me if you would like to review more.

From the gulf can't you cut through at Channel 5 bridge south of Lower Matecumbe, north of Marathon?

The go Rodriquez, Key Biscayne, Lake Worth, Fort Pierce.

Key Biscayne to Ft. Lauderdale will need to be done on the outside due to the Julia Tuttle causeway, but from there you can go AICW (nasty from Ft. Ladedah to north of Lake Worth) or outside in day hops (probably 8 -10 hr hops for you depending on wind).

St Lucie inlet is accompanied by all sorts of warnings about shoaling and "local knowledge needed". I've never used it. Personally I'd go to Ft. Pierce and backtrack to Stuart a little bit.

Loads of places to anchor on that route or duck into marinas.

 

[Sailgunner]

From the gulf can't you cut through at Channel 5 bridge south of Lower Matecumbe, north of Marathon?

The go Rodriquez, Key Biscayne, Lake Worth, Fort Pierce.

Key Biscayne to Ft. Lauderdale will need to be done on the outside due to the Julia Tuttle causeway, but from there you can go AICW (nasty from Ft. Ladedah to north of Lake Worth) or outside in day hops (probably 8 -10 hr hops for you depending on wind).

St Lucie inlet is accompanied by all sorts of warnings about shoaling and "local knowledge needed". I've never used it. Personally I'd go to Ft. Pierce and backtrack to Stuart a little bit.

Loads of places to anchor on that route or duck into marinas.

Yes you can go under the channel 5 bridge. But Marathon is a good stop for fuel and a good place to visit. You can take the bus to Key West from there for $2.00 each (seniors).