Florida keys review

[Wisefam22]

To start.. our initial plan was to drop the boat in at biscayne bay and travel down to key largo for first part of week, then run down to marathon for rest of week and once trip was over run from marathon back up to biscayne. All of this was by boat.

As we started traveling last Thursday the weather didnt look like it was going to play nice. We played it by ear and with rain and 15-20mph winds we decided to drive down to largo with boat in tow.

My review of the keys is I would do it again.

We got our boat ready in prep to make a crossing to bimini. Installed plotter, fixed vhf, extra safety gear.
With the uncertainly of Bimini this past year we went ahead and booked and planned the Keys. It worked for us.

There is plenty to do wherever you decide to go in the keys upper, middle, or lower keys.

Even in the heavy winds and rain (Sunday we fished and explored mangroves and got stuck in middle of storm. With the weather there were a few things we werent able to due (snorkel christ statue being big one).

With the heavy winds brought larger waves, we got out to one reef to snorkel but didnt last long as 3-4ft rollers were coming about every 3s or so.

Leaving there we spent rest of week in marathon. Tuesday after launching boat and docking we made say trip via vehicle to key west. While the weather was great the winds didnt die down until late Wednesday (winds were pushing from south/Atlantic all week. We tried fishing unsuccessful Wednesday. Thursday we paid someone to help aid us in our endeavors of catching fish (free lining for yellow tails) and how to identify good places to bottom fish.

We used our information and caught some nice fish Thursday evening as well as Friday morning.

My only regrets were not jumping in the boat and exploring the gulf/bay side more as well as not spending a little more in key largo for nicer place.

In conclusion if you havent gone to bimini and want to. Go to the keys first. My wife found out she probably can not handle anything but a smooth bimini crossing and said she would probably opt for ferry ride over. Your boat will let you know if it's ready for crossing. Our bilge worked great, batteries healed up, fuel flow meter and new GPS did its job and got great reception on vhf.

Hope this helps someone who wants to venture more with their boat/family but only have lake or river experience.

 

[AlphaKap]

Wheres all the pics?

 

[Wisefam22]

Wheres all the pics?

On my wifes phone/go pro. Just got boat washed and put away. Gotta pick kids up from airport in hour.

 

[Wisefam22]

Not sure if there is pictures directly of water, but it's super clear. Can see 20-30ft to bottom pretty easy when boat isnt rolling. You can tell when you go from 10ft-3ft without looking at plotter. Often times I said no way we are 15ft to bottom it's right there.

 

[swatski]

Great write-up! Thanks for sharing.

I would keep going to Bimini with @Bruce because I enjoy his company and his style, also the water over there is like nothing else. But with all the logistics nonsense over there lately the big JB crossings may be over, a trip like yours sounds super appealing - awesome family vacation!

--

 

[Wisefam22]

Bimini is on our list still. I grew up in Seattle on salt water and often did stupid stuff like jump ship waves in our 20ft cuddy cabin or my seadoo gti.

My mom is interested in bimini as well, she loves being on the water. I wrote this hoping people will realize that they can have a fun experience without the worry of crossing stream or being without site of land if they havent experienced much with their boat/crew before.

Worst part of trip was staying at my sisters on way home and looking at wind/wave action.. 1ft waves at 10s intervals it was basically glass the day after we left

 

[Brent Markham]

Glad to hear yall had fun!. We are going to marathon for a week in August for the wife's 30th birthday. We rented a house on a canal so the boat will be parked on the water so we can come and go as we please.

 

[Wisefam22]

We stayed at skipjack was nice had boat tied up right outside room

 

[Wisefam22]

Sunset under 7 mile bridge


Sunset from mangrove channel we were fishing

 

[Wisefam22]

Looking out from bridge into Atlantic


Bahia Honda state park. Old bridge train traveled bottom, passenger vehicles on top.

 

[Wisefam22]

Picture of narrow channel through mangroves in key largo. One way in one way out.


Another picture of water. It's dark because of bottom color due to leafs and mangrove "debre" this is about 8ft deep.

 

[Cigarlaw]

How was the seaweed and garbage? Any trouble? We are in Miami, and the intracoastal is filled with it both.

 

[Wisefam22]

The sargasso or whatever it is sucked when tide was incoming through mangroves. We had more then normal pushed in from the southern winds.

I could see it in lines and dodge it pretty good. On south channel going into largo sound I got port overheat engine one time. We dropped anchor and fished for while.

I just made it a habit of checking clean out ports any time we stopped to ensure no build up before we headed to next location.

 

[nofd843]

Great write up, thanks!