Cruising to Marathon

[bobk]

I'll be casting the lines off Chateau de Mer on Christmas eve for a slow cruise to Marathon with my daughter, son-in-law and grandson. We will spend Christmas day and the following day at the New River Municipal marina and then anchor most of the rest of the trip. Planning on a day or so in the area west of South Beach, then a day at Dinner Key and at least one at Boca Chita. The goal is to reach Marathon New Years day. Does anyone have other suggestions?

And how crowded will Boca Chita be during the holiday week? I saw all space taken by noon on a spring Friday afternoon once.

Happy Holidays,
Bob
1981 series I 48MY

 

[GJH]

Pascal is going to be the expert, but it seems to fill up during the winter. We had a lot of fun just anchoring off Elliot Key and taking the Whaler over there and to Elliot Key park. Had the added advantage of being able to swim off the boat.

Where are you now, Bob? We're going to take a day cruise out of Hollywood on the 27th, perhaps Key Biscayne, another place we enjoy anchoring, then dinghying in to No Name Harbor.

Our other anchorages on the way to Marathon this past January were Pumpkin Key, Tarpon Basin and Islamorada, off Lorelei's, the latter being a fun place to hang out multiple days as well. We did not enjoy the ICW trip from Islamorada south; next time we'll take Channel 5 out to Hawk Channel from then on.

As I recall, you're an old Marathon and vicinity hand, so you don't need my advice down there.

 

[bobk]

George,

I'm home in Port St. Lucie (Kitching Cove) now, and yes I've spent a lot of time in Marathon. When I stayed at Bonefish I always went out Channel 5, but was thinking of staying on the Bay all the way down. Why didn't you enjoy the ICW below Islamorada?

Bob

 

[Nonchalant1]

If it's calm on the way down, it's fun to tie up to one of the big govt. mooring balls at John Pennekamp State Park (Key Largo) to dive or snorkle the coral reefs. Plenty of water at the moorings but watch the charts and the depth finder going in. They're free and you can stay as long as you like. You can also call John Pennekamp to see if one their two big slips in front of the park dock is available (it's cheap) and then take the trip through the marked mangrove channels to the big park dock.

You've probably already done this, but at Marathon, we enjoyed going out to the Molasses Keys, teeny little uninhabited islands just past the hump in the bridge below Marathon, maybe 5 miles from Boot Key Channel? You have to anchor the big boat about 500 yards from the island, then take the dinghy to within 50 yards or so and walk the last 50 yards in foot deep water. It's just fun to have your own little island for a while.

Doug Shuman

 

[Pascal]

boca fills up early on holliday week ends... alternative is eliott where hte water is cristal clear and you can still go to boca with the tender...

there is a nice anchorage north of Pigeon Key, right before Tavernier.. the bay is pretty deep there and you can anchor around Butternut Key in complete isolation...

 

[GJH]

We didn't enjoy it because it was shallow for our 5 foot draft and crammed full of crab pots in the so-called channel. When we had a diver clean the bottom and running gear before we headed back north, he made the comment "I see you came down here on the inside!"...?..."the bottom of your keel is very nicely sanded!"

Also the best scenery is east and north of there, IMO. We did enjoy going down to Bahia Honda and anchoring between the bridges; nice little harbor for the dinghy and terrific beaches. We'd take the Whaler on a long trip up to No Name Key/ Big Pine, and have pizza at the No Name Tavern (which is actually on Big Pine), tying up at the little marina by the bridge.

The picture in my avatar was taken by a woman on the old bridge at Bahia Honda as we passed through the opening. They were anchored there too and her husband brought a print by in his dinghy. We became great friends, needless to say. Stuff like that just seems to happen down there.

Doug, I didn't think the moorings at Pennekamp were for boats this size..?

 

[Nonchalant1]

Doug, I didn't think the moorings at Pennekamp were for boats this size..?

They have two big slips at Pennekamp for big boats. We stayed there in our 53MY and enjoyed it. The slips are right in front of the park buildings at the big park dock (next to the dive boat slip. Our view of the harbor looked like below.

The mooring field at Pennekamp is for smaller boats and is off to the side through a shallow channel. The big park harbor has plenty of water depth, as does the channel. We did see 6 ft. depth at low tide right as you enter the harbor itself from the channel through the mangroves.

Doug

 

[Canuck Dennis]

We are currently in Coral Bay marina, Islamorada and heading to Marathon on Jan 11 or thereabouts, then up to little shark river, give us a call,,,727-254-1004 if in the area...

Dennis

Way Off Broadway

1979 43 DC

 

[SeaEric]

I was enjoying a nice Christmas dinner this afternoon at about 2 PM- Location was "Charley's Crab" on the ICW just South of Oakland Park Blvd bridge in Ft Lauderdale. 48 Hatt MY "Chateau de Mer" cruised past, headed South.

 

[bobk]

I was enjoying a nice Christmas dinner this afternoon at about 2 PM- Location was "Charley's Crab" on the ICW just South of Oakland Park Blvd bridge in Ft Lauderdale. 48 Hatt MY "Chateau de Mer" cruised past, headed South.

That was me, ICW mustache and all. We spent a couplke of days in the New River at the city marina. Saw a yellow Hatt named 'Free Bird' go past while I was fueling.

From New river, we went to Star Island near South Beach to see what the rich and famous are doing and we are now at the Dinner Key Marina getting ready to do the Coconut Grove thing.

Pascal, I'm at pier 1, slip 26. I stopped by your boat, but no one answered my knock.

Bob

 

[Pascal]

sorry i missed your visit, I just arrived in Bimini, on the 70' I captain...

we're at the new Bimini Bay Marina... Bimini is absolutely dead... probably 25 boats in the 200+ slips marina, Bimini Big Game is closed, the other small marinas were almost empty too...

and the recently dredged and marked channel North Bimini harbor has already lost all of its bouys, so you have to feel your way in by reading the water...

 

[Walter P]

Pascal, What's going on or rather Not going on with Bimini with all the empty slips and neglected ATONs? Is this normal lately because of the economy or have folks just found somewhere else?

Walt

 

[Pascal]

i think business took at hit here when they started the $300 clearance fee 3 or 4 years ago, plus now the economy.

In the afternoon, the marinas in Alice town filled up a little, but big Game being closed makes it look empty overall. A few more boats came in Bimini Bay before sunset but still about 20 to 25% occupancy...

it's a shame because altough not finished it's a nice place, there is a very nice pool right off the docks, bar, etc...

on the down side, i must say that they have destroyed the beach on the west side by cutting all the trees. north of town and around paradise point. i guess in a few years when the palm trees they planted grow it will be nice but in the meantime it's pretty bare with the bungalows sticking out like sore thumb.

but... you cant' beat the color and clarity of the water!

 

[bobk]

Re: Cruising to Marathon & Fuel update

Happy New Year everybody. We arrived in Marathon yesterday after a delightfully relaxing seven day cruise from Port St. Lucie and are in slip 45 at Sombrero Resort and Marina.

Fuel delivered at New River was $1.89 ++ and I heard that in Miami, Dade Petroleum was delivering at $1.80 complete.

If you are in the area, come visit. I'll head to PSL tomorrow to pick up my car and Angler and try to get into some fishing.

Bob