Beaches in the Keys???

[motoryacht lover]

I am starting to plan my summer 2 week family cruise and am contemplating the keys. Other than Bahia Honda do the Keys have many beaches accesible by a 13 foot dinghy where one can turn dogs loose and not bother others? We just spent a week in SW FL on the boat and it seemed that every beach was a no dog zone which for us is an issue. We cruised the Abacos last summer and had a blast but it was an expensive blast. I was thinking the keys would be cheaper. Or should I work a few more Sundays and say to hell with it and cruise the Bahamas (Bimini, Nassau, Berrys, and Eleuthera) this summer. Thanks for your time.

 

[Fanfare]

The Dry Tortugas have beaches and Fort Jefferson is fun. Beaches there and in the Marquesa Islands. However, there are no services, restaurants or entertainment. You will be totally on your own. We have found that a few of our guests have had a hard time without more stimulation in spots like these. Key West is fun but really crowded, and you probably won't save any money.

Me--I head for the Bahamas. No crowds, many beaches. Anchoring out or staying at the smaller marinas can save, but diesel and water are $$$!

We expect to be in the Exumas from mid-Feb. on, using Staniel Cay as our airport. Unfortunately the cold weather in FL so far this year probably means windy and rough conditions may be in store. All I need is a two day weather window to get there.

 

[Pascal]

we were at Bahia Honda a week ago, it's not even worth the stop. crowded and the beach itself isnt' that nice.

really few options when it comes to beaches in the keys.

The Bahamas (Bimini and Berries) are closer than most of the keys...Even the Exumas are just 30 or 40 NM further than Key West. Well worth it, weather window permitting for the crossings

 

[Nonchalant1]

There's a cute little island right near Marathon that you can dinghy to.. no rules, dogs can do whatever you want... nice little beach and tons of shallows where you can find sea creatures in the sand or eel grass. Frequently you can have the whole little island all to yourself. It's called the Molassas Keys. They are teeny islands easily visible, on the Atlantic ocean side, from halfway across the 7 mile bridge going West from Marathon towards Key West.

Go to this URL to see our trip there with our dog:

http://dougandkathysboatlog.blogspot.com/2007/02/we-cruised-out-to-molasses-keys-today.html

You just go west about 4 NM from Marathon (just west of the hump in the bridge) and follow the Money Key Channel north so you can anchor the big boat in 6 - 8 ft. near the Molassas Keys island and dinghy in. Pick which side to anchor on based on wind and waves. It's so shallow at the beach that you usually have to anchor the dinghy 50 yards out and wade in. People in small boats picnic there and sometimes camp overnight and have fires on the beach, but it is frequently deserted too.

There is also a dog friendly (on long leash) public beach on Marathon. It on the Atlantic side reached from the roads that lead to the homes and schools there. There's a sign on the road that goes to the beach on the main highway through Marathon.

There are also numerous teeny islands on the north side of the Keys that would allow dogs to roam free. They are in the little channels areas between Marathon and Key West. Everybody in big boats usually stays on the Atlantic side in Hawk Channel and misses the 1000 islands side because it's shallow, buts that's where the lobsters are and the little islands. Have good charts and a good chartplotter and be careful, but you can stay in 8-10 ft of water and anchor here and there and dinghy to the little islands. Check your charts to see you can come in from the north at Riding Key into the Cudjoe Channel and follow charted good water to R4. Leave the channel at R4 and anchor in 8 - 14 ft near Tarpon Belly Key, where you can dinghy ashore with dogs.

Doug

 

[Pascal]

i've always wanted to explore the north side of the lower keys but never had the right weather. it's all pretty exposed to northerlies. probalby better in summer

 

[motoryacht lover]

Thank all of you for the info. Nonchalant, in the right weather you think I could tie the big boat up at a nearby marina and take the dinghy to those little islands you speak of? My dinghy is a 13' Rib with a 40hp OB so it goes relatively fast. I will look at all of this on the charts but wanted to see what you thought.

 

[Bill Allen]

The admiral and I love wandering around on those little islands. You can get to them from the bridge side but it does get skinny in parts. Thinking of taking the 43 to the ocean side and take the digny in. Bill

 

[GJH]

We took our 13 foot Whaler all through the area surrounding Marathon when we lived on a mooring there. Really fun. Good advice from Doug.

Pascal, you comment on Bahia Honda surprises me. Did you go to the beaches on the Atlantic, or just the beach inside on the harbor? The Atlantic side beach I think is one of the, if not the, nicest in the Keys. We used to love anchoring in the harbor between the bridges and hiking over there. The draw back is that it is easily accessible by car and the nice parts can get crowded. BH is also a good base for quality dinghy exploration on the north side. We'd take the Whaler up to No Name/Big Pine, dock it at the funky little marina by the bridge between the two and walk over to the No Name Tavern for excellent pizza and burgers. Good times.... Anchoring in Bahia Honda is a little tricky, but if you take your time it is a fun spot. The current rips back and forth so get a good set. The picture in my avatar was taken by a fellow boater from the old bridge at the harbor entrance as we were coming in. Here we are at anchor there (pic taken with old Blackberry):

 

[dastahl]

We enjoyed Bahia Honda very much. The Atlantic side beach is the best we saw in the keys by far.
We stayed three days until the wind moved around too far west of North and gave us a constant swell that rocked Skooch beyond our comfort zone. We could not go out as the ocean was all motion as well, so we Packed a lunch and went to the beach until the late afternoon when the wind died down. The swell stayed and all the boats left. We went south to New Found Harbor and were stable for a few days.
Skooch
Fort Pierce FL

 

[Nonchalant1]

Thank all of you for the info. Nonchalant, in the right weather you think I could tie the big boat up at a nearby marina and take the dinghy to those little islands you speak of? My dinghy is a 13' Rib with a 40hp OB so it goes relatively fast. I will look at all of this on the charts but wanted to see what you thought.

Yes, you could take your dinghy from a Marathon marina to Molasses Key, but it's a long ride and even in a dinghy you can easily run aground. That's why we took the big boat with an excellent GPS chartplotter and depthfinders and anchored safely nearby in charted good water. That lets you go back to the big boat for lunch or drinks too. Our dinghy had a 40HP motor too and we took it to that area once when lobstering by going straight along the Atlantic side of the highway bridge past the hump. You have to stay within about 20 to 30 ft of the bridge abutments there or you'll run into 1 ft deep shallows among the 3 to 5 ft. deep shallow areas. It's just a long bumpy ride in a dinghy.

I think it's too far to take the dinghy to Tarpon Belly or Raccoon Keys. Check your charts. It'd be fun to go from Marathon to Tarpon Belly overnight on your way down to Key West.

BTW - there's an excellent anchorage in Newfound harbor to overnight on the way to Key West on the Atlantic side. Be sure to dinghy under the highway bridge from Newfound harbor to the Gulf side to dock at the Parrotdise Grill and get the lobster reuben. YUM....

If you're a scuba diver, dive the reef at Looe Key Reef at Newfound harbor. On a nice day, you can just go out to the reef and grab a government mooring ball free and dive from your boat. It's an excellent reef. You can do the same thing from Marathon going to the very nearby Sombrero Key Light reef and mooring balls.

Doug