# Florida Transit



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

What's The Best Way To Transit Florida From The Western Gulf Coast To Miami? I Draw 4.5 Feet And The Mast With Antenna Is 48 Feet Above Dwl.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Sorry, but need a bit more clarification: Are you coming from Texas and going to Miami? Or are you going from Fort Myers, for instance, to Miami?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I'm Leaving Galveston To The Bahamas Via The West Coast Of Florida.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

You Can follow the ICW from galveston to Ocean reef on this map.

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat...&s=500&size=l&symshow=n&datum=nad83&layer=DRG


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

I have not made that run yet, but am soon to do so. I drop my boat in the pond within the next couple of months or so (at current timing).

Most of the guys I have talked to hit the Flower Gardens and hang a left. I have not talked to anhyone that has has coastal hopped across LA, but I understand it can be done. If you are going coastal, give the Mississippi a wide berth. A vigilant lookout for rigs and ships is pretty critical too, I understand.

Pensecola is a nice stop over. Some great friends of ours love that area. 

My route will likely be a bit different. Although I would like to try and stop in Pensecola if I can, I think I will just make a passage out of it. Best time I have heard is 4.5 days. Others have told me to plan on 6-7. A group we are familiar with did this last December/January. They said it was a tough passage and got beat to death. Thier first stop was the Tortugas.

Once you make the West Coast of Florida, you can take the ICW through Fort Myers, Okechobee, and to Stuart (I think that is where it dumps you). from there, Fort Lauderdale, and punch across to the Bahamas. I have not been able to do this b/c my stick is to high (bridges are 55') and there are shallow areas.

What are you planning on doing? Are you thinking about going straight across or coastal? There is a friend of mine who is dropping his boat down there in November and going to hop across on the coast. What is your timing?


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

When will you be going? I'm heading east beginning of Nov. If I have crew, I'll go straight across. If not, I'll probably hop along the coast. From all I've heard, the ICW from Galveston Bay to Mobile is best left to power boats.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

John, I have heard the same thing (regarding power boats).


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Thanks Guys. I Plan To Leave Galveston In April Or May To The Bahamas For A Few Months And Then Through The Windward Passage Or Maybe The Mona Strait To The Canal. I Thought About An Eastern Mexico Route, But My Boat Is The "alamo" And The Mexicans Might Think This Would Be A Little Impolite. Can You Transit From The Lake Through The Miami Canal And/or Though The Tamiami Canal?


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Hi Alamo,

Like the name. I doubt most Mexicans would even know the difference. Now, a name more like Border Patrol might just get you a few raised eyebrows. Ha! Ha! I am just kidding. The Mexicans I have met are really nice and very hospitable.

As far as your question, I cannot tell you. My mast and draft restricted me. I have found some of the best local knowledge is through the skippers at Sea Tow. The Biscayne Bay number is: (305) 361-9500. Ask for a captain or someone that knows the water ways. They are always more than ready to help.

Fair winds.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

PS Just so you know, take the bug spray by the gallons. You cannot imagine the No See-Ums on that waterway. They may be bigger in Texas, but if Mosquitoes were people, Florida would be renamed China!


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## ebs001 (May 8, 2006)

There are a couple of ways to transit from the West to the East coast of Florida. You can either go around the Southern tip or through the Okachobee. With your draft both air and water you will be fine. On the east side of Okacobee there is a train bridge with an overhead clearance of 45 feet however and you will have to be "barreled " through. A company there that does that for a fee. The route is considerably shorter. We went the other route, around the end of Florida on the inside and it's a very nice cruise if time is not a factor. Once you get down to the keys it's pretty much motoring after that. You should get charts and cruising guides for any area in which you travel.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Thanks Ebs001. I'm Not Sure What "barreled Means' My Map Shows The Miami Canal Leading From The Okacobee To Miami. Is That Where The Train Bridge Is Located? I Also Show The Tamiami Canal From The Gulf To Miami. Is This A Sailing Route? Can You Recommend A Cruising Guide In This Area?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Barreled I believe is where they tie a barrel with weight in it off your boom on one side and make the boat lean to make it fit under the bridge


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

When I was much younger, we managed to get a boat stuck under a bridge. The bridge had a lower clearance than our mast, but we were able to sail through, west-bound, by heeling the boat over. However, when we tried to return, east-bound, the wind died about a third of the way under the bridge...the boat came upright and we were stuck. 

I didn't think they actually used anything that primitive to get you by a bridge today.


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## ebs001 (May 8, 2006)

Ericscoth is correct, they tie barrels filled with water to get the boat to heel until it will clear the bridge. There is only one navigatable canal the St. Lucie Canal on the east side. You enter at Port Macaya and about a mile in heading East is the train bridge. This canal takes you to Stuart, Fl. It is not recommended to use the St. Lucie Inlet without local knowledge as there is always changing shoals. How you proceed from here will depend on your staging point, which will be determined by your anticipated landdfall in the Bahamas. As far as a cruising guide I would get the two Skipper Bob books- "Anchorages Along the ICW" and "Marinas Along the ICW". The total cost of the two books is $30. You can order them on line at http://skipperbob.home.att.net/


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I would not attempt the cross Florida waterway.
I would highly recommend Dry Tortugas/Ft Jefferson to Key west, up hawks Channel and then shoot across to the Bahamas. From Miami on a Catalina 32 I made it from Miami to West end in 14 hours under sail. WHich I think it tons better than settling for Bimini (11 hours). From west End you can sail over the north side of Grand Bahama Island and if you are anchoring at night it will take 2 more days to reach Abacco.


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## ebs001 (May 8, 2006)

While I agree with GR the Dry Tortugas/Fort Jefferson is a nice route well worth a visit, but the prevailing winds in this region are easterlies and that makes for an uphill run to Key West and beyond. Given Your draft you could go on the inside which is also a nice cruise. If however it's a matter of time the Occachobie waterway will save you a few days. Although I have not done the waterway, I am told it too is an interesting trip.


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## AlwaysFORSAIL (Nov 30, 2006)

*Ft Myers to Bahamas*

You probably have the info you were looking for by now but the mast height restriction for the waterwya from Ft Myers to Stuart is 48 feet. The is a bridge on the east side of Lake Okeechobee that has a 48 foot clearance. Nearby Indian Creek Marina will come out and tie water barrels to your deck heel you over and pull you through. I don't know the fee.

It takes a little more time but is much more enjoyable to go around. If you are headed to the Bahamas you probably want to be further south than Miami for your crossing. I usually cross leaving from Rodriguez Key near Key Largo and use the Gulf Stream for a push.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Always4Sail....Depends on what part of the Bahamas you ae headed to! Bimini makes sense from Rodriguez or KeyBiscayne but the Abacos is better done from further north...shortest route is from W. Palm Beach at 54 miles to West End it usually takes 8-9 hours in decent weather.


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## scottraywelty (Dec 13, 2006)

*Rodriguez to Bimini*

We are looking to head to Bimini from around Rodriguez key in about a month. Any big trick going through the reefs at that point?


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Scott....well it is tight but not tricky...From the green marker of the Hawk channel just stay between the two marked shoals and exit the Molasses Channel. Not something I'd do at night but there is plenty of water in the channel.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

alamo,
I have just transported my boat to clear lake (Galveston Bay) last month and have been working on it to get ready for a trip down to Saint Maarten hopefully in the next few weeks. My planned crew got jobs down there already and had to leave to open a new hotel so I will be going solo. Therefore I will use the ICW and the canal through flordia to save time. and information you could pass along to me would be great. Thanks. by the way my draft is 4.5 ft and my stick is 44 ft so I think I will be good going under the bridges.

Thanks, Dave
Dufour 30 - Blue Pearl


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

tahoedave - at this time of year, the ICW to Florida from Texas can be a bear to do. Short daylight hours, lack of anchorages, fog and other weather issues. Once you get to Shell Morgan Landing, it's not too bad. One short day, then you should be able to hit stopovers in a day. Last I heard, the Harvey Locks were down, so that means taking the Algier Locks and going upstream on the Miss. R.

Be sure to care extra fuel, since once you leave Galveston Bay there are no real fuel stops that aren't a half a day off the ditch till Shell Morgan Landing, which is 200 miles from the Bay. Also, if you were thinking of using the High Island Bridge Cut for an anchorage, I went aground there with 4 1/2 foot of draft.

I got to the Mermetau River, then came back. The weather, lack of daylight and lack of services being the main reasons. It was also my first extended trip, and I was making my share of rookie mistakes.

If you'd like any more info, let me know.

Regards,


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