Famous for it’s diving, snorkelling, and beautiful sunset views, Key Largo is a water lovers … If such an expensive marina is not in your itinerary Newfound Harbor is a great place to spend the night on the hook and there is a restaurant that you can dinghy into. There is nothing like fresh caught fish for dinner! You can also rent a kayak for island exploration and/or a windsurfer for the water sports enthusiast. Spend the night. This is where you will find the Christ of Abyss Statue http://www.divespots.com/scuba/spotID-1/view.divespot under water. Florida: West Side of the Florida Keys “I always put the fear of God into people that this is the world’s third-largest barrier reef,” says Capt. Boater’s Grill http://www.lighthouserestaurants.com/boatersgrill/index.html specializes in Cuban food but has a very eclectic menu and is open early in the morning for breakfast and closes late at night. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. (25 – 30 NM), Day 2 – Another option for the morning of Day 2 is to sail the short distance from any of the marinas or anchorages mentioned above over to Hobie Beach and dinghy into the Miami Seaquarium http://www.miamiseaquarium.com/ This will get the kids in the mood for the sailing adventure that lay ahead. (18NM), Day 2 – Depart from the Miami area and sail south down Biscayne Bay, anchor on the inside of Elliott Key (Swim, Snorkel, Beach). Day 6 – Explore Key West and maybe do a day sail out to the reef for some snorkeling. Tender included on longer trips. The other issue with the Bahamas in Winter is the timing factor. 3. Calm waters and a nice sandy beach provide wonderful swimming and relaxation. The Florida Keys can be considered the American Caribbean and features all the same amenities as other island destinations such as world class sport fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling, boating, sailing, kayaking and eco-tours. Spend the night on the boat. These fronts produce unsettled weather that would make a Gulf Stream crossing quite uncomfortable. An island chain made up of more than 200 coral islands over 300 kilometers, the Florida Keys are home not only to beautiful flowers, but also to sea turtles, pelicans, manatees, and dolphins, among other wildlife. (22 – 24 NM), Day 4 – Sail southwest in Hawks Channel to Hen’s and Chickens Reef http://www.divespots.com/scuba/spotID-28/view.divespot This reef is a very shallow reef, great for kids and is on the inside so conditions are always calmer than the outer reef. Day 7 – Depart Key West and sail to Bahia Honda for your last night out on the hook. Sail by this abandoned bridge that once connected the Spanish Harbor Key to the Bahia Honda Key. Having biked 65 miles in our first day, we settled into our hotel in Key Largo, one of the northernmost islands of the Florida Keys. For the recreational mariner looking to start the Florida Mini-Loop, entering the OWW is straightforward from the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) in Stuart, Florida. Well it is a bit like sailing in the Caribbean without all the traffic and crowded anchorages that you find down island. One of the best anchorage’s in the Florida Keys. Depart the reef and sail back to No Name Harbor or Miami Beach Marina to spend the night. Best done at high tide. Whiz through the Everglades Mangrove swamp in an airboat and take some pictures of the toothy grins of the alligato… Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Enjoy its sandy beach and warm, shallow waters that offer great views of the Bahia Honda Rail Bridge. Cruising Route: Florida Keys to Northwest Caribbean: Mexico, Belize, Rio Dulce, Guatemala. Sail to Craysfort reef and Elbow Reef snorkel mid-morning to mid-afternoon. (17 NM), Day 4 – Depart early in the morning and sail on back to Fun In The Sun Marina. Day 5 – Depart the Marquesas and sail back to Key West. The best place to start your trip is in Florida, the Sunshine State. Latest. The fort was converted to a prison whose most famous inmate was Dr. Mudd of Lincoln’s time. Sailing to the Florida Keys 8 hours at a time, or dayhopping, is easy along Florida’s Southwest Coast … Winterlude Anchored at Ft Jefferson, the Dry Tortugas, Florida Keys Over the years, we’ve spent a lot of time exploring Florida’s West Coast … from the Dry Tortugas in the Keys to Tampa Bay. Our grandson Travis spent three weeks sailing with us in the Florida keys during his summer 2019 break and going to the Dry Tortugas was high on his list of places he wanted to explore. Drop your hook near the Old Keys Trestle Railroad Bridge and enjoy the calm natural harbor at Bahia Honda State Park. Here you can enjoy the sights of opulent waterfront mansions and fancy yachts in the sun-kissed Latino-flavored decadence. February 23, 2012 . Hawks Channel provides fantastic sailing, as there is protection from the ocean swells but still great wind. Learn to sail at your own pace surrounded by turquoise waters and the smell of the open sea. The Keys are a boating paradise with a subtropical climate and SE winds most of the year. Keep your eyes open for wildlife such as sea turtles, flying fish, and dolphin. Off My Dock: Be A Better Boating Scavenger, I Learned About Boating From This: Don’t Let The Crew Bow Ride in a Rough Inlet, Cheat Sheet on How to Winterize Your Boat, Parker Boats Sponsors 10 Day Boating Journey for Inclusiveness. (59 NM), Day 7 – Sail on the outside up to Port Everglades and back to Fun In The Sun Marina. (17NM), Day 3 – Sail out through Angel Fish Creek to the out side. Bush Key is a bird sanctuary and landing is prohibited. All rights reserved. Since we both work full time schedule was important to make sure we could get the time off from work. A Captain will happily take you and your family on a Day Sailing Trip if you need one. Hawks Channel provides fantastic sailing, as there is protection from the ocean swells but still great wind. It is a must-see when sailing from Marathon to Key West. With water as clear as gin, dawdling can become a habit in and around Hawk Channel, the outside route through the Florida Keys. Go ashore on Loggerhead Key and/or Hospital Key for a cookout, just be sure to clean up well and leave as little of a footprint as possible. (33NM)Day 8 – Depart Bahia Honda and sail back to Marathon. On the Rosa Del Mar, each is trip is a private charter, with a maximum capacity of 6 persons, so there's no stumbling over bodies and gear to get off the boat. No services on either of these islands, good for just a quick stop and lunch. Just as with southeast Florida’s mainland, most of the upper Keys marinas and businesses were up and running within a few weeks of the storm. Sailing with the Gulf Stream will make for a very fast sail. Boating Magazine may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. Some were damaged, but most were not destroyed. Day 7 – Depart Key West and sail back to Bahia Honda for your last night out on the hook. Day 8 – Pack up, clean up, and depart by 12:00 Noon. People. You should plan to spend two nights here but if the weather deteriorates be flexible enough to cut it short and head back to Key West. Day 3 – Depart Newfound Harbor and sail to Key West. The Dry Tortugas, a US national park made mostly of open water and 6 small islands, is 70 miles west of Key West. Also, a bit longer cab ride can take you to the Florida Keys Dolphin Research Center http://www.dolphins.org/ on Long Key. Forget Bermuda. During a typical sailing vacation, we mix in some snorkeling, some sailing, some fishing, some kayaking and some relaxing. After lunch sail a little further south to spend the night behind Pumpkin Key or at Wednesday Point in Card Sound. The Florida Keys are a great option for bareboaters especially in the iffy winter months when the risk of cold fronts coming across from the West are most prevalent. (48 – 55 NM), Day 7 – Depart from Upper Biscayne Bay or the Miami area and sail on the outside up to Port Everglades and back to Fun In The Sun Marina where you can get a land shower and spend a nice evening in Fort Lauderdale. (26NM) Stop along the way for some fantastic snorkeling by mooring to the dive buoys on the reef. Day 8 – Depart Bahia Honda and sail back to Marathon. Then sail north to Key Largo and pull into Marina Del Mar. There are wonderful fishing, snorkeling, and diving destinations all within a day’s sail. Sailing South? Sailing from Marathon Key you will experience the many pleasures and sites of the Florida Keys. The unspoiled coral reefs of the Lower Keys have many sites where you can tie up to a mooring ball and snorkel or dive. (44 NM) Be careful of Rebecca Shoal on the way and arrive before dark. We are an award winning ASA sailing school offering live aboard ASA sailing classes and sailing charters in the beautiful Florida Keys and the Bahamas. This park has one of the best anchorages and beaches in the Florida Keys. Little Palm Island Marina offers transient dockage at $7.50 per foot per night with a minimum of $350.00. (21 – 24 NM), Day 6 – Continue your sail north on the outside of the reef up to Government Cut and into Miami or Old Biscayne Channel and into Upper Biscayne Bay. So I had to do something to take my mind off of the chill. After lunch we made the long trip down the '18 mile stretch' that connects the Keys to the mainland, a historic and scenic route that was originally developed for the Florida Overseas Railroad. Also, there is a very good restaurant right at the harbor. You can check out the shopping and dining on Las Olas Boulevard http://www.lasolasboulevard.com/ or Ft. Lauderdale Beach http://ci.ftlaud.fl.us/beach/index.htm , go to the Children’s Museum of Discovery and Science http://www.mods.org/home.htm and IMAX Theater http://www.mods.org/IMAX/index.html , or just walk to one of the many fine restaurants close to our facility. Pinterest. Boarding required no later than 7:45AM. We offer departures from two convenient Southwest Florida locations; Fort Myers Beach (year round) and Marco Island (seasonally) to Key West, Southernmost Point of the United States. (23 – 28 NM), Day 3 – The next morning Sail out through Angel Fish Creek to Hawk’s Channel. 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