St Pete to Tortugas in May

[Gboy]

Hi all



Looking for 2-3 good overnight spots from St Pete to Dry Tortugas



Thanks for feed back




Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[the_alpine]

Done that trip a few times. Straight through is about 40 hrs direct from St Pete. Or you can hop down to Boca Grande from which its about a 24 hr jump. Those times are for a 30' sloop, not a large cat like yours.

If doing the multiple stop route, Venice and boca grande are the usual stops.






Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Gboy

Hi all



Looking for 2-3 good overnight spots from St Pete to Dry Tortugas



Thanks for feed back




Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

I tend to have a flexible plan when cruising. First consideration is the weather. When I am at anchor I will wait for a favorable wind before leaving. I also like to be able to stay longer at an anchorage if I find something to keep me there.

As an example there are some domed houses at Cape Romano that I spent a couple of days anchored off of. Took the inflatable to the cape, took pix of the houses, birds on the houses, fished on the Cape Romano Shoals. My plan was to just go in for a quick look and then head off early the next day. So I would definitely suggest you stop there and at least check them out. It should be easy to get to Charlotte Harbor on the first night and Cape Romano on the second night. I also spent a night at Middle Cape and enjoyed the huge unspoiled beach there, possibly the least visited beach in Florida (well maybe not but it is about seven miles long so places there really don't have footprints).

I would definitely stop at Boca Grande. In fact I spent a week there, great diving, fishing, and quite interesting to visit. It is only about 14 miles across the Boca Grande Channel to the Marquesas Islands, another place I spent days exploring, diving, fishing, and watching wild life like birds and turtles. Cosgrove just South of the Marquesas is often described as having the best soft corals in the Keys. Definitely look at Google Maps to get an overview of what the interior of the Marquesas looks like and take the inflatable there, well worth the time.

It is about 40 miles to DT from the Marquesas. Depending on the wind make sure you are on the leeward side of the Quicksands, makes the trip a lot less bumpy. Last time I went North of the Quicksands going out and South returning.

Once in the DT make friends with the fastboat captain/crew. They can give you up to date information about the weather crossing from Key West and help you plan your return trip. If they still have the all you can eat buffet on the fast boat it is a change from your normal routine. Definitely take your mask, fins, and snorkel and check out the North and South Coal Docks as well as the beaches next to the fort. Take the tour of the fort. If the weather is good head to Loggerhead Key and snorkel on Little Africa. Also hit the Brick Wreck for diving. The radio room at the end of the dock has no radios, but does have free maps that show where these things are. Here are some pix from my last trip.


Enjoy and I am heading down there some time around that time frame.

[rancher44]

Forget Venice as there is not a good anchorage for 40plus cats .
Charlotte Harbor is great pelican bay is a good place,and Marco is a fun place . The Marquis is a differant kind of place do not think you can get a dingy into the bay there . It is just to shallow .
We are leaving for the DT on the 23rd .
Good Luck on your trip