Seabright

When we were thinking about which way to go south through the Keys our first choice was Hawks Channel. This is the preferred route for most vessels our size and draft. It is a route that travels the western boarder of the Keys on one end and a coral reef on the eastern side. This tends to smooth out the waves from the ocean and eastern winds. You are off the coast by several miles,  it is an easy but not particularly inspiring trip. There are few areas to stop but it is more direct. Our goal was to go to Marathon which is the middle Keys and the heart of a big winter boating community.

The other route is the ICW from Miami south inside with the Keys to the west. It is typically traveled by smaller vessels and shallow drafts. Friends of ours, both professional captains and who have extensive experience in this area, suggested to us one night at dinner that we should really consider the inside route. The trip would be much more interesting and scenic with interesting places to stay and areas to poke around. We would need to be mindful of our speed as not to squat the stern so we should look to go about 7kts or less vs our usual 8.5-9 kts. After some thought (maybe a few min) we decided to go for it. Our first stop was a very memorable Boca Chita.

So with this decision made and all the seriousness required we headed down the skinny waterside. Jeannie and Joanie fully on board and prepared for the challenges that will arise.

Here Captain Dieter is helping us navigate down the waterway