First ICW trip, 700 mile S Florida Loop; Input?

M

moknots

New member
My wife and I are going on our first C-Dory cruise March 4-18, ICW, S Florida. Getting jazzed. And looking for tips for first timers!

Thinking clockwise from the east, south around the keys, up through the Everglade Wilderness Waterway, and return via Okechobee Waterway. Sound right?

Must see sights? So far thinking of busting down the East coast, including some "fast trolling" on the outside if weather permits, and slowing way down for the keys, Everglades NP, and Pine Island sound, but no specific stops or sights.

Most productive fishing (species/technique) for staying in fresh fish to eat? We plan on bringing a tandem inflatable kayak and traditional Northwest trout and steelhead tackle.

Ideas for getting into the Buttonwood Channel at Flamigo (lift in-op)? We'll go up to Shark River if we can't get over into the canal.

This trip is made possible by a like minded C-Brat who we'll host in Oregon in exchange, thank you J! Our host will come to Oregon and use a car, beach cabin, and mountain lake cabin with dock and C-dory, (22' with 4 electric downriggers) and many touring notes. Looking for a similar swap elsewhere on the Gulf and S. Atlantic states.
 
We know you will get more up-to-date ideas from others in the "pub" about this wonderful cruise than we can give you. But, one idea that may not come from others -- bring a Field Guide to the Birds with you. Our trips through those waters, in Spring, were marvelous -- birds calling, nesting, roosting with us in anchorages -- such natural beauty in spring finery -- and a book will introduce you to many new 'friends' in the avian world.

You are going to have a marvelous experience -- take your time and enjoy one of the most delightful spring cruises on the continent.
 
Sibley's Field Guide to Birds, remains the standard, which we use. If you want to stay a little lighter, and have more versatility beyond the birds, then the Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida--has a whale of information, from Night Sky to insects. It is small and light, plus has 60 pages on Birds--we keep a copy in the fishing boat.

My thoughts is that 14 days is a pretty rapid pace to do the 700 miles. Yes, it is only 50 miles a day--but the issue, is that you can still have some stiff winds this time of year. I also wonder how much time there will be for Kayaking? I would PM Casey and see what he thinks about your plan, since he did this trip only a short time ago.

Fishing--we are using live shrimp, and catching more than we did with frozen shrimp. Have Florida Fish ID 7th Ed. by Kensler--it is small, water resistant, easy to use, and gives the size and limits--plus good ID. Some of the throw away "Florida Coastal Angler" or Fish Monster magazines have a summary of the fishing regs. Be sure and have a license! We use light spinning gear, and 15 to 20 # line max--I use 10#, Marie is using 15#. Use fluorocarbon leaders. Use the circle hooks, "laser sharpened", 2/0 are most common for catching good sized fish. Species most caught will be yellowtail snapper, and mutton snapper. We have been catching some Cero (similar to Spanish Mackerel) Both can be tasty- just cut out any dark meat.

As for fast trolling--if you get out into deep clear water= Gulf Stream--you can get good Wahoo and Mahi Mahi--but if you are close in, there is enough weed to often foul the lures. This type of fishing we go with larger salt water reels, fairly short boat rods and 60 to 80# line with wire leader, and lures which resemble small bait fish, or use skirts/feathers.

You might catch other species along the way. But the issue, is time spent fishing, vs traveling and exploring on the land. Bills advice to "Take your time" is important!. There are a host of fish available, some better eating that others. We don't eat the grunt and other semi "tropical fish".

A more comprehensive book is "Sport Fish of the Gulf of Mexico" by Dunaway. It has a full page on each fish, ID, and best rigs / bait.

If you want a ride to the store, and are in the middle Keys, give us a call (phone number sent by PM)--we can probably even pick you up by boat from an anchorage if nearby Marathon.

There was no way to cross over at Flamingo a couple of years ago--you had to use a trailer to launch at the salt (Florida Bay) or fresh (Button Wood) water ramp. You might find some one who had a trailer who would let you hop on for the few hundred feet ride….but I would not count on it. Its some distance around to Shark River--and either way, you some exposure to the Gulf of Mexico as you work North (again, the potential issue of weather, and time). Also if you go all of the way to the bottom of the Keys Key west)--then you do a little back tracking to Flamingo (going North East)

I guess, I am saying, if I just had two weeks, I would take my time and amble down the keys, rather than doing an express run…but just the style which fits me better. It is "I have done it" vs I had a great time, relaxed and saw the sights?--This is our 4th year down in the Marathon area, and we still have not seen "everything" in this area. I
 
Great recommendations! I too am concerned about covering 700 miles, but given our starting point near Melborne, I'd sort of resigned myself to an "overview" to make sure we see the upper keys (definitely not time to drop down the line), Everglades and Pine Island Sound.

Hoping the overview will tell us where we'd like to spend 2 weeks next time, in slow mode.

Figuring on doing the first 200 (east side) in pretty dogged fashion so we can slow down for the rest. How long should I allow for Ft Meyers to Port Lucie via the Lake O?

Thanks so much for the C-Brat hospitality (offer of a ride to the grocery store)!!
 
I had a phone conversation with moknots. Suggestion of Casey's recent trip:http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=20868&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

We did have a discussion about the crowded/slow ICW between Stuart and Miami, Vs going "outside" down the coast. The outside trip, may be OK in ideal weather, but one cannot count on it this time of the year.

There was a discussion of crossing the North Eastern upper Florida Bay to Flamingo from Key Largo area (anything North of this point would be difficult due to shoal water). The other option of going across Lake Okeechobee counter clockwise, and working the area south of Ft. Meyers in the 2 week period.
 
The information is a bit dated, but check out the Wild Blue cruising thread on the Grand Adventures forum. We started that thread while cruising in Florida, so start at the beginning, and it will give you some ideas of places we stopped, anchorages, marinas, etc.

Two weeks is pretty ambitious. That said, you work with the time you have, and two weeks is better than not doing it.

Enjoy your time in Florida - some fine cruising to be had!

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Moknots,

Two weeks ... Hmmm.

Our "South Florida Loop" spanned 31 days from early December to early January 1014. It was almost exactly 700 miles from Lake Okeechobee (Glades RV Park, south of Moore Haven Lock) clockwise, back to Lake Okeechobee. Although we generally had very good wx, we did get weathered-in for almost a week in the Keys. Luckily we were at the home of an old friend. (Planning Note: if you're going to be weathered-in in the Keys, try to have it be at the home of a friend who has a dock on the canal behind her home!) The only other bad wx we encountered was on the passage from Naples to Fort Myers. The forecast was WAY off, and calling for worse wx for the next few days. The passage was not unsafe; but it wasn't 'fun either.

Some thoughts on your planned trip:

1) The St Lucy Canal (where the Okeechobee route exits to the ICW at Stuart, FL) is about 70 miles south of Melbourne. With that in mind, it appears that the South Florida Loop (from Melbourne) would be closer to 840 miles, not 700. (700mi Loop + 70mi to/from Melbourne).

2) 840mi in two weeks is 'doable, but you're going to have to be ready to make-miles, forego fishing, and not run into wx delays. We were 'out with no end date to our trip, which was a good thing. If we'd been up against any kind of time constraint the trip wouldn't have not been as fun. ...and we REALLY don't like to push-weather.

3) We really enjoy displacement cruising, and had an average speed of about 7mph overall. If you are comfortable at cruising on-plane, the high speed might make the trip more doable in two weeks. (Still, if wx rolls in you'll either be holed-up or proceeding Slowly....)

4) Previously, I did this trip in three weeks, and although I didn't run into any major weather issues, three weeks seemed about the minimum at the time.

4) You might consider variations to your intended route. Concentrating on the east coast from Melbourne would still be a good trip (and maybe even permit some fishing time!). Maybe "J" would like to cruise his boat back from the Keys this time(?) and you could really savor the Melbourne-to-the-Keys route in the two weeks available. Could you start your trip from somewhere down in the Keys (J trailers/cruises to the Keys and you bring his truck down??) Since I don't know the details you've arranged, I can't really respond with any specifics, but (again) this trip in a span of two weeks seems a little iffy.

Send me a PM with an email address and I'll try to respond with more ideas and specifics.

Best,
Casey&Mary
 
I did Florida Bay and the West Coast of Florida up to Marco Island in my C-Dory last winter, photos and journal here:

http://smittypaddler.com/cds/cdx/ec2013 ... 130219.htm

Also, a couple of waypoint files in gpx format, downloadable to most GPS chartplotters here for Florida Bay and the west coast of Florida. Note that the locations of the channel markers on charts are not always accurate, and I've been known to make a mistake or two myself, so beware. For what it's worth:

http://smittypaddler.com/cds/cdx/ec2013 ... /index.htm

Doing it clockwise is a good idea; you'll most likely have a tailwind going across Florida Bay and up the west coast of Florida. THE BUGS ARE HORRENDOUS! Be sure you have no-see-um-proof netting, and anchor well away from the land at night, or somewhere you have a good breeze. Trust me on this.
 
Moknots

A few years back we did the loop, sans the Key West leg, in 8 days out of Punta Gorda. This was a view only trip and requires 100 nm days, or there abouts. It was a working man's schedule, who only had so much time off and a crew member who wasn't feeling too well 4 days into the trip, so we had motivation to "get r done", as they say. I guess my point is to do what you can when you can. Regardless, you will not be disappointed either way. It's an adventure!
 
My wife and I are going on our first C-Dory cruise March 4-18, ICW, S Florida

That is spring time in Florida, It is not too hot or too cold

have fun
 
We did that loop back in 2006, I think. Most of it with "Wild Blue". We spent 12 weeks and still missed seeing a lot of the sights. For your relatively short time frame, I would concentrate on a smaller area, and do it slower. Not just cruise on by. FWIW the "Buttonwood Lift" has always been inoperative when we were there in Flamingo. I think it was a low water issue.
 
We spent months cruising through Florida and the Bahamas, described here: Great Loop Trip . I'd take the advice of Discovery: stop and smell the roses.

One of the weather factoids we worked our way through were the weather windows. We had 2 days to move until the next weather front came in. We weren't used to that. Everyone assured us that "this was unusual weather," but we had this the whole winter/spring.

We did the Great Loop over 2 years and even then we didn't do the river portion. So just plan a little trip as part of a bigger trip and enjoy what you see, there's a lot there.

Boris
 
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