Tampa Bay to Dry Tortugas

I am currently planning a trip from Tampa Bay direct to the Dry Tortugas for this winter. At my cruising speed of 8 knots the trip is about a 24 hour run non stop, requiring an overnight passage. My previous overnight passages are all associated with the Atlantic ocean side of Florida: crossings to the Bahamas or coastal passages all in relatively deep water with few "obstacles" (crab pots) to contend with.

A question to the Forum: for a direct non-stop direct run from Tampa bay to the Dry Tortugas is there much to worry about in the way of either crab pots or floating debris in that area??

Alan Williams
M/V Sharon Ann
Kadey Krogen 48AE

From One Alan to another

Now this is only my experience but from eggmont key to Venice yes on the crap pots

with the bulk of them near Bradenton and Venice

That has been my experience as well when only 2 to 4 miles off shore. I'm curious how many obstacles exist when out 15 to 25 miles in 50' to 150' of water. The last thing I want is to snag a pot at 2:00AM while the Admiral is on watch

Dry Tortugas from Tampa

Made this crossing 7 times in past . Last trip was 2005 always in sailboat. Watch for Shrimp boats going in huge circles with no one at the wheel. The Navy towers are marked on charts but were unlighted. We went from Tampa to Venice to stay a free dock near Yacht club and then usually met other boats going to the Tortugas at the Crow's Nest Marina. the distance to Key West and Turtle Crawl Banks is almost the same as going to the Tortugas. Enjoy the ride!
Here is what happened to us on last trip down

@ TheOffice: Cuban Landing @ The Dry Tortugas

HTH,
S

Thanks, good advice. My main concern are those things that radar probably won't pick up, as opposed to shrimp boats and towers.

Alan W said:

for a direct non-stop direct run from Tampa bay to the Dry Tortugas is there much to worry about in the way of either crab pots or floating debris in that area??

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My experience, making the same run, is that if you head out the
Tampa Bay ship canal to deeper water (around the place where ships anchor awaiting their turn to go in) and then do a straight shot down to the Tortugas, then no problem with crab traps. The crabbers tend to put their traps in relatively shallow water, since they are a lot easier to harvest.

John- Perfect! Thanks for the response- that's what I was hoping to hear. If we have a mild Florida winter I'm hoping to do a run about February and since it will be the Admirals first overnight passage I want it to proceed without a hitch.

Alan

the 100' plus water almost nothing

Done it a couple of times. No problem on my boat with crabpots, goes right through them. But shrimpers are hard to tell which way they are circling as floodlights obscure running lights.

Done Venice to the Torturgas a couple of times in the late 90's. No problem with crab pots but keep an eye out for shrimpers and recreational boats running without lights.

siestakey said:

Alan

the 100' plus water almost nothing

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What 100+ water? Between Tampa and Tortugas you will most likely never see even 100 feet of water.

If you bring some extra beer, booze and coffee you can most times find a shrimper who will trade you for a bunch of fresh caught shrimp.

Capt Bill read his post above so he is planning on going way out

years ago from a run from St pete to Key west I got offered real cheap fuel

pirate fuel

Capt Bill if your on the correct coast side when he makes the run you and I could take our buts out and have a beer with him

siestakey said:

Capt Bill read his post above so he is planning on going way out

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Ah, I see. He's going in a straight line.

He does have a KK

Brooksie said:

Done it a couple of times. No problem on my boat with crabpots, goes right through them. But shrimpers are hard to tell which way they are circling as floodlights obscure running lights.

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My biggest concern are the stabilizer fins grabbing a floating net or line. I have a Spurs line cutter for the prop, but hope to not have to test it, especially at 2:00AM.

siestakey said:

He does have a KK

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Being a KK I'm not concerned about fuel, water or ice. (My rough calcs indicate I could do 7 round trips from Tampa to Tortugas if I start out full of fuel). BEER, on the other hand, could be an issue especially if I were to use some in a trade for shrimp.

siestakey said:

Capt Bill if your on the correct coast side when he makes the run you and I could take our buts out and have a beer with him

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Count me in! Just depends on timing.

Great Capt Bill

Alan they Will take warm beer so you can stack the cheap stuff on deck for trading

Just did the trip to Key West from Marco Island. Crab pots thick as fleas all the way. That's why we jumped off for Key West from Marco. You can make the 80nm run all in daylight if you leave at the 0-dark-30. Sorry, no personal experience with what it is like direct Dry Tortugas.

Captain K said:

Just did the trip to Key West from Marco Island. Crab pots thick as fleas all the way. That's why we jumped off for Key West from Marco. You can make the 80nm run all in daylight if you leave at the 0-dark-30. Sorry, no personal experience with what it is like direct Dry Tortugas.

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So are you saying if one hugs the coast in this area the crab traps are thick? How were the seas when you cut across?

An update to all of you that responded to my original post: We did the trip early March under a full moon. The route was departing Palmetto FL at 11:00am, exit Tampa bay south of Egmont, then direct to Dry Tortugas arriving roughly 11:00am the next day after a non stop run. The only pots we saw were within the first few hours. By late afternoon we were out far enough and/or in deep enough water for their to be virtually no pots. We did pass one other boat (a sailboat also heading south) and also came within 1/2 mile of another boat running without lights in a light fog at 3:00am. As we approached the Tortugas in daylight we did dodge a few larger shrimp boats at anchor, crew nowhere to be seen. It was a great run, for anyone considering the same. Thanks for the comments and suggestions. (The boat was a 48' Kadey Krogen, 8 knot cruise, 5' draft).