Big Sarasota Pass

[woodscrew]

Does anyone know the condition of Big Sarasota Pass? Active Captain info on Navionics is from March 2018 when all the buoys were pulled and the pass was closed. Wondering if it is passable now and are the buoys back in place or is it still shoaled in badly. Just came in Venice inlet which is fine, but the ICW trip from there to Sarasota was slow (manatee 4mph no wake zones) and heavily trafficked. Would prefer to leave via Big Sarasota Pass to return south to Cayo Costa in the Gulf.

 

[High Wire]

We ran aground right between the markers last spring. Fortunately we were able to get free and backtrack back in. We draw 4'0". Local knowledge only.

 

[bayview]

Sarasota YC has directions here

https://www.sarasotayachtclub.org/visitors/arriving-by-water

 

[Group9]

I had the pee scared out of me going through New Pass once, after a tropical storm in 2001, in a twin inboard, in windy conditions, when it quickly became apparent from the color of the water, that the buoys weren't even close to being in the right places. Deciding to follow the water color instead of the buoys was one of those puckering moments. Big Sarasota Pass is often more of the same.

I'll pass on those two passes!

 

[fryedaze]

Sarasota YC has directions here

https://www.sarasotayachtclub.org/visitors/arriving-by-water

Wish I had the yacht club directions last year when we went out. We went through a long stretch of 4' with our 3.5' draft. The Coast Guard has removed the markers.