Heading to Key West for bike week?

[Highseas Joe]

We are looking to hear from anyone that has made the trip from the Ft Myers area to Key West or from someone who is going to head that way for this years bike week (Sep 19 to 22).

This will be our 1st attempt at any distance on our recently acquired 34' Senator Sundeck trawler.

[Moonstruck]

It's almost a straight shot from San Carlos Bay to Green Marker 1 at Key West Harbor. If memory serves right about 125 miles. About 100 miles from Marco Island. Because the Keys curve to the West, it is about the same distance to Marathon in the middle Keys. It will be how comfortable you are with your new boat offshore. You could anchor in the Thousand Islands, and cut a little distance off. We don't do that because of our speed. Last trip we made it from Key West to San Carlos Bay in 4 hours.

[timjet]

Don gave a good explanation.

We went from Ft Myers to Key West via Marathon 2 years ago. That's a good route if you want to stay close to shore. We went from Ft Myers to Marco Is to Indian Key in the Thousand Island chain then 70 miles to Marathon. I think it's less than 50 miles from Marathon to Key West.
A straight shot from Marco to Key West is about 90 miles and if you do this on a weekend you will likely see others.

[Steve]

We did the trip, Sanibel to Marathon as follows
Day 1. Sanibel to Marco Island where we went inside to the old ICW to Goodlands where we andchored at nearby Tripod Key for the night. 54 st. miles
2. Tripod Key out to the Gulf through Coon Key Pass to Little Shark River Where we spent the night at achor. 59 st. miles
3. Little Shark River to Marathon Marina. 59 st miles
Both anchorages were very nice, the "old ICW" has some shallow spots but we had no problem with our 4' draft.
We didn't do it but some folks make the trip up to Everglades City. Some love it there, others not at all. Maybe we'll try it next time.
LOTS of crab trap floats everywhere.

If you like take a look at the blog link below, the March 2010 index will show the entries for the trip and link to SPOT images of the anchorages we used.

[islandtimecruiser]

We're in Cape Coral and have made the trip to the Keys many times. We usually go to Marathon but Key West is about the same distance from Sanibel. When we had a fast boat it was a one day trip. Now that we have a trawler, it's a 2 day trip. We leave Cape Coral and stay in Indian Key Pass at marker 7. It's far enough inside the channel to get protection. It's 9-12 ft and usually quiet, albeit buggy this time of the year. Also, you will probably have cell phone and TV coverage there because you will be close to Everglades City. Watch out for lobster traps. Lobster season opens up on Aug 6 so traps are common off Naples, then it clears till you get about 25 miles from the Keys.

Gina