Florida keys

[Amar Nanduri]

@Amar Nanduri, tell us about what happened to you in the Formula 350.

Kitchen stove top broken, doors ripped apart and that whole section moved from its location by a few inches. I was stupid enough to head out in 12 knot winds. It felt like 2017 all over again with the boat jumping and catching air. I thought a bigger boat can handle those waves, but was mistaken. On top of that the engines shut down 2 miles into the ocean and a loud alarm started and would not stop even when the engines were stopped and started multiple times. Got seasick with all the movement and had to jump into the ocean to cool off and get rid of the nausea in rough waters. Turned back to Miami downtown and docked the boat with the alarm still going off nonstop. It took 3 hours for the alarm to finally shut up and for things to get back to normal. I learnt my lesson then to respect the ocean and not mess with winds greater than 3-4 knots.

On a side note, @Bruce and @Betik and others warned me about the rough conditions at that time. I should have listened.

 

[Wisefam22]

So our trip without specifics for lodgings is broken into 3 parts

Upper, middle, and lower keys.

Plan is to travel and arrive in homestead Friday night. Launch Saturday morning.

If we do this we will launch in homestead, there is a ramp with gated 24hr security.

Once launched we would make our way to the upper keys and be staying somewhere in key largo/islamorada.

Monday we would check out and travel to the middle keys stay 2 nights somewhere around marathon and leave Wednesday for key west.

Wed,third, Friday would be spent in key west and then travel back to homestead Saturday morning.

For this trip we would be spending most of the morning/early afternoon on the boat, fishing, relaxing, finding some spots to snorkel. Once we arrive at destination for the evening/back to marina we would be relaxing in the pool and finding local place to eat/explore.

Looking up active captain most people run the outside when traveling between the keys to avoid headache of intercoastal/water levels.

I will come back and edit info on places we have been looking at for each "part" of the trip as well as prices.

One thing I have been told is you could spend a week in the upper keys and not run out of stuff to do.

 

[Amar Nanduri]

Nice. We have rented out an RV closer to Ft Lauderdale for a week, will drive down to Marathon Keys and park at an RV camp. Then decide what to do and where to go. I will have my van with me, so has the flexibility to go up or down the keys. The first 3 days I have rented out a boat in the Marathon key to explore the surrounding islands, snorkel, paddle board, sand bars etc. End of the year plan to be in Miami, and chill out on the ICW and watch fireworks with the family and then get back to reality and the biting cold up North.

 

[Wisefam22]

Nice. We have rented out an RV closer to Ft Lauderdale for a week, will drive down to Marathon Keys and park at an RV camp. Then decide what to do and where to go. I will have my van with me, so has the flexibility to go up or down the keys. The first 3 days I have rented out a boat in the Marathon key to explore the surrounding islands, snorkel, paddle board, sand bars etc. End of the year plan to be in Miami, and chill out on the ICW and watch fireworks with the family and then get back to reality and the biting cold up North.

Check out bahia honda state park its near marathon if I remember. The park is on the top end of 7 mile bridge (amazing to drive across). You can walk on part of the old bridge and take a picture of the other side. It used to be draw bridge at one point put replaced with the new bridge and larger clearance.

Also deer key is fun for kids since will have vehicle. Its home of the key deer (full size like 3ft tall). Idk how they ended up so small, but story I heard is farmer in Kentucky had them and brought some down to island.

 

[Wisefam22]

For those wondering we are expecting to spend 4-5grand on this trip fuel used lodging travel ect. It's not much of a cost difference then going to bimini. You save customs fees but that's it.

You will always be in cell range but I'd still recommend a mounted vhf and chart plotter.

 

[Wisefam22]

Skipjack resort and marina is booked for 4 nights for this trip. The deluxe king room ran us 170 a night and the slip rental is super cheap at $2ft no min so its $197 for our time there.

We decided that we would make a day run to key west. We dont do much of the "nightlife" and prices were double in room reservations as well as for the boat.

First part of they trip will be spent in key largo. We rented a 5th wheel from someone at private campground. Best part is it's on canal and slip rental is $12/day.

Lodging and dockage ran us $1750.

 

[Betik]

@Wisefam22 how does 4x170+197 runs to $1750? Are you baking in something else ?

 

[Wisefam22]

@Wisefam22 how does 4x170+197 runs to $1750? Are you baking in something else ?

That included rental of 5th wheel in largo.

Skipjack was 179nightx4 plus 197 for dockage. Guess I could have been more clear

 

[Jameson Clark]

I have driven from Greenville, SC to the keys with boat in tow twice. One year with my 2007 Monterey 194FS and the next with my buddy's 1996 Glastron 21'. Stayed in Tavernier one year and Islamorada the next. Both trips were 6 days down there and we took the boat out 3-4 days each trip so it was well worth it for us to have it. Tons of fun exploring down there with a boat! When staying in Tavernier, the Harry Harris park with boat ramp was about a mile from the house. One thing we were not prepared for or aware of was how slippery the boat ramp there gets! Without 4wd, we weren't getting the boat back out. Helped many others help get out of the water while there and actually watched quite a few people use the boat's motor to help push the truck to start getting it going up the ramp and then shut it down as soon as they started pulling out of the water. Pretty crazy stuff there!

 

[Amar Nanduri]

Spent a week in Tavernier, Islamorada and Marathon last week of December. Amazing places to explore if you have a boat. Water was too rough to snorkel to underwater Jesus.

 

[Wisefam22]

Spent a week in Tavernier, Islamorada and Marathon last week of December. Amazing places to explore if you have a boat. Water was too rough to snorkel to underwater Jesus.

My wife is a planner and we have already paid for the kids plane tickets to go with grandparents for in June. She told me, I wanna do bimini but I'm not going alone so let's plan this to keys we can do bimini another time.

She won that battle I still get a week on boat without kids, and a promised trip to bimini in next few years.

 

[Amar Nanduri]

My wife is a planner and we have already paid for the kids plane tickets to go with grandparents for in June. She told me, I wanna do bimini but I'm not going alone so let's plan this to keys we can do bimini another time.

She won that battle I still get a week on boat without kids, and a promised trip to bimini in next few years.

A week on boat without kids ? You just described heaven

 

[Liveto99]

Check out bahia honda state park its near marathon if I remember. The park is on the top end of 7 mile bridge (amazing to drive across). You can walk on part of the old bridge and take a picture of the other side. It used to be draw bridge at one point put replaced with the new bridge and larger clearance.

Also deer key is fun for kids since will have vehicle. Its home of the key deer (full size like 3ft tall). Idk how they ended up so small, but story I heard is farmer in Kentucky had them and brought some down to island.

7 mile bridge was a rotating bridge. The whole section of road that looked like a old iron bridge would rotate on a large center pile. Then a boat could pass on eaher side. It was powered by a propane motor, and there was a tender that would sit up above in a little structure and open it for boats. A week before he was to retire a Florida Power Authority backhoe was being trailered along the road and the boom was to high. It struck the propane tank and caused a fire and the man was killed. He tried to cool himself off in the shower that they had up there but it did not work, that’s where they found him. The road was closed for a few days or so I remember gas and food being scarce for a little bit. Then all boats had to go around the end of KeyWest till the new Bridge was put in place. They were building all new bridges then anyway. I have stories about the building of those also. It was a interesting place to grow up.

 

[Wisefam22]

@Liveto99 thanks for sharing history!

 

[Liveto99]

Great place to stay is La Jolla resort in Islamorada normally under $200 a night and dock space is $20 a night. Clean and nice it is on the gulf side. Largo, Ilamarada, are all close to Homestead Gilbert’s is a great lunch spot it is at the exit of Jewfish Creek going into Florida Bay. Mile Marker 88 is a good place for lunch also, not a ton of docking there. Remember you can also use your phone for Maps to get to land place docks. You must have a Chartplotter or you will run aground Evan with your jet boat. If not both Normally ether the ocean of the gulf is calm so you can explore something with your boat.
Also I’m here now so if you want info on something let me know.

 

[Wisefam22]

Great place to stay is La Jolla resort in Islamorada normally under $200 a night and dock space is $20 a night. Clean and nice it is on the gulf side. Largo, Ilamarada, are all close to Homestead Gilbert’s is a great lunch spot it is at the exit of Jewfish Creek going into Florida Bay. Mile Marker 88 is a good place for lunch also, not a ton of docking there. Remember you can also use your phone for Maps to get to land place docks. You must have a Chartplotter or you will run aground Evan with your jet boat. If not both Normally ether the ocean of the gulf is calm so you can explore something with your boat.
Also I’m here now so if you want info on something let me know.

We have a chart plotter... we have a location of ship wrecks to fish. Was given a tip about marvin key and map/route guy uses to make it in there.

We are putting in at bayfront park in homestead and traveling to largo first.

Any places/reefs to snorkel/fish/beach at would be awesome. We have a packed week of stuff we want to do.

 

[Betik]

Traveler be advised. If not pictures posted it never happened

 

[Wisefam22]

@Betik dont worry once I crack my wifes laptop code I'll post our itinerary on places we are going. There will be plenty of pictures... safe for halls viewing.

 

[Amar Nanduri]

Traveler be advised. If not pictures posted it never happened

Here you go @Betik
All in and around Marathon Key.

 

[I know You know]

Great place to stay is La Jolla resort in Islamorada normally under $200 a night and dock space is $20 a night. Clean and nice it is on the gulf side. Largo, Ilamarada, are all close to Homestead Gilbert’s is a great lunch spot it is at the exit of Jewfish Creek going into Florida Bay. Mile Marker 88 is a good place for lunch also, not a ton of docking there. Remember you can also use your phone for Maps to get to land place docks. You must have a Chartplotter or you will run aground Evan with your jet boat. If not both Normally ether the ocean of the gulf is calm so you can explore something with your boat.
Also I’m here now so if you want info on something let me know.

That place was/is owned by an old friend of my Tony N. nice little place to kick back and enjoy the Keys Life.