[Rhodes22-list] Biscayne Bay Area Launch ramps

[William E. Wickman]

   Bill, You HAVE to give us a travel log of your trip.  My wif   fair weather sailor too, and I would love to know how your trip turn   s out.



   Bob, I also have the Frank Pappy guide bo   best guide book I have ever seen.  I've read    and haven't even been down there yet!  But alas,    a guide book that provides information on launching plac   be launching and plan to leave the car and trailer for 5-7   Maybe it is no big deal to leave vehicles for several days/nig   but I would hate to return to find my car and/or trailer gone or
   vanda


   And here is another question/idea.     great idea to sail to Key West and then somehow   trailer down to pull out in Key West instead of having   way back into the wind.  Anyone ever attempt those logi


   Bill Wickman



   <
   -----rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.or
     To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
     F     Sent by: rhodes22-list-bounces@     Date: 12/17/2005 06:11PM
     Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Bi     Bob,
     Thanks for spending so much time on this reply.  It is exactly wh     at I need.
     I've got charts, guide books,  Frank Papy's guide, e     you
     recommended Papy years ago, and I went right out      As a professional vacation taker, I like to settle in     two
     places and really learn them, rather than trying to see h     notches
     I can carve into my GPS.  If I like the area I can     back.
     My wife likes the idea of sailing better than sai     very
     thin blood, and gets cold when the sun's not o     middle of
     the summer.
     We have a very close, very     Grove.  We have many frie     back
     repeatedly.
     If my wif     Miami, we
     will re     the
     Long     OK.  That's fair enough.  Both m     comfortable
     with my sailing and navigation s     There are islands off the Florida coast that are rentable. &n     bsp;There are
     homes on canals with slips that we can rent.  Their      reachable only by boat, and others with marinas where you c     leave your
     boat while you get a hot shower and sleep in a real bed.      these
     things are under consideration, and my wife is game.     We have stayed in Marathon and Key Largo and Key West.  We hav     snorkeled in John Pennekamp.  We have sailed in Key Biscayne wit     friends.  We have been on Fisher Island.  All delightful. <     I am going to study and review your remarks closely, and plot them
     o     charts, along with any other thoughts from anyone who wants to
     sugges     anything.  I want to construct a knock-your-socks-off, can't mis     s, first
     time, winter boating experience, so my wife will want to come      back
     again, and do more.
     Your comments will help a lot, and I'm      them.
     Thanks, again,
     Bill Effros
          Robert Quinn wrote:
     > Bill:  A lot depends on what you p     to put
     > in and sail off for a few days     the
     > same location every night?).<     > I've read ahead so will try to consolidate responses in one     email.
     > Sailing on Biscayne Bay when the weather is with you     one of
     > the neatest experiences going.  The Bay off     open
     > area and lots of islands to explore but yo     good
     > charts are there are lots of shallows to      is a
     > good boat for the area.  The     someone
     > mentioned coming back     Marathon
     > in the Hawk Chann     directly
     > east.  Mos     more.
     > Goin     be with
          the option
     > of coming up on the Florida Bay side though which is in     teresting for a
     > couple of reasons.  The channel is well marke     shallow
     > and winders quite a bit out of Key West; ho     lot of
     > protection when the wind is up on the At     of
     > protected Bays that offer great swimming     explore,
     > etc.
     >
     > Frank Papy's g     a
     > must, in my hu     all
     > along the way     with
     > a West Co     see, and
     > place     make
     > li     >
     > We have been to Hom     for
     > some reason I hav     the
     > car and trailer     there
     > is a fe     would
     > think h     call as
     >     &     the
     >     Marina on K     > Biscayne is also something to check out.  A bit more crowd     but a
     > good jump off point as well.
     >
     > We sailed th     > version) aroun     Island,
     > Shark Riv     (Boca
     > Chica act     > nose). &nbs     Channel we ducked
     > un     breaking
     &g     have ever <     conditions, bright cl     > sky day, dolphin escort, and gin clear water. We ducked i     Name
     > Harbor on Key Biscayne (near Cape Florida Park) for a      > night.  We continued on up to Fort Lauderdale, Lake     Beach)
     > before getting back to Stuart via the St. Luci     the
     > exceptions as noted we only spent one nigh     locations as
     > we were interested in spending time in     from
     > there, getting home for a family reun     >
     > Now the questions is:  Bob if you had it to do ov     you
     > have done differently?  Took tons more tim     > experience.  I've read a lot about sa     (Biscayne Bay
     > to Key West) and the best advice     each
     > area:  West Marine puts      to Key
     > Largo, one for K     Key West
     > and the Dry     break
     > u     Florida Bay
     &g     places
     > whereby you can cross over from the Hawk Channel to Florida Bay.
     &nbs     > is important that you know these cross over points as when th     ings kick
     > up on the Atlantic side you want to know where you can d     over to
     > Florida Bay.  This is especially important during     months
     > when the 'nor'easters blast through.)
     >> Oh, and in each of these segments, there are places to launch
     and > recover from.  For example in Key Largo, you have John
     Pennekam     > Reef State Park which is a great jump off point to some fa     ntastic
     > snorkeling just off shore on the Hawk Channel.
     >
          sailing     > season was limited (we left the Florida heat and hurricane
     season     > July 20th in a small motorhome for Maine).  After we got      boat
     > recommissioned in April we were only able to get a few da     sails in
     > plus a three day trip to Lake Worth.  Sure enough,     2005
     > storm also beat  the "NoKaOi" up a bit, fort     as bad
     > as Frances and Jeanne.  We hope to      > preparation for a Bahamas run sometim     1st.
     > If for some reason the weathe     will be
     > perfectly content sailing     very
     > leisurely pace.  Ton     snorkeling,
     > restaurants with ding     aboard, and
     > did I mention, won     >
     > Come on down, you will love it!
     >
          >
     > ----- Original Message -     >
     >     > Sent: Saturday, December 17, 200     > Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Biscayne Bay Area Launch ramps<     >
     >
     >   Speaking of Biscayne Bay, I am think     down
     > there next summer for about a     launch
     > ra   mp that will      safely?
     >
     >
     >     >   Bill Wickman
     >
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