Cruising the Keys

“Cruising the Keys” is a phrase we heard often this winter as an alternative to the storm ravaged Bahamas. However, in truth there are few all weather anchorages in the keys outside of Boot Key Harbor (Marathon). The cruising guide reports that most boats just try to find a place to hunker down in some marina and spend the winter bicycling, snorkeling or bird watching.

Another issue to cruising the keys is depth. Consensus is that boats with more than 4 feet of draft should stay outside in the Hawke Channel while shallow draft boats can use the ICW on the Florida Bay side. There are only two cross over points—the 5 mile bridge and the 7 mile bridge. White Pepper chose to stay outside.

It was well after noon by the time we left Caesar's Creek and turned SW. The wind was easterly off the port quarter astern and we could make good time sailing. Rodriquez Key was only 30 n. miles ahead. I had long heard of Rodriquez Key. Most Florida cruisers have been there and it is adjacent to the John Pennibaker underwater park which has great snorkeling. Imagine our horror to find the anchorage to be an open road stead completely exposed to the prevailing easterly breeze. Jan kept repeating “We may as well have anchored in the middle of the Atlantic”. There is plenty of room and the holding is great in 7 feet of water. White Pepper spent a very uncomfortable albeit safe night bobbing in 1 to 2 foot seas. We left early and did not bother to take any pictures.

The next stop west for most cruisers is Marathon. However, we had spent a wonderful week there is 2007 and did not feel the need to visit again. Also Marathon has gotten popular. There is now a waiting list to get a mooring ball. As an alternative I had picked out Long Key which has an anchorage on the west side of the 5 mile bridge. However, it too was exposed to the brisk easterly wind. Taking a tip from a fellow cruiser White Pepper went under the 5 mile bridge and back tracked 3 miles to the east to Matacumbe Bight. On the Florida Bay side it is a wonderfully protected anchorage from the east and south. It is said to be untenable in north winds. We spent a lovely evening and night there.

Sunset from Matacumbe Bight, note the calm sea state

The next day brought a 55 n mile hike to New Found Harbor near Pine Key. This is said to be a best protected anchorage between Key West and Marathon. I was especially looking forward to it since White Pepper dropped the hook there on December 22, 2007. It was the first time we had anchored on the extended cruise. We wound be “closing the circle” in some way.

This boat is anchored almost exactly where White Pepper was 12 years ago

This time we carried on into New Found Harbor and anchored behind Wisteria Island

Finally came the leg to Key West which was only 25 n. miles to the west. Again taking a tip from a fellow cruiser I had booked a month long stay at Stock Island Resort and Marina. Originally the plan to was to re-provision, entertain guests, and take a side trip to the Dry Tortugas and return. I needed to find a rigger as the main halyard had parted during the trip. Finally I would make yet another effort to find someone who could replace the linear drive on the auto pilot. The decision to take a month's lease turned out to be providential. As the corona virus lock down hit, all boats in Key West marinas with leases less than 27 days were asked to leave. The famous Garrison Bight mooring field was closed as well. The story of Key West in the time of the Covid is for another day.

Stock Island and channel in the distance