Crossing Florida Bend Tarpon Springs to Apalachicola
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Sailor of Fortune
Guru
no
Jeff F
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No. Watch the weather.
I really enjoyed traveling the Big Bend route recently. Stopped at Crystal River, Steinhatchee, St Mark's, and Carrabelle. Easy day trips between them.
Blissboat
Guru
That boat will be fine. As noted, just allow ample time to be able to choose your weather. Plotting a course to roughly trace an arc along the two or three fathom line of the Big Bend will keep tend to you in more sheltered waters. That's not essential, though. Sometimes you can shoot straight across and it's like a millpond.
Choices
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Done it many times in a 36 GB. Perfect weather is really nice. Make sure you come through Govenors Cut during day.
When rough it is really rough. Tall short waves can really hammer you. No place to hide.
When rough it is really rough. Tall short waves can really hammer you. No place to hide.
Dougcole
Guru
As Blissboat said, this time of year when it blows out of the north you are in the lee most of the way, which provides a surprising amount of shelter out to 3 or 4 miles offshore, maybe a little further even. Be aware that north winds push the water out of the bays though and tides can be lower than forecast.
There are some banks that are well offshore as well, but they are well charted. Give them a wide berth. It’s a fun trip. Apalach and Carrabelle are awesome. St. Marks is fun too.
There are some banks that are well offshore as well, but they are well charted. Give them a wide berth. It’s a fun trip. Apalach and Carrabelle are awesome. St. Marks is fun too.
Dougcole
Guru
Crab traps are way less than further south, how many depends on the time of year.
As to shoaling, there are largr flats, up to about 8’ deep that extend off shore for almost the entire stretch. Outside of the flats there is plenty of water and depths are accurately charted. Entrances through the flats at Crystal River, Stienhatchee and St Marks are well marked and dredged. Once you are west of the Ochlocknee River you enter St. George sound West of Dog Island Reef or through East Pass which is 20 feet deep, well marked and good in most conditions. . You can also go through Bob Sykes cut, but I wouldn’t, East Pass is better.
As to shoaling, there are largr flats, up to about 8’ deep that extend off shore for almost the entire stretch. Outside of the flats there is plenty of water and depths are accurately charted. Entrances through the flats at Crystal River, Stienhatchee and St Marks are well marked and dredged. Once you are west of the Ochlocknee River you enter St. George sound West of Dog Island Reef or through East Pass which is 20 feet deep, well marked and good in most conditions. . You can also go through Bob Sykes cut, but I wouldn’t, East Pass is better.
Blissboat
Guru
What kind of shape is the Bob Sikes Cut in these days? Last I heard it had shoaled up pretty badly and is no longer getting maintenance dredging from the Corps.
Dougcole
Guru
Im not 100% sure, I haven’t run through there in a while. East Pass is just so much easier that I always use either it or go around the east end of Dog Island when coming and going. East Pass is wide open and the channel all the way to Apalach or Carrabelle is good.
That’s the way we like to do it. Out last cut across beating broke us of doing that any more.
rgano
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I prefer the dependably deep cut at the west end of Dog Island. I have done it at night. You will be doing a far share of the run at night in a GB32 as a straight shot, but might consider departing from Anclote Key anchorage running to anchorage at Cedar Key then Steinhatchee and across to the eastern end of Dog Island with an anchorage at the bay at Dog's west end or going up to Carrabelle. If you go straight across just pick the finest weather - I have been across in a mill pond twice but more often in something rougher than predicted. I have seen crab traps way more dense than Florida Bay and I have seen none at all. Check the interweb about Florida stone crab season. At about 30-40 miles offshore, you start to see them peter out.
STG
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But am also considering Anclote Key anchorage running to anchorage at Cedar Key then Steinhatchee and across to the eastern end of Dog Island with an anchorage at the bay at Dog's west end or going up to Carrabelle.
Dougcole
Guru
Not sure if it works for your planning or not, but Stienhatchee is easier to get into than Cedar Key with more shelter.
The cut to the west of Dog Island that Rich references is East Pass. East of St George, west of Dog Island.
You can also anchor in Tysons Harbor which is about mid way on Fog Island. Great protection but limited swing room in the inner harbor, more room with less protection in the outer harbor.
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rgano
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My brother once anchored in Tysons Harbor and reported being treated with extreme rudeness by passing locals who made it a point to wake the hell out of him. I never had the same problem at the west end of the island.
rgano
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I have only a few hours a long time ago on a GB32, back when I owned a GB42. Enjoyed the 32 a lot. I assume you have the venerable Ford Lehman 120? We have an open slip here in the PC area with power and water if you need a place to lay up on your way through. Got another TFer here now on the other side of the pier. Send a private message with your contact details, and I'll shoot the approach instructions to you.
Nancy and Rick
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Sleepy
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If you do that you'll miss Steinhatchee and Carabelle- two of my favorite stops between Ft Myers and Mississippi.
rgano
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He could also elect to "explore back" running inside behind St Goerge and Dog islands for some or all of the passage to Carrabelle and Alligator Point and East Point, and St Marks.
STG
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Anyone know the deadrise on the 32 GB?
I want to get new transducer and chart plotter/depth /fish finder and am told by dealers that single transducer is best for deadrise of 5 degrees or less and if greater deadrise then I should get twin transducers.
I want to get new transducer and chart plotter/depth /fish finder and am told by dealers that single transducer is best for deadrise of 5 degrees or less and if greater deadrise then I should get twin transducers.
83GB
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We have a 42 GB Classic. We have made the roundtrip from Dog Island to Anclote Key about 7 or 8 times. Have done it in one shot.. about 18 hours... but the last several times we stopped and anchored for the night at Cedar Key to break up the trip so it can be done in two daylight hours segments. We have figured out how to cross Sea Horse reef (not going around) so that saves a couple of hours of transit time. During the season, crab pots will be everywhere between Anclote and Cedar key. In the off season, we usually spot 4 to 5 abandoned crab pots we have to steer around. And we wait for very good weather.
Nancy and Rick
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Wruckus said:
Received this as a private message but I think it was intended for this thread.
Dougcole
Guru
Probably the Dog Island ferry. It doesn’t really look like a commercial boat, but it is. Captain generally runs pretty fast through the harbor, but only passes a few times a day. I don’t think he is being intentionally rude, just hurried to do his job. Id say on any given day perhaps 10 boats come in and out of the harbor, mostly small to mid size CC. I don’t doubt your brother but I would say that is highly unusual. Ive anchored in there probably 50 times and never had that experience. Nothing remotely ike the South Florida anchorages (Peck Lake comes ro mind) I’ve been in.
The west end anchorage, which people call shipping cove, gets busy on warm weather weekends. Again, mostly smaller boats. But people are usually friendly.
