Diving the Keys from my boat - need advice and information

[tcpip95]

A pontoon boat over open from Ft. Myers to Marathon...... Come on now, don't you people know when you are getting your chain yanked!!!

I wouldn't yank your chain ... you're my favorite toilet! . Assuming we go (weather will make that determination) I'll provide a full trip report.

 

[Capt Scotty]

Not sure what to say here.....other than take lots of drinking water, a really good VHF radio and a Tow Boat US membership...

Yeah, guys are gonna take the boat down, girls are going to drive the car. That way we'll have a car to use. Will leave Ft. Myers around 0530, refuel at Marco Island then run over to Marathon. Depending on weather will either run straight over if water is flat, or hug the shore if 2'. More than 2' the boat stays home. Don't have a trailer.

View attachment 179307

 

[grey2112]

Not sure what to say here.....other than take lots of drinking water, a really good VHF radio and a Tow Boat US membership...

Dramamine, puke bags, ice for sore muscles and backs, last will and testament, etc.

 

[reefman]

have you given much thought or have a plan for your boat if the winds/seas/Tstorms(rainy season begins in early may and your route is prime time thunderstorm territory) are unsuitable for your RETURN trip home in a 24 ft pontoon boat? where would you store/ dock it in marathon? heed to the advice of the previous posters, either purchase a used trailer to drive it south or rent a boat for a few days in marathon. better yet, pick one of the many professional dive/snorkel operators and have peace of mind and a safe diving experience. frankly, although well intended on your part, the plan to ride your boat(w/only one engine) from the south west coast thru florida bay to MTH and back is simply for the lack of a better term, CRAZY,,,,,,,,,,,,,


reefman
key largo

 

[Kevin K]

Hey! TCpip95! Don't listen to all that poop! Just go. You sound like you know what you are doing with the boat. I've been to Key Largo a bunch of times with a 21 ft SeaPro Bay boat, center console. A little different than a pontoon boat, but...Get that book by Ned DeLoach. It's great. Go find the 5 cannons on the bottom up by Crayfort light. It's on page 312 of the book, called Bunn's Cannon Patch. It was right on the numbers. Pretty cool, five canons sitting in a pile from the 1700's, in 12 feet of water. Don't worry, you can't pick them up and take them home! I tried!! lol. Sure, weather might not be great, but who can predict that? Maybe it WILL be great. Lots of 30 ft and less dives. Check out your charts. That book is the ticket. My wife and I did 10 days of diving off of Key Largo, north and south and we had a blast. Just open the book and pick a place to go. We did 30 dives and all different. We'd just open the book and pick a place, come up from a dive, open book, pick the next dive spot. Most of the numbers were right on. Lots of naysayers here, I say GO! It's no sweat. Tying up to buoys is easy. Get one of those Top Spot charts at any fishing store and they will help you out. The shallow dives are better in many ways. We did one on the corner ball on the western corner of Molassas Reef that was one of the best dives of our trip. 30 ft max, lots of relief and rock and fish, 93 minutes on a steel 120! We went up cause we got bored! One of the other great dives was in 18 ft, way in shore at a "lobster sanctuary", I think it was marked on the Top Spot chart, had one buoy on it. Took minnows down and fed the fish, eels, turtles and even a couple of sharks (small) came in. Went back the next day and as soon as we hit the sandy bottom the fish came out to us, they remembered. If the weather is tough, you'll find something else to do. Where you planning to stay? We rented a condo a couple of times, 800 a week and the place had a boat ramp. Launched every morning and pulled out at night. They had a spot to park your boat. We even tented at that place south of Pennington State park and they had a ramp as well. Lots of places to go with the boat. Just start calling and surfing the web. I was thinking of getting a pontoon boat and also wondered how it would do out there. Let me know how you do. Also, the locals will help you out. Just launch the boat and start motoring out, stop at the first place you see and go for it. White Bank is a really cool shallow dive too. The brain corals come right up to the surface there. Big brain coral, big as a house! You are gonna have a blast! Kevin