bahia honda and marathon

[whgoffrn]

just reserved next weekend and mon tues at Bahia Honda... instead of taking the rv this time going to do the tent thing so it enables me to take the boat for the first time in the keys..... the weather on windfinder app shows sat/sun being 25kt winds and never having sailed the area I think ill pass on those days ...but on Monday and Tuesday it appears to calm down considerably.... ive read somewhere several people saying theres a swift current between the bridges....for those who have sailed this area is this current of much concern? ive only sailed lakes and now 6 months on the ICW indian river lagoon....so totally new to the area and wouldn't mind a crash course on any dangers to beware of or if this stretch of water is not for someone without high level of experience....my only plans were to anchor somewhere off Bahia Honda take the dinghy to the beach...maybe do some sailing around up to boot key harbor check that place out for future plans to come back down...but wonder about how safe or sketchy of waters these are

[tlgibson97]

I never had a real problem with the current. It can be a little uncomfortable because the winds will probably be plowing perpendicular to the current in that spot. When I anchored there, the other boats had a stern anchor out to hold them in the direction they wanted. I didn't have one so I just anchored with enough room to swing around if needed. It has never been very crowded, maybe 2-3 boats at a time.

As for sailing, if it was above 20kts we would find something else to do. Reefed down, I wouldn't have any problem sailing above that but the family wouldn't be very appreciative. We would usually either be heading to sombrero key or Looe key for snorkeling. With those winds, the sea would be pretty rough and not a whole lot of fun for snorkeling. Also, one leg either heading out or coming back (depending on which key we went to) would be dead into the wind. So one leg would be a pretty comfortable sail, the other would wear me out. If I was heading to key west then I wouldn't have a problem with it.

[Sea Wind]

We have been at Bahia Honda in three different occasions. One time the wind was close to 20kts at night from the NW and it was not comfortable, I slept on the cockpit ready to start the engine in case of dragging but it never happened. I have a Bruce anchor and 25 feet of chain. The other two times with took a slip.

Instead of sleeping in a tent and anchoring out, why don’t you slip the Mac? You still get access to the same facilities. Also, if you decide to anchor out, you can bring the boat inside the basin during the day and dock on the west side for free.

the sea would be pretty rough and not a whole lot of fun for snorkeling.

If you know that the tours to Loo Key from the BH marina are cancelled due to weather, don’t bother going out.

[whgoffrn]

well I think with the reservation to the park it lets you slip the boat for free....that's most of the reason I got the site....they want 2.00 a foot at most places and then extra cost to store the truck and trailer.... for 38 bucks I can sleep in tent on dry land...slip the boat at night so I don't have to worry about the anchor dragging (although id hope that 35lb mantus wouldn't drag anyways) but ill sleep better at night knowing it wont drag sink and get ate by sharks lol so for peace of mind ill sleep on dry land with the boat in the slip at the park and only go out when weather is ok

[DaveB]

We did 4 day stay 5 weeks ago at Bahia. We brought our Kayaks this trip and enjoyed. Not much of a current in less you are in the channel.
I booked a 5 day stay in Oct. 15 2016. This place is very hard to book and most book 11mo. in advance.
Some just cancel before arrival to get refund after booking 11 months in advance.
I was told could keep my campsite for 2 days more as the other camper canceled out.
So ck out before arrival.
Last Week we did a 4 day Stay at Koreshan State Park in Ft Myers, FL. This is a great Campsite and Kayak trip down Estero River.
Dave

just reserved next weekend and mon tues at Bahia Honda... instead of taking the rv this time going to do the tent thing so it enables me to take the boat for the first time in the keys..... the weather on windfinder app shows sat/sun being 25kt winds and never having sailed the area I think ill pass on those days ...but on Monday and Tuesday it appears to calm down considerably.... ive read somewhere several people saying theres a swift current between the bridges....for those who have sailed this area is this current of much concern? ive only sailed lakes and now 6 months on the ICW indian river lagoon....so totally new to the area and wouldn't mind a crash course on any dangers to beware of or if this stretch of water is not for someone without high level of experience....my only plans were to anchor somewhere off Bahia Honda take the dinghy to the beach...maybe do some sailing around up to boot key harbor check that place out for future plans to come back down...but wonder about how safe or sketchy of waters these are

[whgoffrn]

that's how I got my 4 days there....last minute cancellations....got water front too ...I booked before and couldn't even get water front waiting at 8am 11 months out with finger on the button people were already beating me to it...so kinda amazed how easily I got them this time.....so really not much current unless out in hawks channel?

[Retcoastie]

The Bahia Honda cut is a tidal cut, so the current is mostly dependent on the size of the tides. You can check a tide chart and see what to expect.

[Sumner]

The Bahia Honda cut is a tidal cut, so the current is mostly dependent on the size of the tides. You can check a tide chart and see what to expect.

Yep,



Above is the OpenCPN current and tide data for Sunday. Using their current chart I saw maximum currents between 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 knots under the bridge there over the next few days.

Sumner

============================
1300 miles to the Bahamas and back -- 2015

The MacGregor 26-S

The Endeavour 37

Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[whgoffrn]

Well it looks like I may be cancelling this trip ....the weather looks horrible 5 days of 20+kt winds on Monday it looks to calm down 15-20 and wave height decreasing but im not sure I want to go in an area I'm unfamiliar with in such sketchy weather ....windfinder app says gusts to 18kts which means 25+ with me on the water ..... Single handing with a 9 and 10 year old in waters I'm unfamiliar with doesn't sound fun with the current predictions

[Ixneigh]

Yea well it's blowing pretty hard up here in kl.
re Bahia Honda cut
Why park in there? You can park along the shore on the gulf side and take the dinghy in. It's probably cruddy in the cut right now.
Ix

[whgoffrn]

i postponed the vacation for the following week....very rainy but had brief spells of daylight mixed in....took the mac out a couple miles offshore in what I would guess was 2-4 and wasn't bad at all but I could see how much bigger would give the boat trouble... 2-4 following seas still wanted to push the boat sideways... so I can see the necessity for a drogue now if very heavy weather