Decide whether to take the inside or outside route before you go.
It’s always smart to use a Florida Keys boating itinerary when you embark on a new journey. Having lived aboard our own 44-foot trawler and traveled the island chain for years, we believe that any time is terrific to cruise the Keys!
This time our journey takes us from lower Biscayne Bay to Marathon on Vaca Key. But we have a slight dilemma—inside or outside route?
Planning Your Florida Keys Boating Itinerary- Inside or Outside Route? How to Decide:
When planning your Keys Cruise, shallow-draft boats (less than 4 feet deep) can easily travel the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), also called the Inside or Bayside Route. Deeper-draft boats may opt for the Outside or Ocean Route via Hawk Channel. This channel is 15-20 feet deep and runs along the ocean side of the Keys between the land and the barrier reef to the southeast. The reef acts as a wave dampener to allow for serene ocean runs.
Wind and weather also help in your decision to travel inside versus outside. The islands do a good job of tamping down the fetch, so on a good day with northwest winds, the ocean route may be calm one mile offshore. But if the wind is southeasterly, you may change course to the inside route for a smoother ride.
Exploring the Inside Route: Island Hopping in the Keys
As part of our Florida Keys boating itinerary, let’s explore the Inside Route. The string of Florida Keys begins at Boca Chita, part of Biscayne National Park, with a very small but well-protected harbor. Although it offers no water, electricity, or trash collection, the natural beauty of the scrub and surrounding crystal-blue water is a terrific start to your journey. If you are lucky to arrive when the park rangers are present, you may be able to climb the 65-foot lighthouse. What a view!
Continuing the Inside Route from Biscayne Bay, you’ll meander into Card Sound with plenty of opportunities to anchor. A plow anchor is most effective in the Florida Keys because of the limestone seafloor, also called hard pan. If you’ve never anchored here, try it out for lunch and an afternoon snorkel. Once you’ve mastered setting the hook in the hard pan, your options for anchoring are almost endless. Please stay off the seagrass and anchor only in the white sandy bottom.
Jewfish Creek provides your first opportunity to stop overnight in a full-service marina. As you wind your way from the sound and into the mangrove-lined channel, you will be treated to birds of all colors and sizes soaring and swooping as they search for their dinner. They won’t have to look too hard as these shallow waters are chock-full of fish. You may even spy a bright-green iguana camouflaged in the sun-filtered leaves of the mangroves. Just south of the Belize Blue 65-foot bridge, you’ll find your choice of two marinas with power, fuel, and a pump-out. Tiki huts dot the beach where you can sip on a frozen coconut concoction while waiting for your dinner to arrive.
Heading south into Blackwood then Buttonwood sounds, experience the shallows of Florida Bay. Keep a sharp eye as you navigate to stay in the deepest water. Hidden in these gorgeous blues and greens are sandbars aplenty. Although the channels are well-marked, it’s a great idea to plan your course in advance and know what to expect. A good pair of binoculars and polarized sunglasses can help your crew to spot the buoys and day beacons needed to cross the banks with ease.
Tavernier offers a few more marinas in addition to a local grocery store or a night off for the chef at a shoreside restaurant. It’s always a fun adventure tasting fresh fish of the local cuisine.
As the channel opens to the unprotected bay, don’t fret! If the winds are not in your favor, you have an opportunity to cross over to the Outside Route just below Lower Matecumbe at Channel 5. Be cautious using any of the smaller creeks above Channel 5. The fixed bridges may not be tall enough for your boat, and the moving tide can create currents 5 knots or faster.
The Allure of the Outside Route: Ocean Adventures
If your draft is deeper than 4 feet or the weather forecast is spectacular, the Hawk Channel route might be a better option than the shallows of the Florida Bay. Leaving from Miami’s Government Cut, you can have an easy day that ends with choices: anchor, snag a mooring ball, or tie-up at a marina.
John Pennekamp State Park
Nestled on the oceanside of Key Largo is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Reserve a slip with power or snag a mooring ball with a short run to the dinghy dock. Dive or snorkel near Dry Rocks to see reef fish and the famous underwater Christ of the Abyss statue. Be attentive to the Sanctuary Preservation Areas marked with buoys so boaters can visit without damaging the reef as good stewards of our environment.
Still eager to explore but aren’t a diver? Rent a kayak to skirt the mangroves and enjoy the sultry surroundings. Take a tour on their glass bottom boat to see the reef without even getting wet.
If you need to shore up your land legs, you will find tropical hammocks with native flora and fauna to discover while you hike or picnic. Then take in a natural history exhibit and an amazing 30,000-gallon saltwater aquarium in air-conditioned comfort.
Anchor Overnight in the Ocean
A few miles south, Rodriguez Key has an almost-360-degree anchoring option to provide a wind break. If you prefer to plug in, there are many marinas in Key Largo and Islamorada. Select a dock in a man-made canal, but be cautious making some of the 90-degree blind turns—one fondly referred to as Crash Corner. A preemptive security call on the VHF radio or a prolonged blast of your horn will alert other boaters before you proceed.
Ready to fish? The Florida Keys offer an abundance of species that will provide an adventure to remember. Be sure your fishing license is up-to-date and add a crawfish permit if you’re lobstering this season. Don’t forget the melted butter!
Final Destination: Marathon’s Coastal Charms
Nearing our final destination, remember the crossover option at Channel 5. If the southeast winds are creating a bumpy ocean ride, this wide channel allows you to hop back under the 65-foot bridge to the Inside ICW route. There are anchorages on each side of the bridge to wait out the weather from either direction. When the weather eases, mooring balls and marinas await. Boot Key Harbor, here we come!
New and legendary marinas with fabulous dining options are ready to sample. Walk, bike, or take the train to tour Pigeon Key on the Old 7-mile bridge. Peek over the historic railroad railings and see rays swimming below when tide is slack. Position yourself for an unobstructed view of sunset, and you might catch the elusive green flash.
Provisioning options for your return trip are plentiful in big-name grocery chains and locally owned small stores. Barracudas is our favorite fine-dining establishment that’s been around for decades, but your choices are endless here in paradise. Looking for Keys casual? Thatched roof waterside restaurants are a great place to sip chilled wine, cold beer, and umbrella drinks. Swim with the dolphins or visit the Turtle Hospital tomorrow.
Come enjoy all that pleasure boating has to offer because any time of year is terrific for cruising the Keys. Be sure to keep this Florida Keys boating itinerary handy for your next visit!
-by Chris Caldwell
Captain Chris
