Ft. Lauderdale- 7 Day Itinerary

Overnight boarding is an option if you are arriving in Ft. Lauderdale the day before your charter. Boarding will be available after 5:00 PM. At this time you may arrange the provisioning for your catamaran, investigate the boat to determine any questions you might have for the briefing the following day, and head out for a dining experience at many of the elegant restaurants that Ft. Lauderdale has to offer.

Day 1: This morning you may finish all paperwork, complete the boat briefing and all check - out requirements. For those who need to do provisioning in the morning you may do this while the others are receiving the boat briefing. You should be able to cast off lines by noon and get your charter started. You will motor through the intracoastal-waterway and view Ft. Lauderdale’s million dollar row and also see many of the yachts here. You will need to go under 2 bridges (Sunrise Blvd. and Los Olas Blvd. bridge), which open every ˝ hour and hour. It will take about 1 hr. to get out into the ocean and start your sailing adventure. Enjoy a beautiful sail (south) along the coast towards Miami. This will be about a three to four hour sail to Miami. Here you may stop off at Coconut Grove, which provides excellent restaurants and shops or sail all over Miami to Miami Beach Marina, South Beach or Key Biscayne to stop off and take in the culture of Miami. You may enjoy a night out in Dinner Key Marina, Bay Side Marina, Miami Beach Marina, or anchor in "No Name Harbor."

Day 2: Leave Miami Beach Marina and motor in a Southwesterly direction leaving the flashing Red "16" to starboard. After going under the Rickenbacker Causeway Bridge you will be in the main part of Biscayne Bay. As you are sailing south, you will pass yellow markers "B" and "C" which indicate the boundaries of Biscayne National Park. You can anchor along Elliot Key or continue South to red "8", run through the channel and anchor on either side of Pumpkin Key depending on the wind. Here and throughout the Keys you are often in National and State Parks and Preserves. Please remember "Take nothing but footprints, leave nothing but your wake!"

Day 3: Today you will depart Biscayne Bay/Card Sound through Angelfish Creek, which is very narrow at the Western and Eastern ends and can get down to five feet at low tide for Hawk Channel. Hawk Channel is the body of water between the Florida Keys and the off shore reef, Angelfish Creek. Hawk Channel is considered an inbound channel from the entrance (outside Biscayne Bay) all the way to Key West. Once out in Hawk Channel you can plot a course out to a protected reef for an afternoon of snorkeling or diving. There are several reefs that have permanent mooring buoys making snorkeling off the stern of the boat a simple process. Carysfort Reef, The Elbow, Grecian Rocks to name just a few of your choices and they are all close together so you can choose more than one. Note: Each major reef has a tower marking it. Around the tower will be white diamond markers on stakes showing the outer edge of the reef. Do Not sail between the tower and the diamond markers. Outside the diamond markers are the white moorings buoys which you can pick up for snorkeling and diving. Head in to port this evening at the South end of Key Largo where there are a few different marinas from which to choose. You will enter behind the seawall and proceed to the last channel to port. The marinas are at the end of the channel. The marinas have swimming pools and shore side facilities. There is also a grocery store and drug store right next door… and an ice cream shop across the street! It’s worth the short taxi ride to "The Fish House" for one of the best seafood meals in the Keys.

Day 4: Today you will depart Key Largo and sail to your destination, which is Islamorada. Islamorada is the third largest city in the Keys, and a great place to reprovision or take a shore break to visit art galleries, shop for resort wear or dine in one of the many excellent restaurants. Along the way you may have a choice again to snorkel several beautiful reefs - Conch Reef, Davis Reef, and Pickle Reef. There are also plenty of opportunities to stop at many of the anchorage's along the keys, which provide excellent Tiki bars, restaurants and marina facilities. There are two marinas in this area. The Islamorada Yacht Basin offers facilities for yachts and small boats, while Max’s provides marine repair and haul out service as well as dockage. If you are traveling on the outside, in Hawk Channel, Windley Key is a good place to take a rest. The marina has a 5-ft channel and 8ft. of water alongside. Facilities here include beach, pool, several restaurants and an open air Tiki bar, which serves the best Rum Runner Punch on the eastern shore. Charter fishing boats tie up on the northwest side of the dock, where they sell the day’s catch for those who have been "unlucky" trolling in Hawk’s Channel. Enjoy a pleasant evening and get ready for your sail back to Elliot Key!

Day 5: Spend the day sailing around these areas and stop off to shop at the different stores and explore these islands or sail further down to Matecumbe Key or Long Key. Destinations will all depend on how much time you want to spend in each area and how much sailing your party wants to do. This day you may do whatever you wish (and the whole vacation for that matter) so look in the cruising guide to see what other options you are interested in - Remember this is your vacation.

Day 6: Today depart Islamorada on your way to Elliot Key. Stop by any anchorage’s that you wanted to hit on the way down such as; Featherbed Bank and Sands Key, Ragged Key and Boca Chita Key or Soldier Key. There are many reefs to go snorkeling and diving while others might enjoy lunch on the boat. There are also opportunities to "wet the line" for the fishing enthusiasts. Grouper and snapper are most commonly found in these parts. At the north end of Elliot Key is University Dock and just north of Coon Point is a beach with good anchorage for fishing and diving. On weekends this is a very popular spot for water skiers. Enjoy all that this area has to offer as you are sailing back north for Ft. Lauderdale

Day 7: Leave early from Elliot Key to head back to the charter base in Ft. Lauderdale. Allow enough time to return to the base by 12:00pm.