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The Florida Keys consist of a chain of extraordinary islands which sweep
southwest from the southwest tip of the Florida Coast. The keys being on the north
end at
Virginia Key
and span 192 miles southwest to
Loggerhead Key.
The keys
follow closely to the Florida Peninsula Coast for the 1st 100 miles separated only by
shallow bodies of water;
Biscane Bay,
Card Sound,
Barnes Sound,
Blackwater Sound and
Florida Bay.
Most boating in and around the keys is limited to smaller craft.
The Florida Keys are composed mostly of coral formations which do not rise very
high above sea level. Vegetation on the islands range from thick mangrove growth to
Pine developments to coconut trees. U.S. Highway 1 traverses the keys to Key West.
Tidal currents are reported to be string at the various key openings and
velocities may be altered or compounded depending on wind conditions.
A line of hazardous reefs, the Florida Reefs, extend along side the keys facing
the straits throughout the island chain's entirety. A hazardous line of shoals combine
with the Florida Reefs and both extend about 5 miles off the keys. The reefs and
shoals are unmarked and abrupt and few of them break through the ocean surface.
On approach from seaward, differences in the water's color provide the only
warnings in depth variations. The usual color of the water over the reefs is bluish
green and water over the shoal areas are dark with brown and yellow hues. The shoal
sand patches show through as bright green. It is recommended that navigation in
these parts be by positioning vessels with the sun astern to ascertain the line
of demarcation between deep water and shoal edges. Guiding vessels from an
elevated line of sight is also helpful and will allow for the best bottom clarity. In good
weather, lights and day beacons lining the key shores make navigation easy but in
poor conditions soundings should be utilized for added safety. Fifty-fathom soundings
indicate a distance of 2 to 3 miles from reefs and caution is advised to those
approaching closer to the reefs.
Pilots or guides out of Miami or Key West are available to boaters unfamiliar to
the Florida Keys and the Hawk Channel areas
The outer part of the Florida Keys is marked by lights from Miami to Key West.
Several lights indicating the Hawk Channel are also visible from seaward. Other
prominent land marks include lighted radio towers, various microwave towers and
aerolights at the Marathon Airstrip on
Boca Chica Key
and the
Key West International Airport.
Vessels venturing the channels inside the Florida Reefs should proceed with
extreme caution due to the many marked and unmarked obstacles.
Hawk Channel is the most navigable passage inside the Florida Reefs and
outside the keys from Cape Florida to Key West which spans a distance of roughly
127 miles. the depth in the channel fluctuates from 9 to 24 feet and is .25 miles
wide at its narrowest part.
The channel is marked with lights, lighted buoys, day beacons and unlighted
buoys. Passage in this area at night, however, is not advised without local
knowledge
Light draft vessels heading southward and westward should find this channel
beneficial for avoiding the frequently shifting conditions of the Gulf Stream.
Conditions in the channel are comparatively smooth in all winds except when passing
the large openings between reefs in southerly winds. Sailing vessels with drafts
larger than 7 feet are advised to utilize the aid of a pilot or guide in certain parts of
the channel.
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