MacGregorSailors.com

Hey! Getting ready to plan to spend a few months exploring the keys. Having trouble deciding on Atlantic side through Hawks Channel or gulf side. Any suggestions? We are fairly new sailors with a 26M 25hp Mercury big foot.

Did you have any luck in contacting Ix?

Hi there, guess I don’t know who or how to contact lx?

"Ixneigh".

Try contacting him by sending an e-mail.

Look him up in the members area. find quick links (high above, to the left), click on "members".

Here is a post about the keys from Ix
https://macgregorsailors.com/forum/view ... 8&p=346643

Here is his profile where you can message him
https://macgregorsailors.com/forum/memb ... le&u=12858

Cjoymilano wrote: ↑Wed Sep 08, 2021 3:42 pm Hey! Getting ready to plan to spend a few months exploring the keys. Having trouble deciding on Atlantic side through Hawks Channel or gulf side. Any suggestions? We are fairly new sailors with a 26M 25hp Mercury big foot.

The western or gulf side of the keys is the third-largest barrier reef in the world.

Water depth generally runs 5' to 5'. Definitely not a hospitable place for sailing. It is beautiful and the marine life is spectacular though.

Stay on the Atlantic side. The water is deeper plus all major ports of call have their marinas and services located there.

Take your time, watch your weather and you will have the trip of a lifetime.

NiceAft wrote: ↑Thu Sep 09, 2021 5:10 am "Ixneigh".

Try contacting him by sending an e-mail.

Look him up in the members area. find quick links (high above, to the left), click on "members".

Thanks! I sent him an e mail

Good luck.

Cjoymilano wrote: ↑Thu Sep 09, 2021 7:05 pm

NiceAft wrote: ↑Thu Sep 09, 2021 5:10 am "Ixneigh".

Try contacting him by sending an e-mail.

Look him up in the members area. find quick links (high above, to the left), click on "members".

Thanks! I sent him an e mail

Go here and see his response to your post in where is Madd Mike’s Zeno Arow. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=28154&start=30

I will be in Marathon the last 2 weeks in December.
Message me with your contact info if you would like to meet up. I will have my with her 40 hp with me.
I agree with the earlier post about staying on the Atlantic side. You better know exactly where you are going on the gulf side. That is not to say you won't spend some time in the gulf, but the traveling between keys is much easier on the Atlantic side.

I haven’t been here much lately, So Hi & Welcome.

I too love the Keys and have done a few trips through there in Februay from ‘09, ‘12, ‘16 & ‘19. I’ve even bonded with a member or 2 while on those trips. It would be good if you could contact and get the opinion of Ix. I stayed in Key Largo 2x and Marathon/ Duck Key 2x. If you’re planning on staying on the boat as your home away from home, I recommend the Gulf side. Here’s some long but perhaps interesting reading of one of The Adventures

Why: Small Craft Advisories. While wind is wind and waves are waves, Ocean makes those two things greater.

I think it’s a… Mariott? MGM Hotel with marina? Can’t remember, but it’s Gulf side, lower part of Marathon, opposite but N of Boot Key Harbor that may offer reasonable dockage and safe harbor. I stayed at Hawks Cay on the boat for about 3 weeks, and through many SCA’s.

I think btw the potential for wind and weather and being bounced around in our floating clorox bottle, Gulf side tends to be calmer. There were many times and years I was stuck in port/dock on the ocean side whereas I could have been nautical on the Gulf side.

Either way, I hope you enjoy your trip

Happy Belated Thanksgiving All