[pmills42255]

Hey,
the intercoastal can be tedious and 50 miles a day aat best. to get to the virgin islands its best to head offshore from some place north of Georgia and when due north of BVI, turn right and sail south. It will take a year otherwise.
skip the keys, expensive, and very much just fishing boats with big wakes and loud engines. Nothing there for tourists. Bahamas can offer a life time of saiing and exploring but weather in the winter can get chilly. "Gentleman''s passage south" by Bruce vansant is a bible you will need. I had a few drinks with him, and visited in Luperon and what he writes, along with his diagrams is a pricelesss. If you are sailing in the ocean figure 3 knots if you are not going to motor.
Look into the Carrabean 1500 as a way to get down there. Watch your fronts floating down from Florida and have fun!
Paul