Corpus Christi to Florida in July

[scubashell]

We have bought a 35 ft Catamaran in Corpus Christi and need to bring it home to Lake Ontario, Canada. We just sold our monohull Catalina 36 and will be fairly new to the multihull.
Our plan is to sail across the Gulf to South Florida, up the East Coast until Beaufort then into the ICW, up the Hudson, demast and take the canal system to Lake Ontario.
I have found a ton of material for the later end of the trip, Beaufort to Canada, but have found very little info on crossing the gulf from texas to south florida or going north from florida.
Any advice from someone who may have made the Gulf crossing would be appreciated.
Thanks

[Yorksailor]

Done north from Florida several times...While the Gulf Stream is miles out, in Florida, the northerly going current is fairly close in, in many paces just a few mile off shore and inshore there is a southerly counter current. There is a weed line tends to be the demarcation.

If you are doing it in hurricane season it is safer to stay within a few hours sail of the Florida coast but be warned, when the weather is severe and onshore, none of the entries are a bargain and even Miami and Lauderdale can be dangerous.

I once did Miami to Charleston (500 nm) in 3 days by angling out from Miami to the longitude of Charleston, approx 80W, and then riding the Stream up. Not sure I would do it in Hurricane season.

Lots of lovely places to stop such as Biscayne Bay, St Augustine, Fernandino Beach and Charleston. I find the ICW in Florida too restricting, slow and busy so I stay outside in the northerly current but many friends swear by it.

Beaufort to Norfolk on the ICW is very nice, less busy and you need a 2-3 day window to go outside Hatteras. I would not want to be outside if there was a tropical wave in the offing.

Good luck

[Freesail99]

Another thing to think about is the oil situation in the gulf. How bad will it be after we have a hurricane or even without one.

[TropicCat]

Originally Posted by scubashell

.... but have found very little info on crossing the gulf from texas to south florida or going north from florida.
Any advice from someone who may have made the Gulf crossing would be appreciated.
Thanks

Shoot me an email as you get close to Cape Canaveral and I'll promise to buy the beer.

1rst a route option. If your mast height doesn't exceed 49', use the Okeechobee Waterway and cut the distance going around Florida by half and it's free. Just Google it

If taller, then it's around you go. Aim for Marathon in the keys to pass through to the Atlantic side. (refer to charts) The Gulf Stream clings to the Florida Coast from Miami north to Palm Beach and then begins to gently curve out to sea. Where it's roughly 18 miles from Fort Pierce and 25 miles offshore from Cape Canaveral. By the time you are even with Jacksonville it's quite a ways off shore.

Never stay in the gulf stream when presented with a North Wind. This stands up the waves in the current and creates a situation dangerous to pleasure boats.

Other than than that caution, it's a real kick in the pants which increases boat speed by 3 knots.

What else would you like to know?

[sailingdog]

I'd point out that the deepwater horizon oil slick is going to be a problem for you. You really can't motor through the contaminated area and sailing through it is a bad idea. You'll have to skirt around it, and that's going to be a pretty significant detour, and also mean that you'll likely have to do a long offshore passage, rather than being able to coastal hop along the gulf coast of the US.

Several of the boat manufacturers have put out bulletins warning about the different possible types of damage to your boat should you encounter oil-laden waters.

[TropicCat]

Perhaps routing is the key to the passage.

from Florida's North Escambia county:

Personal Safety (if areas are affected by oil)

• Avoid entering areas where oil can be seen or smelled. If you see or smell oil, leave the area immediately.
• Avoid direct skin contact with oil, oil-contaminated water and sediments.
• Do not swim or ski in areas affected by the oil spill, and if you travel through the area by boat, take precautions when hoisting the boat anchor. If you get oil on your skin, wash it off immediately with soap and water.
• Do not fish in the oil spill-affected waters.
• Do not harvest and eat dead fish, fish with oily residue or fish that have a petroleum odor.
• Do not drive your boat through slicks or sheens.
• Young children, pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems, and individuals with underlying respiratory conditions should avoid the area.
• Restrict pets from entering oil-contaminated areas.
• Report oiled shorelines to 866-448-5816. Report oiled wildlife to 866-557-1401.

[scubashell]

Thanks for the helpful advice !
We will be stopping in Cape Canavaral and getting that drink
We will aiming for Marathon but will be up to the weather gods and oil slick as to exactly how we will get around. And yes i am sure we will have more questions. If we can find a couple willing crew to do the crossing the wife and daughter may just fly to miami and be picked up there and crew can fly back to texas.

[MARC2012]

Keep in mind hurricane season with offshore passage.marc

[ROSA]

Crossing the Gulf of Mexico during hurricane season, on a long passage, is akin to entering the Indian Ocean in Winter. Many Tropical systems form in the Gulf or just south of Cuba and move north.

Check out some of the Hurricane sites for history tracking of storms during that period, like Caribbean Hurricane Network, or Storm Pulse.

[sailingdog]

I'd point out that the oil in the water can severely damage the boat's raw water pump impeller, and if you have to motor through oil affected waters, you'll need to replace the impeller relatively shortly afterwards...