Charts and Navigation Information
Distances:
-
Fort DeSoto (Mullet Key) to Grande Tours is roughly 67 miles
-
Grand Tours to Chokoloskee is roughly 107 miles
-
Chokoloskee to Flamingo is roughly 99 miles (the outside route is
shorter)
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Flamingo to Key Largo is roughly 30 miles
-
Note that these distances are rough. Your distance may be
very different.
Weather
Weather and sea conditions including current and historical data
can be obtained from the
National Weather Service Sea Buoys. You might have to hunt for
the historical data but it's there.
Charts
The NOAA chart covering the entire route is number 11420 Havana to Tampa
Bay. Detail charts are 11412, 11424, 11426, 11429, 11431, 11452, and
11442. You may also want 11450 which covers portions of 11431, 11452,
11442 and a section of the inside route not covered by the other detail maps.
Maptech offers
some nice charts that show the entire course in detail. Numbers 31, 29,
and 28 cover Tampa Bay to Flamingo. Number 9 covers the Upper Keys.
Number 10 covers the Middle Keys.
Satellite Photos and Maps
The following two links were contributed by Kayote:
This first link will give you a nice bird's eye view of the Mullet Key beach
where we will start the race. You can then select any view along the
course
http://terraserver.microsoft.com/
The next link provides a simple map of the Tampa Bay area containing Mullet
Key. You can then select any map along the course
http://mfengine.nos.noaa.gov/scripts/esrimap.dll?name=MapServer
&Left=550000.&Bottom=2000000.&Right=1080000.&Top=2400000.&ZFOpt=16x
&Cmd=Redraw&radius=5+nm+Radius&ThmLbl=no_lbl&SD=1800&ED=2000&MS=0
&MX=150%2C000&click1.x=237&click1.y=123
Nigel Foster's Guide to Sea Kayaking in Southern Florida
Nigel Foster's book titled, "Guide to Sea Kayaking in South
Florida" has a wealth of information about the conditions found along the race
course. Trips 4, 5, and 6 take place in the first leg. Trips 11,
12, 13, and 14 are closer to the first check point at Cayo Costa. Trip 13
is a circumnavigation of Cayo Costa. Trip 15 rounds Sanibel Island. Trips
21-25 continue down the coast with valuable insights. Then you get to
trip 26 and the Everglades City circuit. Read how to get in and out of
Everglades City. Trips 26-30 take you on to Flamingo. Trips 32
& 33 are in the Key Largo area on the bay side. Trip 34 is in the Key
Largo area but on the Atlantic side. Trips 35, 36, and 37 are in the
middle keys south of Key Largo. None of these descriptions were written
with the WaterTribe Cruising Challenge in mind. But they give a wealth of
information about paddling throughout this area and it is worth your money if
you are going to race. Call 1-727-906-0708 and order it from Sweetwater
Kayaks.
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