We only spent one day in Marathon. Since we need to pick up a package that is being delivered to the home of a local harbor host, we will stop again and explore more on our way up north. We had a relaxing morning on the hook, knowing our day consisted of a short ride to our next destination. Today’s route include cruising under the Seven Mile bridge that connects the middle keys to the lower keys.
The old Seven Mile Bridge is still standing and is a 2.2 walking and biking path. The issue with this is boaters still need to clear this bridge which has a very low clearance. To solve this, a little section of the old bridge has been removed for boaters to pass through. In our route planning the night before, all charts had the water under the this section of bridge at 0 feet! We tend to trust the charts but this made no sense and was the only way to get through. We approached the open bridge section with some trepidation. Of course, we watched other boats pass through and then proceeded slowly and carefully. Watching the the depth finder closely, we never saw anything under 9 feet. We are learning that water around the keys is beautiful, clear and blue, but shallow.
Bahia Honda State Park claims it is is one of the most spectacular places to visit in the Keys and surrounding waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Well, they are correct! We took the dinghy over and explored a very little of the the park that encompasses about 50 acres. Two beautiful beaches with blue, clear, clean water sit across the street from each other. Calusa Beach is on the Florida Bay/Gulf side and Loggerhead Beach faces the ocean. The old Bahia Honda bridge was interesting to read about and more fun to climb and look over.
Segment Stats
- Marathon, FL to Bahia Honda State Park
- Thursday, January 4, 2024
- Cruising Time: 1h 59m
- 13 Nautical Miles
- Weather: Temperatures 71-75, Winds: W 7-10mph, Sunny
- Anchored in Bahia Honda off Calusa Beach