Approach to Caesar Creek and Adams Key from Bay

[Chesagansett]

My chartbook doesn't show a lot of detail for the approach to Caesar Creek from the Biscayne Bay side. We're heading down that way later this week, and I always like to study the chart before we go. Best I can tell, it looks like I approach from due north of Adams Key, then stay close to Adams Key, following it around to Caesar Creek. Is this correct? Caesar Creek runs roughly SE-NW, but approaching from the NW, my chart shows just 1 foot depth, while from due north, it gets as low as 4 feet on the chart, which is okay for me. I draw 3 feet.
Any local tips?

Also, how much doackage is there at Adams Key? Does it fill up on weekends like Boca Chita does?
Are the bugs back out yet on Boca Chita and other non-treated National Park Keys?

Thanks!!

 

[PascalG]

been a loooonnnnggggg time since i took Caesar Creek but i'm pretty sure that I used to take the channel marked by the FL R heading almost E towards Adams then making a 90 deg. turn into the channel along the key.

shouldn't be too many bugs at this time of the year but it depends on the wind.

can't remember the dockage there.

 

[Chesagansett]

Thanks Pascal. We're heading there because we will have a guest aboard who is interested in the history of the pirate named "Black Caesar", who used to operate out of that area now known as Caeser Creek and Caesar Rock.

We're in town until thr 21st. Call me if you and Naomi can get together with us for a drink or lunch/dinner, etc.

 

[PascalG]

Will do! I ll be out on charter today from 2 to 10 so wave if you see charmer!

 

[caltexfla]

Might be a good idea to call your tow provider's local BoatUS or Seatow and get current local knowledge. I have found them to very helpful. On my boat, going through Caesar Creek was never a consideration. I used Anglefish frequently. No experience with Adams Key, we always anchored out off Elliot to the north and Pumpkin to the south and used the Whaler for exploration. There is rudimentary dockage in a small marina at the ranger station midway down Elliot Key; you could use that as a base. Lot's of hiking on Elliot too. I am pretty sure that is about it for dockage other than Boca Chita, which is also pretty rudimentary.

George
Hatteras 56MY
Boston Whaler 130 Sport

 

[PascalG]

Indeed a stern drive / outboard boat up to 25/29 can fit at the docks by thebranger station. Lots of trails, but forget about it when summer comes

 

[caltexfla]

I saw a guy in there with a 45ish sport fisherman once; a real head scratcher since I couldn't find more than about 3 ft or so coming in on my Whaler. I agree I'd keep it to a smaller boat with trimmable drives. I'd think al those places would be pretty bug funky in the summer. We like the hiking trails, some of which are old roads, on Elliot and they built a nice boardwalk along part of the ocean side a couple of years ago. Fun "get away from it all" boating destination so close to the big city.

 

[Chesagansett]

Thanks all. Yesterday, I went to a local marine store and got a more detailed chart for that area. Looks like you can come from due north or from due west, but not northwest. Now that I can see all the buoys/daymarks on the new chart, it looks like a well marked channel approaching from the west.

Adams Key should have some sort of dockage, as the National Park Service lists them, as well as Boca Chita as having restrooms.

 

[caltexfla]

Glenn, you got me curious. There is a day use dock on the south side. Looks like you can't stay over night. Sounds like an interesting place, not sure why we've overlooked it.

 

[Chesagansett]

caltexfla -

Adams Key could be a nice stop. We'll report back how it looks. We'll be there near low tide, so it will be a good test (or bad test!). We're just looking at it as just a possible quick stop .... not overnight. We're just going down for the day from Rickenbacker Marina on the Rickenbacker Causeway near Miami. We return to Rickenbacker the same day. That's our "winter marina", where we keep the boat in the dry stack.
It should only be a little over an hour for us each way. We've been to Columbus Day Regatta near the nothern part of Elliott Key, and it takes us about 45 minutes to get there from our marina. I haven't measure precisely yet, but it looks like Adams Key is about another 10 miles south of the area where CDR is held.

 

[Chesagansett]

Here is a brief report with a few photos. The west entrace had a about 3.5 to 4 feet of water in one short section near the westernmost day marks. That was the lowest spot, and had significantly more water in other stretches. We arrived at low tide and a day and a half from the upcoming "supermoon" full moon. (closest to earth in 19 years). We certainly would have had more water at a non-moon low and of course much more at high tide. I imagine many boats could make it there at mid tide and higher.

The south end of Adams Key had a fixed dock, with dock whips on the inner side for NPS boats to use.

There were a couple houses / structures that are likely used by the NPS.

The restrooms were in better shape than those at Boca Chita, and there were certainly fewer boats. One other boat was there while we were there, and it was an NPS boat.

There is also an interesting historical info marker describing the infamous pirate, "Black Caesar".

A few photos:

Large fixed dock at south end of Adams Key. Dock whips on inside are for NPS boats.

There were a couple houses/structures that are probably now occupiued by the NPS

Picnic shelter and restrooms

An old dock cart

Some sort of rail cart

Caesar Creek and Caesar "Rock" (a small mangrove covered coral island)

 

[caltexfla]

Very cool. Thanks Glenn. We'll check it out sometime!