Egmont key

[UncleJoe]

I went out to Egmont Key the other day and came around the north side to get over to the gulf side. There are shoals just off the northern tip and I was able to see them but I noticed other boats coming through them so I slowly made my way across the shoals . I was a bit nervous because my sonar showed just 2 feet of water.

Do most regulars cut across the shoals and is there some unmarked channel through them?

I have a 23 foot wa.

 

[Floyd]

It's your call whether or not to cut through the swash channel at the end of a barrier island. The tide, and your draft, should dictate.
If in doubt, avoid going into one of those areas from deeper water when the tide is going out and the water is washing into/over the shallow area, since if you bog down the current will push you up onto the bar and you will be there at least until the tide returns. Meanwhile, while you are stranded, breakers may give you grief, or a storm may come up and all hell breaks loose.

 

[tcijoe]

when i go with my mako, and there is a little chop or a swell, i use the "if the wave are not breaking beacuase of the depth, then there enough water rule.

when i take the stamas, i go way out and around....not worth bouncing bottom on that boat.

 

[Skeetobite]

I go through the south channel and across the front of egmont all the time (at least weekly). I draw 3'. The first few times I went through at a crawl and noted the depths so I could lay down a stored course on the chartplotter. Now I go through here on plane in both directions. If you take the south channel out, you need to go into the gulf at least 200 yards past the concrete ruins before turning north. Once past the ruins you can angle directly to the center of the island with plenty of water all the way to the shore.

I don't go out of the north channel for this because I have to go out about 1/4 mile past the shallows before turning south and then back in front of the island.

I see guys with less draft go across the shallows all the time. The coast guard & sherrif go across them as well.

 

[UncleJoe]

Thanks for your replies. The reason I went out through the north end was because it is the shipping channel so I know it is plenty deep. I was a little shy about the area between Passage Key and the south end of Egmont key because it looked pretty shallow and there are no marked channels. I usually try to stay south of Passage key and hug Anna Maria when I go out to the Gulf.

I will try the southerly route next time I head out there.

Joe

 

[tcijoe]

most of the recent charts are pretty accurate for water depth around the area.

my c-map chip is dead on for passage and egmont