Any Crystal River, Fl boaters?

[shaun77]

I'm planning a trip to Crystal River at the end of August and plan on boating around Kings Bay. I have an I/O and was told it may be to shallow. I've got a plotter/sonar so I'm not real concerned just wondering if anyone knows the average depth around there.

 

[Dave Abrahamson]

Re: Any Crystal River, Fl boaters?

We boat up around the Homosassa river area and will be returnig there at the end of the month for our annual scallopping trip.
A big YES to the shallow advice. And the bigger problem is that it is not only shallow but it is LIMESTONE that you hit if you run aground. Notsand like I'm used to around here (Tampa bay/Clearwater area)
So stay in the channel and you SHOULD be OK. I hit rocks last year and was in the channel but it was one of those floating can buoys
so I think the current can move them around considerably. GO SLOW if in doubt and keep an eye on the depth finder.
Have fun!

DAve

 

[emoney]

Re: Any Crystal River, Fl boaters?

Get access to the Tide Charts and follow them religiously. I live about 45 minutes south of there in Hudson Beach and I can assure you they weren't exaggerating when they told you it was shallow. I have stood, out of my boat, a mile and a half "off shore" in 3 1/2 feet of water. It's great for cleaning your bottom in the summer, but not so good should you pop out of the channel at low tide, lol.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Any Crystal River, Fl boaters?

We boat up around the Homosassa river area and will be returnig there at the end of the month for our annual scallopping trip.
A big YES to the shallow advice. And the bigger problem is that it is not only shallow but it is LIMESTONE that you hit if you run aground. Notsand like I'm used to around here (Tampa bay/Clearwater area)
So stay in the channel and you SHOULD be OK. I hit rocks last year and was in the channel but it was one of those floating can buoys
so I think the current can move them around considerably. GO SLOW if in doubt and keep an eye on the depth finder.
Have fun!

DAve

Was heading out on the Homosassa river, last year, got out of the channel by l--this much--l, and ran aground. You are either in or you are out. Damaged both lower units, cost to the ins. co., $10.000.00 +, cost to me, $125.00 deductible/replacement insurance.

 

[FredGarvin]

Re: Any Crystal River, Fl boaters?

I wouldn't say I'm a Crystal River boater, but I've put in at the Homosassa River and Crystal River before. I have an I/O and have run aground once there, but I did something stupid (followed a guy out the "wrong way" who knew what he was doing).

The average depth is impossible to say. The channels are deep, but once you get out, the depth varies wildly. The guy above isn't kidding when he says you can be 1.5 miles out and in 3 feet of water, and not just a shallow spot....it's that way for a half-mile around you.

If you stay in the channels and have a decent chart/Garmin/plotter, you'll be fine, but that whole area can make for some nerve-wracking boating.

 

[shaun77]

Re: Any Crystal River, Fl boaters?

Thanks for the heads up. Won't be doin a whole lot of actual river trekking. Gonna spend most of our time in kings bay so hopefully it'll be marked pretty good.