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1. 

   SeaHorse
   Member

   Hi, 

   I am doing the marathon for the first time, and wonder what the best route is for a kayak.  

   -SeaHorse

   Posted 3 months ago #
2. 

   rustybutt
   Member

   I'm doing the UM for the first time also, my plan is straight down the Intracoastal avoiding the Gulf. I am paddling a kayak without a sail. I am lucky to live in Sarasota so can paddle the route and don't see any advantage of the Gulf route if not sailing. Maybe I am wrong. I checked the tides for the Venice Inlet and they seem favorable for the canal that runs south of there.

   Posted 3 months ago #
3. 

   BustedRudder
   Member

   Follow the Intercoastal. No real advantage being offshore especially first time. Weather may look fine in the AM but it always freshens and you can wind up unhappy and trapped offshore contemplating a shitty entrance at Venice or Stump or a beach landing if it gets out of hand.

   Tide will be low for several hours after the start. Stay near the channel in Sarasota bay it is tempting to beeline across the shoals...

   Posted 3 months ago #
4. 

   MicroTom
   Key Master

   Very good advice from BR.

   Posted 3 months ago #
5. 

   Scareman
   Member

   Good luck on the UM!

   I recommend the Intracoastal for kayakers around Sarasota Bay. 

   I say that because I have tried running the Northern Shoal on Sarasota Bay for the excitement and I have been caught out in some nasty chop for the length of Sarasota Bay.  One year on Sarasota Bay, my stern was reported to be 3' above the waves out of the water, and that was where my rudder was on my 22' kayak that I was solo paddling from the front cockpit.   

   About 20 miles in at City Island in Sarasota near Mote Aquarium there is a public restroom and a nice landing beach beaside the Sarasota Sailing Squadron.

   Blackburn Point Bridge can create a challenging fun current depending on the tide at this choke point.  Be smart and realize if you are paddling against the tide, you can make it if you keep paddling.  If it is ripping too much, you can stop on the paddler's right at the Blackburn Point Park where the crew teams launch at the boatramp.  There is an island, Snake Island, at the Venice inlet where some of us kayakers stop to change/snack for the remaining 30-ish miles to CP1.

   Through Lemon Bay, stay on the edge of the channel.  If you get outside of the channel too far, you may hit the shoals and oytsers.

   Most importantly near CP1, stay on the channel (sides).  One year, OneEyedJake went a little too far to the left approaching CP1.  Then he tried a shortcut through the mud, got stuck in the mud, got shoes sucked-off in the mud, and this was around midnight before delaying us ablut another hour into CP1 just a mile or two away from CP1.

    

   Posted 3 months ago #

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