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Launching a tandem island in the crystal River?
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Author:  domromer [ Sat Nov 23, 2013 4:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Launching a tandem island in the crystal River?

Id like to sail around kings Bay and explore the springs. Anyone know where I can launch from? I usually launch forum the dock at a crystal River canoe company, but that launch won't work for a tandem island with outrigger and sail.

Author:  Chekika [ Sat Nov 23, 2013 5:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Launching a tandem island in the crystal River?

Here is a link to a map of the FL Nature Coast Paddle Trail--it shows a number of launches in the Crystal River area: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/paddling/Segments/Segment7/PDF/Seg7Map1.pdf

Keith

Author:  fusioneng [ Sat Nov 23, 2013 6:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Launching a tandem island in the crystal River?

domromer :
We go up to Crystal River whenever we can, We love to scuba dive and snorkel in the springs. Typically we stay at that Best Western right next to Crystal river Canoe ( I think it's owned by the same people, and as a guest there you can use that ramp (at least that's what we were told). What we did was had the TI on the roof of our SUV, we took it down from the car in the parking lot set it all up then just rolled thru the parking lot on the scupper cart (it's all blacktop). They are a nice bunch at the Canoe Company. They let us park the TI at the docks overnight, we typically have a good time up there. The first time we went the wife didn't want to take the motor or sails along, boy did she regret that after an hour or two of pedaling. It's a good 5-6 miles out to the gulf down the river, definitely take your sail and AMA's. If you have a trailer I'm sure you can launch right there especially if your staying in their motel (which is actually nice). The other place we like to go is Ginny springs (a lot easier to get you boat out at Crystal river, Ginny springs (Sante Fe river) is more for kayak mode only), At Crystal river you can do both (sailing and Kayaking)
Bob.

Author:  domromer [ Sun Nov 24, 2013 8:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Launching a tandem island in the crystal River?

So you launched from the crystal river canoe company with the TI all set up? Did you fit through the culvert? Did you sail in the main kings bay area? We were planning on doing that today but we are a little lazy and tired after sailing all day.

Author:  domromer [ Sun Nov 24, 2013 9:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Launching a tandem island in the crystal River?

Just did a little more research. It looks like Pete's Pier will be a good bet.

https://plus.google.com/114713417237505 ... l=us&hl=en

Author:  fusioneng [ Sun Nov 24, 2013 9:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Launching a tandem island in the crystal River?

There is one spring that they have poles blocking.the entrance, a rigged TI won't fit so we anchored just outside with the other powerboats and just swam in, I got konked in the head by some kid on a kayak but other than that we had fun. There were several scuba divers in there but we were just snorkeling that day.
In the middle of the big lake there is a spring that is fenced off, you have to anchor just outside and swim to the spring to scuba dive. Our TI is all rigged for scuba with a nice ladder, and all we need to dive from the TI (it's pretty awesome and fun). I've been a dive master instructor since I was 18 but until we moved to Florida I never had so much fun.
Bob

Author:  fusioneng [ Sun Nov 24, 2013 10:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Launching a tandem island in the crystal River?

Actually here is the best western that we stayed at, there is a boat ramp guests can use. The place you mentioned (Crystal River Canoe) is not where we launched from or the place I was talking about that I thought the people were very nice ( I was mistaken, I've never been to crystal river canoe, oops), the place I was talking about is Crystal Lodge dive center. Hope you didn't go in there and say Bob sent me LOL
( http://www.manatee-central.com/ ) I believe we rented our tanks there, if I remember correctly they didn't have Nitrox available so we had to slum it with just air.
Here it is on google earth
Image

They let us keep our boat overnight at their docks I don't recall if there was a fee or not. Of course we kept the mirage drives and all our gear in the hotel room overnight.

This is the Crystal River resort that we stayed at, it was very nice ( http://crystalriverresort.com/ ). They have boat slips and a ramp (on their web site) where we kept our boat.
Definitely there is a lot to see there and way more than you can see in one day, whenever we go we try to go for the weekend. One of our favorite adventures.
When we go again if we take our trailer we will probably launch at that Pete's pier, it looks like they have a nice area to park the boat trailer, let us know if you like it.

Bob

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