Going north last year after the Miami Boat Show several yachts and sportfish hit ground and a large Sunseeker ran aground at the Bakers Haulover Inlet. It was very windy with a lot of weather on the outside and the boat I was on and a lot of others decided it would be best to take the intercoastal. If your taking a yacht to or from the boat show this year please be careful. Here is a satalite image from Google maps of the area. I assume you all know about this anyway, but sometimes the channel markers are not where they are supposed to be. One interesting thing about the satalite image is the visible hump of sand that cuts across the dredged channel on the Southern side.
I just did a Google search and this is the first thing that came up. Of course, if I read The Triton religiously before the Miami International Boat Show I would have known about this issue. http://thetriton.com/article/2009/01/bakers-haulover-inlet-florida-offer...
It's been shifting around for decades and is dredged from time to time. A few years ago it was about 4' at high tide. There is a way around the shallow spot by heading west and skirting the seawall on Keystone Point then run back east on the channel south of the spoil island. Seatow or TowboatUS can guide you around and I have done this a few times. There are usually temporary markers that are moved around. In the photo you can see a small vessel and that is the deeper water to head west. Even from this photo you can "read" the depths of the water.....good luck to all..
last time i came thru in mid november, i anchored just north of the sandbar/inlet and did a few passes with the tender before proceeding (6'+ draft)
At that time, the ICW was marked by 3 green cans and one red opposite of the southernmost green with the channel under 100' wide at this point. I found 8 to 9' MLW on the green side but the big issue was the red side as the red buoy is located on the shoal with the depths suddenly steps up to 5 1/2' MLW about 30 or 40' from the red. On centerline, you could very well have the depth sounder show plenty of water on one side of the boat while on the otherside your prop hits some very hard stuff.
The only safe way thru is to hug the green side, passing as close to the green as you can.
For what it's worth I called Towboat US via VHF Monday, Feb 21 as I was offshore the Haulover Inlet and they stated that there was 10' at MLW and to hug the green side.........glad I have a full keel boat!-
EDIT- I did a transit of the ICW from Card Sound to Delray Beach on March 4 and found at least 8 feet of water in this area. The channel was visible and about 20 feet wide of "deeper" water. There were 3 green cans that seem to be moved around. There was a strong Easterly set on the outgoing tide that made it a little tricky and I had to goose the 12-71's a bit to keep from hitting a can. The shallow bar is on the East side and I can see how you could get set on it. If your concerned give TowBoatUS a shout on Channel 11 VHF and they were extremely helpful. When I called they said 8 foot at low water and they were correct. The rest of the channel I saw no less than 11 feet. This was a change of 2 feet in 2 weeks so I suggest you give them a call prior to transit.
we have a MY with an 8fot draft and wonder what the possibilities are for using the inside passage for some parts of our trip north.
Are there any good books or publications on draft restrictions etc.?