Southwest Pass Vermilion Bay
 

Never navigated Southwest Pass. Any pointers on where not to go?

Outside of the channel markers. Do you have a gps?

The main channel through SW Pass (Vermilion) is not straight. You need to heed the red and green markers, located through the pass. If you have a problem remembering which side of the red and green markers you are suppose to be passing, just remember (3 - R's) (Red on Right when Returning) In places, SW Pass is 100+ feetdeep in the channel but only inches deep outside of the channel. Do not get outside of the channel unless you know where you are going.

X2

get a map before you go. there are many places that go from 100' deep to 1' deep in less than 300 feet. if you don't know where you are going you can get in trouble real quick.

x2....get a map and make sure you have a depth finder... definitely not a straight run...stay inside the Navigational markers...or you will be sitting on an oyster reef real quick:eek:...Good luck and tight line..

This old pic can help you see where the channel is and also the reefs. Those reef, you may see them one day and next day they are gone. I hate when the pic post sideways :pissed:

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Good job checking before you go. It's really no trouble, if you stay between the channel markets the whole way. When you get past the last point on the left, you'll be tempted to turn into open water, but there are a couple of shallow reefs right there. Stay in the channel the whole way. First time I went through, I thought it would be deep enough for a bay boat 5 to 10 feet outside of the channel marker. That's how it is most places with large ship channels. My motor ran aground less than 10 feet from the green channel marker. I got lucky. It just took the paint off of the fin on my Merc. Can of heavy duty black spray paint and I was back in business. You'll go through the channel once though, and then it will be old hat.

Do not follow the crabbers through the Pass! These guys take short cuts through the reefs that they run everyday. I've been tempted to take that short cut on Caldwell reef along the bank going to T Butte but I just can't steer my boat going 45mph hoping I guessed right where that small cut in the reef is suppose to be! As said before that reef changes often.

Here are some shots of Caldwell reef i have from my mapping project to illustrate the depth changes.

if in doubt, just wait till a crewboat or workboat passes through and follow them. with these low tides, u will probly have no choice but to stay in the channel!! lol

Super awesome pics. I dont know what to be excited for going fishing or logging data so I can see these images myself lol

Watch that dog leg right heading out, don't get distracted or you'll be fishing for gaftop while you wait for a tow

Careful navigating in the dark also Green Marker #17 still has no light. If your passing #15 and looking at the light on #19 you will run into #17. Steer Left there's a reef just to the right of #17


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and catching all you want!!! Lol

Bring someone who can show you. It can be confusing.

I would suggest that you not go without a GPS. Sometimes these markers get knocked down and if you dont know where you are going you could be in a bind real quick. Even if the green markers are all there it can still be tricky because there is one that will get you in trouble if you don't know where u are going. I think the one im talking about is #19. If you are come from the bay and you are at #17 it looks like you can go to the one that is after #19 but if you cut accross you will regret it! Im not exactly sure of the numbers on the poles. I would follow the beacons on the GPS and you should be Ok. Take someone with you on your first trip and have them explain.