Hi there,
When the wind is right, sailing in the Hawk Channel can be lots of fun, falt water with everything well marked sort of idiot proof, as we just recently experienced. Several weeks ago, we made landfall in Key Biscayne after a great Gulf Stream crossing from South Riding Rock. The next day, winds were easterly, at 20 knots true which made for a great sail down the Hawk Channel all the way to Marathon. We left Key Biscayne at 9 am and had the anchor down in Marathon at 8 pm the same day. When its good, its good, when its bad, it really sucks.
Really no where to anchor, for IMO, the Keys are very unfriendly to folks that wish to anchor for the evening because they're just passing through. The reason being, is that the worthless loser scumbags that just live and left their POS everywhere ruined it for the rest of us.
Have fun.
bernie