1. Exiting the lock towards Charlotte Harbor Boat Storage, favor just port of centerline until your boat is 100 feet past the lock-docks on your right. There is a shallow "hump" of mostly soft sand probably due to the lock openings to let water in over the years.

2. Follow the canal system after the lock and take your first left turn. After this turn you will keep to the main canal and it will gradually bend right. Depths to this point seem consistently deep.

The Rock 

3. You will then approach "the island", which now looks more like a narrow canal on your left that bends right. Keep your boat port of centerline throughout this narrow passage. There is a hard shoal just starboard of centerline can affect deeper draft boats during extreme low water levels.

Interceptor Lake 

4. Once you enter Interceptor Lake, the depths stay consistently deep for the first half. There are several gradual "humps" during the second half of the lake and it is best to favor the starboard side as you get closer to the tower.

Santa Cruz Waterway 

5. As you approach the tower you will see the first "Slow Speed/Minimum Wake" sign before a RED "2" and a GREEN Buoy. Keep this Slow Speed sign to starboard and make the turn between the RED and GREEN. This will put your boat on the port half of the canal (about 20-30 feet from the left side of the canal) until you pass the last RED "6". This channel is narrow and the shallowest spots are adjacent with the 2 docks on the right side of the canal. Keep to this line until you are just past the third RED "6".

6. Once you pass RED "6" to port (and the second Slow Speed sign adjacent to it), turn your boat decidedly towards the right side of the canal (North) where the houses are. The channel is deepest about 30' from the developed shoreline. You will pass the third Slow Speed sign on your far left, keeping this line along the developed shoreline.

7. As you pass the fourth Slow Speed sign on your far left, you will see a large 2 story home on the right hand side of the canal. This home has a 2 story pool cage. At this house, turn your boat to port and head for the center of the canal. You will notice the development of the right hand shoreline has become far less and there is only one single story home on your right. The deepest part of the channel is narrow and in the middle before, during and just after this one story house.

8. Stay in the middle of the Santa Cruz canal until you reach the 5^th and last Slow Speed sign on your left. As you pass the last Slow Speed sign on your left steer your boat to port and make a line about 20-30 feet from the port (South) shore. Once there, follow a course toward the travel-lift slip of All American. Then steer towards the corner of the All American docks and favor those docks until you are just past them. Steer towards the middle of the canal for the rest of the way to Charlotte Harbor Boat Storage! Call the office (941) 828-0216 before arrival to make sure there is room at the dock.

1. As you leave the docks of Charlotte Harbor Boat Storage, stay in the middle of the canal until you reach the first dock on your right. Stay close to this dock until you are past it and abeam of the travel lift well. Then make a gradual turn to port, favoring the starboard half of the canal.

2. Once you complete this gradual turn, your boat should be 20'-30' from the Southern shore as you approach the first Slow Speed sign. You should notice a dock on the far left (North) shore that has white piling tops. Once past these pilings and before the Slow Speed sign, turn your boat to port and stay in the middle of the canal.

3. You will pass a few houses on your left and then a stretch of undeveloped lots. Stay in the middle of the canal. The first house on your left after the undeveloped stretch has shallow areas to either side before, during and just after it. The deepest part of the channel is narrow and in the middle.

4. As you pass this house, you will see the second Slow Speed sign on your right and a large, 2-story house on your left. Just before these, turn to port and favor about 30' off of the developed, Northern shore. Stay this line (you will pass the third Slow Speed sign on your far right) until you approach RED marker "6".

5. When the houses end and just before RED "6", turn decidedly to Starboard and keep the marker and the fourth Slow Speed sign to port. Stay and equal distance between the markers on your left and the Southern shore. This channel is narrow and the shallowest spots are adjacent with the 2 docks on your left. You should be 20'-30' from the Southern shore during this stretch. As you approach the end of the Santa Cruz, keep the Resume Normal Operation sign to port as you make the turn into Interceptor Lake.

6. There are several gradual "humps" during the first half of the lake and it is best to favor the port half on your way out. The second half seems to have consistently deeper depths.

7. You are now approaching "the island", which now looks more like a narrow canal on your right. Keep your boat starboard of centerline throughout the narrow passage until you start to turn left, then steer toward the middle of the canal for the next right hand turn. There is a hard shoal just port of centerline that can affect deeper draft boats during extreme low water levels.

6. After you pass the island, the canal gradually bends left. Take a right at the first canal after the bend. Follow this canal to the lock. Approach the dock at the lock favoring just starboard of centerline until it is within reach. There is a shallow hump of mostly soft sand probably due to the lock openings to let water in over the years.