Matanzas Inlet

The trick with Matanzas is that it is always changing with each tide. Before you even make it to the sandbar you have to make it under the bridge. The first time I was going under my friend who was captaining the boat that day handed me a pair of scissors and said go up to the bow and in anyone's line is in the way, cut it off before we wind up with a hook in us! I thought he was joking as I was new to the area, but never heard of that issue before. It was fine going out as there wasn't a lot of fisherman there yet. But on the way in, I found out the hard way that people on the bridge there don't care about the boat traffic and made getting back more difficult that it should be. Three cut lines later and a few quick reflexes to catch sinkers being chucked at us and it was an eye opening experience. It wasn't like we were hauling either time, we crawled through because of the worries and sounded the horn a few times to let everyone know we were coming through as a courtesy to the fisherman on the bridge. Lesson learned, the horn just gives the fisherman enough advance notice to gather up their old weights to chuck at us as we go through. Now I have been under more time than not without any issue, but there have been a few where it is scarier going under the bridge then going out.
Also with that being said, I have been on the boat, made it under the bridge, took a look and said screw it and headed back in to head to St Aug to get out to sea to fish. Which isn't bad as its early in the day. But after a long day of fishing and sneaking out Matanzas in the morning, and missing the tide because the fishing is good, that extra 30+ miles around to get back in SUCKS!!!
Bottom line, don't plan to go in or out of Matanzas Inlet, even if you have lived here your whole life, no reason to risk turning your boat upside down. As you will learn very quickly, your insurance coverage may not cover you if you do as that is non-navigable water and clearly marked as so.

 

I have been through in a couple of different boats. Largest was a 24' center console. I have been through where at high tide we had 6' of water under the boat and I have been through at half tides with 1' on the depth finder but less than that as the prop was kicking up A LOT of sand even with it angled up.
Best choice is trailer your boat to a ramp in St Johns or Volusia county and launch from there if you want to head off shore. Don't risk running Matanzas, it isn't worth it in my opinion.