Florida West Coast

[Skip]

Anyone familiar with Marinas in the Ft Myers and Naples area? It's hard to find info on them! Next year we hope to take the boat down to Florida and if the water level is OK, take the Lake O route to the west coast of Florida and work our way back to Key West.

Any info on good marinas (location, location, location) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[stewart]

I stayed in Bradenton Fl. Twin Dolphin Marina for 2 years a great live aboard .
Cheers Stewart

 

[StratPlan61]

I stayed a while at the Ft Myers Yacht Club downtown while I brought my boat north from Miami. It was OK, not great but worked out OK. Walking distance to most needs. It was convenient, right on the way west and north for me.

 

[Maynard Rupp]

We take our boat to Ft. Meyers beach for one month every winter. Moss Marine is in Ft. Meyers Beach and is a wonderfull marina with very nice people. They do have a gambling boat that goes out twice a day. That means lots of folks walking on the dock and past your boat. Not a big deal though. Plenty of water depth and decent protection. A very active nightlife and a magnificant beach are 3 blocks away.

 

[SCALAWAG]

If you can stop at Fort Myers Beach . The best is moss Marine 239-765-6677 ask for Kim. We keep our 55 there and have for a long time. slow down look to see which way the tide is running before you try to go in. There is lots to do close. Hope this helps we live at the beach so if you need more help let me know.

 

[SCALAWAG]

UNITY be sure to slip around and introduce your self when you come down . My boat is over buy the floater bow looking at bridge. Hopefully you are not one of the neighbors that complain about the loud music. The sail boats all around me have learned to love loud music late and the smell of diesel in the morning. Just kidding hope to see you soon.

 

[Nonchalant1]

Fort Meyers Beach is very nice, better than Fort Meyers. We liked Salty Sam's Marina. Easy walk to the beaches, fancy touristy shops and restaurants.

Sarasota - Marina Jacks is a great marina. See the sunset view from our aft deck below. Walk to restaurants and everything downtown. Great Farmers Market Saturday mornings downtown. See it at our cruising blog at http://dougandkathysboatlog.blogspot.com Go to 12/17/06 date for Sarasota.

It's fun to anchor at Boca Grande Harbor south of Fort Meyers Beach. Tie your stern to the mangroves and dinghy to the dock at the Pink Elephant bar & grill for drinks and to walk the town. It's 12/30/06 on the blog, including where to anchor and how to tie to the mangroves.

It's also fun to anchor in Pelican Bay at Cayo Costa State Park in the Pine Island Sound. Dinghy 2 miles in the ICW to Cabbage Key, about which Jimmy Buffet wrote "Cheeseburger in Paradise" 1/1/07 in the blog.

At Naples, the Old Naples Seaport Marina is VERY nice. It's 8 blocks beautiful walk from fancy downtown areas ($$$$). 1/4/07 in the blog.

Have Fun!

Doug Shuman

 

[GJH]

Suggest you pick up a copy of Clairborne Young's "Cruising Guide to Western Florida" and the Waterway Guide South. We've mostly anchored out in that neck of the woods, but have used the Naples City Dock quite happily a few times. Include Marco Island and Everglades City in your cruising plans as well. The latter is about as "Old Florida" as you can get.

We hope to head back north from Hollywood in the spring via Keys, SW FL, Okeechobee, etc, time permitting.

George
currently at Thunderbolt Marine, GA

 

[Maynard Rupp]

UNITY be sure to slip around and introduce your self when you come down . My boat is over buy the floater bow looking at bridge. Hopefully you are not one of the neighbors that complain about the loud music. The sail boats all around me have learned to love loud music late and the smell of diesel in the morning. Just kidding hope to see you soon.

I will now that I know who you are. This will be the third year that we have spent a month at Moss marine. I have seen your boat, but we have always been on the outside of the first pier, the one the folks walk down to get to the gambling ship. We go there in the third week of Feb. and stay a full month. Please look me up.

 

[Sparky1]

Skip, if you're looking for a nice out of the way place that will probably be a lot less expensive than the others mentioned, check out Snook Bay Harbor Marina on Isles of Capri. It's a small marina where Carl Guzman used to keep his 67CPMY, and it's within very short walking distance of some pretty good restaurants.


Here's a link to the marina, https://marinas.com/view/marina/3614

 

[Sparky1]

Here you go Skip. Just move the cursor up and down the coast and it will show you everything in the area.

http://marinas.com/bigmap?lat=25.93828707492375&lon=-81.71768188476562&zoom=11

 

[Nonchalant1]

How is the water depth for approaches and getting in to Snook Bay? I had heard that Marco Island channels frequently changed with the storms and may be 4 ft or less and not always well marked. If Guzman could get in and out with a 67MY, maybe it's usually OK? We've never been there, but would be a great last stop before the run to marathon in the Keys.

Doug Shuman

 

[SKYCHENEY]

How is the water depth for approaches and getting in to Snook Bay? I had heard that Marco Island channels frequently changed with the storms and may be 4 ft or less and not always well marked. If Guzman could get in and out with a 67MY, maybe it's usually OK? We've never been there, but would be a great last stop before the run to marathon in the Keys.

Doug Shuman

Doug,
Carl sold his boat, but John Rogers(jcrlaw) has his 58YF right there at Isle of Capri. He could give you current information on getting in there. Send him a PM or I could give you his phone number.

Sky

 

[Skip]

Thanks for all the good info! We are just 8 months from retirement, and are ready to launch. We are also going to look in South Carolina and Florida for a condo. The plan is to stay on the boat all summer long in the Chesapeake Bay (Haven Harbour), then go to the condo during the winter.

Too bad my 401k got destroyed recently, but it was only money.... Luckily, my son recently gave me some advise that the world will always need ditch diggers.

If you are wondering where the most inexpensive place to retire is, here is a really good article that looks at each states' taxes (cost of living):

http://moneycentral.msn.com/articles/retire/basics/9838.asp

 

[Sparky1]

How is the water depth for approaches and getting in to Snook Bay? I had heard that Marco Island channels frequently changed with the storms and may be 4 ft or less and not always well marked. If Guzman could get in and out with a 67MY, maybe it's usually OK? We've never been there, but would be a great last stop before the run to marathon in the Keys.

Doug Shuman

We never had any problem with the Marco Island channel, but entry into Carl's old marina is best done at high tide while running very close to the bank to port on the way in.

Should you come into the area at low tide, hang out around this place until it comes in. It's one of the better restaurants that Carl and I were ever thrown out of.

http://www.snookinn.com/

 

[Maynard Rupp]

Thanks for all the good info! We are just 8 months from retirement, and are ready to launch. We are also going to look in South Carolina and Florida for a condo. The plan is to stay on the boat all summer long in the Chesapeake Bay (Haven Harbour), then go to the condo during the winter.

Too bad my 401k got destroyed recently, but it was only money.... Luckily, my son recently gave me some advise that the world will always need ditch diggers.

If you are wondering where the most inexpensive place to retire is, here is a really good article that looks at each states' taxes (cost of living):

http://moneycentral.msn.com/articles/retire/basics/9838.asp

My wife and I have found that our Hatteras, in Florida, during the winter is far cheaper and a lot nicer place to live than any condo.