PLEASE CAREFULLY READ OUR DISCLAIMER!
Please Note That Postings Below From Fellow Cruisers Are Listed in Chronological Order, Based on Publication Date
Captain Sara contacted me and asked if the Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net would be interested in publishing a list of on-the-water, cruising craft accessible restaurants in SW Florida. I may have gotten a bad case of whip-lash from saying “YES!!!!” soooo quickly.
Anyway, check out Sara’s message below, and PLEASE send her info directly if you can.
Once their June cruise is complete, we will publish Sara’s dining directory here so it can be a lasting tool for the cruising community!!!
In advance of my bareboat charter out of St. Pete down to the Keys in June, I’m compiling a list of restaurants that offer tie-ups to boaters. I will be collecting lat/long, depth, dockage description, dining experience and any other relevant data for each restaurant. This information will then be made freely available to the boating community. If you have info to share that would make the resource more useful to all, please contact me via email at:
saraburns2000 AT yahoo DOT com
If all goes well, I believe I might have found another interesting and productive hobby! Thanks! 
Sara Burns
Facilitator, The Work of Byron Katie
Transforming Education in America
Jug Creek cuts into the western shores of extreme northern Pine Island, north of Useppa Island. This stream provides access to shallow Four Winds Marina, and successful entry from the deeper waters of Charlotte Harbor is a trick proposition, courtesy of correctly charted Jug Creek Shoal. Marker #11 is the northernmost aid to navigation on the Jug Creek entry channel, and it has now been replaced.
Charlotte Harbor, FL. The green day board at the entrance to Jug Creek, #11 from Charlotte Harbor is missing, as of Friday, March 30, 2012. This makes finding the entrance thru the shoals difficult.
Treadsdock
Mark was replaced as of 4/12/12.
Ron McGuire
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Jug Creek
We simply can’t praise our good friends, Barbara and Vic Hansen at Southwest Florida Yachts enough. Not only are these good people a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, but they also offer one of the best power and sail charter fleets in Florida, and all within easy cruising distance of the cruising rich waters of Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor. What’s not to like?
PDQ 34-Foot Catamaran Joins Charter Fleet at Southwest Florida Yachts
Named ChriSea, the roomy power cat has two queen bed cabins and offers economical cruising in the Pine Island-Sanibel-Captiva corridor
NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla., April 5, 2012 –Southwest Florida Yachts has added a new PDQ 34 Power Cat – ChriSea — to its charter fleet for cruising the scenic Pine Island-Sanibel-Captiva corridor.
The spacious catamaran features two cabins with queen-sized beds, a fully-equipped galley and a roomy head with a separate shower. It has a large dinette with a settee that converts to an extra large bed for additional sleeping room. Amenities include a generator, color TV, washer and dryer, and a CD player with stereo speakers. The skipper’s array of navigation and operation electronics includes GPS and autopilot.
Barb Hansen of Southwest Florida yachts said the power vessel is economical to charter and to operate. It charters for only $3273 per week in the summer and $4090 in the winter. The vessel is known for being stingy with gasoline. It is powered by twin Yanmar diesel engines, each generating 100 hp.
Hansen said summer charters of three days or longer will earn two free days of cruising as part of a three-year celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary in 2014. Winter cruises of three days or more from Dec. 15 to April 30 earn one free day of cruising.
Hansen said ChriSea is docked at Marinatown Marina in N. Fort Myers. Marinatown Marina provides quick cruising access, via the Caloosahatchee River, to the sheltered Gulf ICW. ChriSea is now part of a fleet of nine power cruisers from 32 to 50 feet The company’s five-boat sailing charter fleet is based at Burnt Store Marina in Punta Gorda.
Southwest Florida is ranked as one of the best cruising and sailing areas in the world. Visitors have scored the barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva as the best islands to visit for their ambiance, beaches, friendliness, restaurants and scenery.
For more information about Southwest Florida Yachts and Florida Sailing & Cruising School visit http://www.swfyachts.com, http://www.flsailandcruiseschool.com, http://www.swfyachtsales.com Mailing Address: 3444 Marinatown Lane, N.W., N. Fort Myers, FL 33903. Telephone: 800-262-7939 or 239-656-1339, or email info@swfyachts.com
Our thanks to Captain Jay Wheeler for the welcome, in-depth account of the Redfish Pass channel below. Captain Jay also sent us notes on the channel from Redfish Pass to South Seas Resort Marina, which we have posted separately (see http://cruisersnet.net/?p=84905)
Cruising News:
I wanted to shorten my passage from Naples to Useppa and decided to use Captiva Pass. After speaking with Tween Waters and South Seas Resort Marina, they pointed out that Captiva Pass was the only unmarked Passage into Pine Island Sound. Neither of them was familiar with Captiva Pass but they were both familiar with Refish Pass and recommended it over Captiva Pass.
Unfortunately, my North Star and Garmen Chart Plotter as well as my old NOAA charts are not as up to date as the Chart that you have here on Cruisers Net has online. And, if I had inquired online before i made this voyage, i would have had a much better idea as to what i was facing.
Coming into Refish pass from the Gulf involves following the correct marker confirguration, which requires red right returning. Even as the bottom [soundings - editor] shown on ALL the charts has not changed in years, AND IS TOTALLY INACCURATE AT THIS TIME, this is after all an inlet and subject to radical changes. The marks to Redfish Pass are marked “private’ but now that South Seas Resort has adopted the traditional Port and Starboard marking configuration, you need to follow that routine when approaching Redfish pass from the Gulf.
On all the charts there is an outside green marker G 1, which is a good starting place for coming in through the Pass. After you pass G 1, line your self up between the Red N 4 and Green Can 5 and proceed with caution. The locals follow this route and the channel is deep enough to get you past Red Nun 4 and into some very deep water in the center of the Pass. From here you want to look for the first Green marker just off the the NE tip on Captiva and stay inside of it, running in along the shore of the island until you are able to pick up the South Seas Resort channel running from their Marina out to deeper water in a SE direction. Remember to leave the reds, going into Pine Island Sound, in this direction to Starboard, Red- Right- Returning from the Gulf. I did this at almost high tide drawingh 5.5 ft. and had not trouble, once I got the buoys straightened out..
Coming in through Refish Pass from the Gulf saved me a lot of time heading North to Useppa and Cabbage Key.
Jay Wheeler
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Redfish Pass
Captain Wheeler is quite correct in stating that the entrance channel which leads cruisers from the Western Florida ICW’s run through Pine Island Sound, to South Seas Island Resort Marina, has been completely altered within the last year or so. Several earlier postings here on the Cruisers’ Net have also noted this change, but we thank Captain Jay for pointing it out anew.
This can be a VERY confusing situation if you arrive without the very latest paper chart aboard, or if your chartplotter still shows the older channel!
The current Cruisers Net chart ["Chart View" - editor] correctly shows, as several mariners have commented, that the South Seas Marina passage has been completely re-routed. On the OLD NOAA charts and many chart plotter’s, the privately marked channel from the ICW to South Seas Resort Marina runs in an easterly westerly direction. The new channel runs, as has been previously noted, in a sotheasterly to northwestly direction and starts well west off the ICW from Pine Island Sound, as shown on the Cruisers Net chart. The markers are correctly configured port and starboard, so coming in from the ICW, you leave the reds to PORT!
Jay Wheeler
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of South Seas Island Resort Marina
Below, Captain Mike presents a very balance look at this facility, It is accessed via a marked channel, north of Sanibel Island’s southerly, Point Ybel, tip.
We stayed for 2 nights here 11/12/11 & 11/13/11. This is a very well kept marina. It is fairly small with a limited number of transient slips. The staff was extremely accomodating and their ship store manager Tom is a great guy. Bike rentals are available but it is something you should set up in advance as the bikes are delivered to the marina by a local bike store. Gramma Dots has very good food and stays busy. There is little to do here at the marina itself and you are a ways from shopping so a bike is best. You can walk down to the south end of the island and see the lighthouse at about .5 mile each way (maybe a bit longer). Sanibel Island is a beautiful island but extremely busy in the winter season and is hard to access without transportation. The best part for me about this marina is that warm muffins delivered to your boat with a newspaper every morning! Great stuff! But again, there is little to do in the immediate area and you are a bit out of the way from the main area of the island. Coming prepared with your own bike/s is the best idea to really get around. The owner family of this marina has deep roots in ocean sailing (ie: America’s Cup, etc.).
Mike
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Sanibel Island Marina
I took one, quick look at Captain Dave’s question below, and knew he was speaking of the so-called, Boca Grande Swash Channel, immediately south of Gasparilla Island. For years and years now, local cruisers have used this cut to short-cut the looonnnggg run out into the Gulf of Mexico via the main Boca Grande Pass channel.
If and only if all goes well, cruisers can turn north immediately west of Gasparill Island’s southwestern tip, run the Swash Channel hard by the concrete piers of the old dock that will passed to your eastern flank, and then continue with good soundings for points north, such as naturally deep Venice Pass.
And, there is some reason to believe that this is a naturally deep (enough?) passage. Hurricane Charley completely filled up the Swash Channel, but a few months later, tidal current had scoured it out again.
Trouble is, to be really safe when using the Swash Channel, captains must know where the good water is “this week.” And, that requires local knowledge. Trust me, this is NOT the spot where you want to ground your vessel. The tidal currents and surf could quickly bring on a life threatening situation after running aground here, not to mention the danger to your vessel.
So, as of late February, 2012, have any of you run the Swash Channel lately? What depths did you discover, and where did you find the best water? Please be as specific with your advice as possible. Send your info to us via clicking the “Comment on This Posting/Marina/Anchorage/Bridge” link below, or send e-mail directly to “yours truly” at CruisersNet@triad.twcbc.com. Many thanks in advance!
Cruising News:
At the southern end of Gasparilla Island there appears to be a unmarked channel that is close to the Boca Grand light house and parallels Don Pedro park. which opens in a North westerly direction. Charts show enough water if one stays close to the beach. Does anyone have any experience going through there?
Thanks!
Dave
Haven’t run the swash channel since last fall, but we’ve had no major storms. Sand bars then were at/near as charted, we saw nothing less than 6 feet. Both Isles YC and Sarasota YC publish way points to lead you thru the shoals.
Wind against tide can throw up NASTY chop. Watch the weather
Bill Dixon
I have run the Swash many times over the years. 6 month ago was the last time I used this path. I took the route that the Sarasota Yacht club had layed out and found I was too close to land and running out of water. I went back to my old path that was a thousand feet further off shore and found 5 to 6 feet of water.
Just use your charts and go slowly and watch your depth . You should not have a problem
Robert M. Wilson
I passed through the swash channel on Sunday March 18th and found depths of greater than 6 feet at high tide. Please note, however, that I dont’t have the data on the height of of the tide, and my trimaran sailboat only draws 3′ 2″ so I wasn’t too concerned and didn’t make detailed observations.
David Tarbox
I’ve run the swash channel for years in a 43 Viking DCMY with 42″ draft. I always found both ends of the channel to vary in depth over time but always passable. Clearly with deeper drafts you need to play the tide. Although I always had confidence I dropped to 5 knots to make the transit with a close eye on the sonar and plotter.
Tom
The anchorage described below by Captains Mike and Twyla, is accessed by leaving the Western Florida ICW between markers #37 and ?#39, and the following the well marked Roosevelt Channel to a point south of Tween Waters Marina.
Mike and Twyla’s note contains some GREAT advice about hot to obtain inexpensive dinghy dockage while your hook is resting in these waters. We knew that Tween Waters started prohibiting dinghy dockage some years ago, but the idea of tying up temporarily at the nearby Green Flash Restaurant is a new and inspiring idea!
And, by the way, the Green Flash IS a good place to satisfy a healthy appetite. Some of their seafood entrees are nothing short of YUMMY!!!
Just an FYI for anyone planning to anchor Captiva Island – We recently anchored near the ‘Tween Waters Marina. The Waterway Guide does state correctly that the marina does not offer dingy docking to anyone on anchor.
However it does state that you can take your dinghy to McCarthy’s Marina to tie up so you can go to shore for provisions. What it fails to mention is that McCarthy’s Marina charges $15.00 to dock your dink there! No matter how long you are going to leave it – it’s $15.00 flat fee! So for those of you that find yourself at Captiva Island and in need of provisions (beer?) – there is still hope. We took the dink to the Green Flash Restaurant’s dock. We enjoyed a couple of drinks at the bar and
walked only a few blocks to the Island Store. The bartendar there was very friendly and had no problem with us leaving the dinghy. By the way, it looked like a great place to eat but we only went to the bar.
Safe travels!
Mike and Twyla
aboard NautiNell
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
It was almost a year ago that we posted an article here on the Cruisers’ Net about the possibility of boaters being denied the right to anchor in popular Boca Grand Bayou (hard by the shores of Gasparilla Island), behind the Pink Elephant Restaurant, due to possible private ownership of the bottomland in question (see http://cruisersnet.net/?p=46788). A slightly later article provided more details (see http://cruisersnet.net/?p=51002).
Gasparilla Bayou Anchorage
Then, over this past Thanksgiving holiday, yours truly and the first-mate, first-mate spent a wonderful week in Boca Grande. I personally observed only two vessels lying at anchor in the Boca Grande Bayou Basin anchorage, where formerly there were many more. In asking around, I began to hear rumors that vessels anchored on the northern end of the basin were being asked to move along, as the bottomland was claimed to be private property.
Last week, a fellow cruiser sent me a “Letter to the Editor” which appeared in Gasparilla Island’s superb weekly newspaper, the “Boca Beacon.” Here is a link to that article:
Most importantly, I learned in a telephone conversation last week that the “Boca Beacon” editor, Ms. Marcy Shortuse, was working on an in-depth article concerning this very complex issue. I shared my insights on this subject, and sent Ms. Shortuse a link to my “Whence Come The Anchorage Regulations” editorial (http://cruisersnet.net/?p=4958). Last Friday, 12/16/11, Marcy’s article was published, and it is linked below. Her excellent, in-depth study of this situation is a must-read for anyone interested in the Florida anchoring issue:
http://www.bocabeacon.com/news/featured-news/4208-bottomland-on-the-bayou-a-rather-sticky-situation
We solicit additional input on the issue of anchoring in Boca Grande Bayou from the cruising community, particularly those mariners who frequent the waters of Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor. Please follow the “Click Here to Submit Cruising News” link on the upper right of this page, and share your point of view.
I deleted Boca Grande from my website, too risky to suggest it as an anchorage.
Mary Dixon
Very simply and to the point the U.S. Supreme Court has already spoken on this issue.
“1.U.S. Supreme Court, Lewis Blue Point Oyster Cultivation Co. v. Briggs 229 US 82
When overturning a lower court case the U.S. Supreme Court said: “If the public right of navigation is the dominant right, and if, as must be the case, the title of the owner of the bed of navigable waters hold subject absolutely to the public right of navigation, this dominant right must include the right to the use of the bed of water for every purpose which is in aid of navigation.””
Robert Driscoll
Driscoll nails it. It doesn’t matter whether or not the bottom is privately owned, there is still a right of navigation that trumps that. Anchoring is considered to be a normal part of navigation. Take a look at St. Augustine where the city has claimed they own the bottom land since forever, yet they were unable to prevent anchoring in those waters until they built mooring fields over most of the anchoring area.
John Kettlewell
We are proud to have such as long-lived nautical enterprise as Southwest Florida Yachts as a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR! Of course, we are not at all prejudiced you understand, but the entire Cruisers’ Net bunch would wager more than a few scheckles that you will not find a better charter agency anywhere in Florida, for sail or powercraft.
Congratulations to owners Barb and Vic Hansen!!!! Here’s to the next 30 years!!!!
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA YACHTS ANNOUNCES 30th ANNIVERSARY PROMO
The firm announces free cruising days from 2012 to 2014.
NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. – A 30-year anniversary is a very big deal in the recreational boating industry. Anticipating its big Three-Oh, Southwest Florida Yachts announced a three-year “Berth Day” party culminating in 2014.
Barb Hansen, co-owner and manager, said the premier chartering firm will give charter customers free cruising days in 2012, 2013 and 2014 on all power and sailing vessels.
Hansen said it works like this: if you set up a three-days or longer cruise between December 15 and April 30 you’ll get one free cruising day. That’s the winter season. And if you cruise in the summer season you’ll get two free cruising days.
“It feels very good to be cruising toward another milestone,” said Hansen. She started Southwest Florida Yachts with her husband Vic in 1984 and once described the big decision this way:
“The year was 1984. Nuclear arms controls with the Soviet Union were unraveling. The prime loan rate was 13 percent. Vic and I started Southwest Florida Yachts. I guess we were in an ‘Oh, what the heck’ state of mind. Hey, if you’re going to get hit by a nuclear bomb, why not move to Florida, get married, start a yacht chartering business and a yacht school and, as they say, live happily ever after.”
So far, so very good, Hansen reports.
Today, the company maintains 11 power yachts from 32 to 50 feet at its headquarters at Marinatown Marina in N. Fort Myers just off the Caloosahatchee River. This provides convenient access to the scenic and protected Gulf cruising channels around Pine Island and along Sanibel-Captiva and other Gulf of Mexico barrier islands. The five-vessel sailing fleet charter base is Burnt Store Marina in Punta Gorda on beautiful Charlotte Harbor. Casting off from either location gives charterers access to what many consider the number one cruising area in the United States.
Southwest Florida is ranked as one of the best cruising and sailing areas in the world. Visitors have scored the barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva as the best islands to visit for their ambiance, beaches, friendliness, restaurants and scenery.
For more information visit http://www.swfyachts.com, email info@swfyachts.com or phone 800-262-7939 or 239-656-1339.
Below, I’ve copied a question and answer, taken from the T&T (Trawlers and Trawlering) mail list, in regards to no-wake zones that will slow an inside passage between Sarasota and Fort Myers. All who cruise the western shores of the Sunshine State will thank Captain Pickelmann for such a ready and useful answer!
On the Gulf ICW between Sarasota and Fort Myers, what percent of the roughly 75 NM is speed restricted? I am charting a transit and it seems that I recall a significant portion of the stretch particularly from Sarasota to Punta Gorda is a slow zone.
Dan Stephens
Symmetry
Dan,
I’ve never actually measured it but there is a stretch of five miles or so between Sarasota and Venice that is a Minimum Wake Zone. Further on, there is another stretch of about five miles between the bottom of Lemon Bay and the Gasparilla Island bridge that is No Wake. There are other minor No Wake areas but they are pretty small. Really not a big deal.
Regards,
Randy Pickelmann
A little less than 1/2 of the distance is wake restricted. A better choice would be to go outside until Boca Grand then go inside. The winds are easterly most of the time so the Gulf is flat.
Ron Hoffman
Be aware of the signs, many of them state a minimum wake outside of the ICW channel and 25 mph in the channel. Since very few trawlers go 25 you are able to continue at your normal cruising speed because you also will not be outside of the channel as this area is very shallow, only fishing boats and wave runners can navigate there. Also some of the bridges have changed names so if you have older charts they may not be correct. Enjoy your trip!
Capt. Dana
Caution required if deciding to go outside at Big Sarasota Pass, can be tricky if windy..
Dennis McMurtry
Captain Barbara Hansen is a long time friend of yours truly, and the co-owner of Southwestern Florida Yachts, the premiere chartering agency in southwestern Florida, and a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!
View from the Marina
It’s Summertime and the Cruising is Easy
By Barb Hansen
July 2011
I was browsing you-know-what and read something a parent posted online. I Googled manatees. It was about Florida manatees, of course, but this entry reminded me about the wonderful age of 10.
And, may I suggest, it also was about why cruising in Florida ought to be on the summer vacation to-do list for every young family.
It was posted on an online form and the parent wrote, “We just got home from our wonderful trip to Sanibel for the first time. We saw a mother manatee nursing two babies near the lighthouse close to the shore on Friday Aug. 7… She also had about five other babies waiting their turn just poking their little noses out of the water. What an awesome sight for my 10 yr old daughter and me.”
This was an awesome sight and awesome times 100, I think, because it was shared by a parent and 10-year-old. Ten-year-olds – I’m sure you know this – are the perfect age for an experience like this but, hey, I’m sure this would be a wonderful thing to see for all children above the age of reason up to and including their parents.
The thing is, seeing manatees and frolicking dolphins in the wild is not at all unusual in Florida in the summer, especially when you’re on a boat. They call this the “low season” but manatees and dolphins don’t know that. For Florida’s wildlife, summer is the high season.
By the way Sanibel, mentioned by the parent of the 10-year-old, is one of our famous Gulf barrier islands and it helps shape the popular, protected cruising corridors on either side of Pine Island.
Here at Southwest Florida Yachts the summer pace is a tad more relaxed after a busy “high” season of chartering vessels to snowbirds escaping the cold up north. In the summer the calls often come from moms and dads asking what summer cruising is like because this is summer vacation and their kids are out of school. They’ve done Disney, and they are so over Disney.
Oh it’s very good, I say. Then I’m off on a summertime is the best time riff. Cruising is the just right thing for a family with children to do on summer vacation.
I tell them about seeing manatees and dolphins in the wild. I tell them about seeing a thousand wading birds feeding on a shallow flat and a thousand stars twinkling from the dark sky at night. It’s summertime. Living is easy. Fish are jumping.
I like showing off our lovely part of Florida to visitors during the low season and I’ve always thought it way too sad that so many fail to come here at a time of the year when Florida really shines.
This is “Real Florida,” as the tourism people call it. It really is. And the cruising is easy.
Barb Hansen manages Southwest Florida Yachts
I guess I shouldn’t comment too much on Boca Grande marina, as it resides in our very favorite spot on earth. Both Karen and I get a bit dreamlike when undertaking any discussion of Boca Grande. Suffice it to say, this is a WONDERFUL place.
Do note that the entrance to Boca Grange Bayou, which also provides access to the marina, is being pinched by an ever growing shoal. The marina owner has been seeking the necessary permits to dredge at his own expense, but so far no soap!
Stayed at Boca Grand Marina and as always it was great. Recommend you get a reservation in advance as there are not that many slips. The staff is great and the town is one of my favorites.
RB
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Boca Grande Marina
South Seas Island Resort Marina resides near the northern tip of Captiva Island, just south of Redfish Pass. This facility has a newly marked entry channel running west of the ICW. First timers may want to call the marina in advance of their arrival to check on the latest channel conditions and markings.
Some years ago, South Seas was trashed by a hurricane. Glad to hear below that the storm damage is now only a bad, distant memory!
Cruising News*: Just got back from a 1 week spring break cruise. Stayed at South Seas Resort. It is expensive but worth it. I draw 5 feet and entrance channel is not a problem at mid-tide. The channel was not on my chartplotter apparently was somewhat recently moved.
RB
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of South Seas Resort Marina
Back during the terrible hurricane season of 2005, South Seas Resort suffered extensive damage, and, if memory serves, which sometimes it does not, it took over a year for the necessary work to e accomplished before a reopening of this facility. It’s good to hear Captain Bill’s report below that things are once again working well here.
We recently spent a few days at South Seas Resort Marina in our Catalina 34, Mother Ocean. A few years ago we had a “choppy” experience there because of some abrupt staffing changes (probably as a result of the economy) and some problems with their entrance channel.
We are happy to report that this year our experience there was excellent. The channel is now well marked. They have staffed up the marina with a very competent group. Finally, the resort, which had a few bugs in it during the years after its post-hurrican reopening, is running at full strength and very smoothly.
While it does cost more to dock there, one should keep in mind that the full resort is available to marina guests. At present it is, in our view, one of the nicest places to tie off on the west coast of Florida.
Bill.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Seas Island Resort Marina
This anchorage lies on the opposite side of the Western Florida ICW channel from the marked passage leading to Cabbage Key.
This anchorage has a beautiful view. It has plenty of room and depth (10 feet) for several larger vessels. We had good holding over night with moderately strong easterly winds. I would highly recommend this anchorage.
Sheena
As you will see, Captain Sage’s review of Boca Grande Marina below is mostly positive, but the shoaling at the entrance to Boca Grande Bayou is for real, and a real concern for visiting and resident cruisers alike. If your vessel draws 3 1/2 feet or more, you should probably plan your entry and egress into and from Boca Grande Bayou for a time near high water. Oh yes, no-one can blame this facility for the below described lightning strike. That could have happened anywhere.
BG Marina is indeed a neat little marina. I was welcomed there in my modest 33 foot sloop. There was a seaplane executing touch and go’s in the mouth of the marina basin so there is plenty of room in there, but the shoaling at the very entrance is critical at MLW; hug the wall close to the houses on shore and all should go well. There are clean showers and other facilities. BTW, we suffered a terrible lightning strike while docked at this marina…very expensive stay indeed!
Oscar Sage
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Boca Grande Marina
We posted an earlier article here on the Cruisers’ Net, linked below, which seemed to indicate that anchorage regulations might be in the offing for the popular “Basin Anchorage” near the charming village of Boca Grande, on Gasparilla Island. At the time, I editorialized that any such regulations would be contrary to Florida State Law UNLESS it could be shown the bottom land in the “basin” was privately owned. Based on the note below from Lieutenant Jim Brown, it looks as if someone may be trying to establish private ownership claims.
Cruising News:
This has been circulated by the Punta Gorda boater’s Alliance.
The waters of Boca Grande are far clearer than is the issue of Jurisdiction and Anchoring in the Boca Grand Bayou. The issue of Boca Grand Bayou pivots on whether or not they are “Waters of the State”. Waters of the State are all navigable waters which existed at the time of statehood. They include the area from the mean high mark seaward. The problem with the Boca Grand Bayou, are the maps of this era, which are at best poor and show very little detail. Further compounding this problem is the fact that dredging took place in 1926 and possibly earlier, at least in the area of the 5th Street docks. Waters of the state do not include any private lands made navigable by artificial means such as dredging. The Florida DEP has some submerged land leases in the northern end of the Bayou and claim ownership there, but cannot confirm ownership as state land for areas of the southern end. The ownership of the water in the southern end is unclear (fifth street dock excluded) and may very well be owned by private interests. If it is privately owned then that party could regulate who used it. If it is owned by the state then state/county boating laws would apply.
There are no county ordinances regulating anchoring at this location, but F.S.S. 327.44 relates to anchoring when it interferes with navigation. With this being said, the jurisdiction for enforcement would fall upon the Lee County Sheriff’s Officer, Law Enforcement Officers of the FWC and the United States Coast Guard. I have found a web site that gives a good look at the whole picture of anchoring. http://nsgl.gso.uri.edu/flsgp/flsgpt99001.pdf I hope this helps you out. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me at 239-850-9076. Should you uncover any further information on this matter please let me know.
Sincerely,
Lieutenant Jim Brown
Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Marine Unit
Frank Cushing
Click Here To View An Earlier Posting About Possible Anchorage Regulations on Boca Grande Bayou
"Sunset After The Storms"
by: Susan Leaf
