Palm Island Marina [now Aquamarina Palm Harbour] is one of our favorite stops. Great facility and a great and welcoming staff. Pool is top notch and on-site restaurant offers good fare. Whit Sibley
The two week 2015 long cruise began April 13 with fourteen member boats departing Cape Coral, bound for Palm Island Marina [now Aquamarina Palm Harbour] in Cape Haze, Florida. After all boats were secured in the slips, several club members enjoyed the marina’s pool, and on-site restaurant. Other members opted for the complimentary water taxi to the marina’s Gulf front beach. Four other members ventured off in a dinghy looking for the channel to Rum Bay on the beach. A minor incident occurred when the captain, wanting to get the dinghy up on plane, encountered the large wake from a passing boat that caused a wall of water to wash over the bow. The dinghy captain’s quick action, plus an efficient bilge pump, prevented almost certain swamping of the small boat. The only casualties were two wet women, and a cell phone that ended up under several inches of water on the bottom of the boat. On the second day of our stay at Palm Island, the cruise leaders prepared breakfast, and later, with help from other cruisers, grilled sumptuous herb-crusted beef tenderloin for dinner. Cape Coral Cruising Club
Very helpful dock master and assistants. Well protected docks. Showers are some of the best we have seen between Venice and Marco Island. Nice swimming pool, and a fantastic restaurant right in the marina. laundry is complimentary. Definitely a place to come back to in the future.
excellent overnight stop! Very clean facility and modern, clean bath house. great pool and Leverock’s restaurant is wonderful. Capt Tim Lynch (general mgr) and his crew are fantastic!
Cape Haze, Inglewood, Florida (3/13/15) We left the Bradenton area, of all things on a Friday the 13th of March, and just in time for spring break with spring vacations. Our first choice was Venice Florida, but with all of the above being thrust upon us, Venice was jam up and jelly tight. Tried to anchor, but because the space was so tight, we just polished the props good by getting in too shallow. Moving on. The next place we tried was Cape Haze a little farther south. We made it in with no other complications. Since we are a 15ft 6in beam we were placed on a face dock. Very nice, just a long walk to the office. We needed the walk anyway. Cape Haze is nice, but with a wide beam one would best stay away from the finger docks. We have been in Cape Haze before on a finger dock and needed a shoe horn to get in. The good news is, after you get in you don’t move around much. After all the hubbub we encountered getting to Cape Haze and the slip we were in belonged to a boat coming home the next day, we did not plan on more than one night. Upon hearing that the slip would not be needed by its owner until Monday, we decided to spend two nights and just let the Saturday crowd clear out. We had no specific agenda and did not have to be anywhere at any specific time. A great feeling by the way. Phil and Sandy Herl
Stayed at Cape Haze Marina overnight on May 27, 2013. Friendly staff, very helpful Showers are comfortable and clean, but close at 5:00 pm. This is a well protected marina that is well worth the price.
fixed wooden slips and face docks in eastern basin, and floating concrete decked slips in western basin
Live Aboards Allowed:
yes
Total number of slips/berths:
55
Dockside Power Connections:
30/50 amp power hookups available
Dock. Fresh Water Connections:
Available.
Showers:
Available. Climate Controlled
Laundromat:
Available.
Restaurant:
one on-site
Restaurant Recommendations:
Zeke’s Bayside Bar & Grill (941-475-3712)
Provisioning Possibilities:
Take courtesy car to Publix supermarket 1 mile away
LPG (Propane) Availability:
Available. Take taxi or courtesy car (if available) to True Value Hardware for LPG tank refill or exchange about 2 miles away
Waste pump-out:
Available. $15.00 per pumpout
Wi-Fi Internet Access:
Free WiFi Available
Fuel Availability:
Gas & Diesel Available
Fuel Notes:
ethanol free/new hours are 9-3
Fuel Prices (All Taxes Included)
Reporting Date:
April 18, 2024
Fuel Notes:
ethanol free/new hours are 9-3
Gasoline Price:
Call marina
Diesel Price:
Call marina
Any Quantity Discount:
Available. 10 cents off-100 gallons or more
ValvTect Dealer:
Yes
Share:
Reviews from Cruisers (6)
Cap'n Park- February 18, 2016 - 10:09 am
The best deal [on the Gulf coast] I have found up to now is a small marina at Englewood – Royal Palm Marina. It’s a very friendly place with all the usual amenities plus a haul out and repair yard, pump out and fuel, a good onsite restaurant and large shrimp bait for fishing at only $4 for ten. You can rent canoes and small fishing boats if you wish. You can make an easy walk to Englewood which offers convenience stores, flea markets, thrift shops and again very friendly locals including four Buddhist monks walking around in yellow robes murmuring “Hare Krishna” as they go. Publix is an $8 taxi ride. There is a very inexpensive bus service to Walmart and Venice four miles north. Cap’n Parky
Call Dockmaster Jim at (941) 475 6882. Any boat with a draft exceeding 5ft 6ins should not attempt to navigate their channel at low tide. I need to emphasize – all other marinas I found between Fort Myers and St Petersburg were much more expensive and obviously preferred you to stay at transient rates costing $2700 a month. Oh well – Florida always rips off their tourists in one way or another.
Tim, Dave, Pam, Karen- November 11, 2012 - 5:06 pm
These people accomodated us when the public boat launch was closed. We were in a pinch and they stepped up and for absolutely nothing they allowed us to pull our boat out. Oh yeah… and offered to help! Anything we needed they were ready to supply. Awesome!
My husband and I went there with my parents. Food was not too good. Some was cold, sandwich had a strange taste. Lots of flies buzzing around, it was somewhat unappetizing. Bathrooms were very dirty. I wouldn’t recommend it.
We, and 5 other boats, spent the night of April 15 at the Royal Palm Marina. It is under new management and the new owners are bending over backwards to help cruisers. They have opened an on-site restaurant, all the facilities were very clean, and they even presented each captain with a bottle of Cabernet at check-in. The service was outstanding the whole time we were there.
Long walk to Publix Supermarket; many may want to take a taxi
Wi-Fi Internet Access:
Not Available
Fuel Availability:
No Fuel Available
Share:
Reviews from Cruisers (9)
Doug L- May 18, 2018 - 11:44 pm
We visited the marina by boat May 5th, 2018 (Cinco de Mayo) and had a great experience. Dylan was the gentleman at the marina we dealt with and was most helpful with docking, H2O/elec hook ups and even a dockside pump out. The marina has everything you need including gas/water/elec, single user bathrooms with shower, and an onsite restaurant (Dockside Waterfront Grill) with excellent choices for food and drink. Downtown Venice is also a very short walk over the bridge, with more restaurants, and shops to chose from. The Seafood and Music Festival was going on while we were there. One of my favorite things about the marina is that it is pet friendly with floating docks that rise and fall with the tide making it easy to access the boat for everyone. The Waterfront Grill is pet friendly as well. All things considered I highly recommend this marina especially if you have pets, whether just passing through or looking for some place different to spend a weekend. Doug (Suzanne’s Salary Too, 34’Grady White)
The Fisherman’s Wharf Marina is now open. The Marker IV Restaurant is open too, as of Wednesday, June 18th. I had a great lunch there yesterday. The new manager “Cassie” is working hard to make the marina a first class operation. At this point the marina is well on its way, but not 100% yet. No fuel, but Cassie said fuel will be up and running very soon. Dockage rates are available at the marina office and by phone (941.486.0500) but not online as far as I can see. I spoke to several managers last evening and they are all very excited about making the complex a success. Paul Sutherland
Passed by Marina – number of signs that said ‘Dock Space Available’ call (941) 486-0500 or (941) 650-4935. These numbers are different than the one given here which was disconnected. There does not seem to be anyone on site but there were a number of boats alongside with electric plugged in and water working at dockside.
We were there the night the restaurant closed, about 2 weeks ago, the whole site went into receivership for approx 2 weeks and then the new owners supposedly take over. This apparently will not release the permit for the Marina to be completed, the word was that the County overruled the City and said the City should not have issued the permit and will not approve the Marina without massive changes,,so I heard..time will tell… Dennis McMurtry
We were happy to dock and dine, and pay the 2.00/ft overnight rate. Interesting place, lightly used and even more lightly maintained – serious guano farm, electricity and water not run to the slips, pumpout not working. OTOH it was peaceful and quiet, short walk to town where a jazz band played on a Tuesday afternoon.
There may be changes afoot. We overheard the restaurant manager talking on the phone about an auction of the restaurant. There is also the probability of hard financial times for the marina, which would explain its disheveled state.
I hope they can work things out. I’m sure the restaurant will be recapitalized. The outlook for the marina is less certain.
Saw the signs for “Dock and Dine” at the Marker 4 marina. Tried to contact on vhf with no answer. Called the restaurant and they said “sure, come on in, just pick a slip”. Up to this point, everything is great. Great restaurant, grocery store near by, and good food and vibes at the restaurant. However, at sunset, here comes the so called dock master, who wants two dollars a foot for dockage, forget the “dock and dine” sign. Forget that you have no power or water or that you just go suckered into a “dock and dine” situation. I have just about crossed Venice off my list of stop over sites. it seems like just when you think everything is going OK, someone intervenes and give the town a bad reputation for cruisers. I paid the dock master $1.50 a foot just to keep peace for a slip. I’m sure the cash never made it out of his pocket into the confers of the marina owners.
Tried to anchor at Higel Park anchorage March 19, 2012, but found it too shallow even for our 3′ draft. Unable to find an anchorage, we docked at Marker 4 Marina which we can recommend. Well protected, good facilities, friendly people, and lower dockage rate than Crow’s Nest. Good restaurant, too. I read they were damaged by the hurricane but they are in business now. Marker 4 Marina is located at Marker 4 just NE of the Tamiami North bridge, just N of the “ditch” going S from Venice. Main business, like Crow’s Nest, is a restaurant [Marker 4 Oyster Bar and Restaurant]. But they have large new floating docks with plenty of space and welcomed us at $2/ft. I didn’t inquire about depth, as we docked at the end and only draw 3′, but there were several large boats there. In the absence of a good anchorage, they would be my first choice at Venice. Dennis Sullivan
Dockage in Venice is always a bit tight. We are now sitting at a nice new floating dock at the Marker 4 Grill. These docks have been here for about five years involved in a an obscure and complicated discussion of which I am not a party. Available dockage here is either at the Venice Yacht Club -appropriate reciprocal membership required- which is full up right now or at the Crow’s Nest which is a miserable place to put in except at slack tide. Marker 4 does not advertise but can be contacted by phone at 941-484-0344. Great location. Just across the bridge from downtown. N27 deg06.294 W82deg26.736 Fred Sorensen OA43
Hey, a note that the Fisherman’s Wharf Marina at marker 4 (right before the Hatchett Creek bridge heading south bound) is open. Good rates for overnite and not as much current as the inlet marina [Crows Nest Marina]. Jane Smith
GREAT food at the Crow’s Nest Restaurant on-site (941-484-9551)
Provisioning Possibilities:
Take taxi or courtesy bikes to convenience store about 1 mile away-1.5 miles to downtown shops
LPG (Propane) Availability:
Available. Take taxi to Ace Hardware for LPG tank exchange 1 1/2 miles away
Waste pump-out:
Available. $5.00 per pumpout if staying overnight, $15.00 per pumpout otherwise
Wi-Fi Internet Access:
Free WiFi Available
Fuel Availability:
Gas & Diesel Available
Fuel Notes:
ethanol free
Fuel Prices (All Taxes Included)
Reporting Date:
April 18, 2024
Fuel Notes:
ethanol free
Gasoline Price:
Call marina for fuel prices
Diesel Price:
Call marina for fuel prices
Any Quantity Discount:
Available. 7 cents off per gallon over 100 gallons-for credit card, 10 cents off per gallon over 100 gallons-for cash, 10 cents off per gallon for credit card-1,000 gallons or more, 15 cents off per gallon 1,000 gallons or more- for cash
Any Boat/US Discount:
Available. 10 cents off per gallon over 50 gallons
Any SeaTow Discount:
Available. 10 cents off per gallon over 50 gallons
Share:
Reviews from Cruisers (5)
John Pholeric- February 24, 2013 - 11:47 am
We stayed for two days. Try to get as far from the inlet as possible because of wakes. Otherwise, clean bathrooms and laundry. Courtsey bikes are there. $2 per foot with Boat US
We stayed at Crow’s Nest and as your Cruising Guide said it proved to be rolly in the strong wind we had for 2 days. We “fendered up” and it was OK. RB
We just stayed at Crows nest for 2 nights, Fabulous place, great staff, absolutely on e of the best Restaurants in Florida. If you’re a wine lover, then a star will be shining on you when you open up the wine list. Hundreds of incredible offerings from many parts of the world. we were lucky enough to be there when they had 40% off on Wines. I will go back to this place again and again !!!!! Capt Schmitty
Crows Nest Marina – Stopped here on the way back north for one night and also found this to be a great spot as well. The dockage is especially nice due to the scenery. The Venice inlet, and the ICW meet right at the marina and provide lots of activity to watch. They also provide courtesy bicycles for tenants to get around the quaint little town of Venice. Scott Dimon M/V Know Agenda
For those Loopers on Florida’s West Coast, a note about Venice, a great port which is also our Winter home.The best dockage is at the Crow’s Nest, just inside the Venice Inlet. When approaching on the ICW from the north, be sure to follow the ICW markers clockwise around Snake Island, there is often not enough water to cross the channel on the west side of that small island. The Crow’s Nest can accommodate larger vessels, offers free bikes to go to the very nice downtown about a mile away, and has one of the best restaurants in Florida. Many cruisers had avoided Venice in the past due to an overzealous Florida Fish and Wildlife officer who earned the nickname “Water Nazi” with his sometimes aggressive document checks. He retired about six months ago, and is no longer a reason to miss this great port. Bob Kunath Sans Souci
We are based n Sarasota and have done many overnight escapes to the Crow’s Nest. Nice facility, great restaurant and very easy access to the beach for a nice walk. Only one caution – watch your depth if they back you in to a slip on the seawall – it can get real skinny at low tide in some of them. Mike Frazier
Reviews from Cruisers (4)
Palm Island Marina [now Aquamarina Palm Harbour] is one of our favorite stops. Great facility and a great and welcoming staff. Pool is top notch and on-site restaurant offers good fare.
Whit Sibley
The two week 2015 long cruise began April 13 with fourteen member boats departing Cape Coral, bound for Palm Island Marina [now Aquamarina Palm Harbour] in Cape Haze, Florida. After all boats were secured in the slips, several club members enjoyed the marina’s pool, and on-site restaurant. Other members opted for the complimentary water taxi to the marina’s Gulf front beach. Four other members ventured off in a dinghy looking for the channel to Rum Bay on the beach. A minor incident occurred when the captain, wanting to get the dinghy up on plane, encountered the large wake from a passing boat that caused a wall of water to wash over the bow. The dinghy captain’s quick action, plus an efficient bilge pump, prevented almost certain swamping of the small boat. The only casualties were two wet women, and a cell phone that ended up under several inches of water on the bottom of the boat. On the second day of our stay at Palm Island, the cruise leaders prepared breakfast, and later, with help from other cruisers, grilled sumptuous herb-crusted beef tenderloin for dinner.
Cape Coral Cruising Club
Very helpful dock master and assistants.
Well protected docks.
Showers are some of the best we have seen between Venice and Marco Island.
Nice swimming pool, and a fantastic restaurant right in the marina.
laundry is complimentary.
Definitely a place to come back to in the future.
excellent overnight stop! Very clean facility and modern, clean bath house. great pool and Leverock’s restaurant is wonderful. Capt Tim Lynch (general mgr) and his crew are fantastic!