Unfortunate Experience at Sanibel Marina, Statute Mile 0, West Florida ICW
Skipper Cyr’s experience is not typical of past reports we have received on Sanibel Marina, see /140710, so we have a to assume that these difficulties were an exception to the marina’s normally professional service.
We were traveling with another boat and called two weeks ahead for our reservations. On the morning of our scheduled arrival we called to reconfirm and we were told everything was set, except that they could not let us in until they moved a couple of boats and that we should wait outside the harbor until notified to come in. We waited 30 minutes and heard nothing, we called the marina on the telephone, as they would not answer the VHF. Again we were told to wait. Finally, after about 45 minutes time and another VHF call, our buddy boat was instructed to come into the harbor and tie up. We were told not to come in as they were still in the process of moving a boat out of our slip space. Again we waited another 35 minutes with no communication. We called again and they finally answered on VHF and we were told they were having trouble getting the boat in our spot started and would get back to us. Another 20 minutes and we called on VHF again and the person responding said he was on the other side of the marina and didn’t know the status; he would check and get right back to us. My buddy boat called and said that the marina was lying to us; no one has been to the boat in our spot, the boat was still plugged in and tied up. It was getting late, (total wait time outside the harbor in boat traffic and wakes was in excess of one and one half hours). We needed to make alternative arrangements somewhere before dark so we left.
Ron Cyr
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Sanibel Island Marina
Comments from Cruisers (2)
Regarding Sanibel Marina, we spent Christmas week last year (2014) in our Nordic tug “Celebration.” I think you have to understand that this marina caters to locals and is sold out most of the time, so they may at times seem a bit more difficult to communicate with. BUT, that being said, we had an ideal stay there last year and really love the place! Each morning a newspaper and bag of fresh muffins arrived on our deck…. We then spent a month at Marina Jack’s up in Sarasota and can not say enough good things about our stay there! Moorings are very reasonably priced and if you spend a week or month at the docks the rate becomes very reasonable. We tried to return to Sanibel for another week but no slips were available.As I say, they seem to have very limited space for transients. I would suggest booking far in advance, staying in touch with them, and have a Plan B at hand. We totally enjoyed the Municipal Marina in Ft Myers as well.
W & J Mann
We had a similar experience last year. We had reservations confirmed and reconfirmed. When we arrived, we were informed nobody was leaving and they didn’t have the previously promised space for us. We called Boca Grande Marina and explained the situation, they were most gracious and went out of their way to help us. We were fortunate that it was early enough in the day to make alternate plans. We were heading north toward Sarasota.
Leslie Hartsell
M/V /Somewhere
Gold Loopers 2009-10