Here’s a neat tip on how to dinghy to a Wal-Mart, plus many other shoreside businesses in North Fort Myers. “Hancock Creek,” referred to below, lies on the opposite side of the Caloosahatchee River from the downtown Fort Myers waterfront, just west of the Highway 41 Business high-rise bridge.

We found a canal that leads to within a 1/2 mile walk to a Super Wall-Mart, Dollar Store, Napa Auto parts, Sonic etc…….SW of the Cleveland Avenue Bridge (St Mile 135) you will find a marked channel that goes into the Hancock Creek..you can cut the corner to markers ”G11 R12” staying to the SW of the submerged piles marked on the chart……we went into the creek with our Automobile GPS….we had programed in the address for NAPA……and watched……we decided we would be closest via foot if we beached the boat at the kayak/canoe launching ramp at the Judd Park (A Lee County Park)…from the it is less then 1/2mile to walk to Super Wall Mart and Napa is across the street. From the mooring ball to the ramp took us 45 miutes since we went really slow (manatees)…but it sure beat waking 3-4 miles…..
Super Wall Mart is on Pine Island Road (Rt 78) North Fort Myers……the park is nearest to the intersect of Brown Street and Evergreen Street….Brown Street leads out to hthe highway and you can see the Wall Mart across over to your left when you get to the highway.
When you are going up the creek always choose the deeper choices (evidenced by seeing docks and boats and retaining walls)……the park in on you right….behind a mangrove hedge…..you will need to be alert to watch for tennis courts etc behind the dense mangrove hedges…..and the boat ramp in found by following the park edge around to the right and it is at the end of a little creek…..
Our automobile GPS helped a lot.
Barbara and Ken

And, a complimentary comment on the above posting from a fellow cruiser.

Subject: A comment on the post by Barbara & Ken. RE: N. Ft. Myers Wal-Mart etc
Cruising News: We should all post useful information like this. As transients it is often tough to find convenient retail outlets so this type of ‘local knowledge’ can be invaluable to all of us. I would encourage all of us to post more info of this type.
Rick Parish
s/v Sea Breeze