No, Bruce, I didn’t, but I do now, thanks to your note below!
Did you know that Fisherman’s Village Yacht Basin (site of the 2009 Southern Rendezvous) has been named “Best small marina in the US”for 2009?
Bruce
A superb description of Tween Waters Inn and Marina from Captain Gary. Could not have done a better job myself!
Tween Waters is accessed via a marked channel from the Western Florida ICW, making into the eastern shores of Captiva Island (south of South Seas Plantation).
Tween Waters Inn and Marina is a good cruising destination but one must be prepared for a different docking situation. They have a long face dock for side-to docking for larger boats.
Smaller boats will be docked closer to shore in slips. These slips have no finger piers so one must exit their boat via the swim platform. With low tides this can be difficult, so be sure to carry a small step ladder that will fit your swim platform. Also, you will take a spring line off the piling to tie either amidships or bow, depending on the length of the boat. This line is attached to the piling by a pulley with a weight on the end. This keeps tension on the line and really does keep the boat in the proper spot.
There are two restaurants on the premises that allow for casual or upscale dining. The Old captive House has many local fish favorites on their menu plus items for the landlubber. The weather was quite chilly when we were recently there and the fireplace in the Crow’s Nest was wonderful. Next door to the resort is the Captiva Island Yacht Club for those who have reciprocal privileges.
The beach is just across the street and they have a large heated pool and spa. All in all, this is a good destination or a stop on a longer cruise.
Gary Riss
The discussion below is copied from the Net's "Ask Your Neighbor" page, and the AGLCA mailing list.
Russell Pass and Russell Bay are found off the Indian Key Channel, on the way to Everglades City. Panther Key is also in the Ten Thousand Island region, but discovered closer to Coon Key Pass and Marco Island.
Has anyone recently taken the inside route from Coon Key Pass to Goodland to Marco Island to Naples? We are currently in Marathon, are 52 ft. and draw 4 feet. Is it doable or just too shallow? Any help would be appreciated. Also has anyone anchored near Indian Key? Shark River won't work with our dog. (We'd still love any update on dog friendly anchorages too).
Bill, Jane and Daisy
I went this route twice in October 2007, and again in April or May 2008 in our Meridian 459, which draws 4 ft. We stayed the night on the 2008 trip at the dock at Old Marco Lodge, in return for having a meal there, and really enjoyed ourselves. Well worth a look. The water gets a bit skinny, but thats Florida!
Regards Peter
From personal experience, Russell Pass is a good, pristine anchorage. Some fairly strong current at times. Also, Russell Bay should be good. Watch the depths, but we had no problem with 4'4". We did not try to land a dog, but at low tide, there were muddy banks. In a pinch, you can anchor near the northeast end of Indian Key, where there is a sand beach for the dinghy trip. For that matter, is decent weather, you can dinghy from Russell Pass the the Key
Another spot that appears to be an excellent anchorage in all but westerly wind is Panther Key, but I can't vouch for depth. The west side of Gomez Point looks deep according to the charts. ActiveCaptain.com reviews indicate 7-12 feet, and there is a sand beach for Daisy.
And once you tiptoe around Coon Key (either side is equally shallow the channel to Naples should be fine. Navigating to Goodland at half-tide or higher would be my suggestion.
Hope this is helpful!
Bill
We have done this a number of times (continued to Naples only twice and several years ago) in a 3' draft cat. We have massaged the bottom at low tide once, and there are some other shallow spots. If you have a good tide, you should be able to do from mid tide up w/o problem but just go slow in the shallow spots on your chart. Do NOT try it at low tide.
Ralph Small
I used to do it with 3' draft – I don't think I would try it with 4' draft. You could go from Marathon to Goodland, or Marathon to the Marco River, but trying to make it through the "back way" between Goodland and Marco would be risky with 4' draft. The Cape Romano Shoals area just south of Marco Island is very dangerous – do not go through this area. Also, between Marco and Naples, I would not use the inside route, with 4' draft.
Good luck
Ray Boller
The Crystal River is the southernmost of the readily navigable "Big Bend region" streams. It is a beautiful body of water with, as you will see below, at least one good marina, and a fine anchorage.
I copied the text below from the Net's "Ask Your Neighbor" page (/ask_your_neighbor/ask_your_neighbor/), which was, in turn, copied from the AGLCA mailing list.
We'd like to stop at Crystal River for a day on our way down to Sarasota from Mobile, having heard that it's fun to swim with the manatees there. I understand from a prior thread that the Twin Rivers
Marina is very shallow at the entrance (we draw 4.5 ft.) so where is a good place to stay? Anchoring out is fine. Has anybody done this?
Advice would be appreciated.
Doug Shuman
We anchored in the Crystal River during our first cruise – see
http://www.jonahs-whale.com/Site/Shake_Down.html
There is a Google map you can zoom into which shows exactly where we anchored. It wasn't manatee season as we were there in mid-summer, but beautiful nonetheless.
Jo Stanton
Jonah's Whale
Twin Rivers Marina is not convenient to the town of Crystal River. Continue three miles further up Crystal River and you will find a deeper alternative to Twin Rivers Marina, viz., Pete's Pier Marina or Kings Bay anchorage. We were there this time last year and arranged for the dive shop to give us a pontoon tour round Kings Bay to see the manatee. Golden Lilly Tug docked at Pete's last month. They have a 4' 7" draft and said at low tide the boat was still rocking!
Alan Lloyd
Great Loop Navigation Notes
_www.NavigationNotes.com_ (http://www.navigationnotes.com/)
There was enough water at Pete's Pier and in Crystal River for our 4.7 draft, however, you need to plan your entrance and departure to be around midtide for Shell Island which is near the mouth of the river. When we came in from the Gulf, [Tow]Boat/US heard us and the 2 other boats we were traveling with on our radios, and told us to wait an hour before navigating into the river at Shell Island. When we left Pete's Pier, we also had to gauge our departure so that we had enough water at Shell Island. [Tow]Boat/US was very helpful for local knowledge.
Barbara Benjamin
Golden Lily – Nordic Tug 42
I have had the good fortune to have visited with the St. Charles Yacht Club on several occasions and I can tell you for personal experience that this is a very fine yacht club indeed, with wonderfully sheltered dockage and a beautiful clubhouse (not to mentino superb food).
One clarification to Captain Peter’s messge below. To be a guest of the St. Charles Yacht Club, you must belong to another Florida Council of Yacht Club, Club, or a club which is “listed in the Registory of Yacht Club of America.” If this describes you, then by all means plot a course up the Caloosahatchee River to St. Charles. The dockage and headquarters are located on the southern side of the river, not far from its western mouth.
Cruising News: Claiborne:
As a part of your recent survey of facilities and conditions in Western Florida, I wanted to drop a note to remind your readers that the St. Charles Yacht Club in Ft. Myers warmly welcomes visiting boaters cruising in our Southwest Florida area. With Lake `O’ reopened, we also provide a convenient stop for vessels transiting the Okeechobee Waterway before heading north or south along the West Coast or for beginning a trip east on the Caloosahatchee River towards the Florida East Coast.
St. Charles offers reciprocal privileges to all Florida Council of Yacht Club members as well as those from clubs outside of Florida with YCOA affiliation.
Our approach channel is well-marked off of the Caloosahatchee and carries a depth of seven feet into our very protected harbor. Both competitively-priced gas and diesel as well as pump out service are available. Free WiFi is a recent addition to the amenities that are available for visiting boaters.
Most of all, we think that our restaurant is one of the jewels of Western Florida and our outdoor pool is well-sited for perfect tanning. For shoppers, the Tanger Outlet Mall is only a short distance away.
Boaters wishing to visit St. Charles can contact our Dock Master at 239-466-4935. We also monitor VHF16 and use VHF68 as our working channel.
We look forward to welcoming those boaters who have visited with us in the past and those who are stopping by for the first time.
Peter Malen
Fleet Captain
St. Charles YC
I've decided to post Captain Jack's question below both here on the Net's "Western Florida" section and on the "Ask Your Neighbor" page, in hopes that we can get a response. Many thanks in advance!
For those not familiar with Matlacha Pass, it lies east of Pine Island and Pine Island Sound. Navigation of its southerly section can be VERY tricky indeed!
Subject: Matlacha Power Lines
Cruising News: I have got two different power line heights for the south side of the Matlacha Bridge on Pine Island. One says 75 ft. ( A Guide to Anchorages in Southwest Florida) and the other 45 ft. (Navionics Nautical Chart). Does anyone have 1st hand knowledge?? Tried Lee County Electric Cooperative (239) 995-2121 Engineering department said their policy is "Not to give out that information", what's that all about??
Jack
Subject: Matlacha Pass Power Line Height
Cruising News: The only information I've seen is that on the West Coast of Florida Chartkit which shows 47 ft at the channel – and, from motoring under it, I'd say it looks pretty accurate, though I'd hate to test it with a mast
Mike Smith
The Crows Nest restaurant, hard by the marina of the same name, is, in my humble opinion, one of the BEST dining spots on the Western Florida coastline!
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
Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Crows Nest Marina
Looks like Captain Scott really liked Sanibel Island Marina!
Sanibel Island Marina – After spending a couple days on the hook we ducked into a marina to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas day. I cannot say enough about this marina as it has to be the one of the most well kept I have ever been to. Maybe it was just the fact that it was Christmas or it was just because it was Sanibel Island but, this is a great marina and certainly should be on your list of places to stop.
Scott Dimon
M/V Know Agenda
I bet if I were to count, there have been more postings about the Pelican Bay Anchorage (immediately east of Cayo Costa) here on the Net’s “Western Florida” section, than any other haven on the WF coastline. That’s not be accident. This is a wonderful place to spend a night, or even a few day. Just watch out for the thin water at the bay’s entrance.
Pelican Bay – Park Service Docks Anchorage – After hearing so much about Cayo Costa and the beauty of this area we had to stop on the way back north. After spending the better part of a day there, I can totally understand the attraction. We were anchored with about 10 other boats in the area and were never cramped. Although I will have to agree that this would not be a great area in the summer months as the protection from wind is so good, the bugs would be a real problem. With that in mind, we certainly plan on spending more time there on another trip as we could easily spend several days there exploring the two islands and surrounding waters.
Scott Dimon
M/V Know Agenda
Glover Bight Anchorage lies hard by Tarpon Point Marina, and near the western mouth of the Caloosahatchee River. This is another superb anchorage, and highly recommended by this writer.
Glover Bight Anchorage – Once leaving Gasparilla Island we headed down to this anchorage to spend the next night. Once again, this was a fantastic spot which had deep water all the way in. Once again we had strong winds out of the East Northeast and this spot provided excellent protection. One other advantage of this spot is the excellent scenery in the area. One could easily spend an extra day or two kayaking the beautiful mangroves in the area as well as the many canals in Cape Coral.
Scott Dimon
M/V Know Agenda
The anchorage detailed by Captain Scott below lies just off Gasparilla Island’s westerly shores. Note that while this is a good anchorage, the village of Boca Grande is not easily accessible from this haven.
Jack Point – Gasparilla Island Anchorage – We used this anchorage on the way south to spend the night out of the North East winds. We found this anchorage to be as stated and a superb spot. The water depths were about 6′ all the way in and very well protected. There are several markers that lead up to the small bunch of boat slips which provided a nice way up into the cove. The holding was excellent and offered great protection from the wind. I highly recommend this anchorage!!
Scott Dimon
M/V Know Agenda
Dunedin Municipal Marina is a smaller, city owned operation, but the harbor is well sheltered, and there is wondeful dining nearby. If you berth here, don’t dare miss dinner at nearby Kelly’s!
Subject: Dunedin Municipal Marina
Cruising News: We were able to get a transient slip at this marina for the December 6 boat parade. Only needed a couple of days advance notice. The harbor master was extremely friendly and helpful.
Manuel Farinas
Personally, we always berth at Salty Sams Marina (A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR) when visiting Fort Myers Beach, or pick up a mooring in the city field. However, Moss Marine is certainly another possibility. Just don’t get blocked in by the gamgling ship when they are fuelling. Ask the marina personnel when the ship is to be fuelled, to avoid this problem.
If you are north of Ft Myers Beach heading south we wanted to let you know we found Moss Marine to be reasonably priced @ $1.25 per foot and close to the beach, restaurants, etc. Their fuel prices are $2.63 diesel and $2.67 gas (all taxes included) and if you stay overnight you can subtract another 10 cents per gallon, which brings their prices a little closer to fair market.
Jim & Lisa
Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Moss Marine
If you don't already know it, let me be the first to tell you, the Big Bend region of the Western Florida coastline (north of Anclote Key to Carrabelle and Dog Island) is not served by any sort of intracoastal waterway. So, you must choose to either cut the corner, or, staying WELL offshore, follow the Big Bend coastline around. If you choose this latter course of action, Capatin Doug's plan below has REAL merit!
Steinhatchee isn't much, but it's a good place to go to get across the gulf 70NM or so. Then a nice cruise day is to go from Steinhatchee to Yankeetown. Yankeetown is a teeny sleepy town, very non-touristy and not much to see, but the 10 mile trip up the river to Yankeetown is really very interesting. The river is 10 to 20 ft deep all the way, with interesting narrow bends and changes in scenery from salt marshes and palm trees at the gulf followed by hardwood forests overhanging the river at every turn. Then you go to Crystal River the next day. It's only 10 NM or so and you get there for lunch, swim and watch manatees that afternoon and you're ready to go to Tarpon Springs the next morning.
Doug
We had an earlier posting here on the Net's "Western Florida" page about shoaling along this stretch of the Western Florida ICW, hard by Jewfish Key and Longboat Pass. As Captain Scott's info below is so specific and timely, I'm putting it up as a fresh post, hopeing more will take advantage of this data.
We draw 6’ and ran aground well within the channel Thanksgiving week. The sandbar runs from the NW towards Moore’s to the SE into the middle of the channel near 38A. The edge of the sandbar in the channel is very steep so there is no warning.
Slightly contrary to the info posted on the SYS website, the best I recorded about 5.3’ above 0’ (recorded on a calm day). The path I used to get across was in line with the eastern edge of the marked channel.
Scott Cooper
Please note the mooring field which is the subject of this posting is NOT the field at Fort Myers Beach, but rather the smaller field on the Caloosahatchee River, just off the Fort Myers City Marina (A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR), hard by Lofton Island.
There was an earlier posting here on the Net’s “Western Florida” section which indicated that both sail and powercraft were now eligable to pick up a mooring here. As you will see below, Captain Barbara’s info is that only sailcraft may moor here.
So, I telephoned the good people at Fort Myers City Marina and confirmed that they now ACCEPT BOTH SAIL AND POWERCRAFT IN THEIR MOORING FIELD!
Subject: mooring field city of Fort Myers
Cruising News: The city of Fort Myers mooring field on the ICW advised us that they will only allow sailboats on their mooring balls. Does anyone know why trawlers or power boats are not allowed? Since Fort Myers Beach mooring balls are available to everyone, it does not seem to be a Lee county or Florida issue.
Barbara
If you follow the magenta line while running the ICW across the mouth of Tampa Bay, to Boca Ciega Bay, the indicated route would take you under the center section of the Sunshine Skyway bridge, and then back under the Misner Bridge, the northernmost part of the Skyway. Talk about going around your thumb to get to your little finger. I don’t know of anyone who actually does this.
Rather, the vast majority of cruisers use the “Skyway Channel,” which parallels the Skyway’s western face. The only trouble is that there is a bit of shoaling along the southermost part of this passage. The posting below is the latest on this page to indicate this skinny water.
Hi Claiborne,
I just got back from a week long trip from Clearwater Florida across the Lake to Stuart.
Items of note:
The Sunshine Channel just south of St. Petersburg and west of Sunshine Skyway Bridge had a low water depth of 6′ at southern marker “5”, otherwise plenty of water.
Mike Dickens
Pelican Bay is one of the most popular anchorages in anchorage rich Pine Island Sound. Protected Pelican Bay sits just behind Cayo Costa, an undeveloped barrier island that is also a Florida State Park.
The only problem with anchoring in Pelican Bay is the somewhat thin depths on the bay’s entrance, particuarly at MLW. The wonderful Isles Yacht Club in Punta Gorda, has made it their particular mission to detail the best passage into Pelican Bay.
We have had many postings here on the Net’s “Western Florida” section about entering Pelican Bay, but Captain Lee’s message below gives some truly detailed data. So, I thought it best to put it up as a fresh posting that would be more readily noticed.
We got directions from the Cabbage Key ferry guy and true, coming in from the RENUMBERED ICW marker 74, and passing close to the sign..I think it’s a mantee warning, you have to be just about 1/2 a boat length for our 42-footer from the beach and you can look down and see the darkness of the deep water current. Then you turn and head for the fixed wooden dock. South of it and even with a manatee pocket, is a 9-foot hole about 150 feet from the shore. You cannot exit via the south unless you have a zero-draft boat.That chartlet was sure to guarantee a grounding and I am so glad you removed it for liability reasons. A call to Lynda at Isles Yacht Club in Punta Gorda the other day reveals if you send them a $3 check they will send a laminated bearings chart mentioned in the 3/1/08 posting.
That YC sends members there with assigned bearings stations every once in awhile to update the chart. Boaters should go in DEAD SLOW as they skirt both the sign and the beach. Don’t side tie to the long outside dock because it’s the ferry’s.
We found it and waited a year before we were brave enough to go in, and only after we hailed the ferry and he told us to follow him exactly, on the way in. He exits all the way south to Cabbage Key because he knows which houses on Useppa to sight off of, but we’ve gotten hung up in our dinghy on our way south out of there to the Tunnel of Love because we couldn’t follow the ferry closely enough to see what he was doing. But for any fearful boaters standing off in the ICW, if you find his schedule and hail him, he will let you follow him in.
Best regards…your fan,
Lee Stapella
Subject: Detailed info on entering Pelican Bay
Cruising News: As a follow up to Lee Stapella’s posting: the ferry is the Tropic Star, and if you follow closely, you can carry about 3 ft or so all the way to Cabbage Key (that’s about the draft for Tropic Star, and even in the extreme low tides, there\’s room). The best representation of the good water is found in the West Coast Chart Kit, and it’s a very meandering path to follow. As a former captain on Tropic Star, I’ve been through there about 8 or 9 hundred times, and I was taught the pathway by a native of Cayo Costa. If you’re following in your dinghy, stay real close behind – but then you have to get back, don’t you?
Capt Mike Smith
Bokeelia
I had the opportunity to discover Pelican Bay after limping across Charlotte Harbor in a bad squal several months ago. A nice place to lick your wounds and relax. Plan on some trips back there in the near future.
Donn Brown
Namaste – Watkins 27
The “Tunnel of Love” described by Captain Douglas below, lies off popular Pelican Bay and Cayo Costa Florida State Park. I had heard that this once popular attraction was badly mauled during the 2005 hurricane season. Looks like that’s still the case!
Subject: Western Florida Tunnel of Love
Cruising News: I have an update on the “Tunnel of Love” near Pelican Bay. On Tuesday 25 November we were anchored in Pelican Bay and attempted to explore the Tunnel of Love by inflatable dinghy. The water at the entrance to the tunnel was very shallow when the tide 0.9 feet above MLLW. I had to drag the dinghy across the shallows. Then, we only went down the tunnel about 50 feet. Dead mangroves were everywhere. We stopped in fear that a mangrove stick would puncture a tube in the dinghy and leave us stranded far from our boat. The exploration would best be done at high tide with a hard-sided, shallow draft craft.
Douglas Kendrick
I copied the very useful discussion below from the AGLCA list. Crystal River is one of the southermost of the Big Bend River, found north of Homosassa River. Note the data about shallow water at Twin River Marina. I join with Captain Alan below in recommeding that cruisers continue upstream to Pete’s Pier Marina, or try anchoring in Kings Bay.
We were told there was enough water to come into Twin River Marina, however, boats sit on the bottom at low tide. Any boats with a draft over 3.0. will have a problem. I always ask about draft and channel clearance, and was told no problem. That has not been the case.
We draw just 2’10” maybe 3′ when fully loaded and would concur that spots can be a bit shallow. We commented a number of times going in, that big boats would have a hard time getting into Twin Rivers Marina. Even at our depth we stirred up some mud. Take care as it sure is worth the effort to be able to swim with those Manatees. For me one of the high lites of our whole trip.
Clare
Continue three miles further up Crystal River and you will find a deeper alternative to Twin Rivers Marina, viz., Pete’s Pier Marina or Kings Bay anchorage. We were there this time last year and arranged for a pontoon tour round Kings Bay to see the manatee.
Alan Lloyd
Great Loop Navigation Notes
We’re docked at Pete’s Pier Marina. Good to be off the Gulf while the next system moves through. We planned on staying just one night, heading to Clearwater this morning, but the system is moving through faster than the forecast indicated last night. The staff here are great. This marina is in walking distance to town, had a wonderful meal last night at Cody’s. Enterprise is right around the corner too.
Denny and Karen
Another Option
Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Twin Rivers Marina
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