Western FL Anchorages – Caloosahatchee River to Fort Myers (Statute Mile 150 to 135)
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Please Note That Anchorages Below Are Listed in Rough Geographic Format, Moving West to East
PLEASE CAREFULLY READ OUR DISCLAIMER!
Please Note That Anchorages Below Are Listed in Rough Geographic Format, Moving West to East
Lollipop Anchorage
Lat/Lon: N 26° 48.108′ / W 081° 17.312′
Location: lies at the northern terminus of a canal that exits the OWW 1.5 miles east of Ortona Lock.
Minimum Depth: canal depth 8-9 feet, 30 plus feet in anchorage
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 45 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: very good
Rating:
We are proud that this fine SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR is providing their excellent service and expertise to Okeechobee and West Florida transients! Fort Myers Yacht Basin lies along the southeasterly banks of the Caloosahatchee River, between the 3rd and 4th bridges from west to east.
Very helpful, and friendly staff. Well protected marina right within walking distance of many taverns, restaurants and shops. Showers are air conditioned and clean.
Manuel Farinas
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Ft Myers Yacht Basin
Ringling Bridge crosses the West Florida Waterway at Statute Mile 73.5, northwest of flashing daybeacon #10, connecting Lido Key and Sarasota. If you can offer advice to Skipper Verheijen, let us hear from you.
I was searching, but could not find any local knowledge around the bridge height in Sarasota (Ringling). The charts indicate 65′, but I wonder if that is a “high” or “low” 65′ and if there are observations of the bridge marker at MLLW.
Thanks,
Pat Verheijen
Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Bridge Directory Listing For Ringling Bridge
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31. Glover Bight Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 26 32.282 North/081 59.820 West
Location: lies on the northeasterly reaches of Glover Bight, northeast of unlighted daybeacon #9
Minimum Depth: 7-14 feet
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 45 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: very good, but particularly strong southwestern winds might be a problem
Rating:
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Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
Good holding in this anchorage, but stay out of the SE side as others have mentioned. In the far East corner, where the bight narrows, there is a dock and gazebo. This is a Cape Coral city park with a nice boardwalk. From the end of the boardwalk where it joins the road is 2 miles to Publix, a nice jaunt for avid walkers like us or your collapsible bicicyle. Its a very high step to get out at the dock. Enjoy the usually lame music from the Westin on the weekends!
This is a local spot for us..some words of caution about this anchorage. Stay on the west/northwest side of the bight..close as possible to the fuel docks/bar if you are drawing anything 4ft and over. Do NOT cut Red marker “8” to go in or you will be on the ground. The SE corner of the bight is SHALLOW…talking knee deep.. The line between the deep water and the shallows is a narrow one and shifts.
Best to enter this as if going to the fuel dock then turning out into the bay.
Keeping in mind all of the above it is an excellent spot with quick easy access to the Gulf, the river, or ICW/Pine Island sound. Holding is good and the warning above about strong SW winds is true and should be heeded. Tarpon Point marina has fair fuel prices but forget the “chandlery” and you may get sticker shock should you choose to eat atthe bar/restaurant
32. Bimini Basin Anchorage
Okeechobee Standard Mile 145
Lat/Lon: near 26 33.624 North/081 57.869 West
Location: found in the charted lake-like body of water named as “Bimini Basin,” on chart 11427, and lying just west of the “Cape Coral” designation on this same chart
Minimum Depth: 6-feet
Special Comment: some cruisers have reported poor holding ground in this anchorage
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 50 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: very good
Rating:
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Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
33. Whiskey Creek Anchorage
Okeechobee Standard Mile 140
Lat/Lon: lies near 26 34.644 North/081 53.915 West
Location: Whiskey Creek lies southeast of the Caloosahatchee River’s unlighted daybeacon #66
Minimum Depth: 4 ½-feet
Swing Room: TIGHT, sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 32 feet ONLY
Foul Weather Shelter: very good
Rating:
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Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
34. Hancock Creek Anchorage
Okeechobee Standard Mile 135.5
Lat/Lon: near 26 39.334 North/081 53.712 West
Location: found south of the northern turn in the Marinatown Marina entrance channel
Minimum Depth: 4 ½ feet
Swing Room: TIGHT, sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 32 feet ONLY
Foul Weather Shelter: excellent
Rating:
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35. Lofton Island Mooring Field
Okeechobee Standard Mile 135
Lat/Lon: near 26 39.118 North/081 52.412 West
Location: will be discovered north of Lofton Island, which itself lies north of Fort Myers Municipal Yacht Basin
Minimum Depth: 7-8 feet
Special Comment: call Fort Myers City Yacht Basin at 239-334-8271 to request a mooring
Swing Room: sufficient swinging room for vessels as large as 45 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, open to northeastern and southwestern winds
Rating:
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Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
Excellent well-protected anchorage, just noisy with all night traffic on the bridges. Hot and muggy except in winter. Rent a mooring buoy from the City Marina and use their facilities and dinghy dock, or just move north and set your own anchor and use restauarant and bar facilities on west side of westernmost bridge
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