Charlotte Harbor to marathon newbie

31seahorse · Feb 17, 2014

Hello Wfv0227,

An adventure awaits! My wife and I took that trip about 5 years ago and think of it often. Our Oday 30 had 3.5 ft draft with board up. Plenty of water depth most places.

We hopped down the shore and you might want to choose between in the Gulf from Boca Grande to Ft Myers Beach or go behind the barrier islands and follow the channel marks after stopping at Pelican Bay for at least one night - Cayo Costa. If you choose that route the channel ftom St James City (south end Pine Island) is called the Miserable Mile with good reason. narrow, power boat wakes, easy to be distracted by the beauty!

Enjoy a bit of Ft Myers Beach via Matanzas Pass. Watch out for shrimp boats and parasailers

Check out Factory Bay at Marko Island. The current in the Marko River is strong! You can travel the Marko River to Goodland (probably at any tide with your draft) be careful of the marks as you go under the first bridge and be careful of the channel after the last bridge before Goodland. Have a beer at Stan's and anchor off the channel at the bend beyond Stan's.

Hopping down the coast.....maybe go up river to Everglades City. Anchor near Panther Key. Anchor outside the Little Shark River. Cross the open water with your GPS plots every now and then (maybe on the hour).

We did not find any difficulty going under the bridge. Unless you count the fact that the water was so so so clear that we did not believe our depth sounder.

The bridge tender at Boot Key Harbour was pleasant and inviting. The people in the anchorage were interesting. The Cruisers' Net was very interesting to hear on the VHF in the morning.

All our memories are about 5 years old, so some of the activities and places may have changed. Summer would be a hot and buggy time, so plan for those challenges.

Phil

Chuckbear · Feb 17, 2014

Lots of choices for that trip. Ft. Myers, Marco Island, Panther Key, Indian Key, Little Shark River to 7 Mile Bridge. You need good charts for Florida Bay and do during daylight. Florida Bay is covered with floats for lobster traps during season and there are shallow patches to clear. You need to plot your own course based on your navigation abilities. 7 Mile Bridge is 65 feet and the channel is well marked. Chuck

Sailm8 · Feb 17, 2014

Just did the Little Loop last April. Charlotte Harbor up the Caloosahatchee, across lake O to Stuart and down the east coast to the keys. Sailed the Bay side of the keys to Boot key. Left Boot key to Little shark to Factory bay @ Marco to Ft Myers and home.

Everything is well marked easy navigation. The weather was unpredictable as to whether or not the daily thunderstorm would hit us or not. Active Captain and cruisers net are a great resource.

seadaddler · Feb 17, 2014

Slow

I would suggest going on some small local trips first only because you new to sailing and your boat is smaller and maybe outboard for that far of a trip,weather is the reason I say going slow and need to be careful of the weather on a trip like that.
Not all of that trip is inside incase the weather gets bad and if you were more experienced with sailing than you would be OK.
Boat Babe had I think your size boat and went on many very far trips but they were sailors and also look for trips that Summer and Boat Babe did in info on this forum and they both had sailboats your size and look for Summers detailed trips really great info for you.
You also could come and visit PGSC for a great sailing and cruising club and go to Punta Gorda sailing Club web site for more info.
Nick

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Feb 17, 2014

No real problems along that route. did it in 2010, and you've gotten good response. Couple things though.

I rode out a 50 knot squall up into Little Shark- spent a few days there, just dingying around.

Don't bother going in to Flamingo- Nothing there for a cruiser- slated towards kayak touriing

The drawbridge at Boot Key is now non functional and locked in the up position so no problems there. To stay in Boot key over 7 days you MUST be able to be pumped out. Dinghy dock privileges were $45 a week, which included showers, day room (with WIFI) and one pump out a week from the pump out boat. That's for an anchored boat- if on a mooring, fees are different, but reasonable.

From Boot Key, catch a bus to Key West, enjoy a day and get a late bus back. Much easier for just a short tour time.

Pic is of ONE of the two dinghy docks at Boot Key. Only shows two of the three piers. Another dock is on the outside

MrBill_FLL · Feb 17, 2014

Do the trip before lobster season starts. once it starts hundreds of floats to dodge.

also typically not much wind in the summer.

you can buy fuel in goodland and flamingo but flamingo is out of your way.

I'd plan to motor from goodland and be happy if you could sail it.

its pretty well marked but there are some shallow spots. gps and depth finder and you should be good.

+ you'll want some good bug screens...

1+ on stans in goodland, especially on sundays.

Sumner · Feb 18, 2014

We did that trip and then back up the east coast to South Dade Marina. I have the trip log on our site .....

....with all the anchorages, distances, and completer charts of the route and so forth. You can find it all here...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/FL-spring-2011/Florida-2011-Spring-index.html

We also spent about a month the fall before in the Charlotte Harbor area and down to Sanibel that might also help. It is all here...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/FL-fall-2010/Florida-2010-index.html

Great area and a great trip,

Sum

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seadaddler · Feb 18, 2014

more Info

What do you have inboard or outboard fixed keel or ?????.
If interested come visit the Punta Gorda Sailing club meeting on march 12 at 6:30 and check us out and talk to some cruisers who have done this trip many times.
We do plan trips to the keys starting around the end of March with many boats
who will do 1 to 3 weeks cruising south and back to Charlotte Harbor and maybe
if you like you could join this group if interested in cruising with us on this and many trips here in Florida.
Give us a look at the meeting and know pressure to join our club and have so much more fun sailing and learn and see so much more.
I wish I had joined when I first moved to PC but did join about 4 years and best think I did and get to do so much more sailing with other sailors from local area.
Nick
Seadaddler

Benny17441 · Feb 18, 2014

What sort of navigation equipment do you have? Get a cruising guide like Maptech Florida Waterways of the West Coast, Keys and Okeechobee. It will give you a suggested route with waypoints as well as information regarding places of interest for mariners along the way. It also shows the way into the different harbors along the way. With a handheld GPS, charts and a depth sounder you should have no problems

Sailm8 · Feb 18, 2014

Forgot to recommend "Skipper Bobs" anchorage guides

Charlotte Harbor to marathon newbie

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