I am considering moving down south to maybe Florida or somewhere on the Gulf coast and I am looking for recommendations of great sailing/cruising areas. I looked over a map yesterday and saw Tampa Bay which looked inviting? Can anyone who lives and sails in that area comment on it? How about Biscayne Bay? Charlotte Harbor? Galveston Bay, TX? I am coming from the Hampton Roads area of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia.
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Roland
Fl. West Coast
We have some of the best sailing here on Fl.'s west coast although the water can be somewhat skinny compared to other places. Good anchorages and plenty of ports all within hours of each other. Winds are generally fair and seas relatively calm. Best sailing season is from March to June and Oct. to Dec. - as long as the tropics don't act up. Winter months can be challenging when the fronts blow through and summer months are usually hot with light winds, until a thunderstorm comes upon you. There's lots for the coastal cruising sailor to do. Hope this helps. We'll be looking for you. -Roland s/v Fraulein II
We have some of the best sailing here on Fl.'s west coast although the water can be somewhat skinny compared to other places. Good anchorages and plenty of ports all within hours of each other. Winds are generally fair and seas relatively calm. Best sailing season is from March to June and Oct. to Dec. - as long as the tropics don't act up. Winter months can be challenging when the fronts blow through and summer months are usually hot with light winds, until a thunderstorm comes upon you. There's lots for the coastal cruising sailor to do. Hope this helps. We'll be looking for you. -Roland s/v Fraulein II
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Frank Walker
Room for One More Sailor
Anthony, We don't realy need anymore poeple around here, but for a fellow sailor I will make an exception. Look at the Noth West Florida Gulf Coast form Port St. Joe to Pensacola. If there is a better coastal cruising area I havn't found it. The only problem is that if your mast is over 50 ft going through much of the ICW in this area is out. There are large 4 bays St Joseph, St. Andrews, Choctawatchee, and Pensacola. They are all connected by the ICW. I came here in 1964 right out of school. It was a real paradise then, but you still couldn't get me out of this area with a stick of dynamite.
Anthony, We don't realy need anymore poeple around here, but for a fellow sailor I will make an exception. Look at the Noth West Florida Gulf Coast form Port St. Joe to Pensacola. If there is a better coastal cruising area I havn't found it. The only problem is that if your mast is over 50 ft going through much of the ICW in this area is out. There are large 4 bays St Joseph, St. Andrews, Choctawatchee, and Pensacola. They are all connected by the ICW. I came here in 1964 right out of school. It was a real paradise then, but you still couldn't get me out of this area with a stick of dynamite.
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Joe Boyette
St. Johns river
Check out Jacksonville and the St. Johns river - you can sail for many miles up the river. The coastal waters are inviting, also... with inlets and islands to explore. The bahamas are not too far, either....
Check out Jacksonville and the St. Johns river - you can sail for many miles up the river. The coastal waters are inviting, also... with inlets and islands to explore. The bahamas are not too far, either....
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Brent Headberg
Re: Florida Sailing Areas
Hello Anthony, You might want to take a look at the Lake Worth Inlet area in West Palm Beach. I sailed most of my younger life on Biscayne Bay from the early 60's thru 1990. We moved to the West Palm Beach area then and when I went sailing with a friend out of Lake Worth Inlet, this little known secret became very clear to me how much nicer it is than my old stomping grounds. The close proximity to the Gulf Stream (closest of anywhere in the USA) provides for the clearest and cleanest inlet waters of anywhere in the country. Plenty of room to sail in the Lake Worth Lagoon when it's rough outside and just 15 minutes from my mooring to open ocean blue water sailing. I generally sail every Wednesday Night in the ocean and weekends are always fun filled around the Peanut Island area just inside the inlet. Take a look at the maps on my web page if you'd like to see more about the Lake Worth Inlet area. http://www.elenalua.homestead.com Good Luck, Cap'n Brent Lake Park, FL
Hello Anthony, You might want to take a look at the Lake Worth Inlet area in West Palm Beach. I sailed most of my younger life on Biscayne Bay from the early 60's thru 1990. We moved to the West Palm Beach area then and when I went sailing with a friend out of Lake Worth Inlet, this little known secret became very clear to me how much nicer it is than my old stomping grounds. The close proximity to the Gulf Stream (closest of anywhere in the USA) provides for the clearest and cleanest inlet waters of anywhere in the country. Plenty of room to sail in the Lake Worth Lagoon when it's rough outside and just 15 minutes from my mooring to open ocean blue water sailing. I generally sail every Wednesday Night in the ocean and weekends are always fun filled around the Peanut Island area just inside the inlet. Take a look at the maps on my web page if you'd like to see more about the Lake Worth Inlet area. http://www.elenalua.homestead.com Good Luck, Cap'n Brent Lake Park, FL
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Palmer King
Fl Suncoast - the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
I live in the Tampa Bay area and overall the sailing is very good (the Good). As another post stated, the best time is fall and spring, the winter can be good (it doesn't get truly cold), but the summer doldrums are a drag (the Bad). Tampa Bay is big, Charlotte Harbor is huge and very deep, and of course there is that huge lake known as the Gulf of Mexico. Tampa is the lightning capital of the U.S. Thunderstorms are a way of life, and some can be pretty severe (the Ugly). You learn to navigate around them if at all possible. On the other hand, fully reefed, beating into a 30 knot wind can be a blast... 'cept for all that electricity flying around. Lots of places for overnight anchorages and a fairly large sailing community. And there lies the rub. Finding a wet slip is getting harder and harder. If you need one, start looking early. Summarily, I own a Hunter 290, occasionally race, but not too seriously, and have no plans to move anytime soon.
I live in the Tampa Bay area and overall the sailing is very good (the Good). As another post stated, the best time is fall and spring, the winter can be good (it doesn't get truly cold), but the summer doldrums are a drag (the Bad). Tampa Bay is big, Charlotte Harbor is huge and very deep, and of course there is that huge lake known as the Gulf of Mexico. Tampa is the lightning capital of the U.S. Thunderstorms are a way of life, and some can be pretty severe (the Ugly). You learn to navigate around them if at all possible. On the other hand, fully reefed, beating into a 30 knot wind can be a blast... 'cept for all that electricity flying around. Lots of places for overnight anchorages and a fairly large sailing community. And there lies the rub. Finding a wet slip is getting harder and harder. If you need one, start looking early. Summarily, I own a Hunter 290, occasionally race, but not too seriously, and have no plans to move anytime soon.
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Jack Tyler
A broader Florida recommendation...
Tony, I like reading the replies you've received so far because in part they reflect the various 'positives' you'll find around the State. And that's my first point: Florida is diverse and offers multiple sailing venues, but few of them are disappointing. Which leads to my second point: skip the sailing issue initially and look at the communities, regional cultures (there are multiple distinct 'personalities' within this one state), what's offered in each area as it relates to your non-sailing interests & needs, and then choose wisely. Charlotte Harbor's large bay is mostly protected inperpetuity as the state bought up the wetlands so they couldn't be developed (good for them/us!)...but if you enjoy a bit of 21st century civilization, good theater, a nearby large university, etc., Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda is not where you're going to find them. We sailed into Tampa Bay 13 years ago from the Caribbean and couldn't leave; it offers everything to us that we were & are looking for. But with 2 million folks in the 3 counties, it's a Big City. If that's a dissuader, who cares about the sailing? I'd recommend you treat yourself to a car tour, taking in at least five of the key distinct parts of Florida where sailing is frequently enjoyed: The Pensacola-Destin area of the Panhandle, the Tampa Bay area, the Sarasota-Venice-Ft. Myers stretch (all small communities with their own distinct personalities), the West Palm-Ft. Lauderdale region, the Indian River 'inland+coastal' area perhaps centered around Port Canaveral, and the NE Florida/Jax area and adjacent St. Johns River. Each of these locales is distinct, and each offers their own treasures as well as gripes. Jack
Tony, I like reading the replies you've received so far because in part they reflect the various 'positives' you'll find around the State. And that's my first point: Florida is diverse and offers multiple sailing venues, but few of them are disappointing. Which leads to my second point: skip the sailing issue initially and look at the communities, regional cultures (there are multiple distinct 'personalities' within this one state), what's offered in each area as it relates to your non-sailing interests & needs, and then choose wisely. Charlotte Harbor's large bay is mostly protected inperpetuity as the state bought up the wetlands so they couldn't be developed (good for them/us!)...but if you enjoy a bit of 21st century civilization, good theater, a nearby large university, etc., Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda is not where you're going to find them. We sailed into Tampa Bay 13 years ago from the Caribbean and couldn't leave; it offers everything to us that we were & are looking for. But with 2 million folks in the 3 counties, it's a Big City. If that's a dissuader, who cares about the sailing? I'd recommend you treat yourself to a car tour, taking in at least five of the key distinct parts of Florida where sailing is frequently enjoyed: The Pensacola-Destin area of the Panhandle, the Tampa Bay area, the Sarasota-Venice-Ft. Myers stretch (all small communities with their own distinct personalities), the West Palm-Ft. Lauderdale region, the Indian River 'inland+coastal' area perhaps centered around Port Canaveral, and the NE Florida/Jax area and adjacent St. Johns River. Each of these locales is distinct, and each offers their own treasures as well as gripes. Jack
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