Sarasota

[shemandr]

O we're here on Siesta Key and were thinking of a half day or full day charter with key sailing. It would be sort of an orientation cruise. I'm thinking captained since I've never used these waters. My question is: Is a half day adequate to get a feel for the venue? Or would that be motor out, sail for an hour and motor in?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

If it's the "Key Sailing" boat I am familiar with, that is a sightseeing trip. Not sure that's what you intend???

 

[kenackerman]

Bought my H 40 new on Siesta Key and kept it in the bay for a number of years. Don is correct in that "Key Sailing" can be used to sight see from the water and like him, I'm not sure what you mean by "venue". Vessels with draft 6 feet & greater normally motor out of the bay due to shallow conditions and set sail away from shore, at least I always did. It's been over 15 years since I was there so conditions may be different now. Hope that helps.

 

[dlewis812]

drew, i did a bareboat charter with latitude sailing (latsail.com ?). catalina 30 with reasonable rates if want to check out.

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

Another thing you could do, if you wanted to have a cool one day adventure, and feel like you really got away.... is go to the far end of Anna Maria Island, and rent one of the small shallow draft trimarans. Take a picnic basket and sail out to uninhabited Egmont Key. Hike around and eat at a picnic table under the light house. Less than 3 miles as the crow flies but a whole different world. check out this guy>>>http://www.biminibaysailing.com/

p.s . edited to add, if what you actually seek is a true layout of the land, and all the inlets in the area, and you want to just devote a day, I would consider renting a center console or deckboat outboard from either the club at Marina Jack, Cannon's Marina on Longboat Key, or CB's on Siesta. (There is just so much to see....)

 

[Kings Gambit]

If it's the "Key Sailing" boat I am familiar with, that is a sightseeing trip. Not sure that's what you intend???

Well, here it is.

http://siestakeysailing.com/the-vessel.html

 

[Kermit]

We went to Sarasota, Siesta Key and Anna Maria Island several years ago. Beautiful area. But we didn't know to do those things. HRUMPH!

 

[shemandr]

Thank you all for responses.
It would be pretty much sightseeing. Our hosts here are not sailors. I love the trimaran idea but it probably won't fly this trip.
It'll probably be a full day. Maybe thursday or Friday. Tomorrow is a cental Florida state park visit to Cypress forest (?) and authentic cracker eatery. Been swimming in the Gulf every day for exercise. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh....

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

If you want really authentic 'cracker' eatery, check out Linger Lodge restaurant

 

[shemandr]

If you want really authentic 'cracker' eatery, check out Linger Lodge restaurant

I'm just a private in this army and we ate at the Pioneer outside Wachula after touring the Highlands Hammock State Park. We had fried Quail. They didn't have Swamp Cabbage. Our host gave us quite a history of the Crackers - his family goes back 7 generations. Good day!
Back to the coast but it was good to see that part of fl.