For all around good sailing/boating, destinations, anchorages, things to do, etc... which is the best coast? Inquiring minds want to know.
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Steve Hall
Panhandle
I sail in St Andrews Bay and it is great! The wind is good, there is a lot to see. The weather is good and there are lots of places to anchor. My personal favorite is Smack Bayou. Steve Hall S/V Helen Highwater
I sail in St Andrews Bay and it is great! The wind is good, there is a lot to see. The weather is good and there are lots of places to anchor. My personal favorite is Smack Bayou. Steve Hall S/V Helen Highwater
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Pat
East, of course!
From Amelia Island in the northern part of the state all the way to the keys, the ocean sailing is the best, with inlets just one (good) day from another, and of course the option of the intercoastal if the weather turns bad. Browse through the cruising guides at your local book or marine store for the type of vacationing that you are looking for, and you'll find it in Florida!
From Amelia Island in the northern part of the state all the way to the keys, the ocean sailing is the best, with inlets just one (good) day from another, and of course the option of the intercoastal if the weather turns bad. Browse through the cruising guides at your local book or marine store for the type of vacationing that you are looking for, and you'll find it in Florida!
The West is better
Generally speaking, the southern Gulf coast has many more cays, bays, coves, harbours and places to explore and anchor than the equivalent distance along the Atlantic coast. Charlotte Harbor, Pine Island Sound, Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay, St. Pete Beach and Clearwater are all great areas for cruising. If you want more solitude or adventure, try Florida Bay and the Ten Thousand Islands, the lower Keys, the Dry Tortugas or the Big Bend area around Apalachicola. The only drawback with the Gulf coast at this time of year is cold fronts, which approach from the west or northwest across the Gulf and put the coast on a lee shore. The water is shallow, so the chop can build very quickly. That's not to say that the Atlantic coast doesn't have its merits. Areas worth visiting include the area between Fernandina Beach and St Augustine, the entire St Johns River, the Indian River and anywhere south of Ft Lauderdale. Of course, if you're coming from the northeast this is the coast you will see first. I agree with Pat regarding the distance between inlets but you should be aware that most inlets have strong tidal currents which can make for interesting transits. A few are poorly marked and should not be attempted at night or in deteriorating weather conditions without good local assistance. Although written primarily for cruisers in large powerboats, Claibourne Young's cruising guides to the east and west coasts of Florida are an excellent reference. Good luck and happy cruising. Peter H23 "Raven"
Generally speaking, the southern Gulf coast has many more cays, bays, coves, harbours and places to explore and anchor than the equivalent distance along the Atlantic coast. Charlotte Harbor, Pine Island Sound, Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay, St. Pete Beach and Clearwater are all great areas for cruising. If you want more solitude or adventure, try Florida Bay and the Ten Thousand Islands, the lower Keys, the Dry Tortugas or the Big Bend area around Apalachicola. The only drawback with the Gulf coast at this time of year is cold fronts, which approach from the west or northwest across the Gulf and put the coast on a lee shore. The water is shallow, so the chop can build very quickly. That's not to say that the Atlantic coast doesn't have its merits. Areas worth visiting include the area between Fernandina Beach and St Augustine, the entire St Johns River, the Indian River and anywhere south of Ft Lauderdale. Of course, if you're coming from the northeast this is the coast you will see first. I agree with Pat regarding the distance between inlets but you should be aware that most inlets have strong tidal currents which can make for interesting transits. A few are poorly marked and should not be attempted at night or in deteriorating weather conditions without good local assistance. Although written primarily for cruisers in large powerboats, Claibourne Young's cruising guides to the east and west coasts of Florida are an excellent reference. Good luck and happy cruising. Peter H23 "Raven"
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Mark Johnson
Let me Clarify....
I'm actually thinking of spending the winters down there, not just going for a week or two vacation. If I'm going to move, I'd like to move to the best coast for boating. The Bahama's sound great, but when the wind blows, and it does in the winter, it's tough to get there and tough to get back.
I'm actually thinking of spending the winters down there, not just going for a week or two vacation. If I'm going to move, I'd like to move to the best coast for boating. The Bahama's sound great, but when the wind blows, and it does in the winter, it's tough to get there and tough to get back.
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Warren Renninger
SW Fl
Try the sw fl coast from naples to tampa. Wow, if your draft is 5 ft or less, this is the place to be.] If you have 45ft or less mast height,come across Lake Occochobee and down Calsuahatchee. Charlotte Harbor, Boca Grande etc are great.
Try the sw fl coast from naples to tampa. Wow, if your draft is 5 ft or less, this is the place to be.] If you have 45ft or less mast height,come across Lake Occochobee and down Calsuahatchee. Charlotte Harbor, Boca Grande etc are great.
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Jeff Bacon
Stop, you're both right
Mark: Seems to me the Keys can be counted as belonging to either coast, so maybe they should be treated as a seperate, but great sailing area. I just received Claiborne Youngs Cruising guide to Western Florida on Monday, and at first blush seems to be detailed and complete. I am looking forward to reading it, as I, too, am unfamilier with the West Coast of Florida. I started looking at the left side after a number of my friends started buying property on that side. My gut says it has a lot to offer. Jeff
Mark: Seems to me the Keys can be counted as belonging to either coast, so maybe they should be treated as a seperate, but great sailing area. I just received Claiborne Youngs Cruising guide to Western Florida on Monday, and at first blush seems to be detailed and complete. I am looking forward to reading it, as I, too, am unfamilier with the West Coast of Florida. I started looking at the left side after a number of my friends started buying property on that side. My gut says it has a lot to offer. Jeff
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Bob Zolczer
What areas are you considering, Mark?
I'm about 2-3 years away from pulling the plug on a real job and have been considering becoming a snowbird (FL winter, CT and Canada summer). Let us know the results of your search. I'm sure there are many of us who would be interested.
I'm about 2-3 years away from pulling the plug on a real job and have been considering becoming a snowbird (FL winter, CT and Canada summer). Let us know the results of your search. I'm sure there are many of us who would be interested.
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dave
hi warren
i'm thinking of oving to cape coral so i can explore allaround captiva and have a 25 shoal/cb o'day what can you tellme about the area davejdn@aol.com
i'm thinking of oving to cape coral so i can explore allaround captiva and have a 25 shoal/cb o'day what can you tellme about the area davejdn@aol.com
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Paul Mieszczenski
Let your draft be your guide
Mark, Having lived in Florida for most of my 53 years, I have had the oppourtunity to sail in all but the Panhandle area of the state. Each area has its own pros and cons, but unless you are sailing in the ocean out of one of our few east coast deep water inlets your main concern is your draft. I have carried 5' most everywhere, but your options for anchorages get very limited. We live in the West Palm Beach area, but keep our boat in Key Largo just because the sailing and cruising is so much better. Our 3'8" draft allows us to get most everywhere we want to go. The SW coast from Clearwater down really has the best cruising grounds as far as inlets to duck into and bays and sounds to explore. Again the water depth is thin in most places so anything over 4' deep raises the stress level. Anywhere you choose is good, just some places are better than others. Come on down the sailing's great, PM
Mark, Having lived in Florida for most of my 53 years, I have had the oppourtunity to sail in all but the Panhandle area of the state. Each area has its own pros and cons, but unless you are sailing in the ocean out of one of our few east coast deep water inlets your main concern is your draft. I have carried 5' most everywhere, but your options for anchorages get very limited. We live in the West Palm Beach area, but keep our boat in Key Largo just because the sailing and cruising is so much better. Our 3'8" draft allows us to get most everywhere we want to go. The SW coast from Clearwater down really has the best cruising grounds as far as inlets to duck into and bays and sounds to explore. Again the water depth is thin in most places so anything over 4' deep raises the stress level. Anywhere you choose is good, just some places are better than others. Come on down the sailing's great, PM
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Don Fitzpatrick
What's your priority?
Having spent three winters sailing from RI to FL on my Catalina 30 and spending time on both coasts, I preferred the East(my 5 1/2 foot draft did too!). The west was great later in the winter-late March, April(the East is great then, too!). But in the winter months, the gulf gets too cold (I prefer the mid-70's temp of the Atlantic in North Palm Beach) Even when cold fronts (which is often, both coasts)come through, south of Vero Beach is comfy. On the west coast, living in Naples, winters did get chilly (at times). If I'm going to spend winters in Fl. I want it WARM!! (One Christmas in St. Augustine it was in the high 20's at night - low 50's day). Next year the boat will again head south and our plan is BOTH coasts. Starting in Jacksonville, down to the Keys and up to Tampa to leave the boat. Have fun!! Explore!
Having spent three winters sailing from RI to FL on my Catalina 30 and spending time on both coasts, I preferred the East(my 5 1/2 foot draft did too!). The west was great later in the winter-late March, April(the East is great then, too!). But in the winter months, the gulf gets too cold (I prefer the mid-70's temp of the Atlantic in North Palm Beach) Even when cold fronts (which is often, both coasts)come through, south of Vero Beach is comfy. On the west coast, living in Naples, winters did get chilly (at times). If I'm going to spend winters in Fl. I want it WARM!! (One Christmas in St. Augustine it was in the high 20's at night - low 50's day). Next year the boat will again head south and our plan is BOTH coasts. Starting in Jacksonville, down to the Keys and up to Tampa to leave the boat. Have fun!! Explore!
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Mark Johnson
OK Don, how cold does it get?
I am considering from Punta Gorda South, on the West Coast or Stuart south on the East coast.
I am considering from Punta Gorda South, on the West Coast or Stuart south on the East coast.
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Al Sandrik
Mark
Lived in S Fla for 4 years and its like anywhere else, you can get extremes. Sometimes it can get into the 20s (or lower) killing banyan trees/oranges etc...but that is the exception. Mostly you get a one or two night cold snap with low temps in the 30s-40s and then its over for a week or two. One thing to consider on both coasts is when cold fronts come through it can get very nasty. The front may be accompanied by a sharp squall line. I've seen 60-70 knot gusts with those storms. Then depending upon the orientation of the high pressure center behind the front, the gulf could get strong northwest winds and very rough conditions or more likely the east coast will get strong northeast to east winds with several days of rain and rough conditions. Both patterns turn out to be raw and unconfortable days, at least to us Floridians.
Lived in S Fla for 4 years and its like anywhere else, you can get extremes. Sometimes it can get into the 20s (or lower) killing banyan trees/oranges etc...but that is the exception. Mostly you get a one or two night cold snap with low temps in the 30s-40s and then its over for a week or two. One thing to consider on both coasts is when cold fronts come through it can get very nasty. The front may be accompanied by a sharp squall line. I've seen 60-70 knot gusts with those storms. Then depending upon the orientation of the high pressure center behind the front, the gulf could get strong northwest winds and very rough conditions or more likely the east coast will get strong northeast to east winds with several days of rain and rough conditions. Both patterns turn out to be raw and unconfortable days, at least to us Floridians.
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steven f.
east is least.
As a native of south Florida I'd have to say the south-east coast is the best for muggings, robbings, crime, congestion, frustration, traffic and an overall decrease in the quality of your life. If you love that stuff than certainly move to the Dade/Broward/Palm Beach county areas. As an escapee from Miami and current resident of Charlotte Harbor I'd encourage more folks to move to the east coast so our quiet, scenic, laid-back area stays just that, laid-back. The worst part of living on this side is my Spanish is fading at the same rate as my back-water fishing is improving, life generally sucks over here.
As a native of south Florida I'd have to say the south-east coast is the best for muggings, robbings, crime, congestion, frustration, traffic and an overall decrease in the quality of your life. If you love that stuff than certainly move to the Dade/Broward/Palm Beach county areas. As an escapee from Miami and current resident of Charlotte Harbor I'd encourage more folks to move to the east coast so our quiet, scenic, laid-back area stays just that, laid-back. The worst part of living on this side is my Spanish is fading at the same rate as my back-water fishing is improving, life generally sucks over here.
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