SW Florida help needed.

[Ed Schenck]

Need a winter plan so as not to miss so much sailing. Also needs to be afforable. What is the right time of year to charter in SW Florida? Can you recommend a service where we can get to the Keys and back in a week? Or is the sailing along the West Coast sufficient to hold a Lake Erie sailor until Spring?

 

[steven f.]

so much info, so little time.

The SW fla area is packed with GREAT cruising. The Burnt Store Marina has several chartering services, also Fishermans Village in Punta Gorda. As for the time of year, I'd say November or April/May. The mid-winter times are tough down here. The wind is high (15-20) and the waters become quite shallow in a NE wind direction. It might not be too cold for you being from the north but for us it is cold. The Gulf of Mexico can be an angry piece of water when the winds are from the N to NW. The summer is terribly hot and humid. If that doesn't bother you than maybe the mosquitoes (swamp angels)and no-see-ums will. As for the thunderstorms, watch out, they'll hurt you. From Charlotte Harbor area you can be in Key West in 48 hours. There is soooo much great sailing and places to see in the Charlotte Harbor area (Boca Grande, Punta Gorda down to Ft Myers, Pine Island Sound, etc, etc,) that leaving the SW coast area would be a shame. Good luck and enjoy your time, the Charlotte Harbor area is beautiful, I live here and I still love sailing and cruising this area.

 

[Pete Vente]

I agree

Late October/November and April/May are the best times to sail down here. Winter is hit and miss with the cold fronts working their way through (causing 20-25 kt NW winds which kick up the gulf). From Marco Island (about as far south you can go on the west coast), the keys are 18 hours away. Better gunkholing up around Charlotte Harbor, Gasparilla, etc.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Thanks guys, April...

it is. So you get those nasty NW winds too? You should see Lake Erie when it's blowing out of Canada at 20 knots. Not unlike my North Atlantic days in the Navy. Don't need that in Florida. See you late March, early April.

 

[bill walton]

NW Winds

But if you sail and explore on the south and east side of the Keys, these winds are great. There's not much scope for the waves and the sailing is fast up and down the chain with many good anchorages and moorings.

 

[derek]

Don't miss the Keys

The Florida Keys are the perfect cruising grounds as Bill will probably tell you. No matter what the wind or wave conditions are, you can usually find a comfortable course to set. The weather is normally warmer than Punta Gorda etc.