2007 Florida Cruise Part 3, Sarasota toSanibel then north to Dunedin
Thursday April 26, 2007 Marina Jack to CayoCostaState park
We departed Marina Jack in Sarasotaand headed South on the ICW.The weather was fine and we had an uneventful trip with lots of nice scenery. The boat traffic was not bad, there were quite a few bridges along the route but at 14 feet to the top of the bimini only three had to open for us and did so without much delay. All bridges in Florida monitor VHF channel 9. There are no barrier islands off the coast ofVenice so the ICW turns inland and south through a man made channel, it is quite narrow but we didn’t come across any commercial traffic on that stretch. There is a nice looking park along the way near the Venice airport but I didn’t see any good place to stop in that area. There is walking and bike path along the bank and quite a few people were using it. Not far south of the airport the barrier islands begin again and the ICW continues south in the protected water between the islands and the mainland. We were surprised to see the Camano “Finale” on a hoist at Manasota Key, no one seemed to be around so we continued South. We passed by Boca Grande at 3:30 and entered CayoCostaState Park where we were anchored at 4:30. The anchorage, about 6’ deep, is well protected. There were about 30 boats in the area most of them sail boats there is lots of room so there was no crowding.
CayoCostaParkAnchorage
We got the dinghy set up and motored over to the park landing. This is another of the very nice Florida State Parks it has few facilities but the scenery is beautiful. There are a couple of ranger buildings and several miles of nature trails though the wooded area. A trail leads about ¾ mile across CayoCostaIsland to the beach, the shelling there is supposedto be good but we were there late in the afternoon when the beach had been pretty much picked over. Near the beach there were a few thatched pavilions with nature displays and a camp ground where quite a few tents were pitched. It is a good place to get an idea what the area was like years ago, there are lots of oak trees draped in Spanish Moss hanging from the limbs and very little signs of development outside of the camp ground.
The trail across the island to the beach
52 miles today
Friday April 27, 2007
I brought Coco ashore in the dinghy so he could have his walk then got the boat ready and anchor up to head out for Ft.Myers, we left at 8:45. The weather was nice with clear skies and a light breeze. Along the way we passed by UseppaIsland and Cabbage Key, at 9:45 AM it was too early for a “Cheeseburger in Paradise” so we continued on to Ft Myers. As it was Friday there was quite a bit of boat traffic along the “Miserable Mile” the cross current was not too strong and we didn’t have any problem on this narrow channel through the shallows into the CaloosahatcheeRiver. Aproaching Ft. Meyers there were some very impressive estates on the river front.
Estate on the CaloosahatcheeRiver.
We arrived at Ft Myers Yacht Basin at 1:30 and filled up with diesel, we were assigned a nice slip a short walk from the marina office and near a good dog walking area.
42 miles today
Saturday April 28, 2007 Ft Myers
In the morning cleaned the boat up a bit then we had a look around the area The Ft. Myers Municipal Marina is well located. There are several park areas nearby, the downtown area of Ft.Myers is only a couple of blocks away. The downtown is being refurbished and has quite a few nice restaurants near the marina. There is another marina nearby so there are lots of boats around to look at.
We had dinner in a restaurant downtown.
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Sunday April 29, 2007 Ft Myers
Walked through the park to the Legacy Harbor Marina and had a look around there. It is a very nice place with floating docks and many other facilities, it is right next to a motel so if you want to spend a night off the boat that is available. There is also a good restaurant next door. I saw a new Monk 36 trawler at the dock, I have been wanting to get a good look at one for a while, the dealer was busy with a client but loaned me the keys so we had a good tour of it (not to be used for a spin on the bay he told me). We had lunch and returned to the boat. There are quite a few boats which have been at the Ft Myers Marina for a good while. The owners get together on the dock in the afternoon for a drink and chat most days. We joined them to talk cruising a while and to see their own Sunset Celebration, several of them have conch shell horns which they sound as the sun hits the horizon.
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Monday April 30, 2007 Ft.Myers to Sanibel
We left the Ft Myers Marina at 9:15 and headed down the CaloosahatcheeRiver/ Okeechobee Waterway towards Sanibel Island. The weather was fine and winds were light we were joined by several dolphins which swam in and out of our bow wave for a
while. They are lots of fun to watch but hard to get a good picture of they are in and out of the water so fast.
Caloosahatchee Dolphins
We went by Point Ybel at the southern tip of Sanibel Island to get a picture of the lighthouse, I was surprised to see the bridge to the mainland was being worked on by Boh Brothers, a New Orleans contractor.
Point Ybel Lighthouse
At 11:15 we were at the Sanibel Marina it is a nice marina but not very big if you would like to stay there it would be good to reserve a slip well in advance.
Sanibel Marina
We took a walk to Hucksters, a grocery/ liquor store about 1.5 miles away. It is a long walk back carrying heavy bags, most of the stores use thin plastic bags which are strong but tend to dig into your fingers after carrying them a while, I cut a couple of 6” pieces of an old hose from the trash, then made a slit long ways to slip the bag handles into the hose which cushions it in your hand. It doesn’t make the bags any lighter but they sure are more comfortable to carry that way. Back at the marina we had lunch at the marina’s popular restaurant, Gramma Dot’s (she was the founder of the marina). The food was quite good. That afternoon we took a walk to the beach, the first access road is a mile or more from the marina so be ready for a good walk. The beach was pretty and the water clear, and there were lots of shells. I think the best ones are found early in the morning before they are picked over.
SanibelGulfsideBeach
18 miles today
Tuesday May 1, 2007 Sanibel to ‘Tween Waters Marina, CaptivaIsland
We had a short trip today so left Sanibel marina at 10AM the weather was nice with a light breeze, we did have a bit of rain last night. We arrived at ‘Tween Waters Marina at 12:15 Tween Waters is a small resort which includes the marina, rooms for rent and a restaurant. It is a short walk from the marina across the highway to the beach.
‘Tween Waters Marina Office
Once the boat was secured in the slip we walked over to the Green Flash restaurant for lunch the food there is very good and it has a nice view of the water. On the way back to Spirit we passed a fisherman’s boat, he had left his bait bucket uncovered and several pelicans were having a free meal! We did see a couple of Manatees swimming by.
Pelican’s free lunch
We walked over to the beach at sunset to try to get some pictures but it was too hazy to get a nice shot.
Across the inlet from the marina there is a spot to anchor, but I did notice the water in some spots was very shallow even breaking the surface at low tide, one would have to be very careful selecting a spot.
Moonrise over Buck Key,CaptivaIsland
10 miles today
Wednesday, May 2, 2007 Captiva Island to Boca Grande
Today we have another short trip so we didn’t get away till 10:30 the weather was nice and PineIsland sound had a light chop. Near Useppa Island there was a group of sailboats rafted near the channel we slowed to idle speed to pass them as we were crawling along a large powerboat blasted by giving us and the sailboats a huge wake, at least we were able to turn into the wake the sail boats caught it broadsides. After an event like this there are usually some choice words directed at the offender over the radio. They don’t seem to have much effect as it happens all the time.
We arrived at Boca Grande Marina about 12:30 Boca Grande is a famous Tarpon fishing area,at certain times of the year huge Tarpon gather at the passes at to feed on schools of baitfish, I think Mullet. During those times it is very difficult to get a slip since most of the places are taken by visiting fishermen, including the Bush Family, and charter boats. The Boca Grande marina was very nice and the staff friendly. There is a good tackle store and a restaurant which is casual downstairs and not formal but much lesscasual upstairs in the evenings. The food was very good at both.
Boca Grande Marina
It is a cliché but Boca Grande is really a “sleepy little town” it is a long walk from the marina so we rented one of the Marina’s golf carts to get around in. Golf carts are allowed on the streets and make it easy to see the town. There are quite a few interesting restaurants and lots of upscale fishing gear and clothing shops.
15 miles today
Thursday May 3, 2007 Boca Grande
We spent the day on the island drove into town by golf cart to do some sight seeing, the beach and many of the homes are beautiful. Boca Grande was a busy commercial port in the early 1900s, a railroad was built to carry Phosphate to be loaded onto ships there. The trains no longer run there but the R.R.right of way has been made into a sort of walking path/ botanical garden in some areas. It makes an interesting walk with the trees and plants identified on plaques. We stopped at a grocery store in town to pick up a few things and spent the rest of the day sight seeing and had dinner at the marina.
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Friday May 4, 2007 Boca Grande to Venice
We left Boca Grande Marina at 8 AM on the way to the ICW we passed buy a very nice
Golf course right on the water’s edge.
Boca Grande Golf Course
We had an uneventful trip in nice weather and arrived in Venice at 1:00PM
We tied up for the night at the City dock (free for up to 18 hours) at HeigelPark.
ICW canal inland near Venice.
Spirit at HeigelPark Dock, Taken from Venice Yacht Club
There has been a lot of discussion about one of the Florida Wild Life and Fisheries officers who checks documentation of visiting boats at HeigelPark. From what I have read his “attitude” and people skills are not very good causing visiting cruisers to complain bitterly to the Mayor of Venice, Fisheries Officials, and on some of the cruising and trawler websites. I had taken care to have all my documentation and registration in order so, of course, I didn’t get a visit from him.
HeigelPark is well located and the stay is free, but that is about all that can be said for it, there is no electric or water supply at the dock, the bathrooms are terrible and at night there is no lighting in them or outside (bring your flashlight). There is public backdown boat ramp at the head of the dock, it was in use until about 3AM by very loud and drunken boaters who had been partying out on the water. At 5 AM the early fishermen started using the ramp they didn’t seem to be drunk but sure made a racket. If you ever stay there I recommend you tie up at the end of the dock away from the boat ramp.
There is a good bar and restaurant, The Crow’s Nest, a few blocks away it is very busy till late, the food was good. The Crow’s Nest has a marina but the slips are right on the outlet to the gulf so the current and waves could get pretty strong there.
38 miles today
Saturday May 5, 2007 Venice to The Moorings Marina Longboat Key
We left HeigelPark dock at 8:45 the weather was fine but being Saturday there were a lot of boats of all sorts out on the water, there are lots of no wake zones along the way.
A beautiful day near Venice Inlet
Swing bridge along the ICW near Venice
At noon we arrived at the Moorings Marina, Longboat Key it is a beautiful place with first class facilities and next to a golf course. It has a hot tub, swimming pool,and a nice ships store with small restaurant. There is also a shopping center near by with a supermarket, drug store, Mexican restaurant, a steak house and other shops.
The Moorings Marina office
24 Miles today
May 6 & 7 we stayed at the Moorings.
Tuesday May 8, 2007 Longboat Key to Tierra Verde Resort Marina
We left The Moorings at AM it was quite windy with smoke early from the wildfires in north central Florida. We turned off of the ICW at Pass a Grille Channel Inlet and headed west, near the inlet we took the channel to the Tierra Verde Resort Marina. The Marina is very well protected and at the end of a long channel through a residential area of very nice houses, some with large yachts at the piers.
The channel to the well protected marina.
We got settled in the slip and took a walk around the area. The Maria is surrounded by a large motel complex with pool and restaurant everything but the marina seemed to have been abandoned for some time, the lawn areas were overgrown with weeds and the motel and restaurant empty. The restrooms and showers were still in operation. We had dinner a short walk away at The Sand Bar, a very casual restaurant near the PinellasBaywayBridge. The food we had, a sandwich and cheeseburger, was quite good.
32 miles today
Wednesday May 9, 2007 Tierra Verde to Marker One Marina Dunedin
We left the Tierra Verde Marina at 9:20 the weather was nice but a bit breezy it didn’t
affect us on the protected waters on that section of the ICW
Don Cesar Hotel, built in 1928, St. PetersburgBeach
We arrived at the Marker One Marina in Dunedin at 1:30PM filled the tanks with diesel and went to our slip. There was a strong cross current perpendicular to the slip and it was difficult to get in,I had to abort the first approach but did manage to back in on the second attempt. The Marina is quite nice it has all the usual amenities expected in a good marina, there is a large restaurant on the grounds but it had been shut down for some time, I later read that project to rebuild ($80 million) the marinais proposed for the future.
Marker One Marina
That evening I tried fishing off the dock but had no luck.
18 miles today
Thursday May 10, 2007 Marker One Marina
In the morning we walked up to a large supermarket about 6 blocks from the marina. We were able to get things we needed for our coming rip up the coast to Carrabelle. A bit later I spotted a barber shop across the highway from the marina and went over for a badly needed haircut, the shop was closed. I went on to the shopping center where I saw a sign for a barber shop it pointed around the corner where I found an empty barber shop with a sign advertising “All haircuts $6.00” a guy running the laundromat next door came out and told me he was the barber so in we went for my $6.00 haircut. It reminded me of the ones I used to get years ago in military school, not much on style and very quick, but not too bad for the price.
Back at the boat I took a picture of this Anhinga, they are birds that look like a Cormorant except the Anhinga has a needle sharp beak which they use to spear or catchfish they chasedown by diving and “swimming” underwater.
Anhinga drying its wings
We had dinner at an Italian Restaurant a short walk from the marina.
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