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jamie wheal
Mt. Airy, MD
Boat Name: Peggy-O
Model/Year: 1990
Hull No.
Hailing Port: Annapolis |
 03/14/2005 1:26 PM Pacific Time
Hey there folks,
We are planning a trip with two small children to warmer waters for a spring holiday, and had Cayo Costa State Park recommended to us (just off Boca Grande). The goal here is a dead simple vacation with kids--ideally sail to an undeveloped island/mainland anchorage, hang out, camp, snorkel, fish, etc.--go home sunned and happy.
Would love to stay comfortably in sight of land at all times, as we have only been sailing on the Chesapeake and lakes (and do not have a GPS) and are seeing the boat in this instance more as a maritime recreational vehicle/camper than a voyaging vessel.
All that said, is there someplace closer (Cayo Costa is going to be 20 hrs of driving each way and we only have 9 days) with waters almost as warm and blue, and scenery almost as nice?
Thanks for your input, more experienced sailors, we plan to leave this Friday, so any heads up are much appreciated!
Jamie |
PHILIP & SHARON MERLIER
FELLSMERE, FLORIDA
Boat Name: SWIZZLE STICK
Model/Year: 1990 C22
Hull No.
Hailing Port: FELLSMERE, FLORIDA |
03/14/2005 11:26 PM Pacific Time
It has been several years since I have been to Caya Costa however I strongly recommend it as a cruising destination. When the wind is from the Eastern side of the compass it is VERY nice to anchor off the beach on the Gulf side of the island. Just anchor with your bow pointing out into the Gulf (with bow & stern anchors). You can get in very close and the water is very clear usually. Shelling is great. Be VERY careful when going through Boca Grande Pass. When I first got my wing keel C22 I was careless and ran aground in the middle of the inlet at night. I spent several painful hours pounding (with each swell) until the tide finally came up enough and I was albe to winch myself off. I was sure I was going to pound the keel right out of the boat but I got lucky. If you are adventurous you can carefully take the unmarked shortcut channel that runs right along the shore. If you anticipate bad weather you can move to the inside where it is more protected but it has less to offer as far as activities go. For a change of pace you can sail up to Venice beach and look for shark teeth. If you are looking for something closer, the St Pete & Tampa Bay area is very nice to sail. You have both the protected Bay and the open Gulf. Fort DeSoto park at the south tip of St Pete is a very nice place to anchor off of and explore. Eggmont Key (the island at the mouth of Tampa Bay) is a nice day stop but don't plan on spending the night (much too rolly). Hope this helps. Philip & Sharon Merlier "Swizzle Stick" |
david martin
hutchinson island fl
Boat Name: barefoot gourmet
Model/Year: cat 22 1977
Hull No. 7942 (?)
Hailing Port: Hutchinsom Island Fl |
03/15/2005 8:17 AM Pacific Time
some of the areas used in the gulf coast cruise are much closer and probably better with small children |
david martin
hutchinson island fl
Boat Name: barefoot gourmet
Model/Year: cat 22 1977
Hull No. 7942 (?)
Hailing Port: Hutchinsom Island Fl |
03/15/2005 8:17 AM Pacific Time
some of the areas used in the gulf coast cruise are much closer and probably better with small children |
PHILIP & SHARON MERLIER
FELLSMERE, FLORIDA
Boat Name: SWIZZLE STICK
Model/Year: 1990 C22
Hull No.
Hailing Port: FELLSMERE, FLORIDA |
03/15/2005 11:13 PM Pacific Time
References for the West Coast of Florida: "A Gunkholer's Cruising Guide To Florida's West Coast" by Tom Lenfestey published by Great Outdoors Publishing Co. Maptech Chart Kit: "Florida West Coast & The Keys - Region 8". These are the only references that I have used while sailing the southwest coast of Florida and was very satisfied by them. You don't need a Gps anywhere south of Clearwater. You are always within sight of land and obvious landmarks. North of Clearwater you need GPS because the shallow water requires that you stay quite a distance off shore.
Philip & Sharon Merlier "Swizzle Stick" |
jamie wheal
Mt. Airy, MD
Boat Name: Peggy-O
Model/Year: 1990
Hull No.
Hailing Port: Annapolis |
03/17/2005 11:52 AM Pacific Time
Phil,
Thanks very much for the advice, we are gearing up to head off tomorrow and look forward to exploring Pine Island sound and Cayo Costa--it's an exciting first adventure for us as a sailing family and we are looking forward to it very much. |
PHILIP & SHARON MERLIER
FELLSMERE, FLORIDA
Boat Name: SWIZZLE STICK
Model/Year: 1990 C22
Hull No.
Hailing Port: FELLSMERE, FLORIDA |
06/10/2005 9:19 PM Pacific Time
Jamie Wheal:
How did your sailing trip turn out? Where did you launch and park your rig? What insights did you gain about the area which might be helpful to others?
Philip & Sharon |
jamie wheal
Mt. Airy, MD
Boat Name: Peggy-O
Model/Year: 1990
Hull No.
Hailing Port: Annapolis |
04/21/2006 11:19 AM Pacific Time
Hey All,
Just returned from our second annual spring trip down to Cayo Costa, and wanted to be able to report back to the list. The whole island is a state park and is the largest undeveloped barrier island in Florida. with a dock and modest visitors center on the sound side and miles of beaches and primitve cabins and tent sites on the gulf side. We've had a magical time down there the past two years with our children and have met Florida natives who say "the more we cruise other places, the more we appreciate this spot"
Since it is such a great destination for c-22 cruising/camping and we have yet to see any other boat under 30' there with us, we wanted to pass on some beta to help other catalina travelers make the most of it. (and thanks to those who helped guide us there!)
We put in at Eldred's Marina which is literally right before the causeway onto Gasparilla island (the resort village of Boca Grande is at the southern end). Eldred's is a true "old Florida" kind of joint, but the dual ramp is functional, and ample parking runs around $40 for a week. They also have block ice to freshen up coolers after long road trips. There is a very nice municipal ramp just prior to Eldred's but their parking is by meter and maxes out at 8 hrs. It would be possible to put in there, sail around to Eldred's and have a crew stash the trailer long term.
From Eldred's we sailed south and under the bridge, which opens on half hour and quarter hour on weekends, and then ran south down the east side of Gasparilla island, across Boca Grande pass (the biggest and deepest natural pass to the gulf in the area, and a huge habitat for tarpon, dolphin, hammerhead, etc.) (it takes between two to four hours to cover this ground) Don't get snookered by the false point about halfway down the island--as you approach, you see that the shoreline bends more away to the south and west and reveals the actual pass another couple of miles down.
Sailing the ICW at this point feels a little like driving a tractor down the intersate, as 45'+ motor yachts go planing past you, but there is plenty of clear depth closer to shore. At unlit daymarker 2 (you can sight off the large water tower on the island and the greens of the golf course) is the entrance to Boca Grande harbour--narrow dredged channel very close to shore--can either go south to two private marinas or north to public dock which is monopolized by commercial local traffic and not very friendly--would recommend hanging a left (south) and docking at Boca Grande Marina--they are rebuilding for the nth time after hurricane damages, but have about eight transitory slips, very nice new bathrooms with showers, fresh water on the docks, block ice, bait, etc. They initially come off as a little standoffish (their usual clientelle runs in the 40-150' range) but they warm up quickly (especially if you can squeeze into slip #1 which is abou 2' draft at mlw)and have been a great part of both of our trips. $20 for four hours of dockage, free showers and a chance to stroll the beautiful town of Boca Grande seem well worth it, especially about half way through a week trip and again on the way to the ramp before a long drive home.
In Boca Grande, we hit the usual spots of the Loose Caboose for lunch (about $10-15 a head for great snapper sandwiches and drinks--sometimes mixed service but generally good food) and Loons on a Limb for breakfast ($7-15 for eggs benedict, waffles, etc.)
The Boca harbor is just over half way to Cayo Costa, which lies on the southern end of Boca Grande pass--you can head out into the gulf here and south around the island (but take the inside sneak route inside charted Johnson shoal or you'll have to take the long way round past the breakers, which can feel a little exposed with the currents, tides, swells and breeze. Or, you can just scoot across the sound side of the pass and make it straight to the anchorage in Pelican Bay, the protected harbour where the state park dock lies. Pelican pass is a narrow channel hugging the western shoreline--its deepest about ten yards off shore right past the manatee reserve sign. The east shoreline shoals outward and should be given some distance.
We like to go and tie up at the Park dock, check in with the rangers, use the bathrooms (free cold showers are on the other side of the island--you can walk, rent a beach cruiser bike, or catch a free trolley)--it's very nice over on that gulf side, but is also ground zero for all of the campers so the beach is picked over for nice shells and not always as empty as we might like. The rangers also have bags of cube ice for $2 and if you ask nicely, filtered water from a little spigot off the back of the ice machine. Day use fees are $1 per person, overnight dockage is $20-40 (don't remember exactly), but in all of the heavy blows, we've done best anchored in Pelican bay close to the windward shore. Have had completely tranquil nights and come back to the dock to hear horror stories of boats bashed there or rocked madly broadside to the breeze. Most of the bottom is sand/mud for solid anchorages, some shorelines have a good amount of seagrass, given how shallow most of it is (3-6') we toss normal depth/rode ratios and let out between 50-75' and have yet to drag even in 30-40 knot blows. In general we try to avoid the docks between 10-5 which is when the tour boats come with their day visitors. I
To get more solitude on the gulf beaches, you can take the trail north to Boca Grande pass which pops you out at the northern tip of the island, or you can hike south a mile or two around a large point and have the beach to yourself again. There is also a freaky little bush trail from the dock to the lagoon, which is home to over a dozen manatees--and a ghost ship (I think its an old 45'morgan) that looks like it was demasted and sunk by Hurricane Charlie and then floated again.
If you want to paddle the lagoon, you can rent sea kayaks or take a dinghy in there and poke around--a couple of big gators in there too--we also heard last year of a saltwater croc who had made his way northward, but this year the rangers professed to know nothing about it!
One of our most enjoyable days came from sailing south out of Pelican bay and down to the tip of the island--to get out of the harbour, you sail directly south until you hit the mangrove shoreline, and then follow it around in a serpentine bend. It's super shallow outside this rather narrow channel and if you haven't done it before, watch the tour boats that come up from that direction several times each day to get a bead on it. One you're through that slot, you can head straight down the middle of the channel and pick up the alternate ICW, go past Cabbage Island (maybe stop for drinks or dinner if you're up for it but avoid lunch as its a tourist spot for the tour boats), and then south around the channel at the southern end.
Again you can take a sneak route closer to the inside here, or sail out and around the shoal that trends southwest off the point--I did much of my skippering standing on the cockpit bench --and there seems to be a fairly lengthy shallow shelf here, but about a 1/4 mile up the beach is a diagonal slot and a deeper cut close to shore that allowed for a nice day anchorage with beach access for towels, food etc.
I've heard from a couple of folks how nice it is to anchor on this leeward side during easterlies, but they are the bold exception. Almost everyone else, in much bigger boats too, said that they were not comfortable in case the wind clocked around and they got hammered on the sands, or blown out into the gulf as there are now sheltering features to speak of.
If you keep tabs on the weather and are comfortable getting back around the southern pass in the dark in worsening seas, you could snag a spot in a little cove just inside the southeastern point. Seems reasonable to me, but probably best done with advanced recon so "Plan B" comes off smoothly and not as a doorway to a midnight cluster. Either way, the water is so turquoise blue down there and the sand so clean and white that it is hard to not consider it the "ah ha--this is why we drove for 30 hrs. Tropical Paradise kind of spot!
There's also an amazing mangrove tunnel that slices northwesterly from the southern half of Cayo Costa--take a dinghy or a kayak and you can paddle under a full canopy and almost to the gulf beach.
In all, we have been struck by the combination of relative ease and safety (within quarter mile of shoreline and site navigation at all times) protected anchorage, logistical support (State Park, Boca Grande marinas) and natural beauty--abundant marine and land wildlife--manatees, doplhins, turtles, tarpon, sharks, gators, etc. It feels enough like an adventure to be exciting and novel, but predictable enough to also count fully as a vacation.
It's been a wonderful experience for our family, and being able to share this with a three year old and five year old feels like a real privlege and a great kickstart to their own lives and travels. Combined with a couple of fun day trips to Boca Grande, which hosts celebrities and presidents, allowed us to have a holiday far richer in experience than in cost, and left us grateful to be making the most of the great times that a c-22 can offer.
Again, thanks to all wiser and more traveled sailors on this site for helping make this possible, and we look forward to seeing and hearing from more folks who make it down there. We've penciled in a full two weeks next spring, so if you see any other impossibly tiny boats out there in Pelican bay, drop by and say hello!
Cheers,
Jamie |
Boat Name:
Model/Year:
Hull No.
Hailing Port: |
04/21/2006 2:35 PM Pacific Time
I would like to suggest getting a couple of books by Author, Randy Wayne White for the trip. He is a florida author that writes "Doc Ford" mysteries. His stories include all of southern florida and much of the Sanibel, Pine Island areas. I am reading his latest which came out a month ago. It's called "Dark Light"
Butchie |
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