Cape Coral and Pine Island detailed charts

[TacomaSailor]

We are thinking of moving to the Ft Myers/Cape Coral (Florida) area. My family has lived there for over 30 years and we have spent a lot of time on the water but always in shallow draft, fast fishing boats. We are also considering anything on Pine Island.

We want to keep our Caliber 40 at a dock on the property we buy in SW Florida. We know we have to be downriver from the Cape Coral Bridge. But, what we do not know is where to find 6’ of water all the way from our dock to the River. I have all the latest NOAA RNC charts for SW Florida but they are very limited on detail close to shore where we might want to dock the boat.

Our Caliber 40 has a water draft of 5’ 3” and an air draft of 61’.

We currently live on our boat in San Diego so must do the initial house searching via electronic means.

A Cape Coral local ‘waterfront’ real estate agent is suggesting houses on the Spreader Canal and along the Yachtclub waterfront area. He cannot assure us what the water depths are from the dock of each house to the 10’ of water in the river. Several of the houses he recommended have nice docks with lifts to 20,000 pounds but looking at pictures and Google Earth images, I see only smaller powerboats in the area. There appear to be no sailboats so I am concerned.

The NOAA chart (11427) contains little detail close to shore but does contain ominous notes like ‘ 16” shoaling reported.” I want to be able to look at a chart or map and see water depths from the house to the river.

Where can I find some local knowledge to apply to our home search?

I want to avoid a repeat of the following situation:

Sometime in the late ‘90s we made a contingent offer on a “sailboat access” home on SW 54th (or close to there) because it was a corner lot looking at two intersecting canals and had a great 75’ dock. The agent, (who was probably not a boater), swore, (after many questions on my part), that the canal was over 6’ deep all the way to Glover Bight. My dad and I took his 25’ fishing boat over there and sounded part of the canal and found several coral or rock ridges that spanned the entire canal and brought the bottom up to 4’ (FOUR!) feet.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

We are thinking of moving to the Ft Myers/Cape Coral (Florida) area. My family has lived there for over 30 years and we have spent a lot of time on the water but always in shallow draft, fast fishing boats. We are also considering anything on Pine Island.

We want to keep our Caliber 40 at a dock on the property we buy in SW Florida. We know we have to be downriver from the Cape Coral Bridge. But, what we do not know is where to find 6’ of water all the way from our dock to the River. I have all the latest NOAA RNC charts for SW Florida but they are very limited on detail close to shore where we might want to dock the boat.

Our Caliber 40 has a water draft of 5’ 3” and an air draft of 61’.

We currently live on our boat in San Diego so must do the initial house searching via electronic means.

A Cape Coral local ‘waterfront’ real estate agent is suggesting houses on the Spreader Canal and along the Yachtclub waterfront area. He cannot assure us what the water depths are from the dock of each house to the 10’ of water in the river. Several of the houses he recommended have nice docks with lifts to 20,000 pounds but looking at pictures and Google Earth images, I see only smaller powerboats in the area. There appear to be no sailboats so I am concerned.

The NOAA chart (11427) contains little detail close to shore but does contain ominous notes like ‘ 16” shoaling reported.” I want to be able to look at a chart or map and see water depths from the house to the river.

Where can I find some local knowledge to apply to our home search?

I want to avoid a repeat of the following situation:

Sometime in the late ‘90s we made a contingent offer on a “sailboat access” home on SW 54th (or close to there) because it was a corner lot looking at two intersecting canals and had a great 75’ dock. The agent, (who was probably not a boater), swore, (after many questions on my part), that the canal was over 6’ deep all the way to Glover Bight. My dad and I took his 25’ fishing boat over there and sounded part of the canal and found several coral or rock ridges that spanned the entire canal and brought the bottom up to 4’ (FOUR!) feet.

I know the very lot you're talking about! It was on the market for a long time. It would have quadrupled in value from that time until 2008, then lost it all back.

My father lives on the very next canal over, and it's dredged to 11'. Never a problem with depth.

But be sure you really want to live here -- it's a pretty dull place. My father moved here specifically so that he could keep his boat in his backyard, but in all other respects he hates it.

[sailorchic34]

Generally the canal depths are fine, but outside the channel to the canals in the river, can be a little skinny. Hum spreader canal has a lock you have to pass through right by rum runners. The cabasa canal is pretty deep, though touched bottom once when passing through it. Bimini is deep, but watch out for lots north of the 50 foot high power line that crosses it. Somehow the realtors miss that one...

it's not a bad place. easy sailing to the keys and nice anchorages near pine/ useppa island. Merwin key across from St. James city, is close and offers a quick getaway for a few days. Lots O power boats...

Pretty skinny water outside the channels though.