To live aboard Florida's East or West coast???

[PuttingDoctor]

Sorry folks but I have to put Merritt Island on the top of the list for the OP. 528 is a direct shot toll road from the east coast to Orlando. I-4 is a nightmare about to get much worse due to construction plans. As mentioned earlier the various marinas around Merritt and Port Canaveral all offer pretty direct access to open water or the ICW.

I'm also a big fan of the more northern live aboard accommodations at Halifax Harbor. It just depends upon where you want to live, cruise and your tolerance to bugs and heat.

[hblask]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

I would go for the St Pete Municipal Marina. Affordable & right downtown. Lots of restaurants within walking distance & tons of stuff to do. You're very close to Egmont Key with great beaches. Actually there are great beaches all over this area. Marinas to the north at Clearwater Beach, Dunedin or Tarpon Springs are less than a day trip. Beaches in this area are consistently ranked in the top 5 in the country every year. Several barrier islands to the north great for anchoring. You can cruise farther north & get a taste of old Florida & see the Manatees in Homosassa or Crystal River. Or you can head south to Anna Maria Island, Bradenton, Sarasota, Boca Grande, Fort Meyers & of course the Keys & the Dry Tortugas. Plus Orlando is a straight shot on I4.

All the downtown stuff and nearby beaches look nice, but on the map it looks like it is right next to an airport. Any problem with airplane noise?

[Stu Jackson]

No, of course not. Anchoring, mooring or slipping near an airport will in no way involve any noise issues.

I met a cruiser last month who explained how much he realy liked his new slip in the N. Chesapeake. He did say, though, that it had its "challenges" and when i asked him what those might be, he pulled out his chartlet and showed me his nice fairway, wide docks, double fingered slips with great cleats, floating docks and secured gates.

"What's the problem?," I asked.

He opened the chartlet beyond the fold to show the AIRPORT right across the fairway.

"Oh," I said, must be quieter at night.

"Nope," he said, "it's an Army, Navy and Marine airport, they run 24/7."

"Did you know it was there when you got the slip?" I asked.

"Sure, but we didn't think it would be THAT loud."

Ach.......................:ban ghead:

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by hblask

All the downtown stuff and nearby beaches look nice, but on the map it looks like it is right next to an airport. Any problem with airplane noise?

Albert Whitted Airport is not a military airport & has no commercial airline service. It's basically just a small regional airport for private planes although there are probably some small businesses run out of it. I never noticed any noise from the airport when I stayed at the marina but I've never lived aboard there.

[oldragbaggers]

We lived aboard on Harbor Island in San Diego for a few months, which is right next to San Diego International Airport. I will say that it was a little annoying at first, but as strange as it sounds you start to tune it out after a bit. And it was definitely quieter at night but flights start running around 6:00 a.m. in most airports. Growing up we lived very near a railroad track, and it was the same thing, we just didn't really notice it because we were used to it.

[dMAC]

Albert Whitted airport is primarily just small private prop planes (hardly ever does a jet to there) so there is very little noise plus final approach on the closest active runways to the marina is far enough away to be an annoyance.

[gbohner]

I lived in St. Petersburg (actually Gulfport) for 20 years and now live in Stuart.

East Coast has easy access to the Bahamas and access to places north. However, Snow birds really overwelm the marinas during season. We were disappointed in the quality of cruising on the East Coast. You can go up and down the Intracoastal, which is basically a narrow river without many good anchorages. It might be a little less humid on the East Coast.

West Coast has much better "cruising" with many good anchorages, inlets, etc. Much more variety for boating. The Gulf is calmer than the Ocean. The West Coast does not get many SNowbirds from up North and from Canada. IMO, that's a good thing because it does not get so crowded during season. It stays about the same all year around. Gulfport, St. Pete, Clearwater Beach, Sarasota Bay are all nice. Captiva/Fort Myers is nice too, especially in the winter, but gets too hot for my liking in the summer.

I like both sides, but I do miss the cruising options of the West Coast.

[JanetGroene]

For the east coast you're poised for the quick hop to the Bahamas, which are one of the world's great cruising grounds if you like beaches (and sometimes entire islands) all to yourself. BOth sides give you access to the Keys, which are also great cruising. Atlantic breezes keep you much cooler in summer than the sultry steam from the Gulf. Gulf islands such as Cabbage Key are interesting but they can get old after a while.

[Scout 30]

Why pick one place?

[BARRMAN]

I live in Bradenton Florida and have a 31' boat at twin Dolphins marina there for $297/m. It has a couple restaurants nearby and sometimes does a farmers market on Saturdays. I'm taking sailing lessons at St pete sailing center which has a couple of marinas around it and is an amazing and lively area. That's where I would love to live if I could. So much to see and do right from marina.


response sent from iphone

[Gr8tewhite]

I did have the opportunity to tour a couple of the West coast marinas. I was particularly impressed with the Saint Pete Municipal Marina. As BARRMAN mentioned, it is within walking distance to some amazing restaurants, nightlife, and even sports entertainment...while being just a few short nautical miles of some gorgeous sailing grounds. Unfortunately, that marina has an approximate 18 month waiting list As JanetGroene mentioned, a West coast relocation (the boat is currently in Titusville) will take a quick trip to the Bahamas out of the equation. Alas, I am now more conflicted than ever, but am leaning towards making my way towards the OWW and staying, if something grabs my attention and, if not, continuing on to the Saint Pete area.

I thank everyone for their input and responses, it has all been quite helpful!