First time to charlotte harbor

[soon2go]

Good morning
We are headed do the Charlotte Harbor area for 5 days of sailing. It is our first time to the area leaving out of burnt store. Any must see stops and anchorages?

[DotDun]

Pelican Bay behind Cayo Costa State Park. Useppa Island across from the channel to Cabbage Key, then dinghy to Cabbage Key for lunch.

That'll occupy a couple of days.

[djmarchand]

Anchorage at Boca Grande. Drop your anchor in the middle and back down to tie stern to mangroves. Dinghy dock is across from mangroves and walk to cutsey town.

David

[soon2go]

Thanks for the great feedback. Is there a spot to anchor at Charlotte harbor state preserve? Is gasparilla worth stopping at?

[sv Winterlude]

Charlotte Harbor State Preserve? Not sure where that is, if you hang a right and go north on the ICW when you get out to Gasparilla, just after going under the first bridge, you'll find the Cape Haze anchorage -- to the left, don't remember the marker number offhand, but there's Don Pedro State park a short dinghy ride away. Great spot with a dinghy dock.

Pelican Bay at Cayo Costa is wonderful -- take the dinghy to the state park dock and walk or ride the tram across to the beach. Also, do not miss taking the dinghy south to either the Love Canal or a bit further where you can tie to a post and walk across maybe a quarter mile, see the American Bald Eagles on the left and wander the beach with many more shells than up at the north end of the state park.

Also, if you go just south of Cayo Costa -- it's a long island, check the chart, you can anchor at the far south end in good weather and walk the beach. Anchored there, take the dinghy to Barnacle Phils across on North Captiva and enjoy the ambiance if not great food - it's a fun trip.

Head down the ICW if you want to go further -- through the Miserable Mile past Marker 101, head up the Okeechobee waterway/river to marker 92 (?) and hang a left to anchor in Glover's Bight - within dinghy range of the "other" marina owned by the same people as Burnt Store -- and Rumrunners Restaurant is on premise along with alot of boutique shops and sometimes live music in the open area. Or you can take the boat through the lock (hand operated) and take a slip at the "other" marina -- if you have a contract at Burnt Store Marina, you get one night free a month. We've not done it, but it's supposedly available.

Or ... better yet, sail 10 miles west, out Boca Grande Channel, hang a left and 26 hours later you'll be in Marathon or Key West ... or the Dry Tortugas. Or day hop down the coast -- from Pelican Bay to Glover's Bight, to Marco Island, to Indian Key (Everglades City) to Little Shark River to Marathon under the 7 Mile Bridge.... how much time do you have???

Our boat is on "D" dock in Burnt Store while we're back in the Midwest for hurricane season ... we love it there. ENJOY!

Jan & David
s/v Winterlude

[HopCar]

If you've got a fast dinghy, a ride up the Peace River to the Navi-Gator Bar and Restaurant is a fun trip.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard,
Good to have you here.
kind regards,

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by soon2go

Good morning
We are headed do the Charlotte Harbor area for 5 days of sailing. It is our first time to the area leaving out of burnt store. Any must see stops and anchorages?

Take a look at Activecaptain.com. You'll need to register, but that's free, and you'll find a weath of information and charts available to answer most of your questions.

FWIW...

[soon2go]

thanks for all the feedback.. The charlotte harbor area was great fun.. we made a new friend named tropical storm Debby.. hunkered down at cabbage key.. those folks are fantastic hosts!! had the whole place to ourselves.. great food and nice people!!

[tnauck]

My wife and I are planning a winter trip to Florida and focusing on Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda with the plan to look at condos for a second home and eventual relocation from Ohio. Saw your post on Burnt Store Marina, one of the areas we want to visit. Any other suggestions? We currently have a daysailer, but plan to upgrade when we have the condo. The area is looking very inviting. Any other tips or hints?
Thanks,
Terry

[HopCar]

There are some nice looking condos in Punta Gorda, on a canal, just west of Fishermans Village. Go to Google Maps, search for Punta Gorda FL, zoom in until you see Fishermans Village. Just west of it you'll see two canals. The second canal to the west has some nice condos before you get to the bridge. A friend of mine has a house on that canal but he is beyond the bridge so no sailboats. I really love that area.