boating to cayo costa

We are going to be in the Ft Myers Beach area the first week in February with a 20 ft pontoon boat with a 90 HP engine.

We%26#39;re thinking of boating to Sanibel Captiva area. I%26#39;ve been reading a lot about Cayo Costa State Park and would like to boat up there.

Can anyone give me some information on where that is in relation to Sanibel. About how long of a trip via boat it would be. And the best way to get there.

Are there boat docks or do you just anchor off shore?

I%26#39;d appreciate any information on boating in this area. Or any website that might help me.

Thanks

boating to cayo costa

It%26#39;s up above Cabbage Key, which is above North Captiva. It makes a good day-trip up the InterCoastal Waterway from down around South Ft. Myers or the Causeway. It%26#39;s over behind Pine island if you are at Ft. Myers. Had a friend doing the %26#39;driving%26#39; so I can%26#39;t offer much more. I keep my little runabout back in Dinkin%26#39;s Bay mostly. Look for a place to launch on Captiva. That would be ideal. Might be able to put in at Jensen%26#39;s, on Captiva?? You might be able to put in at The Castaways which is at Blind Pass. I%26#39;m sure these two places have websites you could check. Sorry I can%26#39;t tell you more.

boating to cayo costa

Thanks for the info.

That%26#39;s what I was hoping to do. Make it a day trip from Ft. Myers Beach. So it looks like that%26#39;s a possibility. We are staying at the San Carlos Campground and have our boat at their dock. So I didn%26#39;t really want to have to pull it and relaunch.

Besides it%26#39;s much more fun on the water than fighting the traffic!

So Ralph - where is Dinkin%26#39;s Bay?

You really, really want to get a good nautical map. The bay is tricky. Dinkin%26#39;s Bap is located where Sanibel and Captiva meet, but your best bet for a place to dock and maybe get additional gas and such, is Jensen%26#39;s marina on Captiva. I believe it is against park regulations to pull up on the beach, but do call the park and ask. There is a main dock at the park entrance at the north end of the island. Some of the docks on the south end are a very short walk to the beach and are used by the guides, but I think visitors are allowed to as well. Jensen%26#39;s knows all about this, so chat with the family in their store and they can give you all the latest info. They no longer run water taxies up there, so it would be good to know what%26#39;s happening. They can also give you suggestions on where else to go. Check out Cabbage Key and North Captiva as well.

From Captiva Island, it takes about an hour to Cayo Costa. It will take about 30+ or more minutes from Sanibel%26#39;s east end to reach Captiva. Maybe another 30+ for the Ft Myers Sanibel stretch. So in total, not counting stops - maybe 2-3 hours to reach Cayo Costa. Could be more.

Keep an eye on the operating hours at the marinas. They tend to close early.

here are a couple of good websites:

http://www.floridastateparks.org/cayocosta/

http://www.gocaptiva.com/ [new web address]

Thanks so much for the info. I was trying to get an idea of how much time we would have to allot for a trip like that.

We will get a nautical map before we start the trip. (We have one now, but I%26#39;m not sure if it goes that far north). Any idea where in the Ft Myers area to get a good one?

Sounds like a stop at Jensen%26#39;s Marina is a good idea.

I%26#39;d contact any one of the local marinas and see if they sell charts. The sandbars in the bay are always shifting and many are exposed at low tide. A pontoon style boat as really the best choice for those not familiar with the bay.

Try contacting The Bait Box on Sanibel as well. www.thebaitbox.com They have a link to a NOAA chart, but it isn%26#39;t current. You%26#39;ll need something recent. It%26#39;s Pine Island Sound and San Carlos Bay.

I%26#39;m not a boater myself, but I%26#39;ve been out enough with those that are to have a healthy respect for the problems with getting around the Sound.

Tourm has it pretty good. I started to advise caution but didn%26#39;t want to scare you from going. It just takes common sense %26amp; being careful, because before you know it you%26#39;re in 8 inches of water. I know, I grounded mine %26amp; have also chewed up some mud a few times. It%26#39;s no big deal but you need a good map %26amp; learn what the markers mean. I spend a lot of time in Dinkin%26#39;s Bay every Feb. I%26#39;ve caught some good fish, seen mannattees right next to the boat,watched porpoises chase fish in 8 inches of water, watched an awesome Tarpon slide by the boat %26amp; seen all kinds of stuff scittering across the shallows. Won%26#39;t even mention the birds we%26#39;ve seen. I%26#39;d say that after you take your first excursion up into Pine Island Sound you will be back the next day to continue your wanderings. It%26#39;s addictive. Do try to stay out of the way of the guides that are up on the Flats after tarpon. Give them a wide berth. They will appreciate it.

If you are mooring your boat at a dock on Fort Myers Beach you can go from there. If you have your boat on a trailer then drop it in at Punta Rassa which is off of Summerlin Road right before you go across the causeway to Sanibel Island. (it is literally the last right hand turn before the toll plaza; if you know how to get to Sanibel Harbour Resort %26amp; Spa, it%26#39;s the same turn but right there on your left before you get to the resort entrance)

It should only take an hour from there. My family and I go there all the time from Matlacha and it only takes us 45 minutes.

There is only one official dock and it is on the eastern side of the island, about mid-island. The drawback to this is you have to then take their %26#39;tram%26#39; to the other side of the island to get to the beach. You can moor off the island, they frown upon pulling up on the beach. There are many shallow areas so you don%26#39;t have to swim in deep water. If you see the ranger be prepared to pay the state park daily fee which I believe is $1/person.

Here are a couple links you can use to get a perspective on the location of the island.

fortmyers-sanibel.com/images/content/pine_is…

fortmyers-sanibel.com/cms/d/boca_grande_flor…

Have a great time and do take a map as it is easy to get confused if you%26#39;ve never boated the area and don%26#39;t be surprised by all the dolphin you%26#39;ll see!

So you think it should only take an hour or so from Ft. Myers Beach?

Do you have an opinion on Cabbage Key? I was thinking about trying to boat there also.

We did some boating in the area last year. We went up to Matlache. So I%26#39;m somewhat familiar with the area.

If you%26#39;re dropping in at Punta Rassa then it should take you about an hour, going 30-35mph. If you%26#39;re leaving from somewhere on Fort Myers Beach you could add another 15 minutes.

Cabbage Key is a great stop. Just know that there isn%26#39;t a lot to do there. You can eat at the restaurant and take a walk around the trails but it is typically a spot that people just stop at for lunch. If you look at the link that I sent you with the map, you%26#39;ll see that Cabbage Key is right next door to Cayo.

Useppa is a great island, but they do not allow %26#39;just anyone%26#39; to dock there. You have to take a ferry there which is usually associated with a tour (includes lunch, the grounds and the museum).

Boating our area is awesome, just make sure you stay in the channels because most of our waters are very shallow.

Fair winds to you!