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Don't Let the Shallows Scare You Away from Southwest

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Don't Let the Shallows Scare You Away from Southwest WINTER CHARTER SPECIAL THIN-WATER PARADISE DON’T LET THE SHALLOWS SCARE YOU AWAY FROM SOUTHWEST FLORIDA STORY AND PHOTOS BY ADAM CORT Useppa Island is just one of many great spots to visit in Southwest Florida outhwest Florida is one of archipelago west and north of Fort Shelly, our daughter, Bridget, and I those places where looks can Myers can be pretty thin, there are still picked up the Island Packet 31 Sojourn- be deceiving. At first glance plenty of places to have a good time er from Southwest Florida Yachts for a it’s “water, water every- sailing, which is why this is regarded week of exploring this past winter.* where,” until you look at the by many as one of the finest charters Burnt Store is a full-service marina with Ssoundings and then it becomes “nor spots in the Lower 48. plenty of deep water for sailboats, a any drop to, uh, sail.” But don’t give Ground zero for many local sailors is great waterfront restaurant called up. While it’s true the water around the Burnt Store Marina, where my wife, Porto Bello at Latitudes, and a friendly sailmagazine.com - October 2013 57 WINTER CHARTER SPECIAL population of manatees that loves to must-see if you want to learn Contact Although Useppa is a private island gather by the fresh-water conduit in more about the region’s maritime resort, Southwest Florida Yachts front of the Platinum Point Yacht Club. heritage. Those in search of a bit SOUTHWEST FLORIDA YACHTS owners Barb and Vic Hansen are both Better yet, it offers direct access to of “Old Florida” can also visit swfyachts.com members, and their charter customers the relatively deep waters of Charlotte Whidden’s Marina on First Street. are able to enjoy the added privilege of Harbor, which in turn provides direct ac- Founded in 1926, the water’s a full access to this quiet, secluded gem. cess to the Intracoastal Waterway bit shallow for anything with a keel, night. Nonetheless, it’s very doable, In addition to the larger boats in the (ICW), a number of great local destina- but the bait shop and “museum” are and the sandy shoals are easy to see marina, I also saw a small fleet of tions and the Gulf of Mexico. still well worth a visit. when the sun is out. Marshall catboats moored just off the The first day out, we enjoyed a lei- Then, of course, there are the beach- Cayo Costa itself is an absolute gem, main beach, which I was told regularly surely sail across the harbor and then es. The entire western shore of Gaspa- a 2,426-acre barrier-island state park races nearby. tied up toward the end of the afternoon rilla Island (named for the apparently complete with nine miles of beach, a Speaking of competition, the croquet at the recently upgraded Boca Grande apocryphal pirate captain José Gaspar) wealth of mangroves and even, suppos- “lawn” on Useppa must be seen to be Marina in Port Boca Grande on the is basically one great beach, replete edly, an alligator or two. That night, as believed: these are clearly people here southern tip of Gasparilla Island. Boca with shells and soft white sand. Every we took a walk across the island, the who take their croquet very seriously. I Grande is another place where looks evening small groups gather here to sand and crushed shells absolutely have to say, it looked kind of fun… can be deceiving. At first glance it ap- watch the sun go down. It’s a show glowed, looking almost phosphorescent Making our way south from Useppa to pears charming, but a bit antiseptic— that never grows old and is well worth in the light of the full moon. Captiva Island meant paying close atten- yet another Florida community convert- the price of admission. The next morning we hiked around tion to the daymarks delineating the ed by developers into a safe and pre- the northern end of the island and had ICW as we wended our way among vari- dictable playground for the elderly and MOVING ON the pine forest, Spanish moss and Live ous low islands and skirted the western well-heeled. Do a little exploring, The next day we spent a couple of Oaks all to ourselves. Rumor has it that edge of Captiva Shoal. It was the same though, and you soon discover there’s a hours tacking back and forth across Southwestern Florida can get pretty thing, conning the narrow channels from lot more to this area than just mani- Charlotte Harbor before dropping the hot and buggy in the spring and sum- the ICW west to the two marinas there. cured lawns and golf clubs. hook in Pelican Bay at the northern end mer. But in the dead of winter with a The approach to ‘Tween Waters was It wasn’t that long ago, for example, of Cayo Costa. As with many of the fresh breeze coming in off the Gulf of made especially challenging by the fact that Boca Grande served as a commer- harbors in this part of the world, the Mexico, it was heaven—especially that a dredging crew had recently run cial port for freighters loading phos- entrance to Pelican Bay is not for the compared to the climate back home in down the red daymark marking the en- phates mined from Florida’s interior. faint of heart, and the anchorage, New England. trance channel—a situation I hope has There’s also a thriving tarpon-fishing though expansive, is pretty shallow. After that we spent a night at Useppa since been corrected. culture in this area, and the historic Even with her 4ft shoal draft, I suspect Island, followed by a night at the South Equally challenging is nearby Redfish lighthouse mounted on pilings at the Sojourner’s keel was resting ever so Seas Island Resort and then the ‘Tween Pass, off the northern tip of Captiva very southern tip of the island is a gently against the bottom later that Waters Marina on Captiva Island. Island. This is a nice deep channel out to the Gulf of Mexico, but there are of manatees. The pool complex is a shallows at either end that must be great place to unwind, and if you’re in The entire western shore of Gasparilla is avoided at all costs. When the tide is the mood for some kitsch, be sure to one great beach (left); Sojourner rests easy at the Useppa marina (top); the author right, the current is also fast and furi- check out the crab races at the ‘Tween enjoys a cup of joe on Pelican Bay (above ous. Oh, and the channel running west Waters Inn, hosted by NASCRAB Com- left); Bridget cleans up in the galley—good job, honey! (above right) from the ICW to South Seas is also the missioner Tim. (The early show is suit- channel in from the Gulf to the ICW, so able for the whole family, the later the marks are reversed, as the Gulf-ICW show…well, not so much.) I only wish relationship take precedence. In other we’d had the time to take a kayak trip words, it’s red-left-returning because across the anchorage to explore the the channel also leads out to the Gulf. mangroves ringing nearby Buck Key. Bottom line: be very careful! In addition to the usual golf courses It was during our stay at South Seas and swimming pools, South Seas is also that we had our first good dolphin home to one of Steve and Doris Col- sighting—an entire pod, in fact, chas- gate’s Offshore Sailing schools—a fact ing down breakfast just off the fishing made immediately evident by the row dock around the corner from Redfish of Colgate 26s tied up in the middle of Pass. A couple of dolphins also came the marina. Complementing its basic out to play in our bow wave later that learn-to-sail courses, the school offers a day as we were tacking back and forth number of cruising courses for more on nearby Pine Island Sound. Why is it experienced sailors aboard a small fleet that you can never get enough of see- of Jeanneau 439s. Sailors can also join ing dolphins when you’re out sailing? the racing program conducted in part- ‘Tween Waters is aptly named: a nership with North U. narrow spit of land separating Pine Island Sound from the Gulf of Mexico A DRAG RACE HOME by only a couple hundred yards. The The next morning we cast off lines early marina is home to a substantial charter in an effort to beat a front back to Burnt fishing fleet, countless herons and Store. The forecast was for strong egrets, and yet another healthy troop southerlies veering southwest, which 58 October 2013 - sailmagazine.com sailmagazine.com - October 2013 59 WINTER CHARTER SPECIAL A line of Colgate 26s at the South Seas Island Resort on Captiva (above); ‘Tween Waters Marina includes a great general store (below left); Shelly and Bridget enjoy the pool at South Seas (below right) would be perfect for our passage: about Making our way across Charlotte entrance to the channel at Burnt Store, eight miles almost due north along the Harbor, Sojourner was even happier, life was good again. ICW, then another seven or so miles but the rest of the crew—well, not so Making our way toward the fuel dock east-northeast across Charlotte Harbor. much. By now the wind was gusting to pump out and take on diesel, I even Out on the ICW, beyond the shallows into the low 30s and kicking up a sharp had to drop the auxiliary into neutral just east of Captiva, we unrolled the chop.
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