Best parts of Florida for living (on land) and sailing/cruising hobby?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Group9

We lived in south Florida for three years. It really is a boater's paradise.

It's just so darned crowded, we couldn't take it, and moved to the gulf coast.

Every time we head to the Bahamas, and we are in south Florida on the way there, I look around and think, "Why did we ever leave here? It's beautiful".

Then, we rent a car to go the store, and in half an hour, I remember why!

That’s pretty much it in a nutshell, but the people that Retire from NY, love it, they have made it another NY or NJ I guess, just need a subway.

Referencing the Panhandle, the Big Bend area is for fishing, muddy very shallow water, as a kid I ran aground on plane in a 23’ boat out of sight and VHF comms from land. You will see many devices on outboard fishing boat motors to protect the foot from rocks, in short it’s no sailing paradise.

However get over to PC area and the water is clear, and it’s very much the best beaches in Fl. There is more Scuba in PC than any other place in Fl believe it or not, and if your a cave diver, your close to the cave diving center of the world, literally.

The reason the sand is so pure white and different in PC is because it’s not coral sand or Ocean sand, it’s actually sand that was washed down from I think decomposed granite from the mountains from the ice age.

https://varrtravel.wordpress.com/201...queaking-sand/

[Ndavies]

South FL - especially the west side is beautiful - especially the area around Sanibel etc. As for the east side from Miami to about West Palm - well it is over crowded and has to be the home of the most obnoxious boaters in the world! I know that taints it for the good ones......but, I just hate to even transit through that area.

Hey - wouldn't it be great if everyone with an opinion about their area would get out on their boats and capture a short video of the area in question and post it. Well, I know that would mean that some would have to get out of their armchairs....but we are sailors right??

As they say in the cooking shows........"here's one I prepared earlier".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fANR_GHybiU

[EmeraldCoastSailor]

Hey - wouldn't it be great if everyone with an opinion about their area would get out on their boats and capture a short video of the area in question and post it. Well, I know that would mean that some would have to get out of their armchairs....but we are sailors right??

As they say in the cooking shows........"here's one I prepared earlier".

Gulf of Mexico sailing at its finest last weekend. I had 4 dolphin play at my bow for 30 - 40 minutes. It was amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZtFsRTtBLY

[BlackHeron]

Florida gets mighty hot in the summer, and the hurricane risk is quite high. To livaboard you pretty much need AC which means a mairina to plug in at or running a generator full time. IMHO that isn't "sailing" it is simply squatting.

Florida is great in the winter, and you'll notice that most active cruisers migrate North on their boats for the summer to escape the bugs, heat, humidity and hurricanes. Hurricanes are a big factor too, unless you consider your boat expendible and are willing to walk away from it any everything on it at a couple day's notice. You'll find that if you want or need insurance to cover your boat that finding any that covers for hurricanes during the season is unavailable at any almost any price

[carlosproa]

[QUOTE=Ndavies;3173897]South FL - especially the west side is beautiful - especially the a



Hey - wouldn't it be great if everyone with an opinion about their area would get out on their boats and capture a short video of the area in question and post it. Well, I know that would mean that som
Don’t have a video but a couple of pictures of Miami and 3 hours south of Miami

[conchaway]

It sounds like here, in Fort Pierce Fl, is where you want to be. Harbor Cove is an excellent marina with all amenities; and, if you want women, Indian River State College is located right here. If you are interested, contact me for more information.

[thataway41]

We choose Pensacola 28 years ago, (From S.Cal. where I grew up and sailed until the 1990's. There is a very active sailing community (Pensacola YC--regular regattas, and national championships. America's Cup choose Pensacola as training location because of the sailing and bay. If you have a mast under a 65' there are lots of bays, if under 55' almost unlimited. (New 3 mile bridge at 65' opens up East Bay and Escambia Bay, to Blackwater River and back of Navarre). Regular races to Mexico and race to Cuba. (Only other area with that is St. Pete area).

Property is less expensive. Although more crowded than it was 25 years ago, it is still pretty laid back.

Downtown Pensacola is a "happening" scene for young people since we elected a young mayor a few years back. Lots of money into the down town area.

There are 4 seasons--and can be a little chilly in winter--seen snow once, A freeze at night couple times a year in Dec/Jan. But definitely 4 season sailing. Summer is hot, water gets into 80's.

Deep water in the bay. We are very friendly sailing community--all of my friends are sailors, and 5 couples who have sailed together since the 60's all sailed our boats here from the Long Beach CA area.

[jalmberg]

If you can work from anywhere, why pick one place? Buy a cruising boat and cruise.

My wife and I ‘live’ in FL, but we haven’t actually been there in 2 years. We are currently in CT where it is a heck of a lot more comfortable than FL this time of year, and the sailing is infinitely better. We will head up to ME in August.

Since we don’t have a house, in the winter we rent an apartment in the south of France. It’s half the price of a FL rental, and the weather is great. Spain and Portugal are also great.

There are a lot of possibilities open to you if you can work anywhere, and don’t tie yourself down to a wretched house.

Just my two cents...

[sveinung]

Getting a spot at a marina is a bit of a challenge, both cost and due to the waitlist. Cost disqualifies most commercial marinas.
We waited just about a month's time for a mooring (240/mo for annual contract) with the city marina in Crandon Park.
They've been super helpful, were flexible on our arrival and deposit for an application is just $24.

There's several Miami Dade County marinas which are great value and down to earth, but not Crandon Park has moorings which brings the cost down significantly. The only "catch" is no launch service so everyone keeps a kayak or dinghy in a rack.

[makoman]

Originally Posted by Benz

Ft. Myers/Sanibel Island area has easy Gulf sailing, overnight from the Keys, easy to get to Sarasota and Clearwater. People sail year 'round, easy to hide way up the Caloosahatchee if hurricane's coming; good safe boat storage at Glade's.

We voted for this. I had 25 years of boating on Lake Michigan from Kenosha to Mackinaw island before moving to the keys 15 years ago. While living in the keys, we started chartering boats in the fort Myers/sanibel area and loved it so much we moved here 4 years ago. All of our boating is done on powerboats, from 24 to 34 feet.

[tdh1849]

Ft.Lauderdale, without a doubt ! Three local sailing clubs including "Sailing Singles of South Florida, a day sail to the Bahamas, Bimini, The Keys, Miami, club races, social get togethers..............

Sailed there for 17 years, was single and made many friends.

If you would like to talk, send me a tel#.

[Wireless1]

Originally Posted by Benz

Ft. Myers/Sanibel Island area has easy Gulf sailing, overnight from the Keys, easy to get to Sarasota and Clearwater. People sail year 'round, easy to hide way up the Caloosahatchee if hurricane's coming; good safe boat storage at Glade's.

Two thumbs up. The Atlantic side is NYC with a beach.

[Carl-T705]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Area around Panama City would be good, largely because of a younger crowd, and unless you have a few weeks off, your not really going very far anyway. It’s cheaper, but more Redneck.
Fort Lauderdale would work, but may be more than you can afford, don’t know your budget of course, just a guess.
Tampa bay is good also.
Hurricanes if your living shore are more of a nuisance to evacuate than anything, secure the boat the best you can, and leave. They rarely sneak up on you, but it has happened, Michael that destroyed Panama City grew so fast it was the same as sneaking up.

.
Panama City area is more redneck??? I believe Rednecks would take offense of that observation.

[silversailor]

There are some smaller communities on FL's west coast that should be considered: Anna Maria Island, Sarasota, Davis Island etc.

[possum]

Originally Posted by Bill Creadon

We live on the east coast in Vero Beach. Our marina is a hurricane hole and 12 miles from Ft Pierce Inlet. It's 85 miles to the Bahamas, West End. If we go out of Lake Worth it's 58 miles. There is no better cruising area than the Bahamas. Sailing up or down either coast is limited.

I'd suggest Vero as the best all around base--but for good cruising along the Southeast Coast, there's nothing like the overlooked Georgia Coast! Start at Fernandina and go north, laid way back, inlets and rivers all the way up and down, and beautiful islands that belong to the State of Georgia and are kept pretty much as they've always been. Nothing like it. Parts of the lower SC coast pretty good too if you like spending money.