SW Florida After Ian

We were hoping to take Stella to SW Florida—somewhere between Clearwater and Ft Myers—for the winter. We’ve been on a couple of waiting lists for slips but nothing had opened up before Ian hit. Now, it seems even more unlikely that a slip will materialize. Also, it’s hard to predict how much physical change has occurred from shoaling, damage to towns, marinas and other infrastructure. Looks like we’ll be putting off the trip—again—until spring and join the northward migration, just passing through Florida. A trivial problem compared to what many Floridians are going through but it still sucks.

That's probably a logical assumption, but I would guess most other snowbirds would come to the same conclusion. Between the Bahamas being open again and the SW coast of FL being hit, there might actually be some slips available. Town infrastructure may be a different situation. I'll be back in Fort Myers in November and am curious to see what tourist season looks like. Those that have homes will probably come, but others will probably pick a different location or may stay home.

Ted

I think that area of Florida is looking at at least a few years of rebuilding. And, look at all of the missing causeway, for instance. All that sand went somewhere. And, it will probably be at least a year before all the sunken debris is located and removed.

Group9 said:

And, it will probably be at least a year before all the sunken debris is located and removed.

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People may stop searching for submerged debris after a year or so, but boaters will keep locating stuff the hard way for many years to come, I expect.

Blissboat said:

People may stop searching for submerged debris after a year or so, but boaters will keep locating stuff the hard way for many years to come, I expect.

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The Coast Guard removed it here after Katrina. I met the USCG person in charge of it about half way through and he showed me the list of how much stuff they had found and removed. It was a lot!

But, you’re right, they didn’t get it all. We came upon a sunken boat after they had stopped, a year later, that only had about a foot of the bow pointing straight up. It was just right to be under at high tide and barely exposed on a low tide.

Feels like a lead ball in my stomach. CFMYB and FMB trashed. No doubt Cayo Costa is trashed. Can’t even get a busy signal on the phone to Charlotte Harbor Boat Storage. Our mobile home we sold last November and friends homes destroyed. Just have to wait.

Lead ball gone. My boat is still in the blocks high and dry. Bad news is a sailboat is leaning very close and can’t tell if there is damage. So to Florida we go.
Video CHBS damage https://youtu.be/1Bx8NU01X2s

Based on the progress in the other areas that have been hit like this, it's going to be years before even a semblance of normal returns. Very sad, for sure.

One of our favorite boating destinations. On our last trip to the Bahamas, we got to liking Fort Myers Beach so much we stayed a month in the mooring field.

Sunset at Pelican Bay several years ago. Bracing myself for what it looks like now.

High Wire said:

Lead ball gone. My boat is still in the blocks high and dry. Bad news is a sailboat is leaning very close and can’t tell if there is damage. So to Florida we go.
Video CHBS damage https://youtu.be/1Bx8NU01X2s

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Good news, Archie. We can sure use it!

Our intrepid fellow TFer "Cardude" has some experience at post-hurricane yacht recovery. Send him down there all by himself, and he'll likely sweep Irish Lady off her blocks, splash her in and motor away with typical sang froid.

Blissboat said:

Good news, Archie. We can sure use it!

Our intrepid fellow TFer "Cardude" has some experience at post-hurricane yacht recovery. Send him down there all by himself, and he'll likely sweep Irish Lady off her blocks, splash her in and motor away with typical sang froid.

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Will do. Lol!

Good luck finding a slip. There are a lot less boats in Florida now , and a lot less marinas too. LOL

Greg QS said:

Good luck finding a slip. There are a lot less boats in Florida now , and a lot less marinas too. LOL

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LOL, really?

Somehow I got on a City of Ft Myers Yacht Basin email list. In one email, there are forces at work to condemn the marina and force those living aboard to leave. If true we will miss going there. It’s been a destination for at least one month per year for several years.

High Wire said:

Somehow I got on a City of Ft Myers Yacht Basin email list. In one email, there are forces at work to condemn the marina and force those living aboard to leave. If true we will miss going there. It’s been a destination for at least one month per year for several years.

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Does "condemn" mean demolish and rebuild? Or demolish and just discontinue having a municipal marina? It would be surprising and seemingly shortsighted for a riverfront town on a well-traveled waterway to give up on hosting boaters at city-owned property. It's always been a reliably hospitable stop on the OWW.

City of Ft Myers has been looking to privatize operation of the yacht basin, with proposals from Suntex and Safe Harbor being considered. My guess is the condemnation will speed of the privatization process.

Saw a post on Facebook saying Fisherman’s Village in Punta Gorda would be open soon. They had electricity and were making minor repairs.
A friend has a house in Punta Gorda on one of the canals. His house was undamaged except for his screen porch. His boat on a lift was undamaged also. No water got in the house. I’d be looking from Punta Gorda north to Clearwater.

From what I can gather then is that no one has been through that is on this forum.


I can tell you that the Tampa Bay area has gone crazy with slips $40-50 per ft annual payment upfront. Dont like it???? Next. That the attitude of most marinas as there is a huge influx of boats being relocated to an area where there is a drastic need for more marinas and cant fulfill local demand, let alone the new influx.


Hoping someone can give me an update soon if possible.


I did find this youtube video.

Shaunc said:

From what I can gather then is that no one has been through that is on this forum.


I can tell you that the Tampa Bay area has gone crazy with slips $40-50 per ft annual payment upfront. Dont like it???? Next. That the attitude of most marinas as there is a huge influx of boats being relocated to an area where there is a drastic need for more marinas and cant fulfill local demand, let alone the new influx.


Hoping someone can give me an update soon if possible.


I did find this youtube video.

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Not sure how pricing works down there, im a northerner. But what is the 40-50 per ft annual? is that the whole yr or monthly? Up here its around 110 per ft for the season,, april to sept/oct

Eli

Previous owners if my boat, GB 36, were staying at yhe Twin Dolphin Marina in Bradenton. $2k/ mth. They moved to Skipjack marina in Marathon. $1100/mth. I left Marathon with it Aug 31 and made to Crisfield MD by Sept 18.
I live in Lake Wales FL. My wife owns a house in Port Charlotte. We lost electric for 4 days. My house sustained no damage sane as during Irma in '17. Port Charlotte house lost shingles, broken window, lost electric for 2 weeks. Friends place on Ft Myers Beach was wiped out, along with both houses in front of him.
FMB, Sanibel, Captiva, Pine Island all will be out of commision for awhile in my opinion.

Sent from my SM-G715U1 using Trawler Forum mobile app

Eli


Its $40/$50 x length of slip per month. So lets say 50 ft slip, irrespective of boat length. Boat cant be longer than slip plus electricity taxes and any other fees. so at $40/ft a 50 ft slip is 2k per month for an annual contract paid upfront. 24K due at signing plus taxes. Electricity is billed monthly.


Its the same as paying a 350-400K mtg for that amount.

its not a pretty sigh for those poor folks.


We just got back from volunteering with the red cross and there are so many folks in need you almost don't know where to start. The Red Cross operation we helped as ran like a well oiled machine and it was very impressive how they deal with a crisis of this magnitude.


I feel so bad for them.