This sweet stretch of Southwest Florida features freshwater rivers that converge with the Gulf of Mexico, forming a 270-square-mile horn of plenty. Throw in 219 miles of natural shoreline, barrier islands and mangrove forests, and Charlotte Harbor shines brightly as an aquatic paradise.We will be keeping Pelican at Burnt Store Marina
Nice article titled Gunkholing the barrier islands off Florida's West Coast by Doran Cushing includes this passage:
The menu was simple enough: gather some friends and work associates for a mid-December cruise from Charlotte Harbor to the protected waters along the Intracoastal Waterway to the south. Our starting point was the Burnt Store Marina and Country Club, home of the Southwest Florida Yachts sailing fleet. The modern, full-service marina is tucked deep inside the gated community and provides immediate access to Charlotte Harbor and easy access to the Intracoastal Waterway, coastal West Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico.
It would be hard to imagine a more boater-friendly starting point with so many destination options within three hours sailing time from the marina docks. By land,the resort is situated in an undeveloped rural area 30 minutes south of Punta Gorda. When I queried cruising guide author Claiborne Young about the region, his answer was unqualified: "If I had to pick only one portion of the Western Florida coastline to cruise, it would be the Charlotte Harbor-Pine Island Sound region. You could spend months and not exhaust all them any varied cruising possibilities."
Cruising in Southwest Florida offers sailors the best of both worlds, coastal cruising and open sailing in the Gulf. There are lots of anchorages along the Intracoastal Waterway, protected by the chain of barrier islands that guard the mainland of Florida from Everglades north to Tarpon Springs. Two cruising guides are Claiborne Young's Cruising Guide to Western Florida and Tom Lenfestey's A Cruising Guide to Florida's West Coast. Another invaluable reference is A Guide to Anchorages in Southwest Florida, published by Boaters' Action and Information League, Inc, which provides aerial views and details on the approach route.
