Southwest Florida

There were some questions about SWF so I thought I'd start a thread with some basic info and if anyone has any further questions or comments we can post them here without hi-jacking anyone's thread.

There's lots of beautiful places in SWF, we picked Ft. Myers/Cape Coral for a few reason, it's within a 30 minute drive to a reasonably sized airport, there's lots of houses

within the 400-500K price range that are on the ICW within 30 minute boat ride to the GOM. we can boat 50 miles either North or South to get to Punta Gorda or Marco

Island (respectively), close to Sanibel/Cativa and to Ft. Myers Beach and tons of open beaches that you can beach your boat, explore and relax all day.


And if we want, for a $120 we can take the Key West Express (3 hour shuttle boat ride) down to KW for the weekend, doesn't get much better than that.


All the cities up and down the coast are great, but those were our reasons for picking where we ended up which is in SW Cape by Cape Harbour/Rumrunners part or town.

I'll start a thread later showing the complete re-model we did to our place here in SWF with the dock and pool out back, if anyone has any questions ask away.

How is the humidity in the summer time? I was in Dominican Republic in July and whenever we walked out of the hotel room, our clothes instantly stuck to our body and our sunglasses would fog up.

Keep in mind what I'm saying is coming from a guy who only has been through one SWF Summer and moved here from the Midwest where the Summer heat and humidity is just crazy.

Anyway, it "rarely" gets in the triple digit temps here or does the humidity go above 90%, back at LOTO in the Summer we used to get a month or two of over 100 deg temps and 100% humidity, it was like someone was standing on your chest, so our first Summer was a blessing, maybe since we're so close to the ocean and we get the cool ocean breezes, I don't know, but it was cooler than back at LOTO that's for sure.

And it does help that there's pool 30' right out the back door.

What's the biggest difference, if any, from boating on the west side vs. the east side, like Lauderdale?

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Originally Posted by GotHalos

What's the biggest difference, if any, from boating on the west side vs. the east side, like Lauderdale?

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Much calmer in the Gulf vs the Atlantic, tons more beaches and we can boat North up to Punta Gorda and stay inside the barrier islands (Sanibel and Captiva) where it's like a Lake.

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Originally Posted by 314joey

Much calmer in the Gulf vs the Atlantic, tons more beaches and we can boat North up to Punta Gorda and stay inside the barrier islands (Sanibel and Captiva) where it's like a Lake.

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Isn't the water warmer in the Gulf also?


CH3NO2

I have 1 question. Are you open to having a roommate who cooks?


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Originally Posted by Stainless

Isn't the water warmer in the Gulf also?


CH3NO2

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Just a degree or two on the water temp, but it's not noticeable, in the Summer the ocean temp gets in the upper 80s and sometimes 90, but the other stuff I mention is, like the beaches, there's tons of them on the West Coast, now there is more night life with Miami/South Beach over on the East side, but other than that that the actual boating is better over here, when we want to party that hard we just drive the two hours East or just fly to Vegas, you can never beat Vegas for a good time.

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Originally Posted by Eli

I have 1 question. Are you open to having a roommate who cooks?
Sent from my Bat Cave

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You will fall in love with SWF if you try it.

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Originally Posted by 314joey

You will fall in love with SWF if you try it.

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I don't doubt that at all. That's why I said "roommate" and not "guest" lol

I better move to SWF, before I get weighed down.
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Originally Posted by Eli

I don't doubt that at all. That's why I said "roommate" and not "guest" lol

I better move to SWF, before I get weighed down.
Sent from my Bat Cave

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You may find your future "husband".

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Originally Posted by 314joey

You may find your future "husband".

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You're making this so tempting!!! I've really been considering the move.


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Joey have you ever taken your boat to the Keys,it seems there is a lot to do and see there.

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Originally Posted by Kenny D

Joey have you ever taken your boat to the Keys,it seems there is a lot to do and see there.

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Not yet, the furthest South we've been has been Marco Island which is about halfway, we want to go, but would rather do it the first time with someone whose done it before, I hear that pulling into the harbor at KW can be tricky and I don't need any problems that far from home, much safer doing it the first time following someone whose done it before, just waiting the opportunity.

It's between 100-120 mile trip depending on whether you stay on the inside or fly out into the GOM, probably at least two, maybe three fuel fill-up each way, so it's important to know where the marinas with fuel are.

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Originally Posted by 314joey

Not yet, the furthest South we've been has been Marco Island which is about halfway, we want to go, but would rather do it the first time with someone whose done it before, I hear that pulling into the harbor at KW can be tricky and I don't need any problems that far from home, much safer doing it the first time following someone whose done it before, just waiting the opportunity.

It's between 100-120 mile trip depending on whether you stay on the inside or fly out into the GOM, probably at least two, maybe three fuel fill-up each way, so it's important to know where the marinas with fuel are.

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That sounds like so much fun!! How long would it take?


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Originally Posted by Eli

That sounds like so much fun!! How long would it take?


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I'm guess 5-6 hours,...............going average speed of 50mph, but then you've got to go into get fuel which will take the most time, as far as actual on the water boating time it would only be 3-4 hours, but you have to add the down time stopping a few times and yes, it does sound fun.

There's always room for more attorneys in Florida..............lol.

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Originally Posted by 314joey

I'm guess 5-6 hours,...............going average speed of 50mph, but then you've got to go into get fuel which will take the most time, as far as actual on the water boating time it would only be 3-4 hours, but you have to add the down time stopping a few times and yes, it does sound fun.

There's always room for more attorneys in Florida..............lol.

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This means plenty of time to stop and have a picnic. I love picnics!! You know I can work from anywhere ;)


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314Joey, thanks for starting this thread I'm going to enjoy following it and learning more about SW Florida living and boating as will I'm sure many others on here.

Eli if you go there to picnic, watch out for the black birds, those suckers will not only devour all your food, but will figure out how to unlatch the cooler and steal your beers too !!
In the late 80's we'd anchored a rental boat on an island beach along the ICW, walked up the beach 100 yds, turned around to walk back and the entire boat was covered in black birds.
By the time we ran back to the boat they'd devoured all our chips, cleaned up every single scrap from the bag and boat floor and I'm betting were working on the cooler latch to get to the sandwiches and BEER :skull:

I really thought it was cool when the little pond at the entrance to the hotel we stayed at on Sanibel Island had it's very own resident snaggle tooth gator.

Would seem I need to plan another Florida vacation, then I can work on convincing my wife that moving to Florida for the boating alone, would be an adventure well worth the effort.

Next time you come Tab..., let us know and we'll show you guys some of the fun places to go and see and get out on the boat, when you were on Sanibel did you go to Tween Waters, fun place.

If you have any questions ask away, I'll be glad to try and answer them.

Joey, my GF and I have never been to Florida but have been throwing around the idea of relocating. What is the job market like is SWF?

Thanks for the offer Joey, that would be a real treat.

I just googled Tween Waters and I don't recall anything like that being on Captiva when we were there close to 28 years ago (my how the time flies !). All I recall of Captiva is a few homes built on stilts, a beautiful beach that went on forever and an amazing little harbor we boated up to at the far end of the island.

Pretty much a whirl-wind grand prix trip, started in Miami, two days working our way up the East Coast stopping in West Palm Beach. Then to Orlando for my wife's business conference, then back down the west coast staying a couple of days on Sanibel Isl., then down the east coast crossing over to Miami for the flight home.

One question I do have, in previous posts you've provided pictures of you cruising canals past homes, docks and boats, is that typical of the canals I see in the aerial images of Cape Coral ?
Should I assume that home prices go up the closer to the main body of water, versus being way back where it seems it could take a lot of idling to get out ?